Impact of energy consumption & generation variation on the fulfillment of net-zero energy educational buildings

The Net-Zero Energy (NZE) building standard requires a balance between the building's energy consumption and generation. Any fluctuation in the energy generation by renewable technologies can greatly impact this balance and the overall energy performance of a NZE building. In this study, the feasibility of achieving NZE standard is evaluated for two LEED-rated educational buildings. Energy improvements strategies are investigated by making parametric variations to each building's base case simulation model. The case study examines each building's energy generation through the use of photovoltaic panels. The degradation rate is used to explore the risk that this source of renewable energy could behave non-efficiently under certain conditions. The factors affecting building energy consumption such as the operation schedule and the temperature set point are also studied. The results show alternative scenarios to improve building performance and achieve the NZE building standard.