Modelling Zero Energy Buildings: parametric study for the technical optimization

This study was born in the context of new challenges imposed by the recast of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The aim of this work is to develop strategies to identify and investigate the relationship between decisional variables within a nZEB design concept, providing a useful method to deal with a huge number of simulations corresponding to a large number of building configurations in order to find one optimized constructive solution. The method combines the use of the TRNSYS® with GenOpt®, in an iterative input-output process. The case study is an existing low-consumption single-family house located in Amberieu-en-Bugey, Rhône-Alpes, France. After a description of the case-study and of its TRNSYS model, the definition and the settings of the parameters are illustrated and a parametric study is performed in order to evaluate the impact of the variation of various envelope features on the annual energy consumptions. The resulted optimal design solution reduces by 20% the current annual energy performance, validating the used optimization method and providing general principles for a good nZEB design. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of KES International.