Net Zero Building Energy Conservation

Author

Rohit Kadam, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

5-1-2012

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Nsofor, Emmanuel

Abstract

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Rohit Kadam, for the Master of Science degree in MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, presented on DECEMBER 2, 2011, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. (Do not use abbreviations.) TITLE: NET ZERO BUILIND ENERGY CONSERVATION MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Emmanuel Nsofor This research deals with energy studies performed as part of a net-zero energy study for buildings. Measured data of actual energy utilization by a building for a continuous period of 33 months was collected and studied. The peak design day on which the building consumes maximum energy was found. The averages of the energy consumption for the peak month were determined. The DOE EnergyPlus software was used to simulate the energy requirements for the building and also obtain peak energy requirements for the peak month. Alternative energy sources such as ground source heat pump, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and day-lighting modifications were applied to redesign the energy consumption for the building towards meeting net-zero energy requirements. The present energy use by the building, DOE Energy software simulations for the building as well as the net-zero model for the building were studied. The extents of the contributions of the individual energy harvesting measures were studied. For meeting Net Zero Energy requirement, it was found that the total energy load for the building can be distributed between alternative energy methods as 5.4% to daylighting modifications, 58% to geothermal and 36.6% to solar photovoltaic panels for electricity supply and thermal energy. Thus the directions to proceed towards achieving complete net-zero energy status were identified.