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Achieving informed decision-making for net zero energy buildings design using building performance simulation tools

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  • Architecture and Human Behavior
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Abstract

Building performance simulation (BPS) is the basis for informed decision-making of Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) design. This paper aims to investigate the use of building performance simulation tools as a method of informing the design decision of NZEBs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a simulation-based decision aid, ZEBO, on informed decision-making using sensitivity analysis. The objective is to assess the effect of ZEBO and other building performance simulation tools on three specific outcomes: (i) knowledge and satisfaction when using simulation for NZEB design; (ii) users’ decision-making attitudes and patterns, and (iii) performance robustness based on an energy analysis. The paper utilizes three design case studies comprising a framework to test the use of BPS tools. The paper provides results that shed light on the effectiveness of sensitivity analysis as an approach for informing the design decisions of NZEBs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Performance-Integrated Design (LIPID), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Shady Attia

  2. Architecture et climat, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348, Louvain La Neuve, Belgium

    Shady Attia, Andre De Herde & Elisabeth Gratia

  3. Building Physics and Services, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Jan L. M. Hensen

Authors
  1. Shady Attia
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  2. Andre De Herde
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  3. Elisabeth Gratia
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  4. Jan L. M. Hensen
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Correspondence to Shady Attia.

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Attia, S., De Herde, A., Gratia, E. et al. Achieving informed decision-making for net zero energy buildings design using building performance simulation tools. Build. Simul. 6, 3–21 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-013-0105-z

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