Page 6 - ZEB Final Report 2009-2017

6 | ZEB Zero Emission Buildings | Final Report 2017

Summary the performance of the buildings is high, but export interaction with the surrounding
electricity grid.
there is still room for improvements related
to ventilation efficiency and integration Research on the operation of buildings
by Arild Gustavsen, Professor, NTNU, of heat pumps in the energy system. The with high energy and emission related
ZEB Centre Director overall impression from the evaluations ambitions has focused on the analysis
of buildings and solutions from a process of organizational, cultural, and social
When The Research Centre on Zero and user perspective is that the high factors that increase or decrease energy
Emission Buildings (ZEB Centre) started performance buildings work well. However, performance gaps in residential and non-
in 2009, it was among the first initiatives areas for improvement were also identified, residential buildings. In this work a typology
to look at greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as the flow of knowledge from of energy related occupant behaviour was
from buildings in in a life cycle perspective. construction professionals to occupants, developed. Finally, analyses of controversies
The main objective of the centre was to and temperature control during periods around cost and culture of buildings with
develop competitive products and solutions with extreme outside temperatures. In this high emission and energy ambitions have
for existing and new buildings that will lead respect, quick and reliable heating and revealed that additional cost did not always
to market penetration of buildings with zero cooling have turned out to be key concerns play an important role; this can be explained
greenhouse gas emissions related to their from a user perspective. Evaluations of the by the fact that these buildings were seen
production, operation, and demolition. design and construction processes showed as pilot projects that would yield benefits
Focusing on reduction of GHG emissions in that ZEB pilot buildings have profited in terms of learning and early positioning
a life cycle perspective has promoted energy from extra resources (time and money), in an emerging market. Small actors in
efficiency in the use phase, investment in the competence of experts and enthusiasts, the Norwegian construction sector remain
new local renewable energy technologies, continuity in project ownership, focus on sceptical towards climate friendly building
and reduction of GHG emissions from the hand-over phase, a feeling of ownership ambitions; although many do see that new
materials used, the construction process among the occupants, and the involvement business opportunities are emerging.
and end-of-life stage of buildings. Compared of design and construction professionals in ZEB results have been published in close
to the Research Council of Norway's overall the early use phase. to 1000 scientific articles, popular science
aim for Centres for Environment-friendly On the material and building assembly articles and presentations, where some
Energy Research Program (FME Program), side, the thermal performance and articles have received international awards.
it is safe to say that the ZEB Centre has condensation risks when applying vacuum ZEB researchers have given a number of
fulfilled its obligations. The Norwegian insulation panels (VIP) in well-insulated keynote/invited lectures. Almost 20 PhD
University of Science and Technology walls has been evaluated, providing and 100 MSc candidates are expected to
(NTNU) hosted and led the centre along a background of knowledge for the complete their theses in connection to
with SINTEF, in close collaboration development of new materials and material ZEB; becoming ZEB experts that will work
with forward thinking members of the combinations. Thermal insulation materials within a number of different fields, securing
Norwegian building industry. and solutions developed include nano national and international dissemination
Research and development has taken insulation materials (NIM) and aerogel- of knowledge about zero emission
place within five main areas: WP 1 Advanced incorporated concrete with reduced thermal buildings into society. The MSc program in
materials technologies, WP 2 Climate conductivity. Coating materials have been Sustainable Architecture at NTNU, which is
adapted low energy envelope technologies, developed for various building applications, connected to the ZEB Centre, has included
WP 3 Energy supply systems, WP 4 Use, e.g. electrochromic materials with large students from 32 countries during the last
operation and implementation, and WP 5 solar radiation regulation and with a very eight years. Professors have organized
Definitions, concepts, strategies, and pilot low material emissivity value of 0.015 for international summer schools in China.
buildings. New laboratories, necessary for reduced thermal transport. Reflective foils The ZEB Centre researchers have engaged
the research, development, and testing of in floors is another example of an innovative in a number of IEA and EU projects, and
technologies and solutions that will be used technology that, if used correctly, improves the centre has exchanged incoming and
in the buildings of the future have also been the thermal property of building envelopes. outgoing researchers.
developed by the ZEB Centre. The Centre Windows and facades with integrated Norwegian society is becoming
has produced a wide range of results and technology for solar shielding and solar increasingly aware of the need to increase
innovations, and this summary includes thermal energy collection are examples of energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions.
some examples. innovative products that have reached the Large and small municipalities, companies,
Nine pilot building projects, including construction market. and international actors have observed the
residential, commercial and public The centre has further developed a tool activities taking place within the research
buildings, act as proof of the viability of for analysis and selection of energy systems centre and are getting in touch asking for
the zero emission building (ZEB) concept. in the early design phase. For different advice and support in their work towards
The pilot buildings have enabled the testing system combinations, the output can be developing and building zero emission
and demonstration of the Zero Emission specific cost vs specific primary energy/ buildings and communities. We can clearly
Building Definition, evaluation of tools, carbon emissions. Another study was on see that ZEB Centre activities will continue
products and systems, and calculation rules the role of zero emission buildings on into the foreseeable future.
for documenting ZEBs. The evaluation future energy systems and specifically the The range of activities needed to
of solutions for the energy supply and interplay between on-site generation and develop a rigorous zero emission definition,
climatisation in pilot buildings, found that the building loads, and the resulting import/ the knowledge and solutions needed,