This standard contains three approaches for compliance verification: prescriptive path, trade-off path, and performance path. Canada established its national building energy standard “Model National Energy Code of Canada for Houses” (MNEECH) in 1997. In this standard, energy efficiency of different buildings is stipulated, as well as parameter limits of building envelope and HVAC systems. The British government defined a mandatory building energy efficiency standard named “Part L”, which is revised every 4–5 years. In pursuit of these proposed targets, building energy standards have been compiled and implemented as prescriptive guidance for realization of building energy savings worldwide. Relevant studies all show promising results for zero energy buildings as a useful tool of climate change mitigation and building energy performance improvement. They also adopted the zero energy building standards in a certain UK hotel and presented the energy performance and economic analysis of the retrofitted hotel. Salem investigated the impact of zero energy building constructions on the built environment through simulations of zero-energy building standards to existing UK commercial and residential buildings. In order to respond to these policies and regulations related to zero-energy building, many studies have been conducted to estimate the effect of zero energy building constructions to the whole building stock and global climatic conditions. Furthermore, Canada aims to reduce 50% of greenhouse gas emissions through building energy savings and green roof applications by the end of 2030. Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in Europe has set the goal to build net zero energy buildings and to reach a neutral energy situation in the whole stock by 2050.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has set the goal to maintain the global temperature rise within 2 ☌ above the pre-industrial level towards 2050 through the reductions in carbon emissions. Numerous countries have taken building energy conservation as priority for GHG emissions reduction and climate change mitigation.Īmbitious goals have been set for building energy-savings in different countries and regions. Due to global concern of climate change and CO 2 emissions, building energy conservation is of pivotal significance as building energy consumption accounts for approximately 30% of world total energy consumption.

Ashrae 90.1 2015