Load Components in a Building

The load components in a building account for its overall energy consumption. The more the load, the more energy is
required to counter balance it and to maintain a habitable environment within the building. The major components that
contribute to the load are:
1. The heat gained or lost inside a building through the walls and roof . This heat transfer occurs through the processes
of conduction, convection and radiation. Th is can be controlled th rough parameters like th e material used in the
wall/roof or the thickness of the wall/roof etc.

2. Th e h eat gained inside a building th rough windows. Solar h eat gain th rough windows is a significant factor in
calculating the cooling load buildings. This heat transfer occurs due to the direct and diffused radiation coming from
the sun and the sky. It can be controlled through parameters like efficient planning and placement of windows, type of
glazing used, number of panes in the window and the coatings used on the glass.

3. The heat absorbed and radiated through the floor of the building.

4. Internal h eat gain inside a building due to inflitration or ventilation. It h appens wh en some amount of air directly
enters the conditioned space, thereby adding to the cooling load.

5. Internal heat gain inside a building due to occupants, lighting and equipments. It depends on the population and the
acitivity of the occupants.

Net Zero Buildings (Net ZEB)

Net Zero Energy(ZEB) buildings represent a new paradigm in building design-providing super-efficient structures
that generate as much energy as they consume over the course of a year. This approach to design has the potential
to make massive inroads into the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with building energy
use supplied by non-renewable, carbon-based sources of power. Heightened concerns about the GHG issue are
driving and transforming the leaders within the building industry to target this new level of building performance. A Net
Zero Energy Building is a building with zero net energy consumption, meaning that all the energy used by the building
is totally based on renewable energy sources created on the site like solar, wind, geothermal, etc. These buildings
consequently do not increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Buildings that produce surplus of
energy over the year are called as "energy- plus buildings." The Zero Energy concept allows for a wide range of
approaches due to many options for producing and conserving energy.
(weighted) export / generation
Planning: Generation/Load
• Independent calculation of on-site
energy generation (PV, CHP, ... ) and
(weighted) building energy demand

on-site e------• Operation: Export/Delivered

generation
• monitoring of net energy flow at the
point of grid interaction considering
internal self consumption
exported --
- -­
energy

Mixed: "Virtual" Load Match

monthly net
generation • Independent calculation of on-site
reference energy generation and demand plus
bu 11d 1ng monthly based balance
________,. .,.. -
monthlynet delivered load (weighted)
load energy
demand
��
consumption
efficiency

virtual monthly self-consumption Image Source: wikipedia.com