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ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING DESIGN DEVELOPMENT: A RETROSPECTIVE

APPROACH

Conference Paper · February 2017

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International Symposium on Energy Efficiency in Buildings,
February 13-14, 2017, Ankara, TURKEY
Pages:296-303

ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING DESIGN DEVELOPMENT:

A RETROSPECTIVE APPROACH

Timuçin HARPUTLUGİL
Assist. Prof. Dr.
Çankaya University, Department of Architecture, Ankara
tharputlugil@cankaya.edu.tr

ABSTRACT

Energy efficiency is at the forefront of current debates about building technology. The
increasing global population, decreasing fossil-based energy resources, rising emissions of
harmful gases are the main motivators of energy efficiency in buildings. Although the energy
consumption of buildings varies according to factors such as social differences, climate,
geographical location, and cultural habits, it is estimated that around 40% of the annual energy
consumed in the world is used in the buildings today. Based on all these reports, over the last
century, increasing effort has been put into the development of energy efficient design.

This paper aims to describe an overview of energy efficient building design that has evolved
and changed since the beginning of the 20th century with revealing developments and
changing approaches. This study has tried to overlap the developments and changes
experienced in the last century with social events in the world. The paper reviews a nearly
zero(nZEB) house as a case study to reveal the systems used today in energy efficiency. The
paper also aims to present not only up-to-date systems and approaches but also a projection of
what will happen in the future.

Keywords: Energy efficiency, nZERO, NZERO, renewable energy, retrospective approach

 INTRODUCTION

Energy conservation in the built environment has become one of the most important topics on
both political and scientific agendas. The rising global population, decreasing fossil-based
energy resources, rising emissions of harmful gases have emerged as the main motivators for
energy efficiency in buildings. In addition, cost efficiency, safety and the need to reduce
carbon emissions are fundamental reasons for energy conservation. In the last century, the
incredible increase in the amount of energy usage and the increasing dependence on energy
resources have forced human beings to consume energy in the most efficient way in every
area. The world is dominated by buildings with about 40% energy consumption. For this
reason, the construction sector is affected by global energy issues, and the traces of these
effects are manifested in the design, construction and usage processes of the buildings. In this
context, energy efficient design systems related to the production of the buildings that draw so
much of the world's energy consumption have been put forward. This paper scrutinizes
approaches to energy efficiency in the buildings of the last century.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS IN THE LAST CENTURY

To understand the last century, it is necessary to observe the developments and changes in the
field of energy activity in buildings (functionally independent) and to observe the social
events that provided the motivation for the transformations. In the last century, it is impossible
to imagine that developments took place independent of social and social realities or events.
The period covered by energy efficiency and construction in the last century can be traced in
Table 1 below for its effect on events and energy efficiency.

Among the most important developments of the 19th century are the Industrial Revolution, the
use of steam power, the introduction of electric energy through the grid, the introduction of
mass production into many areas of life, and the demands posed by new space requirements.
Prior to the 20th century the main concepts in energy efficiency in buildings were design with
climate and passive design systems. In this context, energy efficiency and comfort could be
provided based on criteria such as location, orientation, shape of the building, shading
according to other buildings and landscape, building envelope, heat conservation, moisture
movement, and cooling based on natural ventilation. The systems used were a reflection or
development of past experiences.

The beginning of the twentieth century is the time when inventions and systems that would
lead to the development of many systems used today in buildings and energy efficiency began
to emerge. During this period of time including World War I, the development of the elevator
that would encourage the design of multi-storey construction, invention of air conditioning
systems that depend on electrical energy, and the usage of new building materials such as
reinforced concrete and steel in construction processes can be seen some of the major
improvements in the building process. The first attempts at using combined HVAC systems in
buildings are also seen in this period, and accordingly, the amount of energy consumption in
obtaining and using the structures has increased.
 Table 1. Social events and energy efficiency processes in the last century

Timeline Architectural Social Events Effects of Social Energy efficiency

Movement Events in Buildings
Before Vernacular Industrial Steam power Passive systems
20th century architecture Revolution Electric energy through the Experience of the past
grid
Mass production,
specialization
Need for new spaces
First quarter Modernism 1st World War First steps of combined New systems adaptation,
of 20th (Futurism) Usage of elevator heating, cooling and air Climate independent
century New building conditioning design
materials
(reinforced
concrete, steel)
Invention of air
conditioning

Second and Modernism 2nd World War Mass production after the Systems integration
third quarter Nuclear energy world war
of 20th Space technology The term “optimization”
century Establishment of Basics of solar energy usage
European Basics of geothermal energy
Economic usage
Community (EEC) Basics of heat pump
technologies

20th century Post-modernism 1973 Oil crisis Back to climate based design Conservation of energy
1970-1980 principles
Passive house principles
Development and adaptation
of computer technology
20th century High-tech Destruction of Global development models Sustainability and energy
1980-1990 ozone layer Sun houses management
1987 Bruntland Passive design principles
report Environmental consciousness
The term
“Sustainability”
Developments of
personal computers
20th century Deconstruction Kyoto agreement Environmental consciousness Variety of energy sources
1990-2000 Establishment of Passive House standards Efficiency of renewable
European Union Green buildings energy sources
(EU) Life cycle analysis
Green building Energy based simulation
certification software
systems Integrated design
Renewable energy sources
Smart buildings
21st century Sustainability 2002, 2010 Green building certification
2000-2010 EU Energy systems Standards
directives Energy performance Reduction of emissions
Energy certificates Energy efficiency
Performance Renewable energy sources Reducing carbon print
Building Directives New standards for energy
(EPBD) efficiency
Scenarios for climate change
21st century Sustainability 2010 EU Energy High performance buildings Energy efficiency
2010-2020 directive Net zero and nearly zero Clean energy
Paris agreement buildings
21st century Positive energy Energy production
2020 -
In the second quarter of the 20th century, due to the world-wide industrial revolution,
increasing mass production almost in every area also affected the building sector. In
architecture examples of modernism could be seen. Developing heating, ventilating and air
conditioning (HVAC) systems and their integration with the buildings provide examples of
climate-independent design. Renewal movements began to eradicate the traces of demolition
in Europe after World War II, nuclear energy was developed during the World War, and the
concept of optimization aimed at the most efficient use of resources at the beginning of the
1950s. The first experiments in the use of solar energy and geothermal heat pumps were
started at this time. Emerging technology, increasing population, urbanization, limitations of
land in cities, and designing tall buildings, are characteristic of this period. Transparent and
permeable surfaces used on the buildings reflect the architectural language of the period while
increasing the amount of energy used in the buildings. The main social events can be listed as:
the establishment of the European Economic Community, the basis of the European Union,
the point reached in space technology in the 60s and its transfer into daily life, the beginning
of the use of nuclear energy, the increasing population and energy dependency, (Ionescu et al.,
2015).

The oil crisis in 1973 led to a major break in energy efficient design in buildings. The sudden
increase in energy prices and the difficulties in reaching energy resources led societies to find
different remedies. Understanding the importance of energy efficiency in buildings, the return
to passive design principles (Commission of EU, 1991), and the emergence of computers are
important events of this period. In this period, an energy saving consciousness seems to
develop. The most efficient use of limited energy resources is encouraged.

With the Brundtland Report(World Commission on Environment and Development-WCED,

1987) titled "Our Common Future" presented at the United Nations in 1987, the concept of
term “sustainability” was for the first time widely used. In this report, the importance,
necessity and components of sustainable development are conveyed. Accordingly, economic,
environmental and socio-cultural sustainability are emphasized as the three main components
of sustainability. One of the most important aspects of this report is that the environmental
impact as well as the economy is mentioned. The environmental impacts of energy resources
have also become a matter of debate (Sev, 2009). However, the importance of the legislative
regulations is also understood, as is the importance of measuring and evaluating the
consumption quantities and the plans related to the statistical data. With time, architectural
high-tech buildings began to be built. Innovative design proposals for energy efficiency in the
design of new buildings have also begun to be created by integrated design teams. It is
possible to encounter many systems in the field of design which are carried out in cooperation
with architects, engineers, experts and consultants. This period is also a time when energy
management has come to the forefront in terms of energy efficiency.

The 1990s is a period when the thinning of the ozone layer increased, the Kyoto protocol was
signed (1997) and environmental damage began to be debated with a loud voice. At the
beginning of the 90s new developments took place with the establishment of the European
Union, the debate surrounding globalization, the framing of different development models,
and the introduction of computer technology into homes as personal computers. The energy
consumption of buildings as well as the diversification of the energy sources they use and
their impact on the environment have also started to be discussed. There are studies on
renewable energy sources and adaptation for use in buildings. Integrated design, which
envisions the collaboration of all design actors for energy efficiency, has become widespread,
passive house standards have been introduced, and a variety of detailed level simulation
programs have been used, including life cycle analysis. In addition to all of these, the concept
of green buildings along with energy efficiency has been introduced. According to this, green
buildings are based on a model that consumes the least global resources, are produced with the
least possible energy, are least harmful to the environment, and are oriented towards
renewable energy sources and minimizing waste in the usage process. The concept of
intelligent building based on automation also emerged in this period. The idea of Reuse,
Recycle, Reduce or 3R, which was introduced in the early 1970s, was also included in the
building design and construction processes with an increasing interest in this period of time.
In parallel with the concept of a green building, green building certification systems have also
emerged that allow buildings to be rated according to green building standards. According to
this, buildings are certified at different levels (Çelebi et al. 2008).

Together with the new millennium, standards and, accordingly, grading and evaluation
systems began to be widely used. In 2002 and then in 2010 the European Union issued energy
performance directives governing buildings. In line with these directives, member states are
obliged to take into account their own regional conditions, to define the standards, to
determine the implementation principles and to present them as general standards. The
number of green building rating systems and usage rates in the building sector increased.
Energy performance documents have been defined, the measurement and control mechanisms
for energy efficiency have been set by standards and the standards have been increased over
time. While a focus on renewable energy sources is encouraged, fossil-based fuel
consumption reduction efforts have also intensified. Studies of climate change scenarios have
also been made on the improvements and future scenarios that can be achieved with the
existing building stock. It has become widely accepted that the energy efficiency will be
ensured with the common design of living spaces rather than at the single building scale. Not
only energy efficiency, but all waste related to the building, toxic gas emissions and limiting
the application of carbon emission have become aspects for consideration. The aim is to take
into consideration all of the embodied energy to reduce the amount of energy used during the
production of all materials and components of the building.

With the 2010 European Union Energy Performance Directive, the concepts of net zero
emission, and nearly zero energy have been defined in terms of the standards. Accordingly,
the amount of energy consumed and produced by buildings is taken to the closest possible
values and the emission values of harmful gases are targeted to be reduced. It is aimed that
this directive will be valid for all new buildings to be built in all member states by 2018.
However, the realization of cost-effective construction processes is included in the stated
goals. During this time period, also achieving high performance buildings is one of the goals
of energy efficiency. Today, the approach based on renewable energy resources is
strengthening, while it is observed that there is a decrease in energy production based on fossil
resources. With the widely-used energy simulation models, more realistic consumption plans
can be made. With the 2020 energy targets, there is a 20% reduction in energy consumption, a
20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 20% increase in the use of renewable
energy. Today, together with all of these, the buildings that produce the more energy than their
consumption are now being spoken of and called positive (+) energy buildings.
REVIEW OF ENERGY + GREEN HOME PROJECT AS A CASE STUDY

Location Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Architects UNSANGDONG Architecture
Client Kolon E&C Institute of Technology
Geographical Location Latitude 37.28 (N), Longitude 127.22 (E)
Climate Mean air temperature for January: -4.8C,
Mean air temperature for August: 26C
Building Type Single Family House
Construction Date 2010-2011

In order to explain the point reached today in the energy efficiency of buildings based on the
mentioned developments, Energy + Green house in Gyeonggi-do of Korea was chosen as a
case study. The Energy + house was designed by UNSANGDONG Architects as a single-
family home. The area occupied by the building is 1,837 m2 and the internal usage area is 295
m2. The selected house is located at 37.28 latitude and 127.22 longitude. In addition to
passive system design rules, it is aimed to maximize contribution of active systems
(www.usdspace.com) (www.designboom.com).

With Energy + Green Home, the aim is to design an energy-efficient green house.
Accordingly, the goal is to be conceptually energy-efficient, environment-friendly and user-
oriented. The designers sought to optimize the production technologies with the least energy
consumption at the lowest cost (www.archdaily.com). In this context, cooperation has been
made with 6 institutions and 29 suppliers. The building is actually designed to test many
technologies. In this context, although there was occupancy of householders for a short time
(2014) for evaluation, it is now open as an exhibition house and sample building where
sustainable technologies are demonstrated (Shuetze, 2015).

The high energy efficiency of the E + house is documented by the German Passive House
Institute. Electricity consumption is 531 kWh / year, while the annual consumption per square
meter is 1.82 kWh/m2. It is evident that when these total loads of the building are observed, it
can be defined as a nearly zero energy (nZEB) building. In the main themes of energy, water
and resource efficiency, 95 different green technologies provide comfortable and healthy
indoor climate conditions (Shuetze, 2015).

The surfaces of the building, including the roof, are designed for reduction of the heat island
effect, evaporation of water, maximize passive cooling systems and collection of rainwater to
be used as gray water. In addition to these, the front and roof surfaces are optimized to obtain
maximum energy from sunlight and wind. While ecological materials were selected as
building material, a gray water conversion system was also applied. PV and solar panels are
used to make use of solar energy, while water obtained from the roof is used in cooling
systems. Cooling chimneys have been built besides the design of the space to take advantage
of the natural ventilation. The building is surrounded by effective insulation materials and
special measures have been taken for air tightness. Light pipes also provide access for natural
light to the spaces surrounded by the north facade (www.arch2o.com).

The building is able to minimize the amount of energy consumed in all facilities provided by
existing technology, while reducing emissions to the lowest possible level. For this reason, the
settlement and especially the form of the building are designed to allow different energy
efficient strategies to be achieved. In the design and construction process, a close cooperation
with professional consultants has delivered important leverage in reaching the targets. Third
party institutions from South Korea and Germany also made important contributions to the
objectivity of the numerical values assessed for the building. However, it is also a fact that
data on user occupancy is limited.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

While the passive design measures for comfort conditions of buildings were taken before the
20th century, by inventing and using different energy sources, 20th century buildings were
designed independently from the climate, using mostly active systems. This increased energy
consumption heavily in order to maintain comfort conditions. Emerging technology,
increasing population, changing social life as well as the understanding of space and comfort
have also been influenced by this change. The oil crisis that broke out in 1973 created a
breakdown in many patterns of behavior, after which a debate emerged over how increasing
energy consumption could be met by limited energy resources. The concept of sustainability,
which entered our lives in the 1980s, has led to a number of new ideas such as conservation of
the environment and the provision of renewable energy sources for energy consumption. In
the 1990s, the world was not only acquainted with such use of buildings, but also with the
concept of the green building, which considers resource consumption and waste management,
including during the construction processes. With the new millennium, standards have
emerged that encourage the use of renewable energies and reduce fossil fuel based energy
resources that are harmful to the environment. Nowadays, research is being conducted for
buildings for net or nearly zero energy consumption. In fact, if the developments in the last
century are briefly summarized: energy bottlenecks have led to energy efficiency following the
increasing energy consumption in the buildings, followed by encouraging diversification of
energy sources and turning to environmentally friendly renewable energy sources,
emphasizing the reinforcement of passive systems, improving standards and building codes,
and finally to buildings that produce as much energy as they consume. Perhaps the greatest
lesson to be taken the past is that the development of energy efficiency in buildings is not only
about how much energy is reduced but also how much energy can be saved.

Based on all these considerations, energy efficient design strategies that could be the basis for
future proposals are listed below:

• Buildings should be assessed for energy efficiency within the holistic built environment, not
one by one,
• It should be targeted that energy consumption in construction and operation stages should be
transformed from negative to positive, which means that buildings should be producing more
energy than they consume,
• It is necessary to consider that the energy consumed to obtain the building must be able to be
compensated with positive energy production during the operation phase,
• The waste of buildings should be reduced and harmful gas emissions must be reset,
• It is necessary to set the target for reducing the carbon footprint not only for the use phase
but also for the construction process,
• It should not be forgotten that the most important factor for the energy consumption of
buildings is actually the occupants/the users. User-oriented design and operation processes
should be considered for positive energy buildings.
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