oa Feasibility of converting existing residential buildings to net zero-energy buildings in Egypt

Green architecture, sustainable buildings, environmental friendly, and other terms have recently become popular in the construction field among professionals and non-professionals. Although they are mostly needed and highly feasible, the application of these ideas is not yet at the same level of popularity in Egypt. Researchers are trying to fill this gap by providing different types of recommendations, methodologies, and guidelines to be followed. The aim of this study is to propose a method for solving the energy problem in the building sector in Egypt. Since it is concerned with the existing building stock, the proposed method will address retrofitting strategies, not new design strategies. The study suggests the nZEB (net zero-energy buildings) method as a possible solution for the problem and provides a guideline to be used among the rest of the existing building types. The study uses energy simulation to validate its initial assumptions and test the feasibility of the proposed guideline. The final outcome of the study is a method that combines both retrofitting and renewable energy strategies that will suit the Egyptian context, and has the potential to convert existing buildings to nZEB buildings. The study starts with the analysis of the current situation of both the existing buildings and the energy sector in Egypt. First, it reviews the classification of the existing building types in the Egyptian context, analyzing the energy consumption patterns and the inefficiencies leading to these patterns. Then, it defines the nZEB concept to familiarize the reader with its different aspects. The empirical part of the study uses several cases for a number of prototypes of residential building types in Egypt. Finally, the proposed guideline is applied to an actual existing building and its feasibility is tested by simulation. The study concludes by suggesting a potential energy saving by applying nZEB strategies to existing residential buildings in Egypt. Future research on different building types is required to validate the nZEB method across different building types.