BIM & BEM for a Net Zero Energy house model Case Study: A Housing Unit in Riyadh, SA

Abstract

Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) are becoming more and more important with the global sustainability movements and energy crisis which increase the need to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. The development of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Building Energy Modelling (BEM) techniques and applications increase its capabilities to support designers in their trials to cope with such movements during the design process and proved its benefits in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry and used in multiple purposes efficiently. However, the status of the documented trials to achieve a NZE is in its modest situation. This represents a research gap and the intensive for this study that aim to invest the capabilities of BIM and BEM applications to reach a NZE house model in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study adopted a descriptive and experimental approach to apply the NZE concepts on a house model using Revit, Green Building Studio and Insight applications. The reached model could reduce the normal yearly energy combined consumption by about 40% and proved that the building could produce more energy than it consumes.

Keywords

• building information modelling (bim)
• building energy modelling (bem)
• net zero energy buildings (nzeb)
• building performance simulation (bps)