Developing A Net-Positive Energy Building: A Case Study of Library Building of Central University of Rajasthan

Abstract

The need for energy in the building sector in the last few decades has increased manyfolds which has resulted in a significant increase in carbon emissions. The building sector accounts for around 40% of the energy consumption, and with the growing economy and a steady increase in per-capita building space, energy consumption in the building sector is bound to increase. In recent years, efforts have been made to address this issue by adopting green buildings, sustainable development, and net-zero buildings. Most of the green rating systems prevalent in India focuses on energy efficiency and energy savings in buildings, but limited research exists on library building’s energy-saving potential due to modeling complexities. These complexities include variability in footfall, construction typology, and potentially more sophisticated architectural planning. This paper examins the possibility of achieving net-positive energy goals for a library building which includes solar photovoltaic and wind energy systems. Several factors were considered when determining the size of the photovoltaic system using PVsyst software for installation in buildings, such as roof area, shading, and PV panel efficiency. It was found that the EPI calculated for library building is significantly lower in comparison to the benchmarks provided by various rating systems for educational buildings. Also, renewable strategies can effectively reduce dependency on on-grid electricity supply and help in creating net-zero energy buildings. Moreover, advancing solar PV technology will enable net-positive energy goals for library buildings having low EPI.