Comparative Analysis Optimal Designs for Passive, Electrified, and Net Zero Energy Residential Buildings

In this paper, a life cycle cost-based optimization analysis is carried out to compare the energy and cost performance of diverse sustainable designs of a residential building. These designs include code optimal, net zero energy building, and passive house. It is found that in the case where natural gas is employed, a total energy savings of 77% is optimal. The cost optimal design for electrification achieves 100.12% of energy savings relative to the baseline design but results slightly high life cycle cost than that of the gas cost optimal design. In addition, the results indicate that due to the additional capital costs for the required energy efficient measures, the passive house case is less economically optimal than NZEB design options. Overall, the most cost-optimal designs are found to be for natural gas heated homes with marginally better energy performance than the applicable currently energy efficiency code with 10 kW solar panels.