Toward comprehensive zero energy building definitions: a literature review and recommendations

ABSTRACT Buildings are one of the most important emitters of CO2, causing climate change. This fact, together with the finiteness of conventional energy, results in the Zero Energy Building (ZEB) being future buildings. Although ZEB is a simple concept, but there is no valid universal definition. This is one of the significant building's energy systems challenges, which need to be appropriately addressed. Thisreview paper is going to review and summarize existing definitions to address a comprehensive definition of ZEB. The published articles were reviewed, and the definitions of zero energy buildings were drawn out. Then the differences in the existing definitions were analysed. Finally, suggestions are presented on suitable definitions from four perspectives, including energy, carbon, exergy, and economics. This definition is used as a standard communication by energy planners and policymakers to facilitate their decision making on energy transition.

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