Comparison of a nearly zero-energy building (nZEB) with a passive building: Case study Available to Purchase

Construction is the sector of the economy with the highest energy consumption rates. The sustainable development policy in the world, based on reducing the consumption of natural resources and improving the quality of the environment, supports all activities increasing energy efficiency. Construction is one of the sectors responsible for the highest consumption of energy resources and emitting very large amounts of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Politicians and social organizations are taking action to prevent a climate disaster related to the activities of the construction sector. Examples of activities include the introduction of building standards with a radically reduced energy demand. Among the many standards of energy-efficient buildings, the most common are buildings in a passive standard and a new mandatory standard - buildings with almost zero energy consumption (nZEB). As these two standards are very often confused, in the article the authors, using the example of a single-family building project, showed parameters that differ between the two compared standards. In the introduction to the main part of the article, the authors presented the most popular building certification systems and conducted an analysis of the market of materials and technologies used in energy-saving construction. The main part of the article is a comparison of the parameters characteristic for a passive building and a nZEB building. On the basis of the comparison, a single-family building design was created for both standards, together with the energy characteristics. The results of the comparison are presented as final and primary energy consumption values. In addition, the authors analyzed the impact of the selection of a heat source on the energy efficiency of buildings.