The document summarizes a Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in Singapore that was retrofitted from an existing building. The ZEB produces enough renewable energy, through solar panels and other green technologies, to power its own operations and reduce its energy costs to zero. It serves as a test bed for green building technologies and aims to educate practitioners and students on energy efficiency and sustainability. Some features of the ZEB mentioned include natural ventilation, daylighting systems, electrochromic glass, solar panels, and vertical greenery walls.

1. NEHA
VRATI
AKANSHA
KAJAL
sustainable architecture
Zero Energy Building

3. What is Zero Energy Building?
• Fully Powered by the Sun
• Office of the Future
• Greenery Systems
• Natural Daylighting and Ventilation Systems

4. The first Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in South-east Asia retrofitted from an
existing building.
Converted from a three-storey former workshop, ZEB houses
offices, classrooms and a resource centre.
The ZEB is a zero energy building because the building produces enough
energy to run itself. As a critical test-bedding facility, the 4,500 m2 building
aims to produce enough energy to power the building.
In all, the building will save $84,000* a year in energy cost compared to
typical office in Singapore.
The building aims to achieve this through a combination of green building
technology, clever building design that takes advantages of natural
ventilation and lighting (this is called ‘passive design’), and the harnessing of
solar energy.
*based on an electricity tariff of 21.69 cents/kWh.

5. The Zero Energy Building (ZEB) was conceived with the
following objectives in mind:
To serve as a test bed for integration of Green Building Technologies (GBT) in
existing buildings
To be a hub for practitioners and students in the study of energy efficiency and
green buildings
Located within the BCA Academy, ZEB is retrofitted from an existing building,
the first to be achieved in Singapore.
It is a tripartite collaborative effort between BCA, NUS and MOE, partially
funded by the MND Research Fund and EDB’s Clean Energy Research
Program.

6. SIGNIFICANCE
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) has set
a target for the building industry, which is to achieve 80% Green Mark
Certification for all buildings by the year 2030.
To achieve this target, many existing buildings will have to be greened. The
ZEB is such an existing building. The lessons learned and the experience
gained in the construction and operation of ZEB will therefore be very useful
and valuable as the building industry journeys to achieve the set targets.
The technology that are being test bedded in ZEB at the moment will have
potential applications for many of the existing buildings that will be striving to
achieve Green Mark Certification in the not too distant future.
Zero Energy also refers to energy self sufficiency without the need to tap on
power supply from the grid at all. For energy scare Singapore which is also
devoid of natural resources, the success of ZEB in achieving this target is
exciting and has tremendous implications on the way energy is used in
Singapore for specific types of buildings.

7. Zero-energy building

19. Electrochromic glass is glazing that changes its opacity
depending on the amount of sunlight being received. This is
being tested for its light and heat control.
Photovoltaic glass has dual function of providing shading
and generating power at the same time. This is being tested
for its efficiency, impact on view, shading, heat absorption
and re-radiation.
Double Glazed Unit (DGU) with internal operable glass is
being studied for it impact on view, shading and heat
absorption. These consist of blinds between the glasses which
can be turned up during strong sunlight.
Clear DGU glass is used as a reference for comparison. The
air between the double sheets of windows is thoroughly dried
and the space is sealed air-tight, providing superior insulating
properties and eliminating possible condensation. Double
glazing is used in all air conditioned areas. Single glazing is
used in the classrooms and school hall.
TYPES OF GLAZING

22. GREEN WALL
Location: West face, south face
Other than producing oxygen, vertical greenery has the benefit of reducing heat
transmittance and lessening the effect of Urban Heat Islands.
The intent of installing vertical greenery is to study the effectiveness of these
systems on reducing the heat transfer through building walls into the interior
building space and the possible energy savings. The three types of vertical
system being tested in ZEB are:
Panel type
Mini planter box
Cage system.
Temperature sensors are placed on the surface behind the vertical greenery, on
the external façade and under the plants
Panel Type
Mini Planter
Box
Cage
System

23. Cumulative Energy Production
874420 kWh
Cumulative Energy Consumption
Typical Office of Similar Layout
1.69829 MWh
Zero Energy Building 828282kWh
Since 18th of October 2009
TOTAL SOLAR ENERGY GENERATED : 874420 kWh
TOTAL CO2 REDUCTION : 454698 kg
Cost Saving from PV Generated
(Based on 21.69 cents per kilowatt-hour till 31 Dec 2009)
(Based on 22.87 cents per kilowatt-hour from 1 Jan 2010)
: S$ 217656
SAVING DUE TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY (EE) : 870007 kWh
Cost Saving from EE : S$ 219025
WEATHER DATA
Date Time Temperature
Wind
Velocity
Irradiance
07 Mar 2014 08:58:29 28.33°C 1.5 m/s
218.021
W/m2

24. • www.bca.gov.sg/zab what is
zab.html
• www.solari pedia.com.
• www.frost-apac.com/green21/pdf