Potential and Risk for Zero-Energy-Buildings under Defined Urban Densities

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to develop a method to evaluate the potential and risk of renewable energy development by examining the land-use requirement of zero energy building (ZEB). To date there is still a lack of knowledge about which kind of building and which kind of building arrangement would be optimal to save as much as possible land for compensating measures of ZEB. How does the compensating area change with number of floors or plot ratio? Does the compensating area required by one unit of area of use increase or decrease with the number of floors and plot ratio? We intend to develop a method to address these questions and draw the attention to further explore the relationship among the variables. Some of the suggestions about the planning of land-use requirement of energy production could be derived from our preliminary results: 1) to save land for compensating measure, small number of floors should be used; 2) to save land in general, high plot ratio should be used. And, within the high plot ratio, small number of floors should be used. With the results of this research, we hope to contribute to the discussion about urban sprawl and compact city. We also hope to further advance the investigation about the relationship between urban density and energy production. It may also encourage land-use policy makers to include land-use requirement of renewable energy production into consideration.