Reference Vertical Multifamily Building in Mexican Climates Using the Synthetical Average Building Approach

Mexico has made continuous efforts to develop sustainable buildings through diverse energy efficiency policies and programs.However, in contrast with other countries, Mexico still needs to implement a nationwide plan to create zero-energy buildings.This study proposes a reference residential multifamily building, based on the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), as a first step toward developing a nearly zero-energy building concept in the country.The proposed reference building was defined by implementing the synthetical average building approach using statistical data from national surveys.The main objective of this investigation was to characterize the average performance of this type of building so it can serve as a basis for future energy performance studies.Six different cities corresponding to six climates were studied: Chilpancingo (warm semi-warm subhumid); Durango (dry temperate and semi-cold semi-dry); La Paz (warm dry -very dry); Mexico City (subhumid temperate); Tepic (temperate semi-warm subhumid) and Tlaxcala (subhumid temperate).Energy consumption for lighting, appliances, hot domestic water, and cooking was estimated, so the base energy requirements for the reference building were established.The annual final energy consumption for the building was estimated between 72,974 kWh/year and 84,213 kWh/year, and the energy intensity for the houses based on the built surface varied between 56.4 kWh/m 2 year and 65.1 kWh/m 2 year.High energy consumption values were present in homes built in temperate climates, mainly driven by domestic hot water needs.Establishing the base energy consumption of buildings supports the development of sustainable construction, helping with the mitigation of energy-related emissions and thereby reducing the environmental impact of buildings.