The potential of active technologies to enhance the sustainability of existing buildings

The total electrical energy consumption of buildings has garnered the interest of scholars. Efforts have been undertaken to establish near-low-consumption edifices to ensure comfort and optimize resource management. Building energy modeling is a notably adaptable method for enhancing energy efficiency. This tool assists energy managers in selecting technology to minimize energy consumption. This research seeks to evaluate the implementation of diverse, active technologies in traditional buildings by utilizing building energy models to develop net-zero emission structures in response to the circumstances above. A comprehensive energy model of the building utilizing EnergyPlus was employed to examine the potential energy savings from implementing diverse, active technologies. An analysis of a solar system addressing building demand was conducted using the PV*SOL tool. The results of the digital building model demonstrated that the active technologies implemented would substantially reduce electricity consumption in electrical equipment and air conditioning systems. Nevertheless, even with the implementation of best practices, the lighting system did not realize the expected energy savings.