**1. Introduction**

Global warming and climate change are rising issues during the last couple of decades. Buildings including commercial and residential ones are major contributors to energy consumption [1]. Energy consumption in buildings significantly increases on a yearly basis due to the increased human comfort needs and services [2]. Multiple factors affect the energy consumption used for cooling buildings such as wall structure, window to wall ratio, and building orientation in addition to weather conditions [3]. Energy consumed by buildings was reported to compose a relatively large proportion of the global energy consumption [4]. The building construction and the way it is operated and maintained have a significant impact on the total energy and water usage of the world resources [5].

Buildings are the primary energy consumers contributing to more than 40% of the US energy usage [6]. According to the US Department of Energy (DoE), the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems consume approximately 17–20% of the total energy bill of any facility or building [7]. The world equipment demand for HVAC systems has increased worldwide from approximately 50 billion US dollars in 2004 to more than 90 billion US dollars in 2014 and for the United States from almost 11 billion to 19 billion US dollars over the same period [8].

Thermal characteristics of building envelopes have become of rising significance for designers and owners due to its relation to energy consumption reduction. Improper thermal insulations in buildings can lead to higher chances of surface condensation when air has relative humidity higher than 80% and when the convective and radiative heat transfer coefficients of the exterior walls are small [9].

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*Zero-Energy Buildings - New Approaches and Technologies*

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[8] Rockström J, Gaffney O, Rogelj J, Meinshausen M, Nakicenovic N, Schellnhuber HJ. A roadmap for rapid decarbonization. Science.

[9] Tapia O. Technologietransfer und umgang mit technologie. In: TRIALOG Zeitschrift für Planen und Bauen in der Dritten Welt, TRIALOG 25. 1990.

Lemaitre C, Oehler S. Framework for carbon-neutral buildings and sites. German Sustainable Building Council

[11] DWD. Ortsgenaue Testreferenzjahre von Deutschland für mittlere und extreme Witterungsverhältnisse, Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (BBR) durchgeführt vom Deutschen Wetterdienst (DWD). 2016. Available from: https://www.bbsr. bund.de/BBSR/DE/FP/ZB/Auftragsf orschung/5EnergieKlimaBauen/2013/ testreferenzjahre/start-node.html [Accessed: 07 February 2020]

[10] Braune A, Geiselmann D,

[12] BMWE. Handbuch für Energieberater Anleitung mit Tipps und Tricks zur Umsetzung, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE). 2017. Available from: https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/ Publikationen/Energie/handbuchfuer-energieberater.html [Accessed:

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[13] DOE. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Program, US Department of Energy. 2020. Available from: https:// www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/zeroenergy-ready-homes [Accessed:

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[1] Fisch MN, Wilken T, Stähr C.

[2] Schwede D, Lu Y. Potentials for CO2-neutrality through energy-retrofit of the existing building stock in 26 cities in China. Procedia Engineering. 2017;**198**:313-320. DOI: 10.1016/j.

[3] Hermelink A, Schimschar S,

and the Uptake of Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings in the EU—Final Report. 2019. Available from: https:// ec.europa.eu/energy/en/studies/ comprehensive-study-building-energyrenovation-activities-and-uptakenearly-zero-energy [Accessed:

[4] Schwede D. Entwicklung des Gebäudeenergiebedarfs und Einsparziele in Deutschland und in verschiedenen Ländern in Asien. In: Lozán JL, Breckle S-W, Grassl H, Kuttler W, Matzarakis A, editors. Warnsignal Klima: Die Städte. 2019. pp. 255-262. Available from: www. klima-warnsignale.uni-hamburg.de

[5] Schwede D. Climate-adapted

[6] Fisch N, Möws B, Zieger J. Solarstadt: Konzepte, Technologien, Projekte. Kohlhammer; 2001. ISBN:

[7] Phaal R, Farrukh C, Probert D. Roadmapping for Strategy and Innovation Aligning Technology and Markets in a Dynamic World.

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**References**

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EnergiePlus Gebäude Und Quartiere Als Erneuerbare Energiequellen. 2012. p. 328. ISBN: 9-783000-391675

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss benefits and design guidelines for zero energy buildings. NZEBs have tremendous potential to transform the way buildings use energy. In response to regulatory mandates, federal government agencies and many other state and local governments are beginning to move toward targets for NZEBs.

Many states in the United States are mandating many rules and regulations to reduce the buildings' energy consumption. For example, New York and California, which house more than 20% of the United States' population, produce less than 10% of its carbon emissions [10]. These two states are leading the way in decreasing energy use through the proliferation of net-zero energy building in addition to other strategies.
