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Potential Advantages and Disadvantages of ZEB |
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Potential advantages of Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) - Potential isolation of buildings' occupant(s) from energy price increases
- Increased comfort due to more uniform interior temperatures (this can be demonstrated with comparative isotherm maps)
- Reduced cost to improve energy efficiency during initial design and construction than it is to do so through a retrofit
- Higher resale value - The value of a ZEB building relative to similar conventional building increases as energy costs increase Potential disadvantages of Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) - Initial costs can be higher
- Possible significant declines in future energy costs could strand capital invested in energy efficiency
- New solar cells technology could strand capital invested in a solar electric generating system
- Challenge to recover higher initial costs on resale of building
- Passive design may limit future ability to respond to rising or falling ambient temperatures
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