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Designing Zero Carbon Building: Using Dynamic Simulation Methods

The book develops a structured method for ‘zero carbon design’ to demonstrate that it is perfectly possible to design new or retrofit zero carbon buildings today, using existing technologies, and with substantial financial returns. The publication is a consolidation of the author’s building simulation research, demonstrating the way forward towards meeting international targets for carbon emission reductions. It presents original work for designing zero carbon buildings that integrate environmental, financial and social aspects, including simulation experiments to investigate the effect of various design decisions on carbon performance and consolidates these decisions into a concise method for the design of new or the retrofit of existing buildings into ‘zero carbon buildings’.

The work is unique, in that other published works do not develop a method but merely present case studies of projects. In contrast the author develops a structured method to open up avenues for making zero carbon design of buildings to become routine/current, rather than something that may be achieved in the distant future. It makes a case for changing perceptions and attitudes regarding ‘zero carbon living’ from an impossible problem, to one realistic within current economic, cultural and technical contexts.

The book has been identified as essential reading- Professor Brian Ford, Chair in Bioclimatic Architecture at the University of Nottingham: "There are several books which treat the topic of low or zero carbon buildings but none of them link it to dynamic tools and I don't know of any book that covers this topic from the same prospective". Professor Ruth Reed RIBA : "This is a book that students and practitioners cannot afford to ignore for the benefit of their clients, future generations and the planet". Dr Don McLean, Founding Director of Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd: “(the book) has been required by the market place for a long time”.