Abstract—In response to local and global energy and health
challenges, this paper presents the design and cost benefit of the
implementation of Net-Zero Energy Housing (NZEH) to the
existing villas in Qatar. Thus, this work determines whether
the benefits outweigh the cost of the implementation of NZEH.
There is uncertainty over the reliability of the presented cost
benefit data in other countries as cost benefits differ from one
place to another. A lack of empirical evidence has increased this
uncertainty; particularly, a lack of evidence on the costs and
benefits of a net zero and low emission housing option to private
households. These costs include the cost of renewable energy
technologies. This paper aims to bridge the research gap by
applying cost benefit methods. Thermal insulation, solar power
generation and solar water heating systems were modelled and
lifecycle costing was applied to explore the costs and benefits
across 25 years for net zero emission new house scenarios in
Qatar. The average typical residential villa energy use
establishes a baseline for determining energy and cost savings.
A cost-benefit analysis was first performed at the subsystem
level, house level and then at the country level and the results
were in favour of the implementation of NZEH. Solar
photovoltaic and solar water heating subsystems are designed in
order to meet the hot water and electricity requirements of a
typical villa. Thermal insulation was found to be non-beneficial
due to the low electricity tariff in Qatar. Annual savings of 299
Qatari Riyals (QAR) per villa and 21 million QAR at the
country level could be achieved if NZE housing is implemented.
This is in addition to the numerous benefits of the utilization of
clean and sustainable energy. If the initiative of NZEH is
implemented to all types of residential and commercial units,
Qatar would save a multiple of this amount with a significant
reduction in related health problems.
Index Terms—Renewable energy, net-zero energy housing,
solar energy, cost benefit analysis, electricity production in
Qatar.
The authors are with Qatar University, Qatar (e-mail: samer@qu.edu.qa,
farayi@qu.edu.qa, hamouda@qu.edu.qa).
[PDF]
Cite:Samer Gowid, Farayi Musharavati, and Abdelmajid Hamouda, "Cost Benefit Analysis of a Net-Zero Energy Housing in Qatar," Journal of Clean Energy Technologies vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 36-41, 2019.
