This study addressed the impact of the integrated performance of the passive cooling strategies to reduce the cooling load and maximizing the energy productivity of the solar photovoltaic panels in Nizwa eco-house. Selected passive technologies or design features adopted in Nizwa eco house to reduce the temperature of buildings without energy consumption. Different scenarios examined to evaluate the effect of each strategy independently to identify the most significant one and collectively to investigate the integrated performance of these strategies altogether. Consequently, this research aims to examine the performance of the application of selected passive cooling strategies to improve thermal performance and to reduce the energy consumption of residential buildings in hot climate settings at Nizwa in the Sultanate of Oman. Four passive cooling strategies were applied in Nizwa eco-house assessed by computer simulation software (ECOTECT). The assessment procedure based on comparing the cooling load of the proposed baseline scenario, which is without passive cooling with the cooling load of the scenarios after applying the passive technologies. The comparative analysis showed significant reduction in energy consumption was achieved due to applying the integrated approach of the cavity walls, triple glazing, shading canopy and the green roof, consequently the number of solar panels will be reduced. The implementation of these strategies in the Nizwa Eco-house showed a significant effects on the energy balance when the produced energy by the solar panels compared with that consumed by the Eco House. The annual energy produced by the solar system is around 47.3 MWh, while the annual consumed energy by the Eco House is around 44.3 MWh achieving the goal of Zero Energy Balance and exceed this goal by an extra energy of 3 MWh annually.
This study addressed the impact of the integrated performance of the passive cooling strategies to reduce the cooling load and maximizing the energy productivity of the solar photovoltaic panels in Nizwa eco-house. Selected passive technologies or design features adopted in Nizwa eco house to reduce...