The Zero Energy Building (ZEB) @ BCA Academy is the first existing building in Southeast Asia to be fully retrofitted to achieve net zero energy. Originally a three-storey school building, the ZEB now houses fully functioning classrooms, a library, a multipurpose hall, and offices; and is used as a test-bed for innovative building designs and energy-efficient building solutions.
The objectives of ZEB are:
- To demonstrate that an existing building is able to achieve net zero energy
- To serve as a test-bed for integration of Green Building Technologies in existing buildings
- To be a hub for practitioners and students in the study of energy efficiency and green buildings.
ZEB was designed to be highly energy efficient, about 40 to 50 percent more efficient than a conventional office and to be fully powered by solar energy. This was principally achieved by adopting an integrated design approach that encompassed two general principles to reduce energy consumption (a) passive design and (b) active solutions (including controls). In addition, the ZEB is powered by solar panels installed at various locations in the buildings to achieve energy self-sufficiency.
