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Abstract The argument about energy usage has increased recently in the Egyptian society. The ZEB solution seems to be fit perfectly for the energy problem in Egypt. The aim of this thesis is to propose a method to be used in solving the energy problem in the building sector in Egypt. By studying the feasibility of achieving zero energy on University buildings in Egypt through retrofitting three buildings affiliated to Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University) two of them are existing buildings and the third one is under construction). The study starts with defining the ZEB concept to familiarize the reader with its different aspects and its methodology. Then analyzing worldwide case study of zero energy educational buildings in campus for two types—retrofitting and new construction. Finally, a suggested guideline is applied to an actual existing building and its feasibility is tested by simulation. The design Builder software was used to calculate energy consumption for each building and then to upgrade them. Also, a simulation tool was used to optimize the electricity consumption of the building that is under construction through getting the optimal cooling system. The results showed that, for case (1) (lecture hall-existing), ZEB can be achieved where the electricity was generated through PV cells. In case of Case (3) (Under construction), ZEB was achieved also as we were able to select the optimum cooling system. Also, this building has flat roof which helped us to produce enough renewable energy for consumption. The excessed electricity from Case (1) and Case (3) was used for Case (2) (existing). Despite that, Case (2) partially ZEB achieved only 53% of its consumption. It is evident from the results that retrofitting decreases energy consumption by 50-90% with the possibility of achieving zero energy by using renewable energy sources such as solar cells. The possibility of achieving ZEB or nearly ZEB building in universities is greater. It is often more cost effective and efficient to generate renewable energy such as solar energy through PV cells in a central location on the campus or in the community, rather than on (or in addition to) each building. The research concludes a potential energy saving by applying ZEB strategies to existing educational buildings in Egyptian campuses. Future research is required on different building types to validate the ZEB across different building types. |