The lack of a structured approach to help the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in making informed decisions (Korkmaz et al. 2007) for the Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB) context establishes the need to evaluate the argumentation of the NZEB design decision process (Author, 2014). This research qualitatively analyzes the early design process of NZEB case studies that informs decision-making in the early design phase. The four components that were studied in the early design phases included key stakeholders involved (roles played), phases of assessments (design approach), processes (key processes, sub-processes, and design activities affecting performance) and technology (knowledge type and flow).
Author Biographies
Railesha Tiwari, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 USA
Ph.D. Candidate, Architecture and Design Research (Building Science) Railesha Tiwari is a Ph.D. Candidate at the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, School of Architecture + Design at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. The objective of her doctoral research is to develop an integrated design process model for the early design phase of Net-Zero Energy Buildings. Her research intends to define a decision support framework for the design, technical and organizational decision making processes required at conceptual design phase in order to attain the goal of Net-Zero Energy in buildings. She had the opportunity to work with Skidmore, Owings and Merill, San Francisco for a summer internship where she was actively involved in large-scale sustainable projects that were intended to have net zero-carbon footprints. Her M.S. Arch research was to develop a framework for a process model for the conceptual design phase to help in designing carbon-neutral buildings.
James R. Jones
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, School of Architecture and Design, Blacksburg, VA, USA
