The project of constructing an nZEB in Sharif Innovation Zone was initiated with the Vice-Presidency as the employer of the process. Improving the level of awareness of the country"s engineers and builders is one of the goals of the executors of this center. 

Zeynab Hamidzadeh, the energy innovation ecosystem assistant to the vice president for science and technology affairs explained about the nature of the project and its executers, stating: the project is financially supported by the Vice-Presidency. In addition, the project will be implemented by the global environment facility (GEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and in cooperation with the energy innovation ecosystem of the Vice-Presidency.

The Possibility of Comparative Assessment of energy Performance

She added: the building will be designed to reduce energy needs to zero as much as possible with fossil fuels from the building, and with an energy performance index of between 50 and 75 kWh per square meter per year, it will have the least destructive effects on the environment.

Regarding the project’s goals, she mentioned: the overall goal of the project is to develop an energy innovation ecosystem in the building sector, and the building is set to become a hub for experts, students and researchers in the field of energy optimization to educate and promote culture in this area. In addition, with the promotional goals that are being pursued, it is hoped that with the approach of energy optimization and the use of renewable energy, it will be possible to help improve construction procedures.

The Need to Perform National Projects in the Field of Building Energy

In terms of the necessities and priorities of such projects, Hamidzadeh affirmed: today, there is no lab or research foundation in an academic space regarding nZEBs. Meanwhile, there is an evident need for research in this area. While the construction of an nZEB in the country is economically unjustified due to the current status of the country regarding the low cost of energy carriers and the existing laws, the Vice-Presidency has made the construction of such buildings its mission with a view toward the future and the goal of sustainable development. Especially in the current situation where we have a good opportunity in terms of motivation and international financial support.

Building Use

Hamidzadeh explained: it is aimed for energy activists in the field of energy, including accelerators and innovative startups in the field of energy and clean technologies to be established in the building. At the same time, it is possible for general engineers, architects, professors and students in the field of energy to visit the building. According to initial estimates by EEEB project experts, the building will be operational by February of this year, after undergoing various stages, including tenders for various projects, judging and selecting the best design, as well as a tender to select an executor to implement the selected project.

Energy Use Pattern Correction

In the end, Hamidzadeh marked: according to the Supreme Leader"s Policy ordered in 2010 under the heading of reforming the consumption pattern, energy saving should be implemented by applying a balanced set of price and price measures to continuously reduce the country"s energy intensity index to at least two-thirds of the current level until the end of the Fifth Development Plan (2016) and at least one second of the current level until the end of the Sixth Plan (2021). Meanwhile, the trend of Iran"s energy intensity has been increasing in recent years, and the incompatibility of Iran"s energy intensity trend with the current trend in the world, shows the importance of energy consumption management in the country and the need to use renewable energy.

A report by the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs