Net-Zero Navigator Platform

Lead Proponent

University of Victoria

Project Objectives

The objective of this project is to develop, deploy and test the Net-Zero Navigator, an online platform to perform design, cost, and performance optimization and modelling to support net-zero energy ready buildings. The platform aims to help engineers and designers to achieve higher performing buildings at a lower cost by using interactive visualisation tools to explore possible designs.

The software platform to be developed will perform detailed whole-building energy simulations and generate surrogate models which use machine learning techniques to explore possible designs. Development will be guided by 10 stakeholder organisations, and the platform will be tested by 8 industry partners.

Optimization objectives will include energy use, carbon emissions, construction and energy costs, user comfort, robustness to changes in prices, and potential for adaptation to future climates and new standards.

Expected Results

This project will support the development and adoption of the model building codes, research better methods of producing models for optimization, and help build business cases for the development and adoption of more energy efficient building codes. This will lead to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and accelerate the deployment of affordable very high efficiency new homes and buildings and cost-effective deep energy retrofits in Canada.

This project will produce a suite of free online tools that can meet the needs of a broad range of stakeholders at different stages of the design process.