THE POTENTIAL OF RESIDENTIAL ENERGY STANDARDS IN EGYPT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH THE CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMES

Building energy standards are the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design and construction for new and renovated residential and commercial buildings. Standards can have a major role in enhancing the thermal behavior of the building by providing the appropriate guidelines and recommendations for each particular community.  This was the motivation in issuing the Egyptian Energy Code for Residential Buildings (EECRB) which were presented by Housing and Building National Research Centre in Egypt (HBNRC) in 2006.  These standards relied on valuable studies carried out by the center in 2000, aiming to achieve a better performance and thermal comfort for the occupiers. However, materials and recommendations for these standards did not enter the framework of implementation so far. Articles of the Egyptian Construction Law issued in 2008 did not include any clause or reference to these standards, as the building regulations for new communities did mention neither materials nor recommendations of Egyptian energy standards. Can Egyptian energy standards help to maintain a quality indoor environment for residential buildings for existing and new urban communities is the question this study seeks to address. This study explores the current situation, with a preliminary analysis of how the (EECRB) may not be able to deliver its ‘sustainable energy standards’ goals due to the ways in which ‘thermal behavior and building performance’ are assessed and how they behave in real world situations. A comparative study with the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) in the UK has been done. The study demonstrates that further research, policy changes and practical improvements are needed to deliver sustainable energy for existing and new urban communities. More comprehensive guidelines should be given to designers to ensure the delivery of sustainable buildings is not hampered whilst also failing to meet energy standard goals.