A Proposed Framework Toward Energy-Efficient Buildings in Egypt Based on the Passive House Criteria

The Egyptians are in great need of saving energy consumption. The government had declared a policy to reduce the electric power subsidy and cut it to ZERO in 2023. This sudden economic situation created a real-life problem for electric users. This was the primary motive for conducting this study through analyzing energy use, studying the current state of energy, reviewing the current and future governmental programs for energy efficiency, and conducting analytical studies for international energy-efficiency standards that could be applied to saving energy in Egyptian buildings. This research aims to propose a framework for saving energy consumption in Egyptian buildings by adopting the Passive House Criteria (PHC) as the world's leading standard in energy-efficient construction which saves up to 70–90% of the energy consumption. This study will define the Passive House Criteria concept, principles, standards, and the reasons for its selection in this study. After that, will analyze relevant best practices from Passive House buildings. The study will suggest a framework that embeds the PHC with Agile project management processes to develop building energy efficiency criteria in Egypt. This research expects to demonstrate that such a framework might be feasible, save mega energy from the user`s electric consumption, and if generalized, would add value to the overall Egyptian economy. The results will include a management framework artifact that could help to develop the Passive House Criteria in Egypt. The research recommendations should be followed-up with further studies to validate the PHC adoption in the Egyptian climate.