CH2 energy harvesting systems : economic use and efficiency

This paper looks at the City of Melbourne's new office development CH₂ as a case study of world class energy performance. In particular, the integrated design of conventionally independent systems has led to the potential to deliver significant savings to the Council and to deliver better environmental conditions to building occupants that in turn may contribute to satisfaction, well-being and Productivity. It is concluded that this project has the potential
to be an iconic example of effective implementation of ESD (environmental sustainable design) principles and therefore act as a demonstration project to others. Energy efficiency of more than 50% of current benchmarks for Melbourne is effected. Energy harvesting is defined as arising from squander, waste and nature, which is a new concept introduced in this paper to better describe the design decision process.

Reliability of building embodied energy modelling: an analysis of 30 Melbourne case studies

Building design decisions are commonly based on issues pertaining to construction cost, and consideration of energy performance is made only within the context of the initial project budget. Even where energy is elevated to more importance, operating energy is seen as the focus and embodied energy is nearly always ignored. For the first time, a large sample of buildings has been assembled and analysed in a single study to improve the understanding of the relationship between energy and cost performance over their full life cycle. Thirty recently completed buildings in Melbourne, Australia have been studied to explore the accuracy of initial embodied energy prediction based on capital cost at various levels of model detail. The embodied energy of projects, elemental groups, elements and selected items of work are correlated against capital cost and the strength of the relationship is computed. The relationship between initial embodied energy and capital cost generally declines as the predictive model assumes more detail, although elemental modelling may provide the best solution on balance.

Building energy efficiency labeling programme in Singapore

The use of electricity in buildings constitutes around 16% of Singapore's energy demand. In view of the fact that Singapore is an urban city with no rural base, which depends heavily on air-conditioning to cool its buildings all year round, the survival as a nation depends on its ability to excel economically. To incorporate energy efficiency measures is one of the key missions to ensure that the economy is sustainable. The recently launched building energy efficiency labelling programme is such an initiative. Buildings whose energy performance are among the nation's top 25% and maintain a healthy and productive indoor environment as well as uphold a minimum performance for different systems can qualify to attain the Energy Smart Office Label. Detailed methodologies of the labelling process as well as the performance standards are elaborated. The main strengths of this system namely a rigorous benchmarking database and an independent audit conducted by a private accredited Energy Service Company (ESCO) are highlighted. A few buildings were awarded the Energy Smart Office Label during the launching of the programme conducted in December 2005. The labeling of other types of buildings like hotels, schools, hospitals, etc. is ongoing.

Thermal and ventilation performance of a multifunctional sports hall within an aquatic centre

There has been an increasing demand for sports facilities in urban areas recently. As a result of this, more attention is drawn towards not only the energy performance of these building typologies, but also creating a healthy indoor environment for the users. This Study investigates the thermal and ventilation performance of a sports hall within an aquatic centre using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. IES Virtual Environment software was used to perform the simulations. A number of scenarios were tested by changing the position of extract fans as well as by incorporating natural ventilation strategies. A high level of discomfort was observed in the space. Better comfort condition was achieved by changing the location of exhaust fans ad openings. The results help to recommend some guidelines to inform the proposed refurbishment plans of the site.

Towards a BIM-based energy rating system

Governments in Australia are faced with policy implementation that mandates higher energy efficient housing (Foran, Lenzen & Dey 2005). To this effect, the National Construction Code (NCC) 2013 stipulates the minimum energy performance for residential buildings as 114MJ/m2 per annum or 6 stars on an energy rating scale. Compliance with this minimum is mandatory but there are several methods through which residential buildings can be rated to comply with the deemed to satisfy provisions outlined in the NCC. FirstRate5 is by far the most commonly used simulation software used in Victoria, Australia. Meanwhile, Building Information Modelling (BIM), using software such as ArchiCAD has gained a foothold in the industry. The energy simulation software within ArchiCAD, EcoDesigner, enables the reporting on the energy performance based on BIM elements that contain thermal information. This research is founded on a comparative study between FirstRate5 and EcoDesigner. Three building types were analysed and compared. The comparison finds significant differences between simulations, being, measured areas, thermal loads and potentially serious shortcomings within FirstRate5, that are discussed along with the future potential of a fully BIM-integrated model for energy rating certification in Victoria. © 2014, The Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA), Hong Kong.

High performance green buildings

This work aims to study and analyze strategies and measures to improve energy performance in residential and service buildings, in order to minimize energy losses and energy consumption. Due to the high energy dependence of European Union (EU), including Portugal and Slovenia, and high percentage of energy consumption in the building sector, there was a need to adopt strategies at European level with ambitious goals. This came to force EU - Member States to take measures to achieve the proposed targets for energy consumption reduction. To this end, EU - Member States have adapted the laws to their needs and formed specialized agencies and qualified experts on energy certification, which somehow evaluate buildings according to their performance. In this study, the external characteristics of the building in order to meet its thermal needs and from there to survey the existing and possible constructive solutions to be used at the envelope will be examined, in order to increase comfort and reduce the need of use technical means of air conditioning. The possibility of passive heating and ventilation systems also will be discussed. These techniques are developed in parallel with the deployment and design of the building. In this manner, to reduce the energy consumption, various techniques and technologies exploit natural resources. Thus, appear the more sustainable and efficient buildings, so-called Green Buildings have been appeared. The study ends with the identification of measures used in several buildings, proving the economic return in the medium to long term, as well as the satisfaction of their users.

A methodology for building energy modelling and calibration in warm climates

PEDRINI, Aldomar; WESTPHAL, F. S.; LAMBERT, R.. A methodology for building energy modelling and calibration in warm climates. Building And Environment, Australia, n. 37, p.903-912, 2002. Disponível em: . Acesso em: 04 out. 2010.

Energy and lysine for broilers from 44 to 55 days of age

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance and carcass yield of broilers at 55 days of age fed diets with different levels of metabolizable energy and lysine. Evaluated data of performance were weight gain, feed intake, energy intake, lysine intake, caloric conversion and feed conversion. Carcass assessment was performed based on data from carcass yield, breast weight, whole wings, whole legs, back, head + neck, feet and abdominal fat. A 3 x 3 factorial arrangement was used, with 3 levels of metabolizable energy (3,200; 3,400 and 3,600 kcal ME/kg) and 3 lysine levels (0.95%; 1.05% and 1.15%). There was no interaction between the two factors. Nevertheless, increasing levels of metabolizable energy improved weight gain (745 g; 841 g and 910 g, respectively) and feed intake was higher in broilers receiving the diets with 3,200 and 3,600 kcal ME/kg. Overall performance was not affected by lysine levels. Feed conversion values were 2.69, 2.42 and 2.14 for birds fed diets with 3,200; 3,400 and 3,600 kcal ME/kg, respectively. Carcass yield and breast weight increased with higher levels of energy and lysine in the diets.

Performance comparativa entre R290/R600a (50:50) e R134a para drop-in em refrigerador doméstico

This research this based on the seminar on Use of Natural Fluids in Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Systems conducted in 2007 in Sao Paulo. The event was inserted in the National Plan for Elimination of CFCs, coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The objective of this research is analyze the performance of the hydrocarbons application as zeotropic mixtures in domestic refrigerator and validate the application of technical standards for pull down and cycling (on-off) tests to the mixture R290/R600a (50:50) in domestic refrigerator. It was first developed an computational analysis of R290/R600a (50:50) compared to R134a and other mass fractions of the hydrocarbons mixtures in the standard ASHRAE refrigeration cycle in order to compare the operational characteristics and thermodynamic properties of fluids based on the software REFPROP 6.0. The characteristics of the Lorenz cycle is presented as an application directed to zeotropic mixtures. Standardized pull down and cycling (on-off) tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the hydrocarbons mixture R290/R600a (50:50) as a drop-in alternative to R134a in domestic refrigerator of 219 L. The results showed that the use of R290/R600a (50:50) with a charge of refrigerant reduced at 53% compared to R134a presents reduced energy performance than R134a. The COP obtained with hydrocarbon mixture was about 13% lower compared to R134a. Pull down times in the refrigerator compartments for fluids analyzed were quite close, having been found a 4,7% reduction in pull down time for the R290/R600a compared to R134a, in the freezer compartment. The data indicated a higher consumption of electric current from the refrigerator when operating with the R290/R600a. The values were higher than about 3% compared to R134a. The charge of 40 g of R290/R600a proved very low for the equipment analyzed

An assessment of fiscal and regulatory barriers to deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in Belize

Belize is currently faced with several critical challenges associated with the production, distribution and use of energy. Despite an abundance of renewable energy resources, the country remains disproportionately dependent on imported fossil fuels, which exposes it to volatile and rising oil prices, limits economic development, and retards its ability to make the investments that are necessary for adapting to climate change, which pose a particularly acute threat to the small island states and low-lying coastal nations of the Caribbean. This transition from energy consumption and supply patterns that are based on imported fossil fuels and electricity towards a more sustainable energy economy that is based on environmentally benign, indigenous renewable energy technologies and more efficient use of energy requires concerted action as the country is already challenged by limited fiscal space which reduces its ability to provide some fiscal incentives, which have been proven to be effective tools for the promotion of sustainable energy markets in a number of countries. This report identifies the fiscal and regulatory barriers to implementation of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies in Belize. Data and information were derived from stakeholder consultations conducted within the country. The major result of the assessment is that the transition of policies and plans into tangible action needs to be increased. In this regard, it is necessary to articulate sub-policies of the National Energy Policy to amend the Public Utilities Commission Act, to develop a grid interconnection policy, to establish minimum energy performance standards for buildings and equipment and to develop a public procurement policy. Finally, decisions on renewable energy and energy efficiency-related incentives from the Government formally requires decision-makers to solve what may be extremely complex optimization problems in order to obtain the lowest-cost provision of energy services to society, thereby weighing the cost of revenue losses with the benefits of fuel and infrastructure expansion savings. The establishment of a management system that is efficient, flexible, and transparent, which will facilitate the implementation of the strategic objectives and outputs in the time available, with the financial resources allocated is recommended. Support is required for additional institutional and capacity strengthening.

Bio-energy conversion cost: a new index to evaluate the bioeconomic eficiency

This study evaluated a nonlinear programming excel workbook PPFR (http://www.fmva.unesp.br/ppfr) for determining the optimum nutrient density and maximize margins. Two experiments were conducted with 240 one-day-old female chicks and 240 one-day-old male chicks distributed in 48 pens (10 chicks per pen, 4 replicates) in a completely randomized design. The treatments include the average price history (2009s and 2010s) for broiler increased and decreased by 25% or 50% (5 treatments to nonlinear feed formulation) and 1 linear feed formulation. Body gain, feed intake, feed conversion were measured at 21, 42 and 56 d of age. Chicks had ad libitum access to feed and water in floor pens with wood shavings as litter. The bio-economic Energy Conversion [BEC= (Total energy intake*Feed weighted cost per kg)/ (Weight gain*kg live chicken cost)] was more sensitive for measuring the bio-economic performance for broilers, and especially with better magnitude. This allowed a better assessment of profitability, the rate of growth and not just energy consumption, the production of broilers, by incorporating energy consumption, allowing for more sensitivity to the new index (BEC). The BEC was demonstrated that the principle of nonlinear formulation minimizes losses significantly (P<0.05), especially under unfavorable conditions the price of chicken in the market. Thus, when considering that a diet of energy supply shows up as the most expensive item of a formulation, it should compose necessarily the formula proposed for a bio-economic index. Thus, there is need to evaluate more accurately, not only the ingredients of a ration, but the impact of nutrients on the stability of a solution, mainly due to the energy requirement. This strategy promotes better accuracy for decision making under conditions of uncertainty, to find alternative post-formulation. From the above, both weight gain and feed conversion, as traditional performance indicators, cannot finalize or predict a performance evaluation of an economic system creating increasingly intense and competitive. Thus, the energy concentration of the diet becomes more important definition to feed formulator, by directly impact profit activity by interactions with the density of nutrients. This allowed a better evaluation of profitability, the rate of energy performance for broilers, by incorporating the energy consumption formula, allowing more sensitivity to the new index (BEC). These data show that nonlinear feed formulation is a toll to offer new opportunities for poultry production to improved profitability.

Second law analysis and simulation techniques for the energy optimization of buildings

The research activity described in this thesis is focused mainly on the study of finite-element techniques applied to thermo-fluid dynamic problems of plant components and on the study of dynamic simulation techniques applied to integrated building design in order to enhance the energy performance of the building. The first part of this doctorate thesis is a broad dissertation on second law analysis of thermodynamic processes with the purpose of including the issue of the energy efficiency of buildings within a wider cultural context which is usually not considered by professionals in the energy sector. In particular, the first chapter includes, a rigorous scheme for the deduction of the expressions for molar exergy and molar flow exergy of pure chemical fuels. The study shows that molar exergy and molar flow exergy coincide when the temperature and pressure of the fuel are equal to those of the environment in which the combustion reaction takes place. A simple method to determine the Gibbs free energy for non-standard values of the temperature and pressure of the environment is then clarified. For hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and several hydrocarbons, the dependence of the molar exergy on the temperature and relative humidity of the environment is reported, together with an evaluation of molar exergy and molar flow exergy when the temperature and pressure of the fuel are different from those of the environment. As an application of second law analysis, a comparison of the thermodynamic efficiency of a condensing boiler and of a heat pump is also reported. The second chapter presents a study of borehole heat exchangers, that is, a polyethylene piping network buried in the soil which allows a ground-coupled heat pump to exchange heat with the ground. After a brief overview of low-enthalpy geothermal plants, an apparatus designed and assembled by the author to carry out thermal response tests is presented. Data obtained by means of in situ thermal response tests are reported and evaluated by means of a finite-element simulation method, implemented through the software package COMSOL Multyphysics. The simulation method allows the determination of the precise value of the effective thermal properties of the ground and of the grout, which are essential for the design of borehole heat exchangers. In addition to the study of a single plant component, namely the borehole heat exchanger, in the third chapter is presented a thorough process for the plant design of a zero carbon building complex. The plant is composed of: 1) a ground-coupled heat pump system for space heating and cooling, with electricity supplied by photovoltaic solar collectors; 2) air dehumidifiers; 3) thermal solar collectors to match 70% of domestic hot water energy use, and a wood pellet boiler for the remaining domestic hot water energy use and for exceptional winter peaks. This chapter includes the design methodology adopted: 1) dynamic simulation of the building complex with the software package TRNSYS for evaluating the energy requirements of the building complex; 2) ground-coupled heat pumps modelled by means of TRNSYS; and 3) evaluation of the total length of the borehole heat exchanger by an iterative method developed by the author. An economic feasibility and an exergy analysis of the proposed plant, compared with two other plants, are reported. The exergy analysis was performed by considering the embodied energy of the components of each plant and the exergy loss during the functioning of the plants.

Dynamic thermal performance of building components and application to the experimental and theoretical analysis of a ventilated façade

The general aim of this work is to contribute to the energy performance assessment of ventilated façades by the simultaneous use of experimental data and numerical simulations. A significant amount of experimental work was done on different types of ventilated façades with natural ventilation. The measurements were taken on a test building. The external walls of this tower are rainscreen ventilated façades. Ventilation grills are located at the top and at the bottom of the tower. In this work the modelling of the test building using a dynamic thermal simulation program (ESP-r) is presented and the main results discussed. In order to investigate the best summer thermal performance of rainscreen ventilated skin façade a study for different setups of rainscreen walls was made. In particular, influences of ventilation grills, air cavity thickness, skin colour, skin material, orientation of façade were investigated. It is shown that some types of rainscreen ventilated façade typologies are capable of lowering the cooling energy demand of a few percent points.

Miglioramento delle performance termiche e energetiche degli edifici rurali: valutazione del retrofit di locali per la conservazione del vino su casi studio

Il presente studio si colloca all’interno di una ricerca più ampia volta alla definizione di criteri progettuali finalizzati all’ottimizzazione delle prestazioni energetiche delle cantine di aziende vitivinicole, di dimensioni produttive medio - piccole. Nello specifico la ricerca riguarda la riqualificazione di fabbricati rurali esistenti di modeste dimensioni, da convertire a magazzini per la conservazione del vino in bottiglia. Lo studio si pone come obiettivo la definizione di criteri di analisi per la valutazione di interventi di retrofit di tali fabbricati, volto sia al miglioramento delle prestazioni energetiche dell’involucro edilizio, sia alla riduzione del fabbisogno energetico legato al funzionamento di eventuali impianti di controllo termico. La ricerca è stata condotta mediante l’utilizzo del software di simulazione termica Energy Plus, per ottenere i valori simulati di temperatura interna relativi ai diversi scenari migliorativi ipotizzati, e mediante la successiva definizione di indicatori che esplicitino l’influenza delle principali variabili progettuali sull’andamento delle temperature interne dei locali di conservazione e sul fabbisogno energetico del fabbricato necessario a garantire l’intervallo di temperatura di comfort del vino. Tra tutti gli interventi possibili per il miglioramento della prestazione energetica degli edifici, quelli analizzati in questo studio prevedono l’aggiunta di un isolamento a cappotto delle pareti esterne, l’isolamento della copertura e l’aggiunta di una struttura ombreggiante vegetale esterna. I risultati ottenuti danno una prima indicazione sugli interventi più efficaci in termini di miglioramento energetico e mettono in luce l’utilità del criterio proposto nell’evidenziare le criticità degli interventi migliorativi ipotizzati. Il metodo definito nella presente ricerca risulta quindi un valido strumento di valutazione a supporto della progettazione degli interventi di retrofit dei fabbricati rurali da convertire a magazzini per la conservazione del vino.

Real-World Energy Measurements of a Wireless Mesh Network

Over the past several years the topics of energy consumption and energy harvesting have gained significant importance as a means for improved operation of wireless sensor and mesh networks. Energy-awareness of operation is especially relevant for application scenarios from the domain of environmental monitoring in hard to access areas. In this work we reflect upon our experiences with a real-world deployment of a wireless mesh network. In particular, a comprehensive study on energy measurements collected over several weeks during the summer and the winter period in a network deployment in the Swiss Alps is presented. Energy performance is monitored and analysed for three system components, namely, mesh node, battery and solar panel module. Our findings cover a number of aspects of energy consumption, including the amount of load consumed by a mesh node, the amount of load harvested by a solar panel module, and the dependencies between these two. With our work we aim to shed some light on energy-aware network operation and to help both users and developers in the planning and deployment of a new wireless (mesh) network for environmental research.