Search results for "energy building"

Towards an integrated design of renewable electricity generation and storage systems for NZEB use: A parametric analysis

2021

Abstract Although nearly zero energy buildings have attracted growing research attention, literature analysis shows that only a limited number of researches try to couple load match/grid interaction issues and environmental impacts in early design stages. The study proposes a novel multidisciplinary design approach that allows to integrate these two conflicting aspects aiming to find trade-offs. The proposed approach has been applied to a building case study, equipped with a photovoltaics system without energy storage. The results show that even though on yearly basis the energy use (5,290 kWhe) is largely overcome by the on-site energy generation (8069 kWhe), an oversized PV system alone m…

Modeling of spanish household electrical consumptions: Simplified and detailed stochastic approach in trnsys environment

2013

The initial assessment of electric energy demands of a building is a key element in the design process, that should be integrated in the earlier stages of the design of a net zero energy building. The objective of the study is the creation of predictive models of household electrical consumptions in the Mediterranean/Spanish climate and its implementation in TRNSYS 17 environment. The models offer both a simplified level of analysis, based on average seasonal electrical consumptions trends and a stochastic in-depth level for the simulation of peak loads through the compiling of multiple TRNSYS types.

The Role of Natural Ventilative Cooling in NZE Temporary and Emergency Shelters Design: a Mediterranean Case Study

2016

The paper presents a case-study of a pre-fabricated housing module built in Messina (Sicily, Italy) and the assessment of its energy performances under the net zero energy perspective. The potential of ventilative natural cooling application in the case-study is also investigated. Some particular features of the building - the modularity, the prefabrication, the rapidity of assembly, the possibility of being built on disconnected soils and the absence of maintenance - identify an effective use as a temporary housing solution for e.g. workers in proximity of an isolated working place or in emergency situations such as earthquakes and natural disasters. Monitoring studies were performed durin…

Analysis of Load Match in Nearly Zero Energy Buildings

2018

The concept of load matching refers to the degree of agreement or disagreement of the on-site generation with the building load profiles: it can be increased and optimised with modifications on both the energy demand and generation. In this context, the paper presents the load match analysis of a case study: a modular housing construction (it has an area of 45 m 2 and S/V ratio equal to 2.75 m −1 ) built in Messina (Italy). Moreover, in order to optimize the design of the next test module to be built, a parametric analysis was performed considering different scenarios on the generation side, to explore the effectiveness of the solutions sets used in current design and plan different solutio…

Towards achieving net-zero energy communities: Investigation of design strategies and seasonal solar collection and storage net-zero

2019

Abstract This paper explores a solar mixed-use community and its potential towards achieving net-zero energy status. This mixed-use community combines residential and commercial/institutional buildings. Energy performance of this neighbourhood is estimated in terms of energy consumption and generation potential by means of building integrated PV systems. A solar thermal collector system combined with a borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) is designed to investigate the impact on the overall performance of the neighbourhood. The design of solar thermal collectors and the sizing of short-term thermal energy storage is based on the analysis of the thermal loads for heating and domestic hot w…

A model for predicting the potential diffusion of solar energy systems in complex urban environments

2011

Abstract The necessity to reduce greenhouse gases emission produced by energy building consumptions and to cut the energy bill (mainly due to the use of fossil sources) leads to the employment of renewable energy sources in new planned scenarios. In particular, more and more often municipal energy and environmental plans pay great attention to the possibilities of employment of the solar technologies at urban scale. Solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) systems are, by far, the most suitable tools to be utilized in urban areas. Obviously, the proper adoption of such systems in buildings does call for the availability of calculation methods suitable to provide the actual level of exploitation …

A net zero energy building in italy: Design studies to reach the net zero energy target

2011

In the framework of international actions to reduce the energy requirements and greenhouse gases emissions due to buildings, a new International Energy Agency task has been recently established in order to study Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). The commonly shared concept of NZEB, is a building whose annual balance of energy consumptions tends to zero. This concept is still too imprecise and the authors of this paper participate to the activities of SubTask B of IEA Task40 with the aim of establishing an internationally agreed understanding on NZEBs. The task is based on a common methodology for identifying and refining design approaches and tools to support industry adoption of innovativ…

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF SOLAR COMMUNITIES: A SCENARIO ANALYSIS

The study proposes the comparisonof the life cycle performances of two different energy systems aimed at covering the needs of a large mixed-mode community, in Calgary (Canada). The two systems investigated are a“conventional” one, using heat pumps for heating, cooling and domestic hot water, and another one widely deploying solar thermal panels as well as a district heating infrastructure and a borehole seasonal thermal storage. The analysis is based on the LifeCycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and includes the stages of raw materials and energy supply, system manufacturing, use stage of the systems, generation and use of energy on-site, maintenance and components’ substitution, and explo…

Sustainable and cost-efficient energy supply and utilisation through innovative concepts and technologies at regional, urban and single-user scales

2019

Abstract The environmental impact of the energy sector and the security and economics of energy supply and utilisation have been raising increasing concerns, stimulating the search for innovative solutions for a sustainable use of resources. This article provides an overview of published research in this area, with a focus on papers contributed in special issues of leading journals dedicated to the series of Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), including the articles in the current special issue. Based on this review, research trends are identified and achievements supporting the energy transition are highlighted. The studies that focused…

Performance evaluation of a bio-based composite building material made of natural resin mixed with hay

2016

Recent years have seen an increasing public interest in issues related to energy saving and environmental pollution reduction in the building sector. As a result, many directives have been issued, the most important being the Directive 2010/31/EU (EPBD Recast) on the energy performance of buildings, which requires that “Member States shall ensure that by 31 December 2020 all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings”. This goal can be obtained not only by reducing energy demand for heating and cooling, but also, for example, by improving building envelope performances. In this work, a first analysis of the thermal and structural behaviour of a biocomposite material, constituted by a na…