Energy Efficiency Indicators for Assessing Construction Systems Storing Renewable Energy: Application to Phase Change Material-Bearing Façades

Energies

José A. Tenorio¹  José Sánchez-Ramos⁴  Álvaro Ruiz-Pardo³  Servando Álvarez⁴  Luisa F. Cabeza² 

[1]Eduardo Torroja Institute-CSIC, Serrano Galvache 4, Madrid 28030, Spain

[2]Department of Computer and Industrial Engineering, University of Lleida, C/Jaume II, 69, Lleida 25001, Spain

[3] E-Mail:

[4]School of Engineering, University of Cadiz, C/Chile, 1, Cádiz 11002, Spain

[5] E-Mail:

[6]Thermal Engineering Group, School of Engineering, University of Seville, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, Seville 41092, Spain

[7] E-Mails:

关键词: energy efficiency;    renewable energy;    regenerative heat exchangers;    phase change materials (PCMs);    indicators;   

DOI  :  10.3390/en8088630

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Assessing the performance or energy efficiency of a single construction element by itself is often a futile exercise. That is not the case, however, when an element is designed, among others, to improve building energy performance by harnessing renewable energy in a process that requires a source of external energy. Harnessing renewable energy is acquiring growing interest in Mediterranean climates as a strategy for reducing the energy consumed by buildings. When such reduction is oriented to lowering demand, the strategy consists in reducing the building’s energy needs with the use of construction elements able to passively absorb, dissipate, or accumulate energy. When reduction is pursued through M&E services, renewable energy enhances building performance. The efficiency of construction systems that use renewable energy but require a supplementary power supply to operate can be assessed by likening these systems to regenerative heat exchangers built into the building. The indicators needed for this purpose are particularly useful for designers, for they can be used to compare the efficiency or performance to deliver an optimal design for each building. This article proposes a series of indicators developed to that end and describes their application to façades bearing phase change materials (PCMs).

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.