Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES SEPTEMBER 2021 29 FEATURE SMART BUILDINGS SMART BUILDINGS B uildings are an integral part of our lives. They do not just board and shelter us, they are an expression of our culture. As the world is moving towards sustainability and energy independence, so too is building architecture beginning to change to incorporate these values. More frequently we are seeing net-zero buildings and green building rating systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). In parallel, commercial buildings and homes are becoming smarter. This has opened the way towards managing energy in a more efficient manner. One of the ways to better manage energy is to design buildings that require less energy, for example by using passive ventilation techniques, passive solar energy, double/triple pane glass and thermal mass material so that the requirement for HVAC units is reduced and sometimes even eliminated. There are many other areas in which building designs can decrease the energy requirements of a building, from energy-efficient lighting, passive lighting, water conservation, and more. Yet, no matter how much a home or a commercial building is able to reduce its energy requirements, it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate energy demand. However, the building can become its own energy generator. Power in the hands of the people One of the most promising aspects of solar energy, versus other types of renewable energy, is that it is designed to be a distributed power source. Almost anybody with a roof has the potential to install their very own energy generation system. It truly places power into the hands of the people. For commercial buildings with large rooftops, as well as homes, adding a photovoltaic (PV) system can be an excellent way to produce the amount of energy that is consumed on-site. However, for high-rise office buildings and apartment buildings this can be more difficult. For instance, the University of TechnologyVienna (TUWien), as part of its green building initiative, renovated its former chemistry buildingwith the goal of becoming the first energy-plus commercial high-rise building. This was a lofty goal as high-rises are particularly challenging for PV tomeet energy demand since roof space is limited compared to energy consumption. To overcome this challenge, innovative design planningwas required, and a building-integrated systemwas conceived. Leveraging SolarEdge’s design flexibility was fundamental in increasing system production and size by allowing the entire building’s surface to be covered in solar modules, while also optimizing each individual panel. At the time of completion, the system was thought to be Austria’s largest Integrated PV site and the direct environmental benefits of the PV systemwere calculated to be equal to >54,000 kg of CO 2 emissions saved, which is the equivalent of nearly 200 trees planted or nearly 420,000 lightbulbs powered for a day. è Frank Bakker , Product Manager – Smart Energy Management, SolarEdge looks at ways to better manage energy Smart Building Automation SolarEdge’s design flexibility enabled TU Wien to create what is believed to be the first energy-plus commercial high-rise building