Low Exergy Heating and Cooling increased energy efficiency and improved comfort

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Low Exergy Heating and Cooling-increased energy
efficiency and improved comfort?

• Mia Ala-Juusela
• VTT Building and Transport
• Finland
• e-mail Mia.Ala-Juusela_at_vtt.fi

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Contents of the presentation

• Background
• Problems we tried to solve
• What we did to solve them
• Solutions we found
• New problems and possibilities we found on the
  way future cooperation

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The quality of energy
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Sources of energy at 20 oC
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High valuedenergy sources
Low valued energy sources
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Problems we tried to solve

• 1 The arguments for use of LowEx systems were not
  presented in a reliable way.
• 2 Designers and architects did not know what kind
  of LowEx solutions exist on the market.
• 3 The potential of exergy analysis in comparing
  the systems was not common knowledge.
• 4 The importance of the quality of energy was not
  recognised in general.

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One problem, we did not try to solve, but solved
during the work

• 5 The relation between thermal comfort and
  optimal values for mean radiant temperature and
  mean room temperature was known by experienced
  scientists and designers, but methods to prove
  this scientifically did not exist.

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We did it - the LowEx group

• Finland VTT Building and Transport
• Italy Ente per le Nuove Tecnologie, lEnergia e
  lAmbiente (ENEA)
• Japan Musashi Institute of Technology
• Netherlands Cauberg-Huygen R.I and NOVEM
• Norway Norwegian Building Research Institute
• Canada Natural Resources Canada
• France Centre Sqientifique et Technique du
  Batiment (CSTB)
• Sweden Royal Institute of Technology, Building
  Technology
• Denmark Esbensen Consulting Engineers and
  Technical University of Denmark
• Germany TU Braunschweig Institut für Gebäude-
  und Solartechnik and D.F. Liedelt "Velta" GmbH
• Poland Technical University of Silesia

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Why we did it - Objectives

• The general objective of the Annex 37 is to
  promote the rational use of energy by means of
  facilitating and accelerating the use of low
  valued and environmentally sustainable energy
  sources for heating and cooling of buildings.

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How we did it - Subtasks

• Subtask A (Canada) Exergy Analysis Tools for the
  Built Environment
• Subtask B (Sweden) Low Exergy Concepts and
  Technologies
• Subtask C (Netherlands) Case Studies and Market
  Potentials
• Subtask D (Finland) Documentation and
  Dissemination

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Solutions to problem 1

• Arguments for the use of LowEx systems were
  collected to be able to present them in a
  reliable way
• an occupants survey,
• a litterature study
• experiences from the cases
• human body exergy analyses

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Solutions to problem 1

• All prove, that LowEx systems
• are well received
• can provide occupants with comfortable, clean and
  healthy environment
• can use a variety of energy sources, which gives
  flexibility for future
• allow the renewable sources to be used more
  efficiently
• Human body exergy analyses are a new way of
  proving why LowEx systems are comfortable.

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Solutions to problem 2

• A LowEx component database was created sixty
  data sheets of LowEx components.
• System solutions are presented (e.g. Sensus,
  Thermonet).
• Design guidelines for design of LowEx systems.
• Case studies provide examples of functional LowEx
  systems.
• Now we have collected the components and some
  systems, but more system solutions are needed!

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Solutions to problem 3

• Two pre-design tools for energy and exergy
  analysis of buildings
• Publication Introduction to Exergy
• National and international industry seminars
• LowEx Guidebook and Summary Report

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Solutions to problem 4

• Brochure Low temperature heating systems -
  Increased energy efficiency and improved comfort
• National and international industry seminars
• Eight numbers of LowEx Newsletter during the
  working time of Annex 37
• LowEx Guidebook and Summary Report

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Solution to problem 5

• Human body exergy analysis has now started to
  articulate, why LowEx systems are essential for
  creating rational and comfortable environment.

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Human body exergy consumption and thermal comfort

• Some experienced scientists and engineers say
  that what they can see in this picture is
  consistent with their experiences. Now we are
  able to calculate the optimal combination.

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Annex 37 Impacts

• Founding of LowExNet ? international discussion
  forum for exergy in buildings
• Start of general interest on and conversation
  about exergy
• Five doctors on LowEx related subjects in
  different countries during the Annex work
• Plans for a new Annex

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Final Products

• A CD-ROM containing the Guidebook in an
  interactive mode and .pdf format
• A Summary Report to introduce the Guidebook
  (containing the CD)
• Web-site containing the same information as the CD

Design Guidebook for Low Exergy Systems
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LowExNet

• The Annex 37 group considered it very important
  to continue the working together.
• An international Society for Low Exergy Systems
  in Buildings was founded on September 13th, 2003
  in Kassel, Germany
• Shortname LowExNet
• Website www.lowex.net

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Ideas for a New Annex

• The new Annex would deal with
• economical aspects of exergy exergy of money
• system optimisation
• dynamic systems concerning exergy
• focus more on system applications and their
  detailed analysis
• More detailed plans during the next meetings of
  the LowExNet

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LowEx component database

• Data sheets of 63 LowEx components
• Information box and picture
• Description
• Technical risks/benefits analysis
• Special advantages, disadvantages, limitations or
  side effects

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Case examples
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Demonstration project Centre for Sustainable
Building

• Location Kassel, Germany
• Building type Commercial (office,
  exhibition hall and research hall)
• Floor area 1000 m²
• Emission system Floor heating/cooling
• Heat source District heating
• Cold source Ground cooling

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Thank you for LowExercising with me!