Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hessam Taherian, Robert W. Peters
Summary: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 competition and built a house powered completely by solar power. The house is equipped with modern appliances and has a safe room for extreme weather conditions. The design incorporates insulation and shading features to maximize solar energy utilization.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Haoshan Ren, Yongjun Sun, Ahmed K. Albdoor, V. V. Tyagi, A. K. Pandey, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: This study investigates the energy flexibility of a net-zero energy house using solar-assisted air conditioning system, thermal energy storage, and demand-side management strategies. Results showed that using DSM strategies and TES unit can significantly increase solar contribution and improve energy efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wei Jiang, Zhipeng Ju, Hangchen Tian, Yang Liu, Muslum Arici, Xiaoying Tang, Qing Li, Dong Li, Hanbing Qi
Summary: This study investigates the retrofitting of existing rural houses into net-zero energy consumption houses in severe cold areas of China. The combination of passive energy-saving retrofit and building attached/applied photovoltaic technique is used. The results show that the optimal case includes an envelope with low U-value and a grid-connected PV system on the roof, with a cost of 22826.84 CNY and a payback period of 5.1 years. This study provides valuable insights for the development of clean construction and zero-carbon operation for rural houses.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wei Jiang, Yang Jin, Gongliang Liu, Zhipeng Ju, Muslum Arici, Dong Li, Wei Guo
Summary: In order to consider crop growth and reduce energy consumption, this study optimized and retrofitted a typical solar greenhouse in a cold climate into a net-zero energy solar greenhouse. Passive insulation and flexible photovoltaic techniques were combined, and optimization cases were proposed based on simulation and analysis. The optimal case was determined using a multi-objective entropy weight method, considering energy saving, carbon reduction, payback period, and cost. The key finding is that the passive energy-saving retrofit case (a) & PV1 is the optimal NZESG case.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yongqiang Luo, De'en Cui, Nan Cheng, Shicong Zhang, Xiaosong Su, Xi Chen, Zhiyong Tian, Jie Deng, Jianhua Fan
Summary: This study introduces a new concept of an active building envelope system that can control heat gain/loss, potentially reducing the need for conventional air conditioner systems. The research explores the optimal thermal load settings for different combinations of photovoltaic, thermoelectric modules, energy storage, and control algorithms.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Clinton Thai, Jack Brouwer
Summary: This study investigates the challenges of incorporating the technical potential of photovoltaic power generation into an existing university microgrid system in order to achieve complete decarbonization. Three energy storage integration pathways are established: battery energy storage systems (BESS) for daily energy shifting, hydrogen production for conversion in a gas turbine power plant (P2G-GT), and hydrogen production for conversion in a fuel cell system (P2G-FC). Installing maximum solar PV capacity meets 20% of the electric load, but 58% of PV production is curtailed without energy storage. BESS and P2G-FC strategies both result in a high 64% renewable energy supply. BESS is better for continuous runtimes of a day or less, while the hydrogen storage plus fuel cell option is better for one to three days of continuous power. To fully decarbonize the microgrid, a significant portion of the renewable energy supply must come from procured biogas or off-campus resources.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Thermodynamics
Sumair Faisal Ahmed, Mohammad Khalid, Mahesh Vaka, Rashmi Walvekar, Arshid Numan, Abdul Khaliq Rasheed, Nabisab Mujawar Mubarak
Summary: Solar water heating (SWH) is a clean and cost-effective method of utilizing solar energy to meet hot water needs, widely used in many countries. Despite concerns about system installation and performance, advancements in technology allow SWH systems to operate efficiently in various geographical and climatic regions.
THERMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRESS
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Muhammad Wasim Anwar, Zaib Ali, Abdullah Javed, Emad Ud Din, Muhammad Sajid
Summary: Climate change can negatively impact thermal comfort and energy efficiency of buildings, especially in South Asian countries. Passive building design measures can help increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Natural ventilation and front green walls have been found to be the most efficient options for reducing energy consumption, while the prospect of net-zero energy building and reduced CO2 emissions is also promising.
BUILDING SIMULATION
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Milagrosa Borrallo-Jimenez, Maria LopezDeAsiain, Paula M. Esquivias, David Delgado-Trujillo
Summary: The application of the Passive House standard in Spain has become the preferred alternative for achieving nearly Zero Energy Buildings, but its adaptability in warm climates is questioned. Current building regulations in Spain offer a better solution for building sustainability in warm climates compared to the Passive House standard.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Hassan Biglarian, Sina Abdollahi
Summary: Ground source heat pump (GSHP) system is an efficient solution in the building sector to reduce energy consumption and environmental emissions, although its electricity demand is usually provided by fossil fuel resources, making it not fully renewable. By integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels, the system's sustainability can be improved, while also achieving cost-effectiveness.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hooman Azad Gilani, Siamak Hoseinzadeh, Hirou Karimi, Ako Karimi, Amir Hassanzadeh, Davide Astiaso Garcia
Summary: Cyprus heavily relies on energy imports and improving energy efficiency as well as implementing renewable energy systems could greatly benefit the country's energy situation. This study investigated the integration of a variable refrigerant flow heat pump system with PV technology in a residential building in Cyprus, showing that PV arrays can satisfy a significant portion of the energy demand and are economically feasible for installation in different locations.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Jiashu Kong, Yitong Dong, Aravind Poshnath, Behzad Rismanchi, Pow-Seng Yap
Summary: This paper provides a detailed assessment of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology in net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs), emphasizing the importance of factors such as building surface area to volume ratio, window-wall ratio, and solar heating gain coefficient. The study concludes that NZEBs use renewable energy for energy efficiency and carbon neutrality, but face limitations such as neglecting indoor conditions, thermal comfort, and a lack of energy supply monitoring. Combining BIPV with building integrated solar thermal can enhance outcomes, and BIPV designs should follow standards and learn from successful cases, while long-term reliability and structural integrity studies are imperative.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Muhammad Firdaus Mohd Zublie, Md. Hasanuzzaman, Nasrudin Abd Rahim
Summary: Energy is crucial for modernization and social development, but its reliance on fossil fuels harms the environment. This study explores the potential energy-saving and solar photovoltaic energy of Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah (PSAS), Malaysia. By assuming PSAS joins the Net Energy Metering program, a feasibility analysis reveals significant savings (RM 3,534,250) and carbon emission reduction (14,559,760 kg CO2) over a period of 20 years.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Lili Zhang, Zhuojun Dong, Fei Liu, Haolin Li, Xuemei Zhang, Kai Wang, Chuan Chen, Congshan Tian
Summary: This study investigated the thermal comfort and energy consumption factors of a representative Tibetan Buddhist house with attached sunspace in Gannan. The results show that the most relevant parameters are roof insulation thickness and roof thickness. The optimum thickness of rammed earth is 1.1-1.2 m, and the design range of thermal insulation thickness is 10-90 mm, with 10-40 mm being the best. The best orientation of the attached sunspace is south, and the glazing type has a little effect on thermal comfort and limited impact on energy consumption.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Amindha Jayasena, Kasun Hewage, Osamah Siddiqui, Rehan Sadiq
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive understanding of the risks and opportunities of passive technologies and their impacts in terms of economics, society, and the environment through a social cost-benefit analysis framework. By comparing different passive and net-zero technologies against a conventional design and conducting a sensitivity analysis, it offers insights into the implementation of passive dwellings from a holistic perspective.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
D. J. Sailor, J. Anand, L. Kalkstein
Summary: The study analyzed two historical extreme heat events in Los Angeles using atmospheric and building models, exploring the potential of increasing vegetative cover and surface solar reflectance to reduce heat exposure. The results suggest that improvements in indoor thermal conditions play a significant role in the health benefits of large-scale heat mitigation strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Omar M. Galal, David J. Sailor, Hatem Mahmoud
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cassandra R. O'Lenick, Amir Baniassadi, Ryan Michael, Andrew Monaghan, Jennifer Boehnert, Xiao Yu, Mary H. Hayden, Christine Wiedinmyer, Kai Zhang, Peter J. Crank, Jannik Heusinger, Paige Hoel, David J. Sailor, Olgav. Wilhelmi
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
(2020)
Review
Environmental Sciences
E. Scott Krayenhoff, Ashley M. Broadbent, Lei Zhao, Matei Georgescu, Ariane Middel, James A. Voogt, Alberto Martilli, David J. Sailor, Evyatar Erell
Summary: Infrastructure-based heat reduction strategies can help cities adapt to high temperatures, but simulations of their cooling potential yield widely varying predictions. Studies on urban air temperature reduction through green-blue infrastructure and reflective materials show differences in methods and conclusions at different scales, with identified limitations in the research.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jyothis Anand, David J. Sailor, Amir Baniassadi
Summary: Roof surfaces can be significantly hotter than the surrounding air in summer, with solar reflectance of rooftop materials having a greater impact on temperature reduction than emissivity. Increasing solar reflectance to above 0.9 can result in a significant cooling effect on rooftops.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
D. J. Sailor, J. Anand, R. R. King
Summary: This review explores the feedback mechanisms between photovoltaic energy production and the urban environment, highlighting the potential impacts on urban temperatures, building energy use, and overall PV efficiency. Future developments of PV technologies should focus on increasing efficiency, enhancing reflection of unconverted energy, and considering the effects of urban conditions on system performance.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jyothis Anand, David J. Sailor
Summary: Modified pavements can help cool cities by altering their radiative and thermal properties to reduce the urban heat island effect. Pavements with higher thermal conductivity and storage can reduce excess heat during the day, while pavements with lower conductivity and storage can mitigate nocturnal heat island effect.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Mansour Alhazmi, David J. Sailor, Jyothis Anand
Summary: The magnitude and timing of heat emissions from buildings can be different from their energy consumption profile. The definition of anthropogenic heat needs to be rethought in order to understand the role of buildings in urban heating and identify opportunities for heat reduction. A new definition is proposed based on comparing the total sensible heat emissions from a building and its surrounding land with the emissions from the same land without a building. The framework considers various factors such as convection, air conditioning system emissions, heat infiltration/exfiltration, and shading effects. The results highlight the importance of considering building construction, materials, and operations in understanding their impact on the urban thermal environment.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Laurence S. Kalkstein, David P. Eisenman, Edith B. de Guzman, David J. Sailor
Summary: Strategies to prevent the heat-health impacts of climate change, such as increasing tree cover and albedo as well as using higher reflectance surface materials, are recommended for mitigating the urban heat island effect. Our study quantified the potential impact of various tree cover and albedo scenarios on heat-related mortality, temperature, humidity, and oppressive air masses in Los Angeles, California. We found that implementing interventions could save approximately one in four lives currently lost during heat waves and delay climate change-induced warming by around 40-70 years.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Lingye Yao, David J. Sailor, Xiang Zhang, Junsong Wang, Lihua Zhao, Xiaoshan Yang
Summary: This study evaluates the diurnal thermal effects of an urban pond in Nanjing, China, and explores the underlying mechanisms through energy-balance analysis. Results demonstrate that the pond has a moderate daytime cooling effect but a pronounced nocturnal warming effect. This research improves our understanding of the thermal effects of urban water bodies and can inform urban planners and landscape designers towards creating sustainable cool cities and communities.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Lingye Yao, David J. Sailor, Xiaoshan Yang, Genyu Xu, Lihua Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the potential nocturnal urban heat island effect of water bodies and its impact on urban heat mitigation. The findings showed that urban lakes can help mitigate urban heat during daytime, but the effect is not significant at night. Additionally, lakes contribute to moisture excess during nighttime and cold seasons, which intensifies the warming and humidifying effect.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jyothis Anand, David J. Sailor
Summary: The urban heat island effect is most pronounced during the night/evening hours, while in some cases, an urban cool island effect during daytime has been observed. This phenomenon is primarily caused by the use of impervious and thermally massive materials in urban areas, which store energy during the day and release it at night. However, current urban cooling strategies are more effective during the day than at night. This study investigates the impact of thermal storage capacity in buildings on nighttime urban air temperature, comparing lightweight buildings (cross-laminated timber) with concrete buildings in hot arid and hot humid cities. The results show that adopting lightweight buildings can reduce nighttime temperatures and slightly increase daytime temperatures, while cool roofs significantly reduce daytime temperatures and slightly affect nighttime temperatures. Therefore, incorporating both lightweight buildings and cool roofs can lower the surrounding air temperature by an average of about 1 degree Celsius throughout the day, enhancing thermal comfort and reducing cooling demand.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Economics
Mansour Alhazmi, David J. Sailor, Ronnen Levinson
Summary: Major urban centers are getting warmer due to global and local factors. City governments are adopting strategies to reduce the impacts of extreme heat, such as using cool surfaces on buildings that reflect solar energy. This report reviews the history of cool surface deployment and identifies challenges and opportunities for widespread adoption.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Deepak Amaripadath, Riccardo Paolini, David J. Sailor, Shady Attia
Summary: With the increasing urbanization and higher internal gains, commercial buildings face a greater risk of indoor overheating. This study evaluates the performance of natural and mechanical night ventilation in reducing indoor overheating and energy needs of an office building in Brussels during heat wave and non-heat wave periods. The findings show that natural night ventilation is more effective during heat waves and helps maintain safer heat index values compared to other strategies. The results provide guidelines, recommendations, and identify the need for further research.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Construction & Building Technology
Laurence Kalkstein, Frank Klink, Kurt Shickman, Sarah Schneider, Mischa Egolf, David Sailor
ROOFING RESEARCH AND STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT, VOL 9
(2020)
Article
Thermodynamics
Pengcheng Zhao, Jingang Wang, Liming Sun, Yun Li, Haiting Xia, Wei He
Summary: The production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis is crucial for renewable energy utilization and decarbonization. This research explores the optimal electrode configuration and system design of compactly-assembled industrial electrolyzer. The findings provide valuable insights for industrial application of water electrolysis equipment.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
V. Baiju, P. Abhishek, S. Harikrishnan
Summary: Thermally driven adsorption desalination systems (ADS) have gained attention as an eco-friendly solution for water scarcity. However, they face challenges related to low water productivity and scalability. To overcome these challenges, integrating ADS with other desalination technologies can create a small-scale hybrid system. This study proposes integrating ADS with a Thermo Electric Dehumidification (TED) unit to enhance its performance.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
C. X. He, Y. H. Liu, X. Y. Huang, S. B. Wan, Q. Chen, J. Sun, T. S. Zhao
Summary: A decentralized centroid multi-path RC network model is constructed to improve the temperature prediction accuracy compared to traditional RC models. By incorporating multiple heat flow paths and decentralizing thermal capacity, a more accurate prediction is achieved.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Chaoying Li, Meng Wang, Nana Li, Di Gu, Chao Yan, Dandan Yuan, Hong Jiang, Baohui Wang, Xirui Wang
Summary: There is an urgent need to shift away from heavy dependence on fossil fuels and embrace renewable energy sources, particularly in the energy-intensive oil refining process. This study presents an innovative concept called the Solar Oil Refinery, which applies solar energy in oil refining. A solar multi-energies-driven hybrid chemical oil refining system that utilizes solar pyrolysis and electrolysis has been developed, significantly improving solar utilization efficiency, cracking rate, and hydrogen yield.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Chao Ma, Guanghui Wang, Dingbiao Wang, Xu Peng, Yushen Yang, Xinxin Liu, Chongrui Yang, Jiaheng Chen
Summary: This study proposes a bio-inspired fish-tail wind rotor to improve the wind power efficiency of the traditional Savonius rotor. Through transient simulations and orthogonal experiments, the key factors affecting the performance are identified. A response surface model is constructed to optimize the power coefficient, resulting in an improvement of 9.4% and 6.6% compared to the Savonius rotor.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Sina Bahmanziari, Abbas-Ali Zamani
Summary: This paper proposes a new framework for improving electrical energy harvesting from piezoelectric smart tiles through a combination of magnetic plucking, mechanical impact, and mechanical vibration force mechanisms. Experimental results demonstrate a significant increase in energy yield and average energy harvesting time compared to other mechanisms.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Nanjiang Dong, Tao Zhang, Rui Wang
Summary: This study establishes a multiobjective mixed-variable configuration optimization model for a comprehensive combined cooling, heating, and power energy system, and proposes an efficient generating operator to optimize this model. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs better than other state-of-the-art algorithms.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ahmed E. Mansy, Eman A. El Desouky, Tarek H. Taha, M. A. Abu-Saied, Hamada El-Gendi, Ranya A. Amer, Zhen-Yu Tian
Summary: This study aims to convert office paper waste into bioethanol through a sustainable pathway. The results show that physiochemical and enzymatic hydrolysis of the waste can yield a high glucose concentration. The optimal conditions were determined using the Box-Behnken design, and a blended membrane was used for ethanol purification.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Sven Klute, Marcus Budt, Mathias van Beek, Christian Doetsch
Summary: Heat pumps are crucial for decarbonizing heat supply, and steam generating heat pumps have the potential to decarbonize the industrial sector. This paper presents the current state, technical and economic data, and modeling principles of steam generating heat pumps.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Le Zhang, To-Hung Tsui, Yen Wah Tong, Pruk Aggarangsi, Ronghou Liu
Summary: This study investigates the effectiveness of a current-carrying-coil-based magnetic field in promoting anaerobic digestion of chicken manure. The results show that the applied magnetic field increases methane yield, decreases carbon dioxide production, and reduces the concentration of ammonia nitrogen. Microbial community analysis reveals the enrichment of certain methanogenic genera and enhanced metabolic pathways. Pilot-scale experiments confirm the technical effectiveness of the magnetic field assistance in enhancing anaerobic digestion of chicken manure.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Bo Chen, Ruiqing Ma, Yang Zhou, Rui Ma, Wentao Jiang, Fan Yang
Summary: This paper presents an advanced energy management strategy for fuel cell hybrid electric heavy-duty vehicles, focusing on speed planning and energy allocation. By utilizing predictive co-optimization control, this strategy ensures safe inter-vehicle distance and minimizes energy demand. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in reducing fuel cell degradation cost and overall operation cost.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Fabio Fatigati, Roberto Cipollone
Summary: Organic Rankine Cycle-based microcogeneration systems that use solar sources to generate electricity and hot water can help reduce CO2 emissions in residential energy-intensive sectors. The adoption of a recuperative heat exchanger in these systems improves efficiency, reduces thermal power requirements, and saves on electricity costs.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Lipeng He, Renwen Liu, Xuejin Liu, Xiaotian Zheng, Limin Zhang, Jieqiong Lin
Summary: This research proposes a piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester (PEHEH) for low-frequency wave motion and self-sensing wave environment monitoring. The PEHEH shows promising power output and the ability to self-power and self-sense the wave environment.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Shangling Chu, Yang Liu, Zipeng Xu, Heng Zhang, Haiping Chen, Dan Gao
Summary: This paper studies a distributed energy system integrated with solar and natural gas, analyzes the impact of different parameters on its energy utilization and emissions reduction, and obtains the optimal solution through an optimization algorithm. The results show that compared to traditional separation production systems, this integrated system achieves higher energy utilization and greater reduction in carbon emissions.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Qingpu Li, Yaqi Ding, Guangming Chen, Yongmei Xuan, Neng Gao, Nian Li, Xinyue Hao
Summary: This paper proposes and studies a piston-type thermally-driven pump with a structure similar to a linear compressor, aiming to eliminate the high-quality energy consumption of existing pumps and replace mechanical pumps. The coupling mechanism of working fluid flow and element dimension is analyzed based on force analysis, and experimental data analysis is used to determine the pump operation stroke. Theoretical simulation is conducted to analyze the correlation mechanism of the piston assembly. The research shows that the thermally-driven pump can greatly reduce power consumption and has potential for industrial applications.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
