Building-integrated greenhouses raise energy co-benefits through active ventilation systems
Muñoz Liesa, Joan (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Enginyeria Civil i Ambiental)
Royapoor, Mohammad (University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. National Centre for Energy Systems Integration)
Cuerva, Eva (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Enginyeria de Projectes i de la Construcció)
Gassó-Domingo, Santiago (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Enginyeria de Projectes i de la Construcció)
Gabarrell Durany, Xavier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Josa Garcia-Tornel, Alejandro (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Enginyeria Civil i Ambiental)
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental

Date:	2022
Abstract:	Buildings and greenhouses consume vast amounts of energy and natural resources for heating and ventilation. It is still unclear how the synergetic effect of combining greenhouses and buildings' forced waste airflows could improve both systems' energy efficiency. This study quantified the energy recovery potential of exchanging airflows in a rooftop greenhouse (iRTG) integrated with an office building HVAC system in a Mediterranean climate. Using monitored and calibrated energy model data, the results showed that the iRTG can act as a solar collector and as a sink for a building's low-grade waste heat. The magnitude of harvested thermal energy that could be recirculated into the building by the integrated HVAC system was 205. 2 kWh/m2y-1 and was limited by greenhouse low transmissivity (54%). The magnitude of building exhaust air was 198 kWh/m2y-1 at temperatures sufficient to heat and cool the iRTG. Compared to a passive ventilated configuration, the integration of active ventilation strategies doubled the energy benefits. Building ventilation requirements directly determined building and greenhouse waste flows and energy benefits, which increased by 63. 1% when air changes per hour moved from 1. 59 to 3. 16. Overall, this demonstrates that greenhouse and building functionalities could be coupled to contribute to urban circularity and sustainability.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca FI-DGR2020 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2020/PANDE-00021 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CEX2019-000940-M
Note:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-M
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Circular economy ; Energy efficiency ; HVAC systems ; Industrial ecology ; Rooftop greenhouses ; Urban agriculture ; SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy ; SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth ; SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities ; SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production ; SDG 13 - Climate Action
Published in:	Building and Environment, Vol. 208 (January 2022) , art. 108585, ISSN 0360-1323

DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108585

12 p, 4.5 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA) > Sustainability and Environmental Protection (Sostenipra)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles