AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

RENEWABLE SOURCES
OF ENERGY

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

The world has reached peak conventional oil and gas, meaning oil and gas
companies are digging deeper and deeper into unconventional sources, with
disastrous environmental and social consequences.

Minimizing climate change impacts will require substantial cuts in global

emissions - as quickly as possible. 

Coal is still relatively readily available, but catastrophic in terms of climate

changing emissions. The world can no longer afford to hang on to its old energy
paradigm, and its dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.

The pressure on the earth’s nonrenewable resources can be alleviated by

judicious use of earth’s renewable resources.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

The use of renewable energy in buildings has increased significantly recently due
to a number of other factors:

1.Increased fuel costs.

2.Reduced costs of renewable energy.

3.Increased interest in reducing building carbon footprints.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

A large variety of renewable energy systems, including the following:

Solar thermal panels

Photovoltaic panels

Wind turbines (large and small scale)

Bio gas and Biomass.

Tidal power.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Which renewable
option is best for
my building?

•Depends on the
size of the
building, energy
use, building
location, and
operational time.

•And most
importantly
payback period.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Before considering the use of renewable energy, one should examine how
buildings energy demand can be reduced through clever and often innovative
design techniques.

This includes passive building design techniques.(many of which add little or

no additional cost to buildings and are therefore of particularly high value to
clients) review heating and electrical supply options.(including the use of
renewable energy)

This provides clients with the options available and assists in selecting the most
appropriate energy source for their development.

Actively encourage clients to procure low energy buildings and to include

renewable systems as a part of a detailed and integrated low energy strategy.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Policies and programs promoting energy efficiency & renewable energy

Integration in Buildings in India.

The government through Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has
incentives the use of renewable energy technologies (RETs) in buildings through
Subsidies and other fiscal incentives such as tax holidays, accelerated
depreciation rates etc.

MNRE has started a solar cities program to promote the use of solar energy.
Energy Conservation Building Codes (ECBC) have also been developed to
propagate the practice of designing energy efficient buildings.

Though these codes are voluntary till now, their implementation has provided
a strong base for further energy efficiency measures in future.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Solar thermal panels

Solar hot water systems gather energy from solar radiation and turn it into heat
that is then distributed in the form of hot air or water to where it is to be used or
stored until needed.

An active solar water heater consists of a solar collector(s), a hot water storage
tank(s), and a pump.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

In addition, a heat exchanger and expansion tank are required in freezing winter
climates and an electrical generation device is needed if regular AC grid-
connected power is not available.

Piping, insulation, valves and fittings are considered installation materials and
are normally available at hardware stores and plumbing centres.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

A solar collector consists of a translucent cover, an absorption plate and a heat

transfer system, involving hot water pipes or hot air.

A good liquid solar collector should have a minimum life expectancy of 20–30
years.

Most of the collectors built since about 1980 are manufactured with materials
that should give a 30–50 year lifespan with a small amount of periodic
maintenance.

Good liquid collectors typically have copper water ways (piping and
tubing), a tempered glass cover and an insulated metal enclosure.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Although a little of the radiation falling on the translucent cover will be re-
reflected away, most will pass through and be absorbed by the absorption plate
and heat the water contained in it.
School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai
 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WHY USE A SOLAR HOT WATER SYSTEM?

All Eco buildings should use solar energy to heat their water if possible.

This is because solar hot water systems (SHWS) are not only easy to build or buy
and install but, above all, they use the free, clean energy of the sun.

HOW GREEN IS A SHWS?

The domestic sector is responsible for around 30 per cent of the carbon
emissions of developed countries, mainly owing to the CO2 emitted as a by-
product of power generation and fossil fuel burning. Of this 30 per cent, 25 per
cent goes to heating water for use from the taps and to provide pre-heating for
space heating systems.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

PHOTOVOLTAICS

Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electrical

energy.

The electricity they produce is DC (direct current) and can

either be:

• used directly as DC power;

• converted to AC (alternating current) power; or
• stored for later use.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

The basic element of a photovoltaic system is the solar cell

that is made of a semiconductor material, typically silicon.

There are no moving parts in a solar cell, its operation is

environmentally benign and, if the device is correctly
encapsulated against the environment, there is nothing that
will wear out.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Because sunlight is universally available, photovoltaic

devices have many additional benefits that make them not
only usable, but of great value us. They are the future and by
2020, when the conventional oil supplies begin to really dry
up, they will be everywhere.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

CROSS-SECTION OF A TYPICAL PV SOLAR SECTION

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WHAT IS A PV SYSTEM?

PV cells are typically grouped together in a module for ease of

use.

A PV system consists of one or more PV modules, which

convert
sunlight directly into electricity, and a range of other system
components that may include an AC/DC inverter, back-up
source of energy, battery to store the electricity until it is needed,
battery charger, control centre, mounting structures and
miscellaneous wires and fuses.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WHAT’S GREEN ABOUT PV?

The electricity produced by every square metre of PV can

effectively displace emissions of more than two tonnes of CO2 to
the atmosphere over its lifetime.

Counters impacts of buildings that are responsible for generating

over 50 per cent of all emissions of greenhouse gases globally.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

ADVANTAGES OF PHOTOVOLTAICS AS A DOMESTIC

SOURCE OF ENERGY

•They are low maintenance.

•Once installed they will simply require their surfaces cleaning, especially in
dusty environments.

• They can provide power in locations remote from the grid.

• PVs are a transportable technology and can be moved between

buildings.

• They can provide power during blackouts.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WIND TURBINES

Wind energy has been used for pumping water and milling
grain for hundreds of years. 

More recently, wind energy has also been used for electricity
generation.

Developing countries can take advantage of wind power on a

small scale, both for irrigation (wind pumps) and for
generation of electricity (wind generators).

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WIND TURBINES

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WIND TURBINES

Small wind turbine systems, with a capacity ranging from 50

W to 10 kW and rotor diameter ranging from about 0.5 m to 7
m, are primarily used in battery charging.

The batteries can then be used for energy supply for houses,
hospitals, farms, telecommunication, navigation, etc. Wind
energy systems can also operate in parallel with diesel sets
or solar PV systems.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

WIND TURBINES

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

COST, SAVINGS AND EARNINGS

Maintenance checks are necessary every few years, and will generally cost
around Rs.7000 to Rs. 14000 per year depending on turbine size.

A well-maintained turbine should last more than 20 years, but you may need
to replace the inverter at some stage during this time, at a cost of ,Rs. 70,000
to Rs. 1,40,000 for a large system.

Savings:

Building-mounted turbines tend to produce less electricity per kW than pole-

mounted ones.

A well-sited 6kW turbine can generate around 10,000kWh per year equivalent
to around 5.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year generating income and savings.
School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai
 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

BIOMASS

Biomass is a renewable energy

resource derived from the
carbonaceous waste of various
human and natural activities.

It is derived from numerous sources,

including the by-products from the
timber industry, agricultural crops,
raw material from the forest, major
parts of household waste and wood. 

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

BIOMASS

Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it

absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases
when consumed as a fuel.

Its advantage is that it can be used to generate electricity with

the same equipment or power plants that are now burning
fossil fuels.

Biomass is an important source of energy and the most

important fuel worldwide after coal, oil and natural gas.  

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

BIOMASS

Biomass fuels used in India account for about one third of the
total fuel used in the country, being the most important fuel used
in over 90% of the rural households and about 15% of the urban
households.

Advantages of biomass energy as an alternative energy source,

as it is renewable and free from net CO2 (carbon dioxide)
emissions, and is abundantly available on earth in the form of
agricultural residue, city garbage, cattle dung, firewood, etc.

Bio-energy, in the form of biogas,

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in

the Earth.

Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of

matter.

The Geothermal energy of the Earth's crust originates from the

original formation of the planet (20%) and from radioactive
decay of minerals (80%)..

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

•70% comes from the decay of radioactive nuclei with long

half lives that are embedded within the Earth
•Some energy is from residual heat left over from Earths
formation.
•The rest of the energy comes from meteorite impacts.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

• space heating
• air conditioning
• industrial
processes
• drying
• Greenhouses
• Aquaculture
• hot water
• resorts and pools
• melting snow

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

 AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

•Direct Sources function

by sending water down a
well to be heated by the
Earth’s warmth.
•Then a heat pump is
used to take the heat
from the underground
water to the substance
that heats the house.
• Then after the water it
is cooled is injected back
into the Earth.

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai

AD9022 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE

Any Questions?

School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University Campus, Chennai