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Active Building Envelope for Energy Self-Sufficiency: Design, Optimization, and Experimental Validation

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

* Steven Van Dessel, Principal Investigator
* Achille Messac, Co-Principal Investigator

Start: September 15, 2003
Expires: August 31, 2006

Abstract:

Space conditioning currently accounts for over 50% of the energy used in the average American home; the bulk of this energy is needed to compensate for energy losses that occur through the building envelope. This research effort deals with design, optimization, and experimental validation of a novel Active Building Envelope (ABE) system for use in housing. The ABE-system will actively use solar energy to pump heat in the direction opposite to the passive heat conduction direction. This approach will effectively eliminate the need to supply other energy sources to thermally condition houses. This multi-functional ABE-system involves the integration of energy receptor, transducer, storage, control, and distribution technologies into the building envelope.

The research will take three years to complete, and will involve three phases.

Intellectual Merit: Conventional strategies to mitigate thermal losses or gains in building-envelopes rely on passive insulation approaches. Separate heating and cooling systems then compensate for energy losses or gains that do occur. The proposed ABE-technology will actively tackle the heat dissipation problem at its source (i.e. the envelope). This approach is completely new.

The outcome of our research will establish the intellectual framework needed to accomplish economically viable ABE-systems applicable to both existing and new American houses. The impact ABE-technology will have on American society and economy is very broad. For example, ABE-technology will:

View additional details on this NSF award.

Content updated on 9/21/2005

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