Energy Efficiency Indicators for Assessing Construction Systems Storing Renewable Energy: Application to Phase Change Material-Bearing Façades

José A. Tenorio, José Sánchez-Ramos, Álvaro Ruiz-Pardo, Servando Álvarez and Luisa F. Cabeza
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José A. Tenorio: Eduardo Torroja Institute-CSIC, Serrano Galvache 4, Madrid 28030, Spain
José Sánchez-Ramos: Thermal Engineering Group, School of Engineering, University of Seville, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, Seville 41092, Spain
Álvaro Ruiz-Pardo: School of Engineering, University of Cadiz, C/Chile, 1, Cádiz 11002, Spain
Servando Álvarez: Thermal Engineering Group, School of Engineering, University of Seville, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, Seville 41092, Spain
Luisa F. Cabeza: Department of Computer and Industrial Engineering, University of Lleida, C/Jaume II, 69, Lleida 25001, Spain

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: Assessing the performance or energy efficiency of a single construction element by itself is often a futile exercise. That is not the case, however, when an element is designed, among others, to improve building energy performance by harnessing renewable energy in a process that requires a source of external energy. Harnessing renewable energy is acquiring growing interest in Mediterranean climates as a strategy for reducing the energy consumed by buildings. When such reduction is oriented to lowering demand, the strategy consists in reducing the building’s energy needs with the use of construction elements able to passively absorb, dissipate, or accumulate energy. When reduction is pursued through M&E services, renewable energy enhances building performance. The efficiency of construction systems that use renewable energy but require a supplementary power supply to operate can be assessed by likening these systems to regenerative heat exchangers built into the building. The indicators needed for this purpose are particularly useful for designers, for they can be used to compare the efficiency or performance to deliver an optimal design for each building. This article proposes a series of indicators developed to that end and describes their application to façades bearing phase change materials (PCMs).

Keywords: energy efficiency; renewable energy; regenerative heat exchangers; phase change materials (PCMs); indicators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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