A perfect case for Systems Architecture

Working on the energy efficiency and sustainability part of the proposal for the multi-purpose community facility. The footprint of the building is 120 x 240 ft. The location is Sun Peaks Resort in the Interior of British Columbia. Elevation 1400m. Temperature range is -30C to + 30C. Significant load of snow during winter time. The primary (and the only in winter) use of the facility will be an ice-rink. In summer it is envisioned to be used for basketball and / or tennis courts.  In spring and autumn  it should  convert  into the venue for conventions and trade shows.  All these dictate the need  for airtight and well insulated structure -  for ice quality, climate control, humidity control  and sound protection.  It is proposed to utilize geothermal system  to draw energy for ice-making, as well as heating area
around the rink.  An excess heat would be used for heating of the adjacent building. At Sun Peaks, due to aquifer limitations vertical drilling can not be used. Horizontal loops must be considered instead.

This project is perfect case to take advantage of System Architecture principles to design, implement and operate the facility. The project implements a number of  innovative technologies and approaches to construction.    Modular design. Phased implementation. Flexible operation.

- Non-corroding aluminum structure and special fabric / sprung stressed membrane panels engineered to meet and exceed building codes.

- Low-emissivity roof, allowing to significantly reduce energy demand and improve quality of ice

- Strategically located translucent skylight provides natural sunlight with protection from harmful rays

- Night time low energy and high efficiency overhead lighting

- Energy efficient ice plant with thermal storage buffer and high-density foam insulation.

- Optimized ice rink pipe layout

- Heat transfer from ice to surrounding area, also allowing sharing excess heat with an adjacent facility

- Utilizing non-toxic refrigerant  with no ammonia usage.

- Energy efficient split space heating and de-humidification system.

- Efficient thermal and sound envelope insulation.

The Oracle of Omaha Makes First Investment into Solar: Other Investors to Follow Buffett?

Billionnaire investor, Warren Buffett has acquired a $2 billion solar project. Through his utility company, MidAmerican Energy Holdings, Buffett adds to his portfolio of wind and geothermal, amongst other diversified sources of energy.  What does this mean for the industry on a wider scale? Here is what Dr. Walter Cicha of the National Research Council’s IRAP Program says, “Buffet treating PV solar like an infrastructure play should really be a big boost for the U.S. solar scene. This should inspire other (hopefully big) investors.” Has the Oracle of Omaha found some prophetic insight into the future success of solar energy or is it another great value play? Either way, he has probably found good business sense for the decision, something, like Dr. Cicha suggests, should invite more investors to choose clean energy investments.

Invitation for Discussion

Sounds like another lobby. I heard the argument that making a new home solar ready will increase the cost of construction. It is not serious argument, considering $300 conduit comparing to $100,000 or $200, 000  and sometimes a million dollar house.
This is looking not further one's own nose - in just few years, when they will want to install solar, looking at the neighbors and everyone around, it will cost them much more to break the walls and ceilings to pull the pipes through ..
...With prices on the rise (BC Hydro 6% this year and 3% every year, but they wanted more, Propane up 11.5% from December 1st) the picture is changing more in favor of alternative or hybrid systems..
The cost recovery in 5-6 years is realistic. It is proven not only by "theory", but by practice - North Van
condo building is just one of many successful solar installations. (Europe has much more proven track
record than we are in North America). Yes, the availability and accessibility of the roof area, shading and other factors may affect the efficiency of the solar system. I should add it will also be affected by the poor or plainly wrong design and installation - I know examples of that, and they are negatively affecting public perception.  The solar industry, however, is at the same stage today where computers were 15-20 years back. Today we have products, which were not here just 2-3 years ago. The prices are also falling, which makes economic case even stronger.

Invitation for Beheading -)

I received the following email recently, which initiated a discussion.

Vladimir what is your comment on the following? "The solar water
heating industry needs to make the economic case on their own dime.
Taxpayers should not have to fund such feasibility studies in any form.
Furthermore, many academics and govt employees are biased in favor of solar
technologies, making the findings of such studies often the focus of heated
dispute among more 'objective' intellectuals.
 
 Statements such as "recovering the $6,000-$8,000 investment in short
order" have no basis in fact. The return on investment period is likely to
be 10-20 years or longer, and for many houses, the systems may be
impractical due to roof slope and orientation and lot shading throughout the
day.
 
 Ultimately, homeowners should not have to pay any costs towards
optional products they do not want in their homes. If the solar lobby cannot
make their products attractive to consumers without 'mandate handouts and
subsidies', that says a lot about the poor economics of their products.

BC's Quest For Carbon Neutrality

BCIT pays $279,000 a year of carbon tax.
UBC pays $1,500,000 a year of carbon tax.

What should be "Carbon" policy in BC ?
Report From Canada's Climate Policy Frontier 

Sustainable Community - Real life example

I came across this presentation on TRU site and could not miss to share it!

Okotoks Sustainable Community

I think it is a great example of the system approach to sustainable community development !

Air Heat Pump performance

As part of the sustainability efforts in general, and the energy-efficiency upgrade proposal for Sun Peaks fire hall in particular, I was trying to find the performance of the split systems we have chosen for that upgrade under low temperatures, which are common here. Not being able to find this information readily available, I contacted Daikin directly and was pleasantly surprised by their prompt response and their providing me with all the information I asked, and even more, including complete Engineering Reports on their units. As a result, I was able to chart these graphs, which give visual indication of the COP vs. outside temperature performance.

 

The first one is multi-split MSX18, the second is commercial VRV-III-S. Both graphs are for the 20C indoor temperature. They show that, although decreasing, the performance is still high enough to supply heat even at -15C and probably down to -20C. When indoor  temperature can be allowed to be lower (like in the example of the garage for fire trucks), or if it can be supplemented with back-up source (e.g. infrared radiant heaters), the performance will be dropping even slower, remaining at or above 2.5 COP even under -20C.

 

Back to the Future ?

I did recently report on the newest UBC building - Glimpse into the Future  
BCIT also opened its newest building recently, called Gateway.

With eye-appealing curved shapes and nice accents of coloured glass, it presents
somewhat different view of the future.

Very modern-looking, 70s style, lots of glass, steel and plastic ..

Building sustainable community at Sun Peaks - part 2

On November 17, 2011 within the effort to make  Sun Peaks Resort a sustainable community,
I presented a report to the Sun Peaks Resort Municipality Council: Sustainable Upgrade of the
Fire Hall facilities.  The report based on the analysis of the existing energy consumption, calls
for the adding efficient split systems for heating and cooling, solar thermal system to replace
the electric boiler with the excess of the hot water used for the snow-melt system built in at
the entrance of the garage, migrating to LED lighting fixtures and installing photo-voltaic
panels to offset electricity drawn from the grid and serve as a back-up system instead of the
currently used diesel. The proposal was received quite positively by the Council, with the plan
to include it in the 2012 budget and possible phasing it in.

Solar installation

Completing upgrade of the residential house in Richmond with solar thermal system, which would provide domestic hot water needs for the house, replacing currently used natural gas boiler.

The system consists of two 20-tube vacuum UV collectors mounted on the south facing roof of the garage. The Spanish tile presented a bit of unexpected challenge - due to its curved shape it required special flashing. 

making steps in the right direction

On November 9th I attended BC Home builders Association meeting in Kamloops BC.
A couple of interesting presentations :

Sun Peaks Resort corporation real estate manager Peter Nixon talked about the development
approval process at the resort. I liked the idea of "the theme" (in this case, Sud-Tyrolean) being
strictly adhered to throughout resort. It gives it that very special, almost fairy, flavor to the village.

Another one was from Telus - about theirs "star configuration", which suggests each home would have
a conduit for all the cables - electrical, telephone, TV, data fiber-optic etc - pulled not only from the
property line to the house, but also through the house. The central box, allowing to fit in all the
equipment, which the customer-homeowner may potentially want.
Good idea, why only not to extend it to the "solar ready", as it is done inn Richmond BC and many
other cites, to allow also pre-wiring for roof-mounted photo-voltaic panels and pipes for the solar
thermal system ? This would require slightly bigger conduit, but kill two (or more) birds with one stone.
     
   

My favorite professor

Edward Crawley

 









http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/

Silicon Valley in Russia ?

Small city near Moscow is said to become an international high-tech centre.

SKOLKOVO

New Approach to Solar Power

Hybrid solar-thermoelectric systems could provide advantages over conventional solar cells or solar thermal plants: M.I.T. News

Sputnik

Today is 54 years since the first Sputnik was launched into orbit. Legend says Yours Truly descended from it in the capsule on a parachute...

 This started the space race, which - not coincidentally - instigated development of the solar cells ...


 The history of Solar cells

Here comes the sun

Today, met with the Chief Technologist of Day 4 Energy, Dr. Leonid Rubin.
I was so much impressed by the combination of intelligence and softness of Mr.Rubin.
Day 4 Energy is making probably the most efficient photo voltaic panels in the world,
which do not require direct sunlight to produce electricity and don't loose much of their
efficiency in shade.  This sophisticated technology, which Mr. Rubin  is the author of,
was conceived in Russia, designed in Germany, and implemented in British Columbia,
Canada !