Passive thermoregulation in facades

By James Oyeleke

Abstract
Active and passive thermoregulation of indoor conditions has come a long way. They are often complex, costly and limited in their applicability. This paper presents an alternative passive thermoregulatory faade technology which incorporates energy storage by phase change material.

1 Problem definition
The facade of a building plays an important role in the quantity of energy expended to maintain comfort conditions within the building. Traditional approach to faade enhancement includes insulation which generally prevents heat loss and gain across the building fabric. To reach the ambitious requirements set by the government and realize the comfort that meets the standards of people, the need for a building envelope that reacts to the changing outdoor environment cannot be over-emphasized. An ideal faade should absorb heat when needed and readily dispose of it when not. Present technologies are costly, use a lot of energy and needs a lot of maintenance. They are often quite complex and difficult to control with a limited applicability. There is a need for a faade system thats passive, self regulating and can be applied to domestic as well as commercial buildings.

1.1 Technology
Phase Change materials

1.2 Research questions

What can we learn from thermal regulating systems in nature in order to develop passive thermo regulating control systems for facades? Key questions: 1. What nature principles and methods according to passive thermo regulative control are there? 2. What nature principles and methods according to passive thermo regulation can be used in a building envelope, and how?

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3. How can a building envelope sense changes in the environment? 4. What types of adapting climate systems are there now in the state of the art systems? 5. What are the requirements of comfort inside a building? 6. How is the comfort inside a building (office) now?

2 Approach and methodology

The main purpose of the research will involve the investigation of organisms that uses passive thermoregulation. The main goal is not to imitate the way nature solves the thermal problems, but to analyze their principles and methods. Than find a way to transpose these principles and methods into a solution for passive thermoregulation in building facades. The aim is to end up with an actual working prototype rather than to stay in conceptual statements. The methodology I want to use is being developed by Lidia Badarnah whose doing Phd research on Biomimicry for the TU Delft, the department of Building Technology. Ill apply this methodology to the research of thermo regulating principles in nature.

2.1 Process development and methodology scheme

Defining the boundaries of the research combined with literature exploration and investigation. The focus is on building envelopes and skins, general study on conception. The chosen challenge is passive thermoregulation. Investigating envelopes in existing buildings: State of the art envelopes methods, functions, performances, materials and technologies. Comfort standards for buildings.

2.1.1 Defining the challenges

Defining the real challenges for the envelope: Identifying the functions. What do we want our envelope to perform? Specifying performance requirements and demands for the desired envelope in terms of controlling the climate.

2.1.2 Analyzing and extracting

Translating the required envelope performances in terms of biology: How does nature...?

In my case: How does nature passive thermo regulate?

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Discovering the champion organisms: Some organisms living in extreme environments are considered to be as champion adaptors since they depend on the specific challenge to survive. The methods and principles of the natural systems are analyzed, investigated and summarized.

2.1.3 Abstraction
The strategies of the natural systems are abstracted into deep principles and keywords The deep principles and the main key words, on which these systems are based, are summarized in a table as reference for further development.

2.1.4 Transformation
Based on the abstracted keywords and principles from the natural systems, a new envelope is developed and designed (the transformation). This is not a scaling process but an innovative design that considers the abstracted principles.

2.1.5 Simulations and evaluations

of The evaluation is based on comparing between existing situations and between the proposed systems. Simulations for different situations in order to optimize the performance the system. For example: in a breathing system that is being developed, a surface has been developed to perform an inhaling and exhaling process integrated in the skins components. Simulations for different sizes and distributions of the components are compared with the results of a standard existing ventilating system. These simulations help in determining the proper size and distribution of the components in the specific system, and the required rate of airexchange. When the simulations are finished, two results are possible: the performance of the developed system is improved, compared to the standard case, or the performance is not improved. Performance is not improved: the system has to go one step back to the transformation phase to find better proposal, taking in consideration results from the previous proposal, and go through the simulations again. Performance is improved: go to the next step.

2.1.6 Prototyping
A prototype will be made in scale 1:1 and should approach the real materials as well as possible. When the prototype is ready, physical tests on some principles could be carried out.

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2.1.7 Concluding
On the basis of experimental results and simulations, for each prototype of the adaptive systems, discuss and conclude on optimization and improvements and compare with literature and/or existing ordinary systems. Report the results as conference/journal papers. Reporting on passive thermo regulative systems for envelopes with validation aspects in the form of a thesis and journal publications.

3 Expected results
The expected results are an energy efficient solution for passive thermoregulation abstracted from nature projected to (a part) of the facade. There are enough principles in nature providing solutions for passive thermal regulation, but the principles are evolved in time to this specific organism, climate and location. Applying these principles to something totally different, like a faade, will bring a lot of challenges with it. Although it wont be an easy appliance it will provide inspiration and a different perspective to designing.

3.1 Perspective
The awareness is starting to grow that we may need to design in a different way. The EPC is tightened so much that some manufacturers are beginning to realize they cant achieve the new EPC with their present technology, so there is a need for a different approach. No waste, no toxic, no environmental pollution and a smart way of coping with energy are things to aspire. It cant be done in a days work, but slowly heading towards a more sustainable, durable and more energy efficient future in facades would be great. It can end up in using less energy, getting a better climate/comfort and being more affordable.

4 Requirements and Time schedule

To graduate you have to fulfil a certain amount of demands, which are set in the requirements for evaluations graduation work Faade Design Program (v1.0). These requirements are clarified with the dates of the official presentation in this chapter. To regulate the amount of work in the amount of time a time schedule is made.

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4.1 Required products

In the following scheme youll find a summary of which products have to be finished by what period. This scheme is used to set the time schedule in the next chapter and is obtained from the department of Building Technology.

Table 1: Requirements per period

4.2 Time Schedule

The time schedule is a rough representation of the work to be done to graduate. The schedule is planned from April to January, with August taken out, while this period will be mostly reserved for holiday.

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Time Schedule
Explorlne blomimlcry In general F nish rep ort MSc3 fut ure facade St>rt wtih lltorJturo study study ate comfort c:lmi study Slate of the art of dimate comfort come to a problem definition elQ)Iore the possbi ilities for an improvement Concept Learn ng plan

A
p R M

A y

familiaril.e with the approac h and methodology by biomimicry

Study adaptatio n for clln1ate oomfort In Nature C.tagorise them by Morph ology Behaviour Physiology Finish literat ure study Finish Lear nina pal n Prepare P2 presentation

J
N

Explore the possbi le design proposals and r a a selection by a morph ologicalanalyse J n Develop the designs further U Test and improve de<lgn {parts) Write concept final report l Prepare presentaion P3

2 Learning plan/Uteratur e study/First facade proposals -

P3 - First design results

Process comments of the P3-presentation
Furthe r development of the design(s) St>rt wi th drawingdet>lls {l:S) and sections (1:20) Progress with the report on the gradua.tiona.lwork Summary of g.-.duotion work as start for sclenttflc paper. - Prepa re presenta tion P4

E p

0
T

P4 - 95% of graduation work finsi hed

Proceu comment s of the P4-presentation
- f:lnish final report on gradualional work Finish st entific: p.ap er. Prepare presentation P4

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J

PS - Graduation
Tabk>2:TlmeScheduk>

Wou t er St r e ef kerk Bi omim icry for pass ive th e r m o r e g u l a t i o n in fa c a d e s Technical University Delft Technology Building

5 Bibliography
Benuys, J. (2002). Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.Harper Collis, New York. Braungart, M. & McDonough, W. (2002). Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. New York, North Point Press. Synnefa, A. (2007). Estimating the effect of using cool coatings on energy loads and thermal comfort in residential buildings in various climatic conditions. Berkeley, University of California. Olgyay, V. (1962). Design with climate, Bioclimatic approach to architectural regionalism., Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University. Vrom et al. (2007). Summary Clean and Efficient Programme [report]. Opstelten, I. J., Bakker, E., Kester, J. (2007). Bringing an energy neutral built environment in the Netherlands under control, Petten, ECN.

I want the doctorate because I want to get a research position I want to work with the state of the art and extend it. I did not want to "bring yesterday's technology one step closer to tomorrow. I want a job that I would find interesting, challenging and stimulating. The doctorate would give me a much better chance at landing a research role in academia, government or industry