1

Design and Automation of Passive and Active

Systems to a NZEB School
Artur Ribeiro 1, João Ramos 2 and José Baptista 3
1
INESCC, Coimbra, Portugal.
2
Deptº Engenharia do Ambiente, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Leiria, Portugal.
3
Deptº Engenharia, Univ. de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
E-mail: artur.ribeiro.eng@sapo.pt

Abstract— The bioclimatic framework and spaces arrangement, favored the integration of each system's liabilities and assets, to
this new school building under study. Passive technique in school buildings, in which emerges the incorporation of renewable
energy, complemented by active ones creates a high potential self-sustainability in these buildings [1]. Its automation through
passive and active systems through centralized technique management led us to create integration of actuators with innovate
perspectives in the natural ventilation systems and renewable energy production in a school, makes it possible to classify the
buildings as NZEB (Net Zero Energy Building) [2] which is reflected by the annual balance between demand and supply energy in
the building equal to zero and "Zero" Carbon. It was given particular attention to natural light components and its relationship to
artificial lighting minimization and cooling systems or heating ventilation through air-ground heat exchanger, air collector, cross
effect or chimney effect, ensuring excellent air quality and interior comfort. The auxiliary systems integration in heating process
(PHW), hot water (DHW) and cooling, to ensure, in overtime extreme situations, where the passive component cannot meet the
requirements, which are kept the parameters for an efficient functioning. The quality of the available energy in the building
NZEB is of utmost importance to the global context that has a high efficiency. In view of these aspects was implemented at
electrical headquarters, an automatic capacitor bank anti-harmonic, also contributing to a reduction in energy bill.

Index terms—Energy efficiency, Daylight, Natural Ventilation, Air-Ground Heat Exchanger, PV Air Collector, Cross Ventilation,
Chimney Effect, Active Systems, Passive Systems, Centered Technical Management, Solar Thermal, Solar Photovoltaic, PV, CO2
and NZEB
Implementation
This work is carried out to study the implementation a new
school building in Alcobaça (Portugal). It was done an
energy balance and, in particular, a building ventilation
study using passive techniques, of which is the
incorporation of renewable energy, complemented by
active ones and centered technique management, analyzed
the high potential self-sustainability of the building [1].
The wind action analysis is very important in natural
ventilation characterization. It was used in this sense the
values collected in the meteorological station of Alcobaça
[3]. To protect the definition of prevailing winds and
decreased temperature radiant, was utilized a live hedge
composed with sheet persistent species (Figure 1) and
Tuia, from Cupressaceas family, has a high
evapotranspiration rate, which regulate and balance the
extreme weather conditions, creating a microclimate.
Native species was chosen because of the low porosity
achieved in the implementation of a hedge, reducing wind
speed till 90%. [4] [5] [6]. The space main building has 24
classrooms with 56 m2 each in two floors. There exists a
natural ventilation system, with a façade air collector with
four openings (automated façade records) in each
classroom section, two 20cm below the floor level and two
at the top, 50cm above false ceiling. The air collector
(Figure 2) is composed by 6 PV modules, mounted on an
aluminium structure, arranged in N-S direction and
distanced 10cm from the wall. For this study was selected a
particularly classroom type, (with 56 m2), with a natural
ventilation system. The facade is composed of air collector
with four openings (automated façade records) in each
classroom section, two 20cm below the floor level and two
at the top, 50cm above false ceiling. The air collector
(Figure 2) is composed by 6 PV modules, mounted on an
aluminium structure, arranged in N-S direction and
distanced 10cm from the wall. The records of facade
implemented here were developed by [7], the building
Solar XXI, taking in the action guide and left their
manipulation to the users. This study intended to automate
its operation, with two actuators, one linear and one

Figure 1: Protect vegetation scheme in profile of prevailing winds.


Figure 2: Records and PV air collector cut.
rotation in each record, optimizing its use. A flag is placed
in thin glass steer able in each classroom door, to obtain a
cross-ventilation effect. The flags are open or closed
depending on the temperature, humidity and indoor air
quality, compared with outside temperature and humidity,
measured by sensors installed therein. The cross-
ventilation effect can be complemented with the chimney
effect, by using the adjacent movement corridors. They are
vertically connected through a duct across the length and
forming a projection on the southern side of the roof. On
this side the ventilation grilles are also established (Figure
3). The chimney effect can be increased through a higher
temperature in the duct, obtained by placing a polished
aluminium plate liner in the last 2m. The air ground heat
exchanger, allows clean air entrance in the classroom
2
Figure 3: Integrated system of natural ventilation and
lighting systems with facade PV air collector and air-
ground heat exchanger.
through concrete pipes buried at 3m. This air can be used
for heating or cooling, depending on the season, since the
conditions of temperature at the burial are almost constant.
These are obvious advantages both heating and cooling
process, being controlled by actuators on registration
circular ventilation ducts. The spread is produced by fan,
that is mounted axially above a metal ring duct, with 65 cm
axis, above the floor, only serving as a complement to
ensure indoor air quality in wind lack situations on the
outside or when CO2 level is achieving the regulatory
limits [8] (Figure 4). The centered technique management
Figure 4: Detail with front view (left) and cut (right) of
the duct and spread of air-ground heat exchanger system
in floor 0.
allows to all this automatic manipulation but only some
parameters can be modify by users in a short period of
time, end of witch the management takes control. The solar
thermal system consists of 64 collectors connected by
primary network piping in coverage, is composed of
compound parabolic collectors (CPC) [9], with 1,99 m2
each, arranged in the E/W direction in its metal mounting
flat roof and with 60 degrees inclination in order to obtain
the maximum return for the winter period and minimize the
gains in July and August. In this period the hot water needs
are virtually nil. These will be aligned with the azimuth
South, parallel channel, forming 4 batteries, inter distance
with a minimum of 2,5 m, so that the worst days, 21
December at 12horas, no area of the collector is shaded.
On heating we used two different systems, radiant panels at

classrooms and thermo-ventilation with hot water batteries
in services area and gymnasium at floor 2. This thermo-
ventilation is performed in two steps. The first unit in the
treatment of fresh air (UTAN) [10], the level of coverage,
which makes a pre-heating to a temperature of 18 º C. The
second a post-heating with individual control spaces,
which allows a +3 °C jump. This measure alone generates
energy savings consumption associated with UTAN
operation and the use of hot water batteries, whose power
stems primarily from solar thermal system, makes the
heating system extremely economical. Support for PHW
and DHW is carried out in a first-level bi-hourly rate
operation for an electrical resistance of 9kW in each of the
3 deposits, and the last level a condensing boiler with an
output of 85 kW and 109% combustion efficiency [11],
connected to the DHW tank at the top of it and direct the
output to the heating, the primary hydraulic separator [12]
(Figure 5). This avoids interference between circuits by
operation of circulators, making them independent, because
the differential pressure between collectors outward and
return is virtually zero. The active cooling, it is expected of
marginal use and is intended for floor 2 and floor 1 in the
auditorium areas. It is achieved by installing a cold water
battery [13] in UTAN [138], which is fueled by a chiller
compressor with single pump, expansion vessel and deposit
of inertia [14]. This thermo-ventilation is performed in two
steps, the first unit of new air handling (UTAN), which
carries a cooling to a temperature of 23 ° C and the second,
post-heating in areas with individual control, which allows
a jump of +3 ° C. The cooling output of the chiller is 22,5
kW, with an input power of 8,74 kW and an EER of 2,57
Figure 5: Solar thermal scheme.
3
[14]. In the gross taxable earnings may be accounted for all
passive systems can contribute to the heating. In this case
were considered as possible contributing gains introduced
in solar thermal heating systems, radiant floor and thermo-
ventilation, earnings for the air-ground heat exchanger and
won by air collector façade. Solar glazing protection is
achieved by using external blinds with rotatable lamellae
[15], allowing daylight modulation into the interior without
creating glare, minimizing solar gains in summer, through
its factor g = 0,09, when in the closed position. In the PV
simulation was using the computer program "Sunny
Design" [16], provided by the manufacturer of the drive,
SMA, using Lisbon location, closest existing in the
database. For this system we used two mounting types, an
PV air collector façade, with 90º inclination and another on
the gymnasium cover, where each line has a inter-distance
of 2,5 m and 30º inclination. In the latter type took
advantage of the provision zenith coverage to the South
face is required to PV mount and on the North side the
daylight introduction to this space. The energy quality in
NZEB building is of utmost importance to the global
context that has a high efficiency. Were selected for high
electrical efficiency in the design of a school building has
been given particular attention to the UPS using a "On-
Line" drive double conversion with "Super Eco Mode"
[17], variable speed motors in HVAC units and Elevator,
with EFF1 class in engines energy efficiency [18]. Thus,
the tolerance degree to the harmonics in power system
depends on load susceptibility. In view of these aspects has
been implemented at electrical headquarters, a 50kVAr
automatic capacitor bank anti-harmonics, which injects into
 4

three levels gradually, reactive power on the network, for the areas illuminated and non illuminated, have
cosϕ near to 1 and eliminate the harmonic, through filters. respectively, 139,62 kWh / year and 180,99 kWh / year,
This is a passive compensation system and the choice was with LENI [22] corresponding to 3, 93kWh/ano.m2 and
due, first to installation type does not require sophisticated 9,08 kWh/ano.m2, and the areas of calculation,
equipment to compensate the power factor, such as respectively, 35,51 m2, 19,93 m2 for each classroom. The
compensating existing assets, on the other, was due to the global LENI [22] is 5,78 kWh/ano.m2, much below the
passive system lower losses compared to an asset, which limit of 38,1 kWh / year set for this typology. With the
are respectively 15W and 2100W [19] [20]. coverage final disposition [28] [29], it was possible that the
daylight of the gymnasium (Figure 7), one gets a better
Results uniformity. And besides, it was possible the layout of
The exchange system functioning will be controlled by
centered technique management, by criteria that prevent
interior overheating or under cooling, within the area
served by the current needs, taking advantage of range
temperature between surface and soil to the depth of
underground piping, which on average is 10 ºC. The flow
of fresh air introduced into building interior by the air-
ground heat exchanger and dissemination of thermal drift
effect by cross-ventilation to hallway duct or air collector
façade, creates the conditions for interior comfort, without
the use of mechanical cooling systems.
In daylight simulation and their integration with the
artificial lighting was used "Dialux" [21] calculation
program and made the energy evaluation according to EN
15193 [22]. In addition to lighting design which
determined the placement of fixtures in order to achieve an Figure 7: Gymnasium coverage PV configuration
lux average, corresponding to each type of space and its
modules on the surface facing to the south, against an ideal
use, we evaluated the energy systems involved, which is
of 30º, without obstruction. These modules in addition to
obtained by weighting the hours of use annual day and
the component generators, still benefits building, in
night, combined with economic adjustment, maintenance,
thermal component, because with a lower U, there is a
presence, absence, performance, provision of daylight,
consequent reduction of heat losses by coverage. This
artificial light control and light transmittance of the glazing

Figure 6: Results of scenario 1 - 100% lighting with
daylight and stage 2 - 100% daylight [21]
[23] [24]. The "Daylight" regulation [25] [26] [27], which
was implemented in classrooms, will allow an automatic
adjustment in lighting, maximizing natural component
through the interaction of the solar control blinds slat blade
driven [15], the first two spaces.
In Figure 6, we present "Dialux" [21] results calculation, in
a classroom type. The figures represent 100% daylight use
and 100% artificial lighting use, complemented by
daylight. If we consider separately the energy values
calculated by the energy assessment of the Dialux program,
Figure 8: Initial result of PV simulation façade system by
Sunny Design of SMA [16]
solution is also more advantageous for the increase in
energy productivity and also by reducing the inverters loss,
as can be confirmed by the simulations in "Sunny Design"
(Figure 8) [16], which translated into a global energy
production of 84,372 kWh/year. RSECE [30] calculation in
monozone typology was based on the simplified method of
global conversion factor. For these, were esteem
functioning hours of each equipment to building install,
were with the respective powers converted to primary

energy, annual consumption energy was calculated. In this
calculation were obtained the values Cei=-0,01
(kgep/m2.year) and a IEE=-0,01.
Conclusions
This work is carried out to implementation study of a new
school building in Alcobaça, Portugal. Passive technique in
school buildings, which emerges the incorporation of
renewable energy, complemented by active ones creates a
high potential self-sustainability in these buildings [1]. The
air-ground heat exchanger used for heating and cooling
process, is controlled by actuators on record circular duct
ventilation, cannot replace a conventional air conditioning
system, but can provide most of energy need for heating or
cooling at main area of building. The solar chimney is an
extremely useful, especially when applied on the North
side of the greater use of space, including classrooms. This
can satisfy both ventilation processes such as daylight. The
ventilation system especially in cooling effect can
effectively replaces the active systems application.
The radiant panels system present in levels 0 and 1, was
chosen for work with low temperatures system. Only then
can integration with power generation by solar thermal
system, the cost profitable, and that in a situation of need to
support the boiler consumption will also be lower, it does
not require a temperature as high. Thermo-ventilation was
considered only for the 2nd floor, given the needs
ventilation type above the levels 0 and 1. The pre and post
treatment air system, both in heating and cooling could be
an efficient method for management of existing resources
against the expected thermal reduced requirements in this
floor.
The building network energy quality was also a concern
since the beginning of this study. To this was added the
amount an automatic capacitor bank designed to ensure a
power factor of 1. In this field, also got the UPS selected,
provide the network rescued energy power factor equal to
1. The reduction of power generation, resulting from the
photovoltaic system was installed vertically on the façades
were offset, in terms of energy, improving the internal
thermal gains of the classrooms, through the air collector
associated with these structures on the facade. The use of
equipment with high efficiency combined with passive
techniques for heating and cooling, controlled by centered
technical management, have been central to the
achievement of NZEB classification [2]. We managed to
produce a higher overall power consumption of the
building.
The 1st law of thermodynamics, called the "Principle of
Conservation of Energy and the law of Lavoisier, have an
intrinsic relationship. The implementation of NZEB [2]
classification for this building, is a practical demonstration
of application, "In Nature nothing is created, nothing is
lost, everything becomes" more and more and we have to
continue for a Sustainable World.
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