1.0 INTRODUCTION With the world moving towards the post-oil era, the attention on and demand for renewable and non-polluting sources of energy is increasing rapidly. The construction industry and specifically buildings is the single biggest consumer of the world’s energy resources. More then the construction, the operations and maintenance i.e. the life-time demand of a building is far greater. Hence in this context, it is imperative for the building to be able to harvest it’s energy to offset its demand and reduce the dependency on non-renewable sources of energy. For this, amongst all possible sources, sun or solar energy is the one easily available and hence the most potent source. Photo-voltaics (PV) is the means to harvest this energy wherein the radiant energy of the solar insolation is converted into and stored as electrical energy. Building Integrated Photo-Voltaics (BIPV) takes this notion a step further where PVs are simply not an addendum to the building skin, but the skin itself becomes a PV – hence serving a dual purpose, and thus the name BIPV. So BIPVs can be defined as photovoltaic materials that replace conventional building systems or materials mainly of the different types building envelopes, such as the roof or facade. This is illustrated clearly in the figure given below: As such BIPV systems themselves represent a novel and versatile tool for catering to the energy demands of the built space. However, though it’s powerful, its full potential is yet to be realized, and will depend on the parallel advancement of technology. Since the replace the building systems themselves, BIPVs offer an option that can be aesthetical, economical and technical and at the same time be POLY-FUNCTIONAL. In doing so BIPVs ... ... middle of paper ... ...a system is critical. This is because this system is so elaborate, expensive, and has to be considered right at the inception of the design process. The associated benefits can be identified and evaluated based on the following: • direct economic impact, • indirect economic impact, and • qualitative value These three categories are defined below and are supplemented with a series of notions. Direct economic impact The integrated building energy system will have to be procured through the construction budget. On the other hand, electricity generated by the BIPV system offsets the buildings operational energy demand and creates savings that reduce operating budgets. Since the BIPV system is poly-functional, it can also reduce construction cost as it replaces conventional building materials and serves dual purpose f a building system as well as an energy system.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a certification program for green buildings with stringent requirements for building energy efficient and environmentally responsible structures. Some requirements of this program include specific building materials, smart grid capable, gray water reclamation systems, green space minimums, high levels of insulation and low thermal transfer glass (US Green Building Council). Green buildings are a must if we are to sustain our current level of growth. Despite the higher initial cost of these buildings, the long term energy savings make these buildings a smarter choice for
Controlled Requirement Expression (CORE) was developed for the British Aerospace programs while the UK Ministry of Defence was carrying out a requirement analysis (Hull et al., 2010). The fundamental component of the CORE methodology is viewpoints as different users see systems in different ways. There are many different stakeholders involved in a system; using CORE methodology involves finding all the different viewpoints of those stakeholders that have an interest in the system whether it’s a person, role or organisation ext.… (Sommerville and Sawyer, 2000). By organising viewpoints hierarchy it assists experts to read the scope and supports the analysis process. CORE Methodology is extensively used for real time system requirements specification.
...tion requirements. Similarly, the systems analysis, or define phase, is the deliverable which defines the system’s requirements. This includes taking the deficiencies in the existing system and addressing them with specific proposals for improvement. These proposals can be to ensure that the new EHR has all the necessary requirements to qualify for certification and help to narrow down vendor selection. Incorporated into the SDLC is a maintenance phase in which constant upkeep and evaluation is needed to ensure an operational system that is properly maintained, supported and secured. During this phase, system users should be kept up-to-date about the latest modifications and procedures. It is therefore important to know that your vendor has a good standing reputation and plans to provide continuous support for your software throughout the product’s lifecycle.
...arations needed during implementation of the project while the final phase is meant for overall evaluation.
...takes to set up information in the system. The level of understanding would improve through partaking or getting involved and henceforth could be adapted easily. All the bits and pieces of the project would rapidly increase or grow as per the workflow process. At the end, the overall CPOE system should be able to compare the manual method with the new electronic system and tell which is best and accurate to use and also tell how much time and money will be saved when using either system. At the end of the project the team should be able to come together and discuss whether or not the project met all of the company’s needs such as if it is reliable, efficient, safe and secure and also does it save time and money. Then, if the system has more advantages than disadvantages and it is worth all of the team’s time and effort it would be best to continue with the project.
In recent development, sustainability has become an integral concern in the performance of architectural principles and technology, in which conscious approaches to energy and ecological conservation involves strategies during the design, construction, and operation of buildings. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Building Sector is the largest contributor to most of the energy consumed: in the United States by itself, buildings consume 47.6% of all energy produced and is responsible for 44.6% of CO2 emissions in 2010 (“Problem…” 1). In terms of sustainability, initial decisions in the design process can significantly help deliver results. Evaluations and explorations through the impact of materials, such as concrete, wood, bricks, masonry, and steel, can help improve reductions in energy through its applicability to a building. While wood and steel are simply identified for their strength, durability, and functionality in structures, accentuating these materials’ embodied energies and recyclability offer a more comprehensive understanding of their overall impact in sustainability — and ultimately reveal how both have advantages and disadvantages depending on the context.
After the systems planning is complete, the next course of action is the systems analysis phase. This phase includes defining the requirements of the system. This means that the team must conclude what the system needs to do in order to satisfy the users. This is done by forming a requirements...
Williams, (1997) identified four steps to system planning. Earl (1989) proposed five alternate strategy frameworks which project managers should consider when deciding how the system will enhance the business function. Standard business strategy methods are used to identify such opportunities by using: value chains, application searching and information analysis (Earl 1989).
Published in 2008, the Building Information Modeling Protocol Exhibit by the American Institute of Architects was developed in order to establish guidelines on the use of BIM throughout a project. This is important in that it has addressed several outstanding questions such as, the responsibilities for each element of the model, the authorized uses for the model, the extent to which users can rely on the model, the management of the model, and who takes ownership of the model. After developing a model for a dormitory building that belongs to the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, several examples can be shown that help support the compliance of the Building Information Protocol Exhibit.
...-friendly homes that have been started in the company in Jakarta, which uses solar energy for their power sources.
At our new house, we have two stand alone pedestals with six 170W panels on each pedestal, making for 2040W or 2kW solar system. According to Mr. Solar.com, “this type of energy production, known as the Photovoltaic Effect, is achieved by solar panels converting sunlight into energy. Solar panels are made up of several individual solar cells, composed of layers of silicon, phosphorous (which provides the negative charge), and boron (which provides the positive charge). Solar panels absorb the sunlight’s photons and by doing so initiate an electric current, producing electrons. The resulting energy generated from photons striking the surface of the solar panel allows electrons to be knocked out of their atomic orbits and released into an electric field generated by the solar cells, which then pull these free electrons into a DC or directional current.” This electricity then proceeds to a mechanical room beneath our house to a charge controller, which regulates the amount of energy sent to our 24V batteries to be stored. From these batteries, the electricity goes to an inverter, which then changes the DC to AC or alternating current in order to use our modern electrical appliances and gadgets.
As I have previously stated earlier in the evaluation PV systems, or Solar Home Systems (SHS), and many other solar power systems play a significant role in the harvesting of solar energy. But, the most used solar energy systems are Grid-connected systems, Stand-Alone Grid-tied Systems, Off-Grid systems, Stand-Alone Off-Grid Systems, and Stand-Alone Off-Grid Hybrid Systems. In grid-connected or grid-tied systems, solar energy is used during the day by the system owner. At night, the owner makes use of the previously harvested electricity grid. A huge bonus of having the grid-tied system is that the solar system does not need to be sized to meet peak loads, overages can be taken from the grid. In most cases, left over energy generated during the day can be sent back to the grid. Grid-connected systems must meet utility requirements. Most importantly, inverters must not emit noise that can interfere with equipment reception. Inverters must also switch off in cases of grid failure. Lastly, they must retain voltage quality and current output waveforms. Grid-connected systems can be applied to residential installations. Stand-alone grid-connected systems are the same as grid-connected systems, except with battery storage added to allow power to be generated even if the electricity grid fails. Stand-alone grid-tied systems can be applied to residential and business systems that require unlimited and uninterrupted power that’ll keep generating day and night. Off-grid systems are not connected to the electricity grid. The output of an off-grid system depends heavily upon the intensity of the rays being given off by sun. The more intense the sun exposure, the greater the output.They can also be used for water pumps and greenhouse vent...
During the project initiation stage the business problem or opportunity is outlined whilst simultaneously various TM techniques and tools can be adopted to enhance productivity and overall project success. Value engineering is a technique which can be adopted to seize the opportunity to add value in the early stages of the project. The value of a system’s outputs is optimized by crafting a mix of performance (function) and costs. Allocating time for this technique is crucial during the initiation phase, as it deals with the value process solely during the inception and conception of a new product.
Despite the fact that novel technologies are continuously under development to complement existing practices in coming up with greener buildings, the universal intent is that such structures are designed to diminish the general effect on the built environment on health of the humans in addition to the natural environment via: Diminishing environmental degradation, pollution and waste, improving productivity of the employee and guarding occupant health, efficient usage of water, energy, in addition to other resources.
SEBok, 2013. Systems Approach Applied to Engineered Systems. [online] Available at: http://www.sebokwiki.org/wiki/Systems_Approach_Applied_to_Engineered_Systems [Accessed 7 April 2014]