News
Adaptive Solar Façade, E2VENT, AIR FLOW(ER): Prototypes for the Façade of the future
Research centers and companies are working together to innovate the Façade industry. Here some interesting prototypes coming up from this joint collaboration:
- ETH Zurich Adaptive Solar Façade: The project of an adaptive solar façade combines recent developments in architecture, energy technology and robotics. It is the largest object showcasing soft robotics in architecture. The prototype has been developed by ETH Zurich, a Swiss research centers based in Zurich.
- E2VENT: The E2VENT system will develop an external thermal refurbishment solution with external cladding and air cavity. The distinctive feature of this system is the Smart Modular Heat Recovery Unit allowing users to recover energy from the extracted air while performing the air renewal using double flux heat exchanger in the air cavity. E2VENT is a project supported by the European Commission under the Energy Theme of the Horizon 2020.
- AIR FLOW(ER): The Air Flow(er) is an energy independent thermally active ventilation device which behaves like a flower, whose “petals” open wide when exposed to warmer temperatures. This interesting system has been developed by the American LIFT architects.
More information on the façade prototypes are available in the prototype sector of the database.
IAQ prototypes: improving indoor air quality in an innovative way
The indoor air quality (IAQ) influences the health and well-being of people. For the last 20 years, there has been a growing concern regarding pollutants in closed environments and the difficulty in identifying these pollutants and their critical levels, without heavy, expensive equipment.
Aware of this issue, the European Commission is financing projects in order to develop innovative sensors for the indoor air quality.
For example, IAQSense project (7th Framework Programme under grant agreement n° 6043125) aims to develop new nanotechnology based sensor systems that will precisely monitor the composition of the air in terms of both chemical and bio contaminants. This system will be miniaturized, low cost and adapted to mass production. IAQSense Project will characterize, monitor and improve indoor air quality in an innovative way.
More information about Sensors prototypes are available on the sensor section of EffiBUILDING.
Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs): the 3rd generation of PV technologies
Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs), the 3rd generation of PV technologies, have undergone significant progress during the last decade boosted by the introduction of Roll-to-Roll (R2R) processing applied on plastics with any custom shape and size and unlimited coloring. OPVs on plastics focus on both existing, and new markets.
EffiBUILDING has increased the attention about this ongoing technology due to his potentiality. Heliatek, Infinitypv and OET have developed interested OPVs. An important OPV prototype is the Beautiful Light Project developed by Armor.
These Organic Photovoltaics products and Armor prototype are consultable in the PV modules category.
Flisom CIGS Thin-Film technology
Flisom’s proprietary CIGS thin-film technology combines low-cost, high throughput manufacturing with advanced module design. This is the case of the two innovative prototypes BIPV façade and BIPV roof tile.
BIPV façade is an innovative metal based PV façade, based on established metal cladding system. It has a beautiful uniform black look.
BIPV roof tile is an innovative solar roof tile based on a metal roof tile format.
Both prototypes are presented in the PV modules category (subcategory CIGS) where you can also find more information about Flisom AG.
PHOCOS Inverter SI Series
PHOCOS Inverter SI Series converters DC energy from solar modules into clean, stable AC power that is ideal for power demanding appliances.
Phocos inverters are designed for high efficiency: Integrated advanced microprocessor technology combined with pure sine wave output makes them the perfect choice for use with high-end electronics and electrical equipment. Thanks to their low weight and long lifespan, the SI series inverters are also ideal for mobile and outdoor applications (e.g. RVs, cars and many more).
Main features of PHOCOS Inverter Series are:
· Input/output fully isolated for more application flexibility;
· Input and output protected against over and under voltage;
· “Low power saving mode” < 1 W (350 W) increases system efficiency and reduces costs; Advanced microprocessor optimizes operation processes while reducing energy consumption;
· Status indicator for operation verification; Usual home appliances (supplied from AC mains) can be integrated in a small solar home system (12-48V);
· Certified for mobile applications (RVs, cars and many more), certification class B.
PHOCOS is a product of the Spanish company Grealtec. More information about Polycrystalline, Monocrystalline and Inverter from Grealtec are available in the PV modules category of EffiBUILDING.
UK Humidity and Temperature Sensors
Great Britain has a fertile environment in the field of innovation for building materials and smart home.
British companies provide high level of IAQ, Humidity, Temperature and Ventilation sensors. For example, Rotronic products have excellent performances due to the intelligence of AirChip3000 technology that enables advanced sensor diagnostics. If the sensors deviate from factory defined parameters, measurement values can be compensated automatically.
You can read the descriptions of the HygroFlex3 – HF3, HygroClip2 and HC2-HK25 / HC2-HK40 on our Sensors session of our database.
c–c‘ prototype: highly versatile option in construction glazing
‚c–c‘ is a prototype made by advancement over established U-Channel Glass. The conventional material is produced as U-profiles and has been in the market for decades as an affordable, yet highly versatile option in construction glazing.
Its unique connection principle allows for glazing of arbitrary curvatures: be it wide or narrow bends, pointed angles or soft curves, they pose no greater challenge than straight walls. The components used remain the same, only their arrangement varies. The range of application of these novel construction elements may even get dramatically extended further by utilizing extrusion variants, within the same system.
Check the ‘c–c‘ prototype in the Prototype category of EffiBUILDING.
Glass/Glass module: the true innovation in the sustainable construction field
Innovation and performances in the photovoltaic industry are strategic for each company in the sector.
This is the case of the Italian company Brandoni Solare and his polycrystalline PV modules Aeternum and Glass/Glass.
Thanks to its unique aluminum fixing structure, the Aeternum is the perfect solution for an integrated photovoltaic plant. The frame, applied to the lower side of the module, is specifically designed to create a single flat surface on the whole plant. Dimensions and the tailored processed frame allow a simple and quick installation on the supporting laths.
Glass/Glass is a laminated module glass-EVA-glass, with 36 polycrystalline 3bus bar, cells 6”size (156x156mm). The cells are carefully selected and really high quality. This module is supplied without frame leaving space to architect creativity for the realization of innovative and valuable structures integrated with the surrounding environment. Brandoni Solare’s glass/glass module is a module designed to innovate the sustainable construction field.
More information about the Polycrystalline PV modules of this company (Aeternum, Glass/Glass, Coloured and Hybrid modules) are available in the PV modules session of our database.
EffiBUILDING at Central Europe Towards Sustainable Building Conference
EffiBUILDING was invited to present the platform at Central Europe towards Sustainable Building Prague 2016 (CESB16). CESB16 is an important event part of 2016 international Sustainable Built Environment conference series and the fourth conference has been held in Prague on the actual topic of sustainable building. All the information about CESB16 is available on the event’s website. CESB audience was strongly interested to categories and the membership scheme of our database, in particular of the free access (Membership BASE). More visitors from all over the world were interested to EffiBUILDING in the AMIRES booth at the exbitors area which it makes us proud to support innovative products and prototypes for energy efficiency of buildings.
EffiBUILDING IS FREE OF ACCESS
EffiBUILDING mission is to share information facilitates innovative product take up and responds to the urgent needs of societal challenges such as energy and health of citizens. We aim to create the most important sharing platform in the world for products and prototypes for the energy efficiency of buildings.
For this reason, the consultation for our platform is FREE for members. They can share their products or prototypes as well as compare them. Furthermore, we have tailored a membership (GOLD) for manufacturers who would promote their products to a global audience and enhance the impact of their marketing strategy.
To become members, you need only to fill in a short registration form. We are waiting for you to be part of the EffiBUILDING community!
Effibuilding team