ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9677-7636
Current Organisation
Deakin University
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Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-08-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15165956
Abstract: The architectural and construction professions are in a state of major transition [...]
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-01-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15020449
Abstract: In order to achieve Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, a majority of the existing residential building stock in Australia will require retrofitting in favour of energy-efficient solutions. This paper considers retrofitting for conditioning to be one of the most straightforward and offers the greatest potential to deliver significant comfort and energy-saving results. Radiant conditioning systems are not new, yet some game-changing innovations have taken place over the last decade that may require an entire paradigm shift in the manner we condition our buildings. The reiteration of the principle ‘thermally active systems’ suggests that our buildings need to accommodate these systems into the fabric of building components. However, extremely few products and/or innovative solutions for doing such seem to be provided by the industry. We seem incompetent with solutions that are not costing the Earth, insulating, lightweight, and offering an instant response time to conditioning. We still have the concept embedded in our minds that radiative systems consist of heavy ‘combat’ construction with time lags of a day or two and that they are very costly to implement, especially if we are to retrofit a project. The purpose of this paper is to rectify and change our understanding of radiant systems, namely through a review of the existing technology and its recent advancements. It intends to introduce the fact that radiant systems can become highly reactive, responsive, and thermally dynamic conditioning systems. Lightweight radiant systems can be 40% more energy-efficient than common air conditioners and can respond in less than 15 min rather than in the hours required of heavy radiant systems. Thus, an insulated, lightweight radiant system is ideal for retrofitting residential buildings. Furthermore, this paper supports and introduces various systems suited to retrofitting a residential building with hydronic radiant systems.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-08-2021
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS11080350
Abstract: Heat Pumps are becoming one of the most considered mechanical conditioning equipment in our buildings. While they are popular, there appears to be quite a vast range of system types and applications in building conditioning. This paper primarily reviews the literature on heat pumps, the various types, and the consideration of design end uses. The fact that there are different energy sources for heat pumps is considered, as well as the different sinks in which energy is stored or dissipated. It is evident that advanced heat pump systems cater well to the use of renewable energy resources. Therefore, in the move towards net-zero energy building operation, the correct selection of a heat pump can help to increase self-consumption of solar PV generation and even make use of direct solar energy heating. This paper reviews the technologies for heat pump selection, application, and design for residential buildings.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-10-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14196436
Abstract: Owing to the advantages of high construction efficiency, prefabricated residential buildings have been of increasing interest in recent years. Against the background of global heating, designing low-carbon facades for prefabricated residential buildings has become a focus. The main challenge for this research is in designing windows for prefabricated residential buildings that can lead to the best performance in carbon emissions. The purpose of this paper is to summarize window design advice for prefabricated residential building facades with low-carbon goals. This paper adopts the single control variable research method. Building energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions under different conditions comprise the primary data used in the study. In the process of achieving the research aim, this study firstly extracts the window design elements of prefabricated residential facades. Secondly, objective function formulas are established and a basic model is built for obtaining data. Thirdly, data results are analyzed and window design advice is put forward under the condition of a low-carbon goal. This paper discusses that the optimal window-to-wall ratio (WWR) with a low-carbon orientation is around 0.15, and compares it innovatively with the optimal WWR under an energy-saving orientation at around 0.38. The research results of this paper can deepen the understanding of architectural low-carbon design and play a guiding role for architects.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-09-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14196106
Abstract: The world is looking to reduce carbon emissions, prevent global warming, and become more energy sustainable. Despite the various strategies for mitigating climate change, the fact remains that 80% of greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to activities associated with the built environment, and this is where a concentrated focus is needed. Moreover, most buildings are residential, not commercial or industrial. In essence, ways must be found to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from existing houses and apartments globally if sustainability is to be realised. The recognised way to achieve this is through the retrofitting of existing residential buildings. Studies in this area have increased in recent times, but the extent of the work remains unmapped and undescribed. If further progress is to be made in this field, researchers’ knowledge domain so far must be documented. This literature review delivers that goal. A scientometric evaluation of research on residential retrofitting is here presented. VOSviewer, Gephi, and CiteSpace are the software packages used. Findings identify retrofitting as an emerging theme, taking off only as recently as 2017. The breadth of research is very limited, primarily concerned with calibrating trade-offs between energy costs and thermal comfort. Emerging and new opportunities to expand retrofitting research are identified. Finally, while several journals accommodate publications on this topic, analysis reveals Energy and Buildings to be the significant citation source.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 02-09-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14175480
Abstract: Innovative mechanical services coupled with renewable energy systems are crucial for achieving a net zero energy goal for houses. Conventional systems tend to be vastly oversized because they lack the means to buffer energy flows and are based on peak loads. This paper presents an approach to achieve a net zero energy goal for houses by using a solar PV system, heat pumps, and thermal and electrical storage batteries, all off-the-shelf. Constraining one part of the system and then showing how to manage energy storage and flow is a paradigm shift in sizing. The design is for a modest-sized house built in Melbourne, Australia. The output of a solar photovoltaic array drives a small-scale heat pump to heat water, buffering its energy in a thermal battery to energise a radiant space heating system. Space cooling is provided by a separate heat pump. Through energy storage in electrical and thermal batteries, it is possible to meet the electricity, heating and cooling needs of the house for the Melbourne climate with a heat pump that draws less than 1 kW. The design methodology is detailed in an appendix and can be applied to similar projects. This paper contributes to similar work worldwide that aims to reinforce innovative renewable energy driven service design.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-05-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14092666
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine several real house cases as renewable energy resources are installed. It is an empirical study, based on first principles applied to measured data. In the first case presented, a PV solar system has been installed and a hybrid vehicle purchased. Battery storage is being considered. Smart Meter data (provided in Victoria, Australia) measures the electrical energy flowing to and from the grid in each half hour. Missing is the story about what the house is generating and what its energy requirements are through each half hour interval. We apply actual (on site) solar PV data to this study, resolving the unknown energy flows. Analysing energy flow has revealed that there are five fundamental quantities which determine performance, namely energy load, energy import, energy harvesting, energy export and energy storage. As a function of PV size these quantities depend on four parameters, easily derivable from the Smart Meter data, namely the house load, the night-time house load (no PV generation), the rating of the solar PV system and the tariffs charged. This reveals most of the information for providing advice on PV array size and whether to install a battery. An important discovery is that a battery, no matter what size, needs a PV system large enough to charge it during the winter months. The analysis is extended to two more houses located within 5 km for which detailed solar data is unavailable.
No related grants have been discovered for mark luther.