Browsing by Author "Ferrantelli, Andrea"

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Annual performance analysis of heat emission in radiator and underfloor heating systems in the European reference room
(2019-08-13) Võsa, Karl-Villem; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Kurnitski, Jarek
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
In this paper, we investigate the energy usage and emission efficiency of radiator and underfloor heating systems coupled with ON/OFF and PI controls, by performing annual simulations with the IDA ICE software package. Results from measurements carried out in early 2018 at the nZEB test facility near the Tallinn University of Technology are used to calibrate validated emitter and controller models. The calibrated models are then used to assess the energy performance of the systems in a simulation spanning the whole year, using climate data for Strasbourg in the European reference room. The annual simulation is conducted in a specific room with fixed geometry and boundary conditions. As a novelty value of the present study, we impose a non-standard control strategy based on maintaining a specified operative temperature within the room. A single-valued performance indicator, in the form of an increased air temperature set-point, is accordingly obtained for each emitter configuration to be used in further calculations of hourly, monthly or annual heating energy usage. Such a temperature increment accounts for imperfect control, air stratification within the room and the additional temperature increase that is required for achieving a desired operative temperature.
Assessment of downward draught in high-glazing facades in cold climates-Experimental and CFD study into draught control with a 21-type radiator
(2021-03-29) Võsa, Karl Villem; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Kurnitski, Jarek
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
This paper investigates the interaction of a radiator's thermal plume and downdraught of cold glazed surfaces. Draughts in working areas are one of the most common thermal comfort complaints in modern buildings. A typical solution for dealing with these draughts is positioning the heat emitters such as radiators or convectors under the windows. However, with thermally efficient envelopes, the internal loads compromise a relatively high fraction of the heating demand and the emitters are working under partial loads in modern buildings. This study comprises two parts: an experimental phase in the EN442 standardized test chamber with a 21-type radiator, and a CFD simulation phase, where the model is validated and applied under an expanded set of boundary conditions. The expanded simulation set results provide preliminary insight into sizing and design. More specifically, the thermal plume can be parametrised with a velocity and temperature value along with the room air and glazing temperatures for a broader analysis and assessment of the risk of draught.
Benchmarking the measured energy use of Nordic residential buildings and their Zero Energy-readiness
(2022-05-15) Ferrantelli, Andrea; Thalfeldt, Martin; Kurnitski, Jarek
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
It is well known that buildings are responsible for a nearly 40% share of the total energy consumption; in order to reduce it by improving the energy efficiency of the building stock, it is necessary to first evaluate their performance. Building energy benchmarking provides information to stakeholders and motivates energy retrofits, by evaluating and comparing a building to similar units and/or to a reference building in terms of energy consumption with the minimum amount of data possible. Towards this end, in this paper we analysed nearly 19000 Estonian Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) of detached houses. By means of a systematic statistical investigation, we determined the time evolution of EPC labels and evaluated the impact of incentives pre/post renovations, drawing a comprehensive and updated picture of the Estonian detached houses. This allowed evaluating their readiness based on recent trends: unfortunately, new or renovated dwellings are not estimated to achieve the zero-energy status by 2050. Although marginally due also to the use of homeworking during the COVID-19 pandemic, we show that this is mostly determined by changes in the regulations. A benchmarking ranking for each construction type was also created by calculating rating tables based on a 0-100 coefficients scale; this allows comparing with the existing stock any building with known EPC, for energy Audit and other investigations aiming at energy efficiency.
Building performance indicators and IEQ assessment procedure for the next generation of EPC-s
(2021-03-29) Võsa, Karl Villem; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Tzanev, Dragomir; Simeonov, Kamen; Carnero, Pablo; Espigares, Carlos; Escudero, Miriam Navarro; Quiles, Pedro Vicente; Andrieu, Thibault; Battezzati, Florian; Cordeiro, Katia; Allard, Francis; Magyar, Zoltan; Turturiello, Giusy; Piterà, Luca Alberto; D'Oca, Simona; Willems, Eric; Veld Op 'T, Peter; Litiu, Andrei Vladimir; Lungu, Cǎtǎlin; Catalina, Tiberiu; Kurnitski, Jarek
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
In the current implementation of EPC-s, the assessment focus is purely on the energy consumption data. For the next generation of EPC-s, new performance indicators are proposed to address relevant building performance aspects, such as sustainability, productivity and market value. These indicators would enable evidence-based decision-making processes and facilitate the delivery of renovation triggers. Within the EPC framework, the problem is not the availability of such performance indicators, but the assessment effort required. Only easily available data can justifiably be introduced to bulk EPC-s, either as direct complementary input or as a performance indicator. Availability of such data was analysed from case studies that included EPC-s from 11 EU member states, mainly non-residential buildings. Analysed data included relevant HVAC information such as ventilation air flows, heating and cooling set-points and installed power, but also output data, such as EPC classes, net and primary energy need and GHG emissions. Based on our findings, we outlined two different development paths-one for existing buildings and one for new buildings and major renovations. Two categories of complementary indicators to energy are proposed-IEQ and power indicators.
Cooling Thermal Comfort and Efficiency Parameters of Ceiling Panels, Underfloor Cooling, Fan-Assisted Radiators, and Fan Coil
(2022-06) Vosa, Karl-Villem; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Kurnitski, Jarek
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Climate change has brought a compelling need for cooling living spaces to the attention of researchers as well as construction professionals. The problem of overheating enclosures is now exacerbated in traditionally affected areas and is also affecting countries that were previously less prone to the issue. In this paper, we address measurements of thermal comfort and cooling emission efficiency parameters for different devices: ceiling panels, underfloor cooling, fan-assisted radiators, and fan coil. These devices were tested in low and high cooling capacities of up to 40 W/m(2) while also featuring heating dummies to imitate internal heat gains. Air temperatures were measured at different heights, allowing to evaluate the thermal stratification with high accuracy. Thermal comfort differences of the tested systems were quantified by measuring both air velocities and operative temperatures at points of occupancy. In summary, the best-performing cooling devices for the studied cooling applications were the ceiling panels and fan radiators, followed by underfloor cooling, with a limitation of stratification. Because of the strong jet, fan coil units did not achieve thermal comfort within the whole occupied zone. The results can be utilized in future studies for cooling emission efficiency and energy consumption analyses of the different cooling devices.
Data-Driven Occupancy Profile Identification and Application to the Ventilation Schedule in a School Building
(2024-07) Vassiljeva, Kristina; Matson, Margarita; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Petlenkov, Eduard; Thalfeldt, Martin; Belikov, Juri
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Facing the current sustainability challenges requires reduction in building stock energy usage towards achieving the European Green Deal targets. This can be accomplished by adopting techniques such as fault detection and diagnosis and efficiency optimization. Taking an Estonian school as a case study, an occupancy-based algorithm for scheduling ventilation operations in buildings is here developed starting only from energy use data. The aim is optimizing the system’s operation according to occupancy profiles while maintaining a comfortable indoor climate. By relying only on electricity meters without using carbon dioxide or occupancy sensors, we use the historical data of a school to develop a DBSCAN-based clustering algorithm that generates consumption profiles. A novel occupancy estimation algorithm, based on threshold and time-series methods, then creates 12 occupancy schedules that are either based on classical detection with an on-off method or on occupancy estimation for demand-controlled ventilation. We find that the latter replaces the 60% capacity of current on-off schedules by 30% or even 0%, with energy savings ranging from 3.5% to 66.4%. The corresponding costs are reduced from 18.1% up to 62.6%, while still complying with current national regulations for indoor air quality. Remarkably, our method can immediately be extended to other countries, as it relies only on occupancy schedules that ignore weather and other location-specific factors.
Energy performance analysis of pool air handling units and comparison of heat re-covery options
(2024-09-30) Imran, Moazam
School of Engineering | Master's thesis
Global energy consumption continues to rise due to advancements in technology, significantly contributing to climate change. Buildings play a crucial role in this trend, consuming about 40% of total energy, with swimming halls being among the highest energy consumers in this sector. There is a pressing need for more energy-efficient systems that rely less on primary energy sources and more on recovered and renewable energy resources. This thesis addresses the energy consumption of the air handling unit (AHU) in a swimming pool facility. A base model was first built for the Töölö swimming hall and validated using measured data from the BMS system, focusing on key factors such as supply and extract humidity and temperature. Three different AHU configurations were then simulated in IDA ICE: simple heat recovery, heat recovery with a heat pump, and heat recovery with an enthalpy wheel. The focus was to maintain consistent indoor parameters while comparing the energy consumption of these units with the validated simulation. The findings revealed that combining a heat pump with simple heat recovery significantly reduced the heating energy consumption of the pool AHU, lowering it from 18,710 kWh to 13,065 kWh, though this also led to an increase in electrical energy consumption. While this combination proved to be the most effective in enhancing overall energy efficiency, its high capital cost remains a significant limitation, warranting further research on its feasibility. Overall, this study emphasizes the potential for optimizing energy use in pool facilities while ensuring a comfortable indoor environment.
Energy Performance Certificate Classes Rating Methods Tested with Data : How Does the Application of Minimum Energy Performance Standards to Worst-Performing Buildings Affect Renovation Rates, Costs, Emissions, Energy Consumption?
(2022-10) Ferrantelli, Andrea; Kurnitski, Jarek
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Energy renovations of the building stock are a paramount objective of the European Union (EU) to combat climate change. A tool for renovation progress monitoring is energy performance certificate (EPC) labelling. The present study tested the effect of different EPC label classifications on a national database, which comprises ~25,000 EPC values from apartment buildings, detached houses, office buildings, and educational, commercial, and service buildings. Analysing the EPC classes labelling resulting from four different EU methods, we estimated the annual renovation rates, costs, energy savings, and CO2 emissions reduction that would affect the national building stock if each of them was adopted, to fulfil the European Climate Target Plan by the year 2033. The ISO 52003-1:2017 two-point and one-point methods determined a very uneven distribution of renovation rates, from 0.45% to ~9%. Conversely, the Directive 15% recently proposed in COM/2021/802 with uniform rates determined smaller differences and standard deviation, not pushing renovations above 3.70%, namely a rate that once fine-tuned can stimulate realistic, yet effective renovation campaigns. The major differences in renovation rates provided by the studied methods show the need for a harmonized strategy such as the Directive proposal to enable achievement of European targets.
Energy pile field simulation in large buildings : Validation of surface boundary assumptions
(2019-02-26) Ferrantelli, Andrea; Fadejev, Jevgeni; Kurnitski, Jarek
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
As the energy efficiency demands for future buildings become increasingly stringent, preliminary assessments of energy consumption are mandatory. These are possible only through numerical simulations, whose reliability crucially depends on boundary conditions. We therefore investigate their role in numerical estimates for the usage of geothermal energy, performing annual simulations of transient heat transfer for a building employing a geothermal heat pump plant and energy piles. Starting from actual measurements, we solve the heat equations in 2D and 3D using COMSOL Multiphysics and IDA-ICE, discovering a negligible impact of the multiregional ground surface boundary conditions. Moreover, we verify that the thermal mass of the soil medium induces a small vertical temperature gradient on the piles surface. We also find a roughly constant temperature on each horizontal cross-section, with nearly identical average values when either integrated over the full plane or evaluated at one single point. Calculating the yearly heating need for an entire building, we then show that the chosen upper boundary condition affects the energy balance dramatically. Using directly the pipes’ outlet temperature induces a 54% overestimation of the heat flux, while the exact ground surface temperature above the piles reduces the error to 0.03%.
Environmental impact assessment with Madaster and OneClickLCA – a comparison study
(2024-06-10) Krasteva, Monika
Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu | Master's thesis
To meet the sustainability goals and comply with low-emission building standards and certification systems, the construction sector has predominantly focused on improving the energy efficiency of buildings to reduce operational carbon emissions. However, minimizing the embodied carbon of constructions can play a crucial role in achieving these aims. One approach to achieve this is monitoring and regulating the inflow and outflow of materials. This thesis specifically examines the embodied carbon through a cradle-to-gate Live cycle assessment (LCA) of a warehouse building, located in Germany. Additionally, it provides a comparative assessment of two LCA tools - Madaster and OneClickLCA, highlighting their opportunities, limitations, and specific applicability. The results of this study aim to determine the materials that contribute most significantly to the building's net global warming potential. By conducting a sensitivity analysis, where the environmental performance of concrete and insulation materials is varied, potential strategies of mitigating the negative impacts are identified. Furthermore, due to the comparative nature of this work, the importance of digitalization and methods of Building information modelling implementation into LCA tools and calculations are determined. Upon completion of the investigation, it became clear that the lack of common regulations and project deliverables within European union member states, coupled with lagging of the construction sector's digitalization, necessitates urgent actions of the sector to meet sustainability goals. The upkeep of robust Material passports, sensible material use, and diligent data recording can facilitate accurate conduction of the often complex embodied carbon evaluation process. The case study relied on project documentation, data inventory, manual data management, assumptions, and literature findings. Although these elements may be prone to limitations and uncertainties, the literature review and case study provide a foundation for further exploration of building emissions-related topics and the extension of the LCA to a cradle-to-cradle study.
Epistemological Explanation of Lean Construction
(2018-02) Koskela, Lauri; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Niiranen, Jarkko; Pikas, Ergo; Dave, Bhargav
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
The Toyota production system, on which lean production is based, emerged as the unplanned result of unrelated improvements and innovations. Although the related practices and principles are now widely reported, the theories and philosophical premises underlying lean production are not commonly known. This also applies to lean construction, which, although it originated as a set of countermeasures to specific problems in construction, has more recently evolved in alignment with lean production. For example, there is a stark but unexplained contradiction between lean and traditional construction management models regarding the importance of learning and improvement. In view of this, the aim here is to determine the epistemological orientation in these two models. It is found that two different starting points for epistemology, Platonism and Aristotelianism, have also played a major role in the formation of the fundamental ideas of engineering and management generally and in construction. An overly Platonic influence on engineering and management has created a number of problems. It is contended that one major explanation for the evident benefits of lean construction is related to its Aristotelian epistemology.
Evaluating the energy readiness of national building stocks through benchmarking
(2022) Ferrantelli, Andrea; Belikov, Juri; Petlenkov, Eduard; Thalfeldt, Martin; Kurnitski, Jarek
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Evaluating the energy performance of existing buildings is critical for improving the efficiency and resilience of the building stock as a whole. The importance of this information holds at different scales, both locally and at the national and international levels. A major problem arises from the difficulty in obtaining information from existing buildings; often, the only available data are the yearly consumption per unit area, typically corresponding to the energy performance certificate (EPC). This paper shows how to address concerns of practical relevance with a limited number of variables by examining an EPC national database (including the major cities of Tallinn, Pärnu, Tartu, and others) that provides only EPCs, construction/renovation year and heated area. Through a systematic statistical investigation of nearly 35 000 EPCs of educational, office, commercial and other building typologies, we i) characterise the time evolution of EPC classes, ii) evaluate the impact of incentives pre/post-renovations, and iii) create benchmarking tables that allow comparisons of a specific building with the existing stock to identify representative buildings for detailed auditing. The readiness of the Estonian building stock could thus be evaluated by linear fitting. All new and renovated buildings are estimated to achieve the zero-energy building (ZEB) status by 2050; remarkably, for some categories, this will occur already in the present decade if the identified linear trends persist. Additionally, we investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected building stock readiness by comparing pre- and post-2020 ZEB year fit estimations. Contrary to what was expected, the change in working habits affected some building types only marginally, while the national regulations played a prominent role. Detached private houses exhibited a pronounced worsening in readiness, while the educational and entertainment sectors benefited from specific energy labelling remodulations.
Experimental observation of crack formation on surface of charring timber
(2024-09) Rinta-Paavola, Aleksi; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Hostikka, Simo
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Crack formation on the charring surface of burning wood is an important factor increasing the burning rate by offering a passage for heat and oxygen, but it remains a poorly understood process. This work considers crack formation on pyrolyzing Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch timbers. Timber specimens of different sizes were tested under various radiative heat fluxes in nitrogen atmosphere. The cracking process was followed with an infrared camera mounted above the specimen. The obtained recordings were used to determine the formation times and lengths of cracks and to estimate the validity of an existing thermomechanical model for crack formation. The results show that the crack formation time has no significant dependence on the specimen geometry. Further, the inverse of the square root of crack formation time follows grows linearly with external heat flux, which is a similar dependence as with time for ignition, according to the thermal model of ignition. The analytical model predictions were of correct order of magnitude, but not consistently accurate at all experimental conditions. This could be accounted for the simplifying assumptions within the analytical model, and therefore creating a more detailed three-dimensional numerical model for crack formation is suggested as future research.
Experimental study of radiator, underfloor, ceiling and air heater systems heat emission performance in TUT nZEB test facility
(2019-08-13) Võsa, Karl-Villem; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Kurnitski, Jarek
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
This paper reports the results of different heat emitter system measurements, which were carried out at the nZEB test facility near Tallinn University of Technology in early 2018. Radiators, underfloor heating, air heaters and radiant ceiling panels are studied as coupled with different control schemes ranging from ON-OFF to PI-type control. The objective is to assess and quantify the control accuracy and thermal comfort parameters among different configurations. Scheduled heating dummies are used to simulate internal heat gains within the otherwise unoccupied test rooms. Along with outdoor temperature variation, the heating demand is therefore constantly changing and the control systems are continuously adjusting the heat output to maintain the desired indoor air temperatures. Control accuracy is then determined from the temperature deviations against this set value. Air stratification within the room is assessed with vertical temperature gradient calculations from measured air temperatures at different heights. The operative temperature at the point of expected occupancy is calculated from surrounding air and enclosing surface temperatures. The quantified results provide a comprehensive comparison between the different system configurations, enabling further energy simulations in related software packages since these parameters directly influence the energy usage within a system.
Experimental validation of machine learning- based predictive control algorithms for HVAC systems
(2025-01-01) Ather, Afzaal
School of Engineering | Master's thesis
The significance of HVAC systems for buildings is immense as they consume a high portion of energy. This calls for the search optimized and energy-efficient solutions for the HVAC systems for a reduction in energy demand. Integration of Federated learning techniques with a machine learning (ML) predictive model is considered a novel solution that not only provides innovative solutions but also has the potential to improve the operational performance of HVAC systems. The experimental setup location of this thesis is at a university building at Aalto University. Three air handling units (AHUs) were selected to be considered as a part of the research. The values for building parameters and operational setpoints were shared using a building management system (BMS) network. This data was used to train the ML model on local datasets, creating an empirical graph network based on similarities between nodes to predict the supply air temperature parameter for adjusting the operational control of the AHUs. This will affect the overall energy requirement of the HVAC system of the building. The integration of an ML predictive model with real operative HVAC systems can provide us with real-time data, which can be communicated and monitored using a BACnet protocol network control (YABE) internet explorer was here used to access the BACnet protocol server through IT controllers. An IDA ICE simulation model was then developed and validated by using similar data for training the model to analyze the effect of predictive model control after integration with the HVAC system and perform an according energy use analysis.
Hukkaenergian hyödyntäminen rakennuksen energiahuollossa
(2014-04-22) Väisänen, Eero
Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu | Bachelor's thesis
Impact of internal heat gain profiles on the design cooling capacity of landscaped offices
(2021-03-29) Seyed Salehi, Seyed Shahabaldin; Ferrantelli, Andrea; Aljas, Hans Kristjan; Kurnitski, Jarek; Thalfeldt, Martin
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
Using passive methods in façade design for controlling heating and cooling needs is an important prerequisite for constructing cost-effective nearly zero-energy buildings. Optimal control of solar heat gains reduces the cooling demand and the size of the active cooling systems. However, applying such methods increases the impact of internal heat gains on the heat balance of the buildings, and accordingly also the dimensions of cooling systems. Therefore, a good model of internal heat gains is needed for a reliable and optimal sizing of the cooling sources. This paper aims to bring understanding to developing internal heat gains models for sizing the cooling systems. For this purpose, several weekly internal heat gain profiles were selected from a large set of tenant-based electricity use measured in 4 office buildings in Tallinn. The selection was based on maximum daily or weekly peak loads of an office space per floor area. The selected profiles and the schedule of EN 16798-1 were used to dimension ideal coolers in the zones of a generic floor model with landscaped offices developed in IDA-ICE 4.8. The model had variable window sizes and thermal mass of the building materials. Finally, the internal heat gains models resulting in the largest cooling capacity were identified. We found that utilizing thermal mass can reduce the cooling system size by up to 7% on average and the models with big windows and light structure need the largest cooling systems. The cooling loads obtained with the profile of EN 16798-1 did not significantly differ from the average of other profiles' results. This paper focused mainly on the zonal dimensioning of cooling systems, therefore a more in-depth analysis of the different occupancy patterns as well as developing models for dimensioning the cooling system at the building level, is needed.
Lämpömukavuus ja energiankäytön hallinta asuinrakennuksissa
(2024-04-14) Heikkilä, Santeri
Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu | Bachelor's thesis
Lämpömukavuus koostuu useista fyysisistä ja psykologisista parametreistä. Sisälämpömukavuuteen vaikuttaa olennaisesti rakennuksen ominaisuudet, mukaan lukien ilmanvaihto, operatiivisen lämpötilan hallinta ja käyttäjän sopeutumismahdollisuudet epämiellyttäväksi koettuun lämpöympäristöön. Suunnitteluvaiheen ja käytön aikaisilla ratkaisuilla on merkittävä vaikutus lämpömukavuuden kokemiseen ja rakennusten käyttövaiheen energiankäytön minimointiin. Sisätilojen jäähdytyksen ja lämmityksen minimointi on ollut viimeaikaisen lämpömukavuuden tutkimusten keskiössä, mikä voidaan toteuttaa käyttäjäystävällisillä lämpöympäristön ratkaisuilla. Tämä kandidaatintyö on kirjallisuuskatsaus, jonka tavoitteena on selvittää asuinrakennuksen sisä- lämpömukavuuteen vaikuttavat tekijät ja olennaiset suunnittelu- ja käyttövaiheen ratkaisut lämpömukavuuden parantamiseksi. Työn perustana on käytetty lukuisia viimeaikaisia aiheen tutkimusartikkeleita, sekä aiheen keskeisimpien standardien asettamia vaatimuksia. Lisäksi työssä demonstroidaan teoreettisella laskennalla keskimääräisen säteilylämpötilan suhdetta operatiiviseen ja ilman lämpötilaan, sekä sisätilojen lämpömukavuuteen. Kirjallisuuskatsauksen perusteella merkittävimpiä ratkaisuja on ottaa suunnitteluvaiheessa huomioon paikallisen ilmaston ennustetut vaikutukset lämpömukavuuteen. Laskennan avulla havaittiin, että rakennuksen tilojen operatiivisella lämpötilalla ja eri pintojen säteilylämpötiloilla on oleellinen vaikutus lämpömukavuuteen. Lisäksi ilmanvaihdon ratkaisut, sekä käytetyt rakennusmateriaalit ovat keskeisiä tekijöitä lämpömukavuuden mahdollistamiseksi energiatehokkaasti. Käytönaikaisten ratkaisujen tulee olla käyttäjäystävällisiä, ja ottaa huomioon erilaiset ja nopeasti muuttuvat yksilölliset tarpeet. Tämän toteuttaminen on osoittautunut hankalaksi, sillä kaikkien yksilöllisten lämpömukavuuteen vaikuttavien tekijöiden yhteisvaikutuksia ei tunneta.
Measurements and analysis of bi-facial solar photovoltaic panels in outdoor environment of Espoo.
(2024-09-24) Hussain, Dawar
School of Engineering | Master's thesis
The world faces a significant issue with the overuse of fossil fuels, which, while eco-nomically beneficial, cause long-term environmental damage. To address this issue, scientists advocate for Renewable Energy, notably Solar Energy, which is the most cost-effective renewable source. Bi-Facial Solar PV technology, utilizing both sides of solar panels, offers enhanced energy capture. However, measuring their efficiency consistently remains a challenge. This study proposes a method to assess the performance of panel in various conditions, specifically in Espoo, Finland and examines the impact of panel orientation and environmental factors. The study done in June 2024 revealed that on sunny days, the Azimuth Tracked setup was most effective in the morning, with the Fully Tracked system matching its performance around noon. The Azimuth Tracked setup again excelled in the afternoon, while the Vertical Tilt configuration consistently underperformed, likely due to local geographical and seasonal influences. On cloudy days, the Fully Tracked setup led in the morning, with the Azimuth Tracked catching up by noon. The Vertical Tilt setup remained the least efficient. Ambient temperature showed no significant effect on solar PV performance during summer months in Espoo. Surface temperature impacts were noted, with slight performance gains up to 45°C, but decreases were observed beyond this range up to 50°C. The study done back in June 2023 also highlights that using aluminium foil albedo on rooftops enhances panel performance, while covering the back reduces energy output by 20%. Despite their potential, Bi-Facial solar panels require further research, especially in challenging climates like Finland, to fully realize their capabilities in clean energy production.
Mögelproblem i byggnader – deras uppkomst, traditionell bedömning och den senaste vetenskapliga utvecklingen
(2015-04-28) Saarinen, Ronja
Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu | Bachelor's thesis