Assessment of a residential property for improvements in energy efficiency & renewable energy production |
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BibTeX: |
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@article{IJIRSTV1I3013, |
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Abstract: |
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The Energy demand and its supply in recent world have too many consequences associated with it. Numerous green energy options are being explored in the interest of the saving the world environment. Improvement in efficiency of the residential properties is the one of the best and essential solutions of the energy crises. The domestic sector in UK and EU contribute almost half of the total energy consumption, out of which nearly half of the energy is utilised for the heating purposes. The efficiency of energy consumption of the residential property can be improved by introducing the energy efficient appliances, proper insulation and water and central heating advancement. This research incorporates the study of thermal property of existing dwelling in terms of the insulation, air-tightening and ventilation. The research involved the investigation of the selected property for the improvements in its energy demand both thermal and electrical. Inspection of electrical appliances and their energy demand and the suitability of the chosen property for installation of renewable energy system were also focused in detail. After a thorough study of the property it was found that the no element of the house was up to the standards. The energy performance of the dwelling was found to be band E and had opportunities to improve the performance up to band B. Heat loss calculations of the elements of the house suggested that there were possibilities to reduce the heat loss by almost 680 W/K if refurbished to meet the standard minimum requirements. It was also found that in terms of economics the house had potential to save up to almost £500 per year in running cost by making the improvements in thermal property. Most of the appliances of the house were found to have fairly good efficiency except the electrical shower and microwave oven. However none of the appliances were found energy performance certified. The chosen property was also examined for the compatibility with renewable energy sources. The power predictor was mounted on the site to record the real time readings of wind strength, wind direction and solar intensity to verify the suitability of the site. The power predictor found that the site was not suitable for the wind turbine installation which was also verified using Energy Saving Trust's online service. However the site was found appropriate for the solar energy system installation and the economics of the system showed that the payback period for the particular system should be 22 years, which was reasonable in this case.The research was done aiming the ultimate solution for the domestic energy crisis for particular dwelling and the results have shown very promising future if the suggestions are met. |
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Keywords: |
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Energy Efficient Buildings, Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Energy conservation. |
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