Removing spaces used by cooling ducts. That is the strategy of «Concept 3 for 2» of ETH Zurich which develops in Singapore an energy efficiency project with Siemens to assess the impact on energy consumption of the «Desigo CC » buildings management system of the German multinational.
And they do so without reducing height of the useful space How? Typically, equipment and air conditioning ducts to transport cold dehumidified air use up a third of the interior volume of a building. However, the «Concept 3 for 2» uses air instead of water and uses low-profile chilled beams that are mounted on the ceiling to save space and produce less noise. In addition, it reinforces this system with coolers distributed on the facade and LED lighting panels that do not radiate heat.
The space to serve as a «living laboratory» for two years for this joint research are the pilot offices of United World College South East Asia. During this time, the staff of ETH Zurich and of Siemens Building Technologies division will analyze in this 550 square meters building what impact the implementation of the Desigo CC building management system has in energy consumption. This system controls the ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and all the building automation and transmits relevant data to the Siemens Navigator energy management platform.
Very promising results
Since the offices started to officially operate middle of this year, the results of the first weeks of operation «have been very promising,» according to Siemens, which states that «the consumption of energy in the 3 for 2 space is among the lowest in Singapore, «a city that has set the target of reducing its energy needs by 35% by 2030.
It must be borne in mind that about 60% of the electricity used in buildings is intended to air-conditioning. It is all about researching and testing innovative energy efficiency technologies that can thereafter be used for other urban areas with similar climates.
Singapore, with a warm and humid climate «is the perfect place to research and test innovative energy efficiency technologies. What works here will also be useful for other urban areas densely populated in tropical regions all over the world,» said Helmut Macht, CTO Building Technologies, in a statement.
