Dissertation

Faculty: Constructing Architect

Title: Integrated energy saving strategies.
Sub-Title: Diversification of efforts towards establishing
sustainable communities.
AUThor: Przemysaw Sobiecki 2044612
eye- cather
Consultant: Karen

ABSTRACT
The abstract is a brief summary in English
Must be readable independantly
Must be short (normallvy app. 125 words and max. one A4 page)
This paper focuses on...

Table of contents

ABSTRACT
1. Introduction and Problem Statement

1.1 Background
1.2 Focus
1.3 Factors
1.4 Chosen material

2 . Main section

2.1 Efforts towards overcoming barriers

2.2 Urban archetypes project
2.3 Choice of method on the material
2.4 Drakes Landing Solar Community (case study 1)
2.5 Revelstroke District Energy (case study 2)
2.6 Fraser Mills NP (case study 3)
2.7 District Energy Capital Expansion Project, Markham Centre (case study 4)
2.8 False Creek NEU (case study 5)
2.9 Copenhagen Green Power Island (case study 6)

3. Conclusion

3.1 Lessons learned

3.2 Economy driven world
3.3 Consequences

4. References

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1. Introduction and Problem Statement

1.1 Background
The main cause of worlds extremely unsustainable energy depletion was always connected with the field
of buildings consumption. This apply to almost every kind of energy - electricity, heat and water consumption. We can divide world energy consumption into 4 groups (by sectors): industrial, transportation, residential and commercial. The US Energy usage chart1 shows that residential consumption is taking 21%
of overall energy usage. This means that incorporating integrated
energy saving systems that are maintained wisely could decrease
both transportation and residential consumption, not ignoring the
fact that sustainable systems can incorporate all of those fields,
combining power for whole city, that is to say for residential function merged with the commercial and industrial workplaces.
In a world so found Sustainable Residential Development is perhaps [...] most ambitious effort to tackle the inefficiencies and inequities of the way we build [...]2. This could be perhaps impossible
task, but combining and effort of many, it could be in some cases, in
some percents, with enormous effort - achieved.

figure1:
U.S. energy usage by sector (2004)1
1.2 Focus
Main efforts towards improving energy efficacy could be listed as follows:
reducing fossil fuel use
passive / active housing
using recycled and reused materials
incorporating new technologies
Integrated energy systems (IES)
The focus of this paper is to make clearer the last one (IES), while the main goal is to try to explain the
difficulties at the time of the maintaining the systems themselves. IES , basically integrate distributed
generation (DE) with thermally-activated technologies for heating and cooling. IES, also known as cooling,
heating and power (CHP) systems3. They are the most efficient energy savers and the most appropriate
and realistic approach among listed above. The main advantages (or it could be named promising markets
or fields of use) are so called parks (organised districts), that incorporate for example: college complexes,
hospital complexes, industrial districts or even whole cities.
For the most classic systems that are existing it was economically relevant to set up in field of big community, industrial district or overall city that was consuming a few MW (megawatts). In the process of coming
into being with new technologies (small generation technologies, fuel cells, micro turbines) with lower
output it become suitable for smaller communities and districts.
1.3 Factors
What is more, when we are talking about the locating power supply/generation on site (or at least in the
neighbourhood), we lower the costs of transport (fossil fuel, heat) and transmit (electricity), which was the
second biggest US energy usage by Sector.
IES facilitate improved energy efficacy while minimising costs impacts.4 This is done as a result of 4 main
factors (each and every focusing on economy):
1
(figure1) US Dept. of Energy, Annual Energy Outlook (February 2006), Table A2
2
Journal of the American Planning Association, Autumn 2008, Vol. 74, No. 4, page 526.
3 ORNL Cooling, Heating and Power, Integrated energy systems
4
Community-Scale Heating/Cooling/Power Systems, By Robert Zogg, RE & James Brodrick, Ph.D in
ASHRAE Journal, April 2008, page 62,63.

There are several market factors that are preventing or discouraging (but for one it could be encouraging
to overcome those difficulties):
first-time cost - original one is mostly absorbed by the management and research actions, which are
always causing more expenses;
existing facilities - some homes/buildings already have installed systems (individual), so it was one
cost to establish them in past, it will be the second to uninstall them, and third to establish new;
transmit & transport - in existing communities piping and wiring could be costly if buildings are not in
the close proximity. It would also increase piping cost (as a result of higher pressure inside) and great
linear heat loss along the pipe;
business model - it will be required to have different business model in order to operate, such as different supplier, ownership and operational party;
and the last one, which is positive, and it seemed very attractive to projects, (especially to the first one
which I will describe later in my study).
repeating previous solutions - lately-established systems can be used in other similar places with
minimal research and surveying effort (costly effective).
1.4 Chosen material
While listing the market factors, capabilities and causes of IES, we cannot omit the Institutions, organisations and Pilot projects, that lead to setting up a cooperation and competition between those, whose
name is to be associated with the word Sustainable.
The most influentive institutions & organisations involved in the subject are:
ASHRAE - The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers is
an international technical society, [...] [that] allows exchange of knowledge and experiences for
the benefit of the fields practitioners and the public.1
CDEA - The Canadian District Energy Association is an industry association representing member utilities, government agencies, building owners, consulting engineers, suppliers, developers, bankers, and investors who share a common interest in promoting the growth of district
energy in Canada.2
CanmetENERGY - is the Canadian leader in clean energy research and technology development. With over 450 scientists, engineers and technicians and more than 100 years of experience, we are Canadas knowledge centre for scientific expertise on clean energy technologies.3
LEED - (Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design) is an internationally recognized green
building certification system, providing thirdparty verification that a building or community
was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most:
energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction,
improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship
of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.4

factbox

205 in the USA, and 24 in Canada and a

few from the other countries are participating the pilot program.
Area range: 0.07ha-5180ha.
Average: 121ha.1
1 LEED for Neighborhood Development Characteristics for Pilot Projects.
U.S. Green Building Council.

For this reason, I have chosen 6 projects, both build and not-yet-created, to include in my study. Each and
every of them is different in its approach, geographical choice, archetype (contextual analysis), maintained
solutions and efforts towards maintaining the sustainable community.
1
definition from web source - Wikipedia.
2
Canadian District Energy Association home page
3 CanmetENERGY home page
4 U.S. Green Building Council home page

2 . Main section
2.1 Efforts towards overcoming barriers
When we are talking about IES for chosen projects, we must say that each approach, thanks to the common saying every project is unique is different. This can cause many difficulties to overcome, troubles to
shoot, money to spend and people to involve. I am writing about this, because I would like to focus attention to how different situation can be, starting with the analysis, when I start with any project. It does not
depend on whether it is my breakfast1, or it could be planning study2. When one preprares his breakfast,
he is facing the different situation in his fridge from day to day, and when one is planning urban system,
other more complex features are found. In this paper I am focusing on the second challenging features.
At first, approaching founders (groups of people with different backgrounds) make analysis of the situation in the place, which they are going to work on. On this step they are already facing questions:
Why are we here? (does this place need our help in developing sustainable community, kind of help)
What kind of energy was used to deplete until now? (tradition, available resources, kind of industry)
What kind of energy could be used (availability, site condition, ease of establishment)
What difficulties we will face? (mostly economic and in some cases mentality and existing situation)
What is the overall development plan? (tradition, existing transit plan, future demands)
2.2 Urban archetypes project
CanmetENERGYs Urban Archetypes Project provides data concering use of energy between differentneighbourhoods so that local governments (and other authorities or third-party developers) can use and
assimilate with future decisions.

factbox

31 neighbourhoods @ 8 cities in Canada.1

Downloadable data @ Canmet ENERGY

1 CanmetENERGY website ,
Date: 2010-04-21

The project is mainly about examining elements of:

influences

set of characteristics (e.g. land use, infrastruc-

ture form

obtained energy usage data from muncipalities

relationship: energy use-existing situation

2.3 Choice of method on the material

As a result of this study, impact of many archetypes, cause different patterns of development and design.
For each project I prepared set of diagrams clearly showing processes that emphasise the factors that face
characteristics of place leading through design phase into sustainable project.

fig.2 - pattern diagram

1 This is curious example, but the analysis, althrough very shallow, exists.
2 This one is more sophisticated, and the examination here would be in contrary extremely deep.

2.4 Drakes Landing Solar Community (case study 1)

2.5 Revelstroke District Energy (case study 2)
2.6 Fraser Mills NP (case study 3)
2.7 District Energy Capital Expansion Project, Markham Centre (case study 4)
2.8 False Creek NEU (case study 5)
2.9 Copenhagen Green Power Island (case study 6)

The main substance of the report

Explanations of the investigations which will lead towards the answers of the problem statement
The analysis of the material and substantiated allergations (demonstrations of all claims)
Contains of sections with suitable titles. All in a logic order
All major titles should be answered with a subset (sub-conclusion)
In this main section you should only introduce material which is logic and relevant in relation to the problem statement The analysis of the material and substantiated allergations (demonstrations of all claims).

3. Conclusion
3.1 Lessons learned
The result of the work and the answers of the problem statement.
Critical appraisal of the usefullness of the methods used
3.2 Economy driven world
The result of the work and the answers of the problem statement.
3.3 Consequences
Assessment of the usability of the results and statement of different perspectives
Assessment of consequences

4. References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

in text:
In the main section:
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After the conclusion:

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