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Opportunities
The focus is on making the initial building a relevant research case, both with regard to energy performance, climate mitigation and adaptation and mutual interaction with users in a Nordic climate.
Building Materials and Envelope Technologies
The ZEB Laboratory is built with focus on adaptability and flexibility, i.e. parts of the envelope can be changed or modified, fitted with new materials, components and technologies in order to investigate and optimize the building envelope and building performance. This allows investigations of the performance of large-scale building envelopes (up to three stories high) and the effect of material and envelope properties (e.g. insulation levels, façade configurations including solar shading) on whole building energy use and user comfort. Important measurement parameters include temperature, moisture content, solar radiation transmittance, daylight distribution and heat flux measurements.
Building Services
To find optimum combinations matching the zero emission building’s properties with local renewable energy sources and grid, the building laboratory is prepared with BIPV and a heat pump system utilizing 3 different sources of heat. Development of a PCM-based heat storage device storing excess heat from the building's BIPV roof is part of the building services.
Grid integration makes it possible to implement experiments on the interface between buildings (ZEBs) and the grids, especially smart power grids but also district heating and cooling grids. This enables for example the study of performance of predictive optimal control strategies, load shifting and energy storage.
The building is facilitated to explore ventilation systems together with monitoring of user satisfaction and energy use. The laboratory is constructed with ample space for air handling units, heating, cooling and other equipment. Monitoring and control of energy supply, ventilation, cooling, space heating, lighting, window shading, occupancy etc. is made available on a common platform, a Building Energy Management System (BEMS).
This will allow integration of a building energy simulation program for studies of e.g. the impact of an eco-visualization system on building energy use and test of wireless personal interface technologies for informed occupant behaviour. The indoor environment quality (IEQ) including users’ well-being and productivity can be evaluated. The ZEB Laboratory will be equipped with instrumentation for continuous measurement of thermal comfort and air quality parameters.
Human Interaction with Advanced Systems
The human interaction with advanced ZEB buildings decides how well the buildings will perform. The ZEB Laboratory gives the possibility for development and testing of:
New methods for user centred design of zero emission building technologies.
User interfaces of building technologies in general (end users).
Synergy effects of user interaction and building response.
User interfaces of building energy management systems (building operators).
The building as an ecosystem - Systemic interfaces
The impact of the lighting system on user’s health and well-being as well as user interaction with various control systems will be possible to explore.
