SMARTFACADE
The first adaptive façade integrated with HVAC.
System Thinking & Design
What is adaptive facade?
Although it is called by different names such as Adaptable, Active, Responsive, Innovative, Climate, ADAPTABLE FACADES can be defined as environmentally friendly facades that save building energy consumption while adapting to changing outdoor weather conditions and user comfort demands. The most important features of ADAPTIVE facades are their energy efficiency and environmentally friendly design.
What is SMART FACADE?
SMART Facade is an adaptive facade system integrated with HVAC.
What is the INNOVATION?
SAMRTFACADE provides a continuous air circulation with the channels created on the facade and connects them to the central HVAC system, thus creating a closed system. But SMARTFACADE innovation is not limited with this.
With the know-how of the SMARTFACADE system, we can design this closed system (and create its thermal profile) for almost all kind of building facade systems for all climatic conditions. Thus, the building envelope and the HVAC system are designed with an integrated design approach, and the building energy performance and the possibility of benefiting from renewable energy sources (RES) can be evaluated at the project stage.
Therma Profile Building
The First Building
The first pilot application of SMART FACADE operating in the real environment was carried out in Ankara-Turkey in 2020.
In appearance, the "Smart Facade" is difficult to distinguish from conventional curtain walls.
SMART FACADE is one of the most economical alternatives among "adaptive facades", due to its design very similar to existing building facades and manufacturing techniques.
The Problem & Solution
WHAT WE NEED
SMART FACADE & RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
Although it is a good idea to benefit from underground heat, it cannot be applied very often due to the hygiene problem experienced in normal applications (dirt, bacteria etc. caused by condensation in the pipes) and the difficulty in integrating the air taken into the building with the existing ventilation system. SMART FACADE can receive underground air to the exhaust section of the «air channel», therefore, it does not experience any hygiene problems and is easily applied.
Although solar panels are the most promising technology in terms of building energy saving, efficiency decreases due to overheating of the back sides of the panels in the summer and the building cooling energy load increases. The air circulation inside the SMART FACADE panels solves this problem of heat and increases the efficiency of the photovoltaic panels by 10-15%.
Evaporative cooling is one of the cheapest cooling methods. It can not apply easily in buildings due to hygiene problems and lack of integration with existing ventilation. One of the most interesting features of SMART FACADE is that it can benefit from evaporative cooling without any problem. Moreover, both the evaporative cooling of the outside air and the evaporative cooling of the exhaust air can be applied in high efficiency.
The solar energy potential on facades could meet the thermal energy needs of buildings.
In addition to being an energy efficient, adaptive façade, SF is a very suitable candidate for storing solar energy as a "solar façade"
(please see the "SF with TES" page).
Contrary to popular belief, solar energy can meet a significant portion of a building's heating energy needs even during winter months. This is true for many EU countries. If we look at the EU's average HDD (heating degree day) numbers, the overall EU climate has approximately 3,000 HDDs. Analyzing solar radiation in such a climate (for example, Luxembourg), it can be observed that during winter, radiation of 300-400 W/m2 is possible for an average of 4-5 hours daily. Therefore, even in winter months, daily solar energy (Psolar) can reach about 1,200 Wh /m2.day
Advantages?
It consumes less energy.
The space inside the building can be saved.
Lower investment cost. (Since the facade can also be used as heating-cooling- ventilation and heat recovery device.)
The facade responds quickly to changing weather conditions.
Provides clean and healthy ventilation. Prevents sick building syndrome.
Renewable energy sources (solar and underground heat) can be integrated very easily.
Exhaust waste heat can be utilized as the dirt air of the building is exhausted (heat recovery) from façade.
Easier operation. Less moving parts. Operating maintenance costs are saved.
SMART FACADE System Philosophy
Just as people change their clothing according to seasonal conditions, buildings should also be able to arrange their facades according to weather conditions.
SMART FACADE Philosophy: 1 -Designing two air layers covering the perimeter 2- Reserving one of thiese layer as "supply" and the other one as "exhaust" 3- Connecting them with HVAC plant to create a closed loop all throug the facade 4- Calculating most efficient air circulation features (flow, temperature, pressure etc.) 5- Develop a model and algorithm for all working regimes for a specified climatic condition.
SMART FACADE SYNERGY: As shown in FIGURE, the heating energy need of a building is equal to the sum of transmission and ventilation losses. The net energy requirement is calculated by subtracting the usable internal loads and the useful solar loads. In the SF system, the facade of the building is heated (or cooled) directly from the network connected to the termal energy network or storage(TES), and thus a significant part of the transmission losses are covered. Additionally, some of this heated air is supplied to the indoor environment for the need of fresh air and the exhaust air is thrown out from the same facade, thus some of ventilation loss is covered and by creating a thermal buffer on the facade, "heat recovery" is provided. SF not only incorporates the building envelope into the system, it also brings a different technical approach to the "heat pump" system. In the most advanced system (like 5GDHC), the heat taken from the network is "pumped" through the "heat pump" and given to the domestic heating system at a higher temperature regime. However, in the SF system, the heat in this network is used directly (without consuming electrical power for the compressor) for facade heating.
SMART FACADE INDOOR UNITS
SMART FACADE with motorized supply and exhaust registers
SMART FACADE with FCUs, Chilled Beams, Induction Units etc.
SMART FACADE with floor convectors, supply and exhaust registers
SMART FACADE with suspending ceiling and raised floor.
SMART FACADE can be designed according to almost any curtain wall alternative.
Would you like to see our designs?
TOPRAK SMART FACADE ENGINEERING
TOPRAK MÜHENDİSLİK