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BSEE
Franz Huelle, head of technical at REHAU Building Solutions,
discusses how Thermally Activated Building Structures (TABS) can play a key role in making the nation’s building stock more sustainable.
A
s the need to decarbonise the nation’s buildings grows ever more critical, more innovative
approaches to new-build construction are required. However, with issues from overheating arising from current approaches to energy-efficient design, further alternatives must arise that balance these concerns.
The rise of sustainability from a middling priority to vital concern over the past decade has had a huge impact on all sectors. With buildings accounting for approximately 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint – according to UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) figures – built environment professionals are undoubtedly feeling the effect of this increased urgency.
CHILLED CEILINGS & BEAMS TABS – lowering emissions in newbuild construction
flow to influence the temperature of concrete, the need to regulate temperature in individual rooms within large buildings that may have different load requirements is eliminated. Consequently, comfortable conditions can be maintained predictably and effectively.
The wider view
This is further confirmed by cooling being responsible for a large portion of operational carbon for this building stock, again according to the UKGBC.
Pressure invites innovation, and new green design approaches are constantly being developed to address this issue. One key area that remains a cause for concern is temperature control, with the vast majority of UK buildings using all-air HVAC systems for heating and cooling. While these systems work effectively, their overall energy consumption remains a concern, especially if emissions are to be reduced.
Though steps have been taken to address the energy efficiency of buildings, with new-build properties required to meet stricter standards around insulation and glazing, this can result in further complications. Specifically, while these measures certainly prevent avoidable heat loss during the winter, the Zero Carbon Hub has highlighted that it can also lead to dangerously high indoor temperatures during the summer months.
Such an issue will only become more prominent as temperatures rise and hotter weather increasingly becomes the norm. While traditional cooling systems can be used to manage issues arising from overheating, they are often limited to treating individual areas, rather than entire buildings.
Decarbonising
Tomorrow’s needs are increasingly becoming today’s and faced with
pressure to decarbonise the nation’s building stock, construction professionals must explore all options available to build properties fit for the future. Thermally Activated Building Structures, or TABS, offers one of the best routes forward in this respect, particularly for larger buildings such as offices, educational buildings, hospitals, shopping centres and sports arenas. Referring to innovative systems of pipework embedded within a building’s concrete structure, TABS is capable of heating or cooling entire properties. This is done by circulating either low-temperature hot water through the pipes to provide space heating or running an elevated chilled water temperature that enables cooling via radiant and convective adsorption. As the building’s elements are actively regulated, TABS can help lower peak load requirements, instead using the structure’s dynamic thermal behaviour to offset this demand. This is because the process activates the buildings thermal mass, acting as a buffer for the day’s changing cooling or heating loads. An example of this in action can be seen during the evening, when natural cooling takes over as outdoor temperatures fall. This makes the system more cost-effective and energy-efficient when compared to other temperature control strategies, with operational and maintenance costs minimised after installation. Furthermore, because TABS uses water for thermal transfer rather than air, it also requires less energy to maintain environments within a comfortable range. By using water
16 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2021
Alongside making buildings more energy-efficient in their own right TABS technology is also well-placed in the legislative landscape around green building design. This can be seen with the Government’s plans to install 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 to improve building performance in line with net zero emissions targets. But to help make these savings a reality, partnering technologies are required for the rollout.
Taking this into account, the larger surface areas used in TABS systems mean cooler water temperatures can be used to distribute heat, making structures using the system ideal for integration with low- temperature heat pumps. Alongside this, TABS reduces the demand for cooling at warmer times as heat is continually regulated throughout the day. In turn, this further increases sustainability.
Indeed, in the right circumstances, TABS can generate up to 80 per cent less operational carbon dioxide than a traditional full HVAC system.
With sustainability becoming an increasing priority, plumbing and heating professionals should therefore consider TABS as an eco- friendly option for UK buildings, especially in light of increasingly stringent emissions regulations.
Wider applications While TABS is a proven technology in
many applications across mainland Europe, where it has been developed successfully over the last 20 years, it is still relatively new to the UK market. But despite this, its benefits are well-documented, and the technology is being increasingly adopted as a more cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative to traditional HVAC systems.
It is with this in mind that REHAU has developed a new whitepaper, ‘Thermally Activated Building Structures – A specifier’s guide towards a carbon-zero future’. Using insights from the company’s customer network, the document aims to further advance this conversation by demonstrating how TABS works, why it is necessary and its value for new-build construction in a low-carbon economy. For more information about REHAU’s new whitepaper, ‘Thermally Activated Building Structures – A specifier’s guide towards a carbon- zero future,’ visit the website.
www.rehau.com
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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