energy


Turning buildings into power stations


are laminated; and Cisco Systems, who have developed the networking infrastructure and electric vehicle management systems. Smaller collaborators include BIPVco,


developer of the integrated solar roof; Naked Energy, whose Photovoltaic- Thermal devices are capable of generating electricity and heat at the same time; and Dulas, who supplied the battery system. The Active Office is the latest building


T


HE Active Office at Swansea University’s Bay Campus is the UK’s first energy positive office, capable


of generating more solar energy than it consumes over the annual cycle. Designed by SPECIFIC Innovation and


Knowledge Centre and used by university staff for teaching and office space, the building incorporates a range of innovative technologies that will enable it to generate, store and release solar energy. They include an integrated solar roof and battery storage with solar heat collection and storage, all working together in one integrated system. The concept delivers low carbon


buildings at affordable cost, with low energy bills, the ability to generate revenue from excess energy, and a higher level of comfort for occupants. It has already been applied in a number


of demonstration buildings, including a house and a classroom on the same campus, but the Active Office is the first to provide real data and evidence of how this concept works in an office situation. This will enable further development of the design. Partners in the project include Wernick,


for off-site building manufacture and construction management; Tata Steel, whose products include the Colorcoat Urban®


cladding and roof panels, onto which Building Integrated Photovoltaics


to demonstrate SPECIFIC’s “buildings as power stations” concept, which has already been proven and is operating successfully next door in the award- winning Active Classroom, the UK’s first energy-positive classroom, which is also situated at the university’s Bay Campus. In its first year of operation, the Active Classroom generated more than one and half times the solar energy it consumed. The two Active Buildings will able to


share energy with each other, and with electric vehicles via three charging points, demonstrating how the concept could be applied in an energy-resilient solar- powered community. Whilst the Active Classroom was used


to test technologies at different stages of development, the Active Office uses only technologies that are commercially available now – and hence could be used on any new building.


Among the new technologies used are:


the first curved integrated PV roof by BIPVco, which demonstrates the flexible nature of the 23kWp photovoltaic panels; 100kWh lithium ion phosphate batteries; the first commercial installation of a wall- mounted photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system, which is capable of generating both heat and electricity, by Naked Energy; a 2000 litre water-based solar heat store capable of storing sufficient energy to provide space heating for the following day (enables time-shifting of electrical heating demand); heating derived from solar energy by combination of solar thermal, a heat pump and an immersion heater; a smart controller will use occupancy and weather forecasting information to optimise charging of the 2000 litre cylinder; and smart systems including wireless access. The Active Office was funded by


Innovate UK with support from Swansea University and the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.


www.specific.eu.com www.wernick.co.uk


highereducationestates 19


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39