Green Building Unisel Library

TITLE: PROPOSAL TO CONVERT THE UNISEL LIBRARY INTO A GREEN BUILDING

               AS THE “GREEN LIBRARY”

1.0 Executive Summary

1.1 Introduction

• ·         Our current reliance on dirty, unreliable sources of energy such as coal and oil for electricity generation has left this country with a legacy of asthma attacks, oil spills and global warming.
• 
  
• ·         This legacy also includes volatile price fluctuations, costing consumers dearly on electricity bills and threatening the reliability of our electricity system.

• ·         Renewable energy is the best economic choice. Increasing investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs will boost local economies and save consumers money, all while protecting the environment.

• ·         For Unisel Library, we are changing the current system of energy consumption into renewable energy.

• ·         This is because renewable energy sources are “homegrown” energy sources that keep money spent on energy in the building itself.

• ·         Due to high heat occurring around Unisel campus and the vast availability of Water Lake in campus, the combination of heat energy and steam energy can produce electricity.
• 
  
• ·         This type of renewable energy system is called the solar turbine technology.

1.2 Problem Statement

• ·         The HVAC system in the Unisel library is always not working due to malfunction.
• ·         Student can’t study comfortably in a hot temperature.
• ·         Power consumption is high using the traditional source of energy.
• ·         Comfort level is extremely low in the Unisel library.
• ·         No circulation of air throughout the building.

1.3 Objective

• ·         To convert the current Unisel library into a green building library.
• ·         To minimize the usage of power consumption using green technology.
• ·         To introduce the solar turbine technology as the main power generator for the new Unisel green building library.

2.0 Green building concept

• ·         Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to both a structure and the using of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.
• 
  
• ·         The Green Building practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

2.1 Green building objective

To reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

• ·         Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
• ·         Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
• ·         Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

2.2 Green building rules and regulation

• ·         Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings which was Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
• ·         Other certificates system that confirms the sustainability of buildings is the British BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) for buildings and large scale developments.

·         In Malaysia, the Malaysia Green Building Confederation (MGBC) introduce The Green Building Index (GBI) as the country recognized green rating tool for buildings.

·         The GBI rating tool provides an opportunity for developers and building owners to design and construct green, sustainable buildings that can provide energy savings, water savings, a healthier indoor environment, better connectivity to public transport and the adoption of recycling and greenery for their projects and reduce our impact on the environment.

Figure 1: MGBC logo

2.3 Green building technology

       I.            Siting and structure design efficiency

·         In designing environmentally optimal buildings, the objective is to minimize the total environmental impact associated with all life-cycle stages of the building project.

·          The Unisel Green buildings are much more complex products, composed of a multitude of materials and components each constituting various design variables to be decided at the design stage.

Figure 2: Exterior light shelves for building

Figure 3: Green building criterion

    II.            Energy efficiency

·         To reduce operating energy use, designers use details that reduce air leakage through the building envelope (the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space). 

·         They also specify high-performance windows and extra insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in low-energy homes.

·          Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches, and trees^[20] to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar gain in the winter.

Figure 4: windows technology

Figure 5: Windows technology 2

Figure 6: Green building living roof options and layer technology

 III.            Water efficiency

• ·         One critical issue of water consumption is that in many areas, the demands on the supplying aquifer exceed its ability to replenish itself. 
• ·         To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site.
• ·         The protection and conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing.
• ·         Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. 
• 
  

Figure 7: Water recycling system

Figure 8: Green building water reduction system

Figure 9: Water cycling technology for green building

 IV.            Materials efficiency

• ·         Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include lumber from forests that have been certified to a third-party forest standard, rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, recycled stone, recycled metal and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable.
• ·         For concrete a high performance or Roman self-healing concrete is available.

Figure 10: A Roman self-healing concrete sample

Figure 11: How the roman self-healing concrete technology work

Figure 12: Material used for geen building

    V.            Indoor environmental quality enhancement

• ·         The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) category in LEED standards, one of the five environmental categories, was created to provide comfort, well-being, and productivity of occupants.
• ·          The LEED IEQ category addresses design and construction guidelines especially: indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal quality, and lighting quality
• ·         Indoor Air Quality seeks to reduce volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and other air impurities such as microbial contaminants. 
• ·         A well-insulated and tightly sealed envelope will reduce moisture problems but adequate ventilation is also necessary to eliminate moisture from sources indoors including human metabolic processes, cooking, bathing and cleaning,
• ·         Personal temperature and airflow control over the HVAC system coupled with a properly designed building envelope will also aid in increasing a building's thermal quality. 
• ·         Creating a high performance luminous environment through the careful integration of daylight and electrical light sources will improve on the lighting quality and energy performance of a structure.

Figure 13: A well-insulated and tightly sealed building

Figure 14: A high performance luminous environment

Figure 15: Fully integrated usage of sunlight

Figure 16: Energy saving control system

Figure 17: A green building HVAC system

 VI.            Operations and maintenance optimization (O&M)

• ·         No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and maintained properly.
• ·         Although the goal of waste reduction may be applied during the design, construction and demolition phases of a building's life-cycle, it is in the O&M phase that green practices such as recycling and air quality enhancement take place.
• ·          Education of building operators and occupants is key to effective implementation of sustainable strategies in O&M services.

Figure 18: Benefits of maintening a green building

VII.            Waste reduction

• ·         Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials used during construction.
• ·         When buildings reach the end of their useful life, they are typically demolished and hauled to landfills. Deconstruction is a method of harvesting what is commonly considered "waste" and reclaiming it into useful building material.
• ·         Extending the useful life of a structure also reduces waste – building materials such as wood that are light and easy to work with make renovations easier.
• ·         By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced.
• ·          Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting greenhouse gas emission.

Figure 19: Home biogas unit convert organic waste into cooking fuel

3.0 About Unisel library

Figure 20: Unisel Bestari Jaya library

• ·         Unisel current library in Bestari Jaya campus was established on 2006.
• ·         Has 3 floors.
• ·         Fully air-conditioned, but current situation it is not working.
• ·         Located in Bestari Jaya, Selangor campus.
• ·         Has a functioning lift.
• ·         Opened every day for students and lecturers.
• ·         Uses an approximately 10kW/hr power (gridline) to operate.
• ·         Is not yet a green building. Soon to be one.

3.0.1 Renewable energy used: The solar turbine generator

Figure 21: Turbine-electric generator

• Uses a different type of power generation called the solar turbine power plant.
• A solar turbine power plant uses the energy in solar radiation captured by so-called solar collectors.
•  Solar power is a renewable source of energy.
•  The solar radiant energy reaching the earth's surface is around 1.783*1014 KJ or 1.353kJ/s per square meter.
• Solar plants provide energy ranging from a few kilowatts to a few megawatts. The constraints associated with solar plants are size, space, high capital cost, and the inevitable fluctuations in the daily supply of solar radiant energy.

Figure 22: Large scale CSP solar plant

• ·         Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a utility-scale renewable energy option for generating electricity that is receiving considerable attention in the southwestern United States 
• ·          CSP technology concentrate sunlight to create heat that can be used to generate electricity.
• ·         The focus of CSP applications is by concentrated solar energy to heat a fluid, gas, or solid which is then used to generate electricity using steam.
• ·         CSP technologies use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the solar energy and convert it to heat.
• ·         The thermal energy can then be used to produce electricity via a steam turbine or heat engine driving a generator.
• ·         Main benefit of CSP is that it uses less solar panel which is expensive and produce high energy output.
• ·         The abundant of lake water in unisel can be used to heat up and produce steam by implementation of this CSP technology.
• ·         CSP systems can be classified by how they collect solar energy: a) power tower systems, b) linear concentrator systems, and c) dish/engine systems.

a) Power tower system

Figure 23: Solar power tower system

• ·         Power tower systems consist of numerous large, flat, sun-tracking mirrors, known as heliostats that focus sunlight onto a receiver at the top of a tower. 
• ·         The heated fluid in the receiver is used to generate steam, which powers a turbine and a generator to produce electricity.
• ·          Some power towers use water/steam as the heat-transfer fluid.
• ·         Individual commercial plants can be sized to produce up to 200 megawatts of electricity.

b) Linear concentrator system

Figure 24: Solar linear concentrator system

• ·         Linear concentrator systems capture the sun's energy with large mirrors that reflect and focus the sunlight onto a linear receiver tube. 
• ·         The receiver contains a fluid that is heated by the sunlight and then used to create steam that spins a turbine generator to produce electricity.
• ·         Alternatively, steam can be generated directly in the solar field, eliminating the need for costly heat exchangers.
• ·         Currently, individual systems can generate about 80 megawatts of electricity.

c) Dish/engine system

Figure 25: Solar dish/engine system

• ·         Dish/engine systems use parabolic dishes of mirrors to direct and concentrate sunlight onto a central engine that produces electricity. 
• ·         The dish/engine system produces relatively small amounts of electricity compared to other CSP technologies-typically in the range of 3 to 25 kilowatts.

3.0.2 How solar turbine technology work

Figure 26: How solar-Turbine technology work

• ·         This technology converts solar irradiation into solar heat which is fed into a steam turbine to provide power generation.
• ·         The main benefit of this technology is that it use less solar panel which can be very expensive when it is used to generated lots of energy.
• ·         The steam exiting the steam turbine is condensed with an air-cooled condenser. For the case to power the unisel library, the condenser is not needed as we don’t need to recycle the UNISEL lake water.
• ·         The solar field is a modular distributed system of solar collector assemblies (SCAs) connected in parallel via a system of insulated pipes. Cold heat-transfer fluid (HTF) or the oil, flows at approximately 280/300°C from the steam generator into a cold HTF header that distributes it to loops of SCAs in the solar field. Each loop consists of four SCAs. HTF is heated in the loop and enters the hot header, which returns hot HTF from all loops to the solar steam generator. The HTF enters the solar field at 280/300°C and leaves the field at 400°C.
• ·         The SCAs collect heat via a trough of parabolic mirrors, which focus sunlight onto a line of heat collection elements (HCE), welded in line at the focus of the parabola. The mirror-HCE trough is mounted on a mechanical support system that includes steel pylons and bearings. Single-axis tracking of the sun ensures best use of sunlight.
• ·         The absorber tubes are contained within the HCE and serve to convert solar irradiation to heat. A dual-fuel fired HTF heater (gas or diesel) is used in the HTF loop to provide the required thermal energy during cloud cover or low-solar insolation, in order to avoid shut down of the steam turbine and ensure it is capable of producing high megawatt capacity power output.
• ·         In the solar steam generator, the HTF generates steam with a temperature of approximately 380°C. In order to enhance the efficiency of the steam turbine, the steam is further heated in a dual-fuel fired booster heater to a temperature of 540°C. The superheated steam is supplied to the condensing steam turbine, which generates power. 

3.1 Case Study 1: Air conditioned is always not working

Figure 27: Computer lab inside Unisel library

• ·         Its so hot in the morning making student unable to study in the library comfortably.
• ·         Theres not much fan located inside the building to overcome this heat issue.
• ·         Temperature reached 40 degree Celsius normally in the morning.
• ·         Student don’t feel like studying in the library is because its too hot. Library looks like a deserted place.
• ·         To be an international status university, library should be operate with AC 24 hour a day so that student can come to library and study with their friends in the morning and at night.
• ·         Theres no place to meet and study together for student at night.
• ·         The price to maintain and operate the HVAC monthly is expensive.

3.1.1 Case study 1 solution

Figure 28: Future design of the solar turbine technology for Unisel library and its surrounding

• ·         This is how the solar turbine technology will look like at the Unisel library area.
• ·         A is the solar panel which collect heat energy from the sun. Cool water is taken out from the lake (light blue arrow) and get heated up by the solar panel. Hot water (red arrow) is then being transport to B.
• ·         B is the boiler which take water from the lake (dark blue arrow) and heat it up by using thermal energy (red arrow) obtained from the solar panel.
• ·         C is the steam turbine which gets its steam from boiler B and produce electricity (yellow arrow) to be used by library and other surrounding building.

a) The solar panel (A)

Figure 29: Solar panel on the roof

• ·         Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun's rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating. For our case, it is used for heating water.
• ·         A photovoltaic (in short PV) module is a packaged, connected assembly of typically 6×10 solar cells.
• ·          Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions, and typically ranges from 100 to 365 watts.
• ·          The efficiency of a module determines the area of a module given the same rated output – an 8% efficient 230 watt module will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 watt module.
• ·         In 2012 it was estimated that the quantity cost per watt was about US$0.60.

b) The boiler (B)

Figure 30: An industrial medium-sized boiler

• ·         A boiler is a closed vessel in which water (Unisel lake) is heated by the solar panels.
• ·         The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including boiler-based power generation, For our case, the steam is use to power the turbine generator.
• ·         The size of the boiler depends on the output pressure needed for the operational of the desired turbine generator.

c) The turbine generator

Figure 31: The SST-111 Siemens Steam Turbine

• ·         A turbine generator is the combination of a turbine directly connected to an electric generator for the generation of electric power.
• ·         For this project, the SST-111 Series Siemens Steam Turbines (as in picture) is chosen.
• ·         The SST-111 is a multistage steam turbine with an integrated gearbox and is designed for the output range from 3 to 12 MW.
• ·         The multicasing design approach permits up to two controlled extractions, operation in various steam supply systems, as well as the possibility of including a reheat system to optimize efficiency. 
• ·         Some of features: high efficiency, outstanding flexibility, competitive price, proven solution, compact design, simple installation, easy and low maintenance costs

·         Inlet steam pressure up to 131 bar

·         Inlet steam temperature up to 530°C

·         Exhaust pressure = Condensing to max. 0.6 bar.

·         Length: approx. 8 m incl. generator / Width: 4.0 m / Height 4.0 m

3.1.2 Power output calculation of the boiler and turbine generator set

Figure 32: Boiler-Turbine calculation example

·         Need to remember that all data above is estimation as we do not know the real value of all the variables.

3.2 Case Study 2: No air circulation throughout the building

Figure 33: Inside the Unisel library

• ·         Windows are always close.
• ·         Hot air is trapped inside the building.
• ·         The situation get worst when the HVAC is not working
• ·         Uses a lot of power (AC) to eliminate this hot air.
• ·         Not energy efficient.

3.2.1 Case Study 2 solution

Figure 34: Desired air flow and solar orientation for Unisel library

• ·         Minimize the usage of windows
• ·         More open area throughout the building.
• ·         Better sunlight due to less isolated area inside the building.

3.3 Case Study 3: Lack of trees and shading area

Figure 35: Unisel library main entrance

Figure 36: Current look of the Unisel garden

• ·         The surrounding area around the library is very hot reaching 40 degrees Celsius at noon.
• ·         Student need to walk through the hot sun to get into the library.
• ·         No shading area from all faculties to the library.
• ·         The library should be the center of student learning and discussion.
• ·         Only small trees are planted around the library compartment.

3.3.1 Case Study 3 solution

Figure 37: Desired look for the exterior of the green building library

• ·         More trees and plant is planted throughout the building.
• ·         Shading is put on top every windows panel.
• ·         Shading is for less UV ray which is hot and dangerous can reach the inside of the green building.

3.5 Case Study 4: Not nature friendly

Figure 38: Artificial pond at the entrance of library

• ·         Only a few small area inside the library has plant.
• ·         A small artificial above ground pond is located at the entrance of the building.
• ·         Lack of green and water flow inside the library compartment.

3.5.1 Case study 4 solution

Figure 39: Future green building stares in library

Figure 40: Green building interior design

• ·         Green walls, also known as vertical planting systems, vertical gardens, plant walls or vegetated walls have been successfully Implemented around the world.
• ·         With plant life visible from nearly every floor, the wall acts as an indoor air purifier, pulling air through the wall and into the mechanical air ducts
• ·         The biowall could supply all of the building’s fresh air intake needs. Irrigated by a vertical hydroponic system, it naturally cools the building when hot and humidifies when cold.

3.6 Case study 5: Use conventional water system

Figure 41: Toilet in Unisel library

• ·         Uses a lot of water when flushing or cleaning.
• ·         Almost everyday cleaners use this water to clean the library.
• ·         The water can be extremely hot during a hot day.
• ·         Huge liter of water is wasted everyday.

3.6.1 Case study 5 solution

Figure 42: The stealth toilet

• ·          The Stealth Toilet technology features a vacuum assist that steeply reduces the water.
• ·          Uses only 0.8 gallons per flush compared to the EPA maximum of 1.6 gallons.
• ·         After you flush the Stealth Toilet, a special tube transfers air to the trapway below the tank. 
• ·         That air bubble displaces the water in the trap, which then pushes the water up into the bowl.
• ·         This results in a dramatic reduction in water, and as you flush the air creates a vacuum that effectively discharges the bowl. 
• ·         Compared to the pressure tank type that can make a racket when flushed, the Stealth Toilet is similar to a regular toilet in decibels.

3.7 Case study 6 : No insulation in walls, ceiling and floors

Figure 43: Ceiling and walls of the current library

• ·         Due to no insulation, the library heats up easily.
• ·         It also get humid easily when its rain, thus making it very uncomfortable studying inside the library.
• ·         Uses conventional concrete for the construction of the building.

3.7.1 Case study 6 solution

Figure 44: Green building living floor and roof

Figure 46: Desired wall and floor green insulation of the Unisel green library

• ·         Implement a living floor and roof throughout the building.
• ·         The living floor can absorb unwanted heat during the day and release small amount of heat during the night.
• ·         The walls should be insulated by using green wall to ensure the building is always cool all the time.
• ·         Photosynthesis can take place easily inside the building as more oxygen is given out and less carbon dioxide is admitted.

4.0 Financial Plan

Figure 47: Example of comparison between conventional house and green house

Figure 48: Material selection for green building

Figure 49: estimation cost of green building

5.0 Conclusion and recommendation

To sum up, the Unisel green buildings not only contribute towards a sustainable construction and environment but it also brings lots of benefits and advantages to building owners and users. Lower development costs, lower operating costs, increased comforts, healthier indoor environment quality, and enhanced durability and less maintenance costs are hallmarks of a typical green building.

6.0 References

a)   http://www.academia.edu/3305544/Sustainable_energy_performances_of_green_buildings_a_review_of_current_theories_implementations_and_challenges