Indirect Effects of High-Performance Buildings at Household and Community Level: A Systematic Literature Review

Towards a carbon-neutral society, the building sector has a pivotal role with still a great potential for improvement. A new generation of buildings is rising but, to set a more ambitious shift in the paradigm and to fully justify the additional efforts (technological and economic) needed to fill the gap between net zero and plus energy performances, it is essential to consider not only the direct effects, but also all the indirect impacts. However, research conducted in the last decade solely focuses on the direct effects, mainly energy savings, while the indirect impacts neither have a clear identity nor terminology and a defined list of the impacts and methodologies for their quantification is still missing. With these premises, a systematic literature review on the current state of the art was performed in this work, with the aim of (i) investigating the heterogeneous terminology used for such indirect effects, (ii) identifying a final potential list of impacts both at the household and at the community level and (iii) their macro-categorizations, and (iv) exploring the current implemented methodologies and indicators for an economic quantification. As a final result of the analysis, the authors propose a unique terminology for addressing the indirect effects of high-performance buildings. This paper sets the needed basis and common ground for future research in this field, meant to economically quantify the indirect effects in the building sector

Assessment Model of End-of-Life Costs and Waste Quantification in Selective Demolitions: Case Studies of Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings

Innovative designs, such as those taking place in nearly zero-energy buildings, need to tackle Life Cycle Cost, because reducing the impact of use can carry other collateral and unexpected costs. For example, it is interesting to include the evaluation of end-of-life costs by introducing future activities of selective dismantling and waste management, to also improve the environmental performance of the demotion project. For this purpose, it is necessary to develop methods that relate the process of selective demolition to the waste quantification and the costs derived from its management. In addition, a sensitivity analysis of end-of-life parameters allows different construction types, waste treatment options, and waste management costs to be compared. The assessment of end-of-life costs in the present work is developed by a case-based reasoning. Cost data are obtained from three actual studies which are part of the H2020 CRAVEzero project (Cost Reduction and Market Acceleration for Viable Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings). Results show that end-of-life costs are similar to traditional building typologies. The most influential materials are part of the substructure and structure of the building, such as concrete and steel products

Exploitation of Business Models for Deep Renovation

In this workshop, we discussed the exploitation experiences gathered in some relevant H2020 projects on deep renovation: TripleA-reno, ProGETonE, P2Endure, 4rinEU, STUNNING, and TURNkey Retrofit. Directives and practical insights that support the experimentation with exploitation strategies in EU-funded projects will be elaborated as outcome of the workshop. The ability to envision user needs and integrate them into a project value proposition is a vehicle towards more effective and sustainable business models for deep renovation practices. However, many projects still struggle to involve the user in their business model design method. In spite of the clarified potential for business models underpinning energy efficiency measures to generate profit in the clean energy market, the uptake of deep renovation practices is not flourishing to its full potential. Several barriers have been highlighted that still distress the market uptake of energy efficiency measures, among which the need for long-term capital for often comparatively small investments, the strain of measuring and distributing the energy savings due to deep renovation practices, as well as general lack of familiarity among consumers with renovation concepts. The dispute here, with even the economically sound business models, is that, for the user, there is an apparent lack of attractiveness for deep renovations, that goes beyond the mere financial savings or economical profitability offered by the investment. A conceivable resolution to upsurge the market uptake of renovation practices, is therefore the design of business models, which focus on the multiple environmental, social and financial benefits deep renovation practices might deliver for the different stakeholders involved in the process. Benefits, that are sometimes hard to monetise and generalize among the involved user groups, as they do not always resonate to the provider/receiver of these values equally, but on the contrary can develop contrasting interests. Therefore, in this report, we are summarizing the contributions of several H2020 projects on deep renovation, including: TripleA-reno [1], ProGETonE [2], P2Endure [3], 4rinEU [4], STUNNING [5], and TURNkey Retrofit [6]. This, in a way to explore what type of deep renovation business models exist in practice, and how they actually are impacting the EU market uptake of deep renovation practices

Policy Challenges for the Development of Energy Flexibility Services

European energy policies call for an increased share of renewable energy sources and a more active role of the energy consumer. This is facilitated by, amongst others, buildings becoming energy flexible hubs, supporting smart energy grids with demand response strategies. While there is abundant technical research in this field, the related business and policy development is less well documented. This research scopes existing policy programmes and identifies opportunities and barriers to business development supporting energy flexible buildings. Using examples from seven European countries, this work reviews influencing niche management factors such as existing policy instruments, business development cases and identified stakeholder concerns, using literature research, narrative analysis and stakeholder research. National policy pathways show many differences but confirm that European buildings might become active players in the energy market, by providing energy storage, demand response and/or shifts in the use of energy sources. Slow sustained business development for energy flexibility services was mainly identified in the retail industry, and for energy service companies and aggregators. The direct involvement of end users in energy flexible buildings is still difficult. Stakeholders call for policy improvement, especially concerning the development of flexible energy tariffs, supporting incentives, awareness raising and more stakeholder-targeted business development

Thermodynamic, rheological and structural properties of edible oils structured with LMOGs: Influence of gelator and oil phase

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foostr.2018.03.003.The effect of different oil phases and low molecular weight organogelators (LMOGs) structures on edible oils was investigated through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Different gelators (glyceryl tristearateGT; sorbitan tristearateST; sorbitan monostearateSM and glyceryl monostearate-GM) were tested in medium-chain triglycerides and high oleic sunflower (named MCT and LCT). Systems were thermoreversible and their thermodynamic properties were dependent on the combined effect of the interactions of structurants polar head with other constituents and the sterical effect of their hydrophobic tails. The crystallization onset temperature was higher for GM and SM, possibly due to the lower sterical effect of their tails. However, the corresponding enthalpy and entropy change values were influenced by the hydrophilic head group: glycerol-based organogelator molecules were able to interact strongly than sorbitans, increasing these values. Rheological studies showed that gels produced with LCT were stronger than with MCT. Moreover, cooling and heating cycles showed more than one transition and shear dependence. Stronger structures were more sensitive to temperature, possibly because of their more organized structure that destabilizes more easily with the increase of molecular mobility. These results were in agreement with the SAXS analyses. At 50°C, the stronger networks lost their initial structure, and at 70°C they collapsed. Thus, molecular interactions and structurant self-assembly were dependent on the structurant+solvent combination, leading to different physicochemical properties and thermal stability. It is expected that these results will allow customizing properties of structured oil for diverse applications, spanning from food to cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.LuizH.FasolinthanksthescholarshipCapes/FCTprogram(349/13) for the research exchange and Rosiane Lopes Cunha thanks CNPq (CNPq 307168/2016-6) for the productivity grant. The authors also would like to thank Fapesp (EMU 09/54137-1), CNPq and Capes for their financial support and the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) for the opportunity to carry out SAXS measurements. This study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/ 04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. and of the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparative evaluation of structured oil systems : shellac oleogel, HPMC oleogel, and HIPE gel

In lipid-based food products, fat crystals are used as building blocks for creating a crystalline network that can trap liquid oil into a 3D gel-like structure which in turn is responsible for the desirable mouth feel and texture properties of the food products. However, the recent ban on the use of trans-fat in the US, coupled with the increasing concerns about the negative health effects of saturated fat consumption, has resulted in an increased interest in the area of identifying alternative ways of structuring edible oils using non-fat-based building blocks. In this paper, we give a brief account of three alternative approaches where oil structuring was carried out using wax crystals (shellac), polymer strands (hydrophilic cellulose derivative), and emulsion droplets as structurants. These building blocks resulted in three different types of oleogels that showed distinct rheological properties and temperature functionalities. The three approaches are compared in terms of the preparation process (ease of processing), properties of the formed systems (microstructure, rheological gel strength, temperature response, effect of water incorporation, and thixotropic recovery), functionality, and associated limitations of the structured systems. The comparative evaluation is made such that the new researchers starting their work in the area of oil structuring can use this discussion as a general guideline

The Influence of Concentration and Temperature on the Formation of γ-Oryzanol + β-Sitosterol Tubules in Edible Oil Organogels

The gelation process of mixtures of γ-oryzanol and sitosterol structurants in sunflower oil was studied using light scattering, rheology, and micro-scanning calorimetry (Micro-DSC). The relation between temperature and the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of tubule formation of γ-oryzanol and sitosterol was determined using these techniques. The temperature dependence of the CAC was used to estimate the binding energy and enthalpic and entropic contribution to the tubular formation process. The binding energy calculated at the corresponding temperatures and CACs were relatively low, in order of 2 RT (4.5 kJ mol−1), which is in accord with the reversibility of the tubular formation process. The formation of the tubules was associated with negative (exothermic) enthalpy change (ΔH0) compared with positive entropy term (−T ΔS0 >0), indicating that the aggregation into tubules is an enthalpy-driven process. The oryzanol–sitosterol ratio affected the aggregation process; solutions with ratio of (60 oryzanol–40 sitosterol) started aggregation at higher temperature compared with other ratios

Multi-objective optimization algorithm coupled to EnergyPLAN software: The EPLANopt model

The planning of energy systems with high penetration of renewables is becoming more and more important due to environmental and security issues. On the other hand, high shares of renewables require proper grid integration strategies. In order to overcome these obstacles, the diversification of renewable energy technologies, programmable or not, coupled with different types of storage, daily and seasonal, is recommended. The optimization of the different energy sources is a multi-objective optimization problem because it concerns economical, technical and environmental aspects. The aim of this study is to present the model EPLANopt, developed by Eurac Research, which couples the deterministic simulation model EnergyPLAN developed by Aalborg University with a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm built on the Python library DEAP. The test case is the energy system of South Tyrol, for which results obtained through this methodology are presented. Particular attention is devoted to the analysis of energy efficiency in buildings. A curve representing the marginal costs of the different energy efficiency strategies versus the annual energy saving is applied to the model through an external Python script. This curve describes the energy efficiency costs for different types of buildings depending on construction period and location

Control of crystallization in supramolecular soft materials engineering

As one class of the most important supramolecular functional materials, gels formed by low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) have many important applications. The key important parameters affecting the in-use performance of a gel are determined by the hierarchical fiber network structures. Fiber networks consisting of weakly interacting multiple domains are commonly observed in gels formed by LMWGs. The rheological properties, particularly the elasticity, of a gel with such a fiber network are weak due to the weak interactions between the individual domains. As achieving desirable rheological properties of such a gel is practically relevant, in this work, we demonstrate the engineering of gels with such a type of fiber network by controlling crystallization of the gelator. Two example gels formed by a glutamic acid derivative in a non-ionic surfactant Tween 80 and in propylene glycol were engineered by controlling the thermodynamic driving force for crystallization. For a fixed gelator concentration, the thermodynamic driving force was manipulated by controlling the temperature for fiber crystallization. It was observed that there exists an optimal temperature at which a gel with maximal elasticity can be fabricated. This will hopefully provide guidelines for producing high performance soft materials by engineering their fiber network structures