Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
9-2013
Abstract
We present the design, construction and operation of a novel building systems laboratory, the BubbleZERO—Zero Emission Research Operation. Our objective was to design a space to evaluate the performance of Swiss-developed low exergy building systems in the tropical climate of Singapore using an integrated design approach. The method we employed for evaluation in the tropics was to design and build a test bed out of the shipping containers that transported the prototype low exergy systems from Switzerland to Singapore. This approach resulted in a novel laboratory environment containing radiant cooling panels and decentralized air supply, along with a self-shading, inflated “bubble” skin, experimental low emissivity (LowE) glazing, LED lighting, wireless sensors and distributed control. The laboratory evaluates and demonstrates for the first time in Singapore an integrated high-temperature cooling system with separate demand-controlled ventilation adapted for the tropics. It is a functional lab testing system in real tropical conditions. As such, the results showing the ability to mitigate the risk of condensation by maintaining a dew point below 18 °C by the separate decentralized ventilation are significant and necessary for potential future implementation in buildings. In addition, the control system provides new proof of concept for distributed wireless sensors and control for reliable automation of the systems. These key results are presented along with the integrated design process and real-life tropical operation of the laboratory.
Keywords
energy efficiency, exergy, tropical climate, laboratory, prototype, distributed systems, radiant cooling, buildings, zero emission
Discipline
Energy Policy | Engineering
Research Areas
Integrative Research Areas
Publication
Energies
Volume
6
Issue
9
First Page
4551
Last Page
4571
ISSN
1996-1073
Identifier
10.3390/en6094551
Publisher
MDPI
Citation
BRUELISAUER, Marcel; CHEN, Kian Wee; IYENGAR, Rupesh; LEIBUNDGUT, Hansjürg; LI, Cheng; LI, Mo; MAST, Matthias; MEGGERS, Forrest; MILLER, Clayton; ROSSI, Dino; SABER, Esmail M.; THAM, Kwok Wai; and SCHLUETER, Arno.
BubbleZERO—design, construction and operation of a transportable research laboratory for low exergy building system evaluation in the tropics. (2013). Energies. 6, (9), 4551-4571.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/584
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.3390/en6094551