Efficient Buildings. Antonio GandíA GóMez

PASSIVE HOUSE & HYDROGEN ENERGY

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CONTENTS
M11BLD REVIEW PAPER ________ ¡Error! Marcador no
definido.
FOREWORD_______________________________________ - 4-
INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE ______________ - 6-
PASSIVE HOUSE CONCEPT ______________________ - 8-
POPULAR VERSION _________________________________________ - 9 -
SCIENTIFIC VERSION________________________________________ - 9 -
WARM CLIMATES VERSION _________________________________ - 9 -
COMPARISON _____________________________________________ - 10 -
BASIC PRINCIPLES _____________________________ - 11 -
OPTIMIZE WHAT IS ESSENTIAL _____________________________ - 12 -
MINIMIZE LOSSES BEFORE MAXIMIZING GAINS______________ - 12 -
ENERGY SAVING __________________________________________ - 12 -
COMFORT _________________________________________________ - 12 -
FINANCIAL BENEFITS ______________________________________ - 12 -
PRINCIPLES OF PASSIVE HOUSE ______________ - 13 -
INSULATION OF OPAQUE BUILDING ELEMENTS ______________ - 14 -
REDUCING WINDOW HEAT LOSSES _________________________ - 14 -
THERMAL BRIDGE REDUCTION _____________________________ - 15 -
AIR TIGHTNESS ____________________________________________ - 15 -
VENTILATION AND HEAT RECOVERY _______________________ - 16 -
SPACE HEATING AND COOLING_____________________________ - 17 -
SOLAR HEAT WINS_________________________________________ - 17 -
WINDOW SHADING AND SOLAR CONTROL __________________ - 17 -
OTHER MEANS OF PASSIVE HEATING _______________________ - 18 -
OTHER MEANS OF PASSIVE COOLING _______________________ - 20 -
DOMESTIC HOT WATER (SOLAR) HEATING __________________ - 20 -
ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION & ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES _ -
22 -
ENERGY SYSTEM & RENEWABLE ENERGIES __ - 23 -
PRINCIPLES OF HYDROGEN ENERGY __________ - 25 -
HYDROGEN PROPERTIES ___________________________________ - 26 -
HYDROGEN STORAGE & DISTRIBUTION _____________________ - 27 -
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS ___________________________________ - 28 -
HYDROGEN IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ____ - 29 -
ENERGY FOR OWN USE_____________________________________ - 30 -
ENERGY FOR HEAT AND ELECTRICITY ______________________ - 30 -
HYDROGEN HOUSE ________________________________________ - 31 -
CONCLUSION ___________________________________ - 32 -
REFERENCES____________________________________ - 34 -
PASSIVE HOUSE ___________________________________________ - 35 -
HYDROGEN ENERGY _______________________________________ - 36 -

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M12BLD FINAL DISSERTATION_________________ - 39 -
FOREWORD______________________________________ - 40 -
ABSTRACT ______________________________________ - 41 -
PROJECT STATEMENT__________________________ - 44 -
INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE _____________ - 46 -
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN SPAIN __________ - 48 -
THE CITIZEN´S EDUCATION_________________________________ - 49 -
BUILDING MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION _______________________ - 49 -
BUILDING PROBLEMS CONSTRUCTION IN SPAIN _____________ - 51 -
PASSIVE BUILDING SOLUTIONS _____________________________ - 51 -
PRINCIPAL DISPOSITIONS OF PASSIVE BUILDINGS-
53 -
HE´s DESCRIPTION. ________________________________________ - 54 -
HE´s ANALYSIS.____________________________________________ - 55 -
MAXIMUM ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN CONSTRUCTION._________ - 58 -
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE. ___ - 58 -
BUILDINGS ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS AND
PASSIVE DESIGN________________________________ - 59 -
CLIMATE __________________________________________________ - 60 -
LATITUDE _________________________________________________ - 62 -
ORIENTATION _____________________________________________ - 62 -
OPTIMUM BUILDING SHAPE ________________________________ - 63 -
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION __________________ - 64 -
EXAMPLE OF PASSIVE BUILDING IN SPAIN ___ - 65 -
TECHNICAL SYSTEMS ______________________________________ - 67 -
COOLING__________________________________________________ - 68 -
VENTILATION _____________________________________________ - 68 -
RENEWABLE ENERGIES ____________________________________ - 69 -
ENERGY PERFORMANCE ___________________________________ - 70 -
USER ACCEPTANCE ________________________________________ - 70 -
ENERGY BUILDIGNS PROBLEMS _______________ - 71 -
HYDROGEN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE ___ - 73 -
HYDROGEN ENERGY IN HYBRID BUILDINGS __ - 75 -
PROBLEMS TO SOLVE __________________________ - 77 -
PROMOTING A HYDROGEN-BASED SOCIETY __ - 79 -
IMPLEMENTATION OF HYDROGEN ENERGY IN
PASSIVE BUILDINGS IN SPAIN _________________ - 81 -
CONCLUSION ___________________________________ - 87 -
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS _________________________ - 89 -
REFERENCES____________________________________ - 92 -
PASSIVE BUILDINGS _______________________________________ - 92 -

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HYDROGEN ENERGY _______________________________________ - 94 -

FOREWORD

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This work is inside of the Final Project
Dissertation of the Master Degree in European
Construction carried out during the academic
course 2006/2007.
My project is part of a huge project call Efficient
Buildings in collaboration with Oscar Sánchez
Ortiz, based on the idea of create and to apply in Spain an innovative and
more efficient constructive system due to the current problems that presents the
Construction sector in our country (difficult access to the housing due to the high
costs, labour accidents rate in the construction, lack of a practical sense instead of
economic, etc...) with the objectives of an optimum relationship quality/price
in the housing that rebounds positively in the final user, maximum energy
efficiency to reduce the contamination and building maintenance and reduction
of construction time to reduce production costs, labour accident rate, etc...
The main pillars of the project Efficient Building are Project Management
(Partnering, E-Procurement...), Construction (Prefabricated elements, innovative
materials...) Bioclimatic Standards (Passive House & Hydrogen energy as a
renewable application source) and Building Design (Location, place,
distribution…).
The methodology that I have used in the realization of the following project has
been search of books in the library and digital information in Internet, meetings
with my tutor Regner Bæk Hessellund and workmate and meetings with specialist
people in the topics that I have tried: Lars Yde (Manager of the Hydrogen
Innovative Research Center) and Olav Langenkamp (Specialising within the field
of passive house technologies)
The purpose of write about Passive House is because this topic adopt ingenious
and novel solutions for the energy saving of housing as well as an improvement in
the quality on the current constructive system that together with the renewable
energy sources, in this case, Hydrogen, the fuel of the future for its readiness
limitless and inexhaustible, easy storage and distribution, simplicity of production
and great energy power, believe a new and more efficient constructive and energy

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system, respectful with the environment and with an inferior global economic
costs in comparison with the current pattern.

INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE

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We can say that the bioclimatic architecture was
born with the own human development. The
construction process is completely conditioned by
the territory, for the presence of specific materials,
the climate and the morphologic adaptation that
improves the existent influences between the
inhabitant and its climate. The basic idea of the Passive House is to improve the
energy efficiency of building components very much, such the building
essentially heats and cools itself, allowing for simplifications of the building
services system that reduce investment cost.
Differences between countries concerning climate, current construction practice
and available components become clear. A list of possibly useful energy-saving
techniques for both heating and cooling has been derived from additional sources.

Another important aim of this report is renewable energy sources. Solar panels
and Hydrogen Energy. Solar power electricity is used to split ordinary water into
H2 and O2- hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is vented into the atmosphere and
the hydrogen is used in fuel cells that can produce energy in the form of electricity
and heat given the power to the people of produce their own energy demand. We
are talking about a new economic area and can be the third industrial revolution
after coal and oil.

This project is structured in two main parts; Passive House concept and
Renewable Energy sources: Hydrogen Energy and Solar panels electricity.
In the first one I am going to analyse the basics of Passive House and the main
principles. In the second part I will focus my attention on the energy system,
principles of hydrogen energy and the relation in building construction.

This review paper has been developed by the student of the Master Degree in
European Construction 06/07 Antonio Gandía Gómez in the University of Virus
Bering, Horsens (Denmark) for the Professors Regner Hessellund and Olav
Langenkamp.

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PASSIVE HOUSE CONCEPT

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POPULAR VERSION
The term ‘passive house’ in Europe refers to a “specific construction standard for
buildings. This standard implies good comfort conditions during winter and
summer, without traditional heating systems and without active cooling.
Typically this includes very good insulation levels, very good air tightness of the
building, whilst a good indoor air quality is guaranteed by a mechanical
ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery” [5].

SCIENTIFIC VERSION
The scientific term Passive House refers to a “specific building standard for
buildings with good comfort conditions during winter and summer, without
traditional heating systems and without active cooling. Typically this includes
very good insulation levels, very good air tightness of the building, whilst a good
indoor air quality is guaranteed by a mechanical ventilation system with highly
efficient heat recovery. Thereby the design heat load is limited to the load that can
be transported by the minimum required ventilation air. However space heating
does not have to be carried through the ventilation system. For European
latitudes, these are the main characteristics:
• The total energy demand for space heating and cooling is limited to
15+15 kWh per m² treated floor area and year;
• The total primary energy use for all appliances, domestic hot water and
space heating and cooling is limited to 120 kWh per m² treated floor area
and year.
A Passive House has a high level of insulation with minimal thermal bridges,
good air thignes, low infiltration and utilizes passive solar gains and heat
recovery to accomplish these characteristics. Consequently renewable energy
sources can be used to meet the resulting energy demand” [2].

WARM CLIMATES VERSION
“In terms of climate and scale especially in Southern Europe and Mediterranean
region. In these countries the problem of household energy use is not only of
providing warm houses in winter but also, and in some cases more importantly, of
providing cool houses in summer while reducing energy requirements to a
minimum” [3].

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COMPARISON
More than 85 percent of the energy consumption of residential buildings is
attributed to heat and cooling. So reducing this demand implies important total
energy savings.
Even compared to low energy buildings, where more than 50 percent of the total
energy demand is still attributed to heating, passive houses perform significantly
better.
Passive House definition for the Mediterranean regions has been determined yet,
there is agreement that the useful energy consumption for heating and cooling
should be on the order of 15+15 kWh/(m²a).
Secondly, a list of possibly useful energy-saving techniques for both heating and
cooling has been derived from additional sources. It must be mentioned that,
particularly in cooling dominated climates of Southern Europe, the passive
regulation of summer internal temperatures relies on a careful balance of a
number of factors.

Comparison of specific energy consumption and levels dwellings. [1]

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BASIC PRINCIPLES

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OPTIMIZE WHAT IS ESSENTIAL
We are looking for a concept of building with the optimalized energy demand for
years. This happens too often by experimenting with complicated technologies.
The beauty of passive house is in simplicity. As the name already indicates, the
energy savings can be mainly realized by means of passive strategies. Optimizing
the necessary elements a conventional heating system becomes superfluous.

MINIMIZE LOSSES BEFORE MAXIMIZING GAINS
− Reduce drastically the heat losses in the first place. Transmission heat loss can
be reduced by better insulation of building shell. Ventilation heat loss can be
reduced by extreme air-tightness in combination with mechanical ventilation
system and highly efficient heat recovery.
− The passive heat inputs can be delivered externally by solar irradiation through
the well dimensioned and oriented windows. Moreover, the heat inputs provided
internally by the heat emissions of appliances and occupants give a useful
contribution to the remaining heating demand.

ENERGY SAVING
Passive houses need about four times less energy than new average buildings
designed according to the current standards.

COMFORT
The passive house standard offers a cost-efficient way of minimizing the energy
demand of new buildings, while at the same time improving the comfort
experienced by building occupants. Both in the winter and in the summer
comfortable indoor climate dominates without needing neither conventional
heating or cooling system.

FINANCIAL BENEFITS
The cost-benefit analysis of the passive house is not indisputable and can strongly
differ project to project. However, ”the foreign studies has shown, that when
designing in an integrated way, and after integration in the market the total costs
(investments in the building plus running costs over a period of 30 years) will not
exceed those of an average new house. It is especially due to the obsolete heating
system and related energy bill. This negative costs cause tunnel effect in the cost-
benefit analysis” [1].

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PRINCIPLES OF PASSIVE HOUSE

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INSULATION OF OPAQUE BUILDING ELEMENTS
The thermal envelope of a Passive House is the most prominent measure required
to meet the Passive House criteria. Super insulation and maximal air tightness
minimize the heat loss through the envelope. It also reduces the cooling load in
summer as long as the thermal mass is still coupled to the interior. With an
increase of the thermal isolation of the walls a decrease of the heating losses is
achieved of between the 20 and 50%, according to the degree of increment of the
thermal resistance with regarding the initial situation.
Existing passive houses show U-values ranging from 0.09 to 0.15W/(m2K).
This diversity indicates that within local constraints, such as building tradition,
availability of components and regulation, solutions that comply with the Passive
House standard are possible.

Thermal envelope details of Common Practice examples [5]

REDUCING WINDOW HEAT LOSSES
The window like architectural element has evolved due to the development of the
technology of the glass and to the necessity of opening the constructions to the
environment to be able to obtain visual, natural illumination and contributions of
solar radiation.
According to climate conditions, the window qualities vary a lot from country to
country. Total solar transmittance is typically about 0.87 for single glazing, 0.77
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for simple double glazing, 0.63 for low-e double glazing, 0.52 for low-e triple
glazing. The U-values refer to the total window including the frame.
With regard to glazing and window frames, the performance of the common
practice shows a fair distance to the Passive House standard of 0,8 W/(m2K).

THERMAL BRIDGE REDUCTION
A thermal bridge-free construction is a basic Passive House measure. Linear
thermal conductivity should be lower than 0,01 W/(mK) for connections in the
thermal envelope in reference to external dimensions. Attention must be paid to
correct detailing and execution, especially around connections with window-
doorframes, floors, and roofs. Standard buildings in all countries suffer from
frequent thermal bridges, although the construction types differ considerably.

Thermal bridge reduction examples [7].

AIR TIGHTNESS
In the construction of Passive Houses a great deal of attention must be paid to air
tightness of the building envelope, especially at connections between different
elements, such as windows and doors. “Old buildings are prone to damages
because humidity from indoor air may condense while the air is exfiltrating

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through leakages, resulting in mould growth on the humid surfaces or even in
structural damage. Leakages are not suitable for providing ventilation. If the
infiltration is high enough for a sufficient air change rate in spring or autumn,
users will experience draft in winter and in windy weather. Poor sound protection
and high heat losses are also, at least partly, due to leaky building envelopes” [5].
The value range for n50 encountered in Passive House are from 0.2 to 0.61 h-1.

VENTILATION AND HEAT RECOVERY
Fresh air is one of the prerequisites of healthy living. Ventilation can basically be
realized by the following means:
- Infiltration: Buildings which are old enough to provide a sufficient air change
rate simply by infiltration generally do not correspond to today’s comfort
requirements.
- Windows: By opening and closing windows, the occupants can adjust the
ventilation rate according to their requirements. This means that users have to
become active, it also often implies both unnecessarily high energy losses and
periods with bad air quality. Opening windows is also a means of creating high air
change rates for night flushing in summer.
- Mechanical ventilation systems: Mechanical ventilation can provide the required
air change rates even if the inhabitants are absent or sleeping. If combined with
heat recovery, it can significantly reduce the space heat demand and the
requirements for cooling.
- Controlled natural ventilation: Pressure regulated trickle ventilators can also help
to assure sufficient ventilation in winter. The use of automatic vent opening
devices (actuators) and simple controls are a viable way of providing controlled
natural ventilation.

Balanced ventilation [5]

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SPACE HEATING AND COOLING
In order to reach a comfortable indoor climate in a Passive House, a limited
capacity heater is needed to provide the small heating demand that remains. There
are different methods in which to produce this heat, for example by heating
ventilation air. One thing that these systems have in common is the small capacity
that is required. The advantage of heating ventilation air is that no additional
infrastructure is needed to transport the heat.

SOLAR HEAT WINS
The passive processes of solar heating can be classified in three groups: systems
of direct, indirect, and independent contributions. Each one of them is defined by
the relationship among the solar radiation, the thermal storage and the inhabited
atmosphere. Each one of these groups systems works thanks to the greenhouse
effect. It is important to point out that the passive systems are, during the day,
always in operation, since they capture any radiation that arrives to the glass direct
or diffuse, for that not alone good results are obtained in sunny climates, but also
in the cloudy ones with great diffuse radiation in those that the active systems lose
effectiveness. Solar radiation may provide a significant fraction of the heat that is
required to keep the building warm in winter. Passive use of solar energy by large
south-facing windows is a relatively cost-efficient measure because the same
windows can also be used for day lighting and ventilation. Net solar gains during
the short heating period of a high efficiency home can only be achieved if the type
of glazing and window frames is properly chosen. Use of passive solar energy and
living comfort due to sunny and light rooms often complement one another.

WINDOW SHADING AND SOLAR CONTROL
“By placing windows with a high solar energy transmittance (and a low g-value
and U-value) in the residence and optimal orientation of the dwelling (windows
towards the South), maximal advantage can be achieved from passive solar gains.
(If applicable, well-dimensioned overhangs or awnings can be applied, to let the

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low winter sun enter the home, while in summer the window is shaded to avoid
overheating.)” [5]
Generally besides a high solar energy transmittance, the windows usually have
triple low emittance glazing and well insulated frames, which let in more solar
heat than is consequently lost again. The value range encountered for solar energy
transmittance of windows in the Passive House examples lies at 45% and higher.
Solar loads are among the most important reasons for overheating in houses.
Reducing the amount of sunlight that gets into the building through the windows
is one of the aspects of solar control. Possibilities to reduce solar gains are e.g.
antisun glass, appropriate window sizes, overhangs, blinds and shutters,
favourable orientation.
Indirect heat gains due to solar radiation on opaque building elements also
contribute to heat gains in summer. Roofs are most important, because they often
are exposed to a lot of sunshine in summertime, have high solar absorption and
are poorly insulated.

Window shading and application of overhangs in summer & winter [6]

OTHER MEANS OF PASSIVE HEATING

Buffer spaces
The buffer spaces serve essentially for pre-heating the air that is used in the
dwelling, apart from the effective response to the functional agenda of the
building. The central staircase is designated a buffer space, too.

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Buffer spaces in passive house building [4]

Trombe walls / transparent insulation
System based on greenhouse effect. The solar radiation impacts in a thermal mass
located between a glass and the space to heating, the radiation absorbed by the
mass becomes thermal energy that is transmitted in a slow way toward the interior
for conduction, or combined by a natural convection. For their composition, the
storage area will be built with materials of high thermal capacity and conductivity,
concrete, solid bricks, concrete blocks of gravel, etc. had by its external face, with
paintings or surfaces of high absorbency.
System to use when it is necessary to renovate important quantities of air. It
presents two small floodgates, a superior in the internal area of the wall for where
the air of the camera that ascends for loss of density when warming the second
floodgate that will be installed in the inferior area of the glass will enter.
Recycling the internal air, combining the drive of day hot air, with the night
distribution for radiation.

Subsoil earth to air heat exchangers
These systems, “…also known as buried pipes are used in a number of Passive
Houses in Germany, Austria, Norway, etc. They can be used in buildings with
mechanical ventilation to preheat the ambient air. If combined with a high
efficiency heat recovery, the effect of the subsoil heat exchanger on the heat
balance is generally small. The systems are typically designed to provide ambient
air with temperatures above freezing in order to eliminate the need for defrosting
the heat exchanger” [4].

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OTHER MEANS OF PASSIVE COOLING

External surface colour and infrared emissivity
The radiation balance of roofs, but also of walls, significantly influences the
energy balance of buildings in summer. Solar gains through opaque building
elements can be reduced by choosing light surface colours. 47% of the total solar
radiation is in the near infrared, so white paint normally still has an absorption
coefficient of about 0.4.
Selectively coloured paints, with high infrared reflectance and high emissivity,
provide a technical solution for reducing solar gains and increasing heat loss in
warm climates.

Thermal mass and phase change materials.
Constructions with high thermal inertia are commonplace in Southern Europe.
They even out temperature fluctuations on a timescale of one day, but also up to
two weeks. High thermal mass helps to eliminate temperature peaks and to reduce
the indoor temperature in short, hot periods. The possibility to store heat in the
building structure is also an important prerequisite for warmer nights. Heavy
exterior building elements also attenuate the fluctuations of heat flow into the
building, shifting part of the solar load from the day into the night.

Night ventilation
Using the low temperatures of the ambient air during the night is a promising
approach in many climates.
“High ventilation rates can be achieved if windows or other openings can be left
wide open during the night, and if openings on different façades (cross
ventilation) and at different heights (stack ventilation) can be used. The stack
effect is particularly reliable because it does not depend on wind as a driving
force and provides high air change rates whenever the temperature difference
between indoor and ambient air is high” [4].

DOMESTIC HOT WATER (SOLAR) HEATING
The use of solar collectors for the heating of water is the application of the direct
solar energy more extended in the world and it can be considered at the moment
like a reality at commercial level for its application in housings, as well as in
buildings, and industrial uses and of services. In our latitudes, with a surface of
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reception of 6 m2, they can cover the necessities of a family of 4-5 people and
around 250 l of hot water/day.
Like any other type of residence, the Passive House requires a system that
provides DHW. It is important that the system energy efficient has a small
capacity that meets demand. Generally the DHW heating system in a Passive
House is combined with the source for the space heating system.
“If the space heat demand has been reduced to the order of 15 kWh/(m²a),
domestic hot water is the dominant heat consumption. A relatively cost-efficient
means to reduce the energy consumption for DHW are solar thermal collectors”
[4].

Domestic Hot Water Installation [6]

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ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION & ENERGY EFFICIENT
APPLIANCES
Energy efficiency is a basic principle of the Passive House concept, but despite its
importance, efficiency of household appliances is designated as an optional
Passive House solution. As indicated above, household appliances account for a
large portion of energy use. Applying energy efficiency requirements to
household appliances will therefore have significant impact on energy use in a
residence.
To influence efficiency of household appliances and lighting, the EU has
responded with two complementary sets of legislation:
• “EU labelling schemes: Seen that the market of household appliances
are highly visible to the consumer, the intention is to increase consumer’s
awareness on the real energy use of household appliances through a liable
and clear labelling in their sales points”.

• “Minimum Efficiency Requirements: Compulsory minimum efficiency
requirements will encourage producers of household appliances to
improve the product design in view to lower the energy consumption at
their use” [5].

Standard regarding energy efficiency is an energy use reduction of 50% with
respect to common practice. (This requirement partly coincides with the Passive
House definition of a maximum total energy demand of around 42 kWh/m2.)
The goal of end-use efficiency of household appliances is especially true for
Southern European climates where cooling becomes important: Low electricity
consumption corresponds to low internal gains and improved comfort in summer.

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ENERGY SYSTEM & RENEWABLE ENERGIES

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Most of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas.
Other sources like nuclear power and different renewable sources also supplies
energy.
How many work positions can be generated if we change the nuclear and the coal
energy markets for Hydrogen & Solar energy? It is necessary to manufacture the
solar panels, the silicon wafers, photovoltaic cells, design the production systems
of hydrogen, the hydrogen factories, hydrogen tubes, fuel cells…Thousands or
millions of work positions.
Renewable against fossil energy, it can already be used by any citizen. It is in the
shops. We can already used. Is it expensive? Is the Guggenheim of Bilbao, the
Palace of the Sciences of Valencia? What does it mean expensive or cheaper?
We have the solution in our hands: the solar and hydrogen energy production.

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PRINCIPLES OF HYDROGEN ENERGY

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HYDROGEN PROPERTIES
Hydrogen was discovered in 1766 by the English chemist and physicist H.
Cavendish.
Reacts with many different materials and is one of the most abundant elements in
the universe, 90% of the atoms in the known universe are hydrogen. Hydrogen
can be produced from a various types of sources. The most important source is
water, which can be split into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis. These can be
combined again in a fuel cell, creating power, heat and water as the only emission.
In long term electrolysis of water with renewable energy will be the most
important hydrogen production technology. The great challenge of hydrogen
production is to mature the technology and scaling up production thus lowering
the hydrogen production price.

Hydrogen is as dangerous as gasoline, but perhaps safer because it is lighter than
other elements, has low density, diffuses faster through air than other gas fuels, is
odourless, tasteless, colourless and non toxically, the ignition temperature is
higher than gasoline and it is difficult to explode in open air.

The main reasons for hydrogen are that is as safe as gasoline and gas, it is a zero
emission energy system, can be produce competitive with fossil fuels, can be
produce by everybody with access to sun or wind and can innovate our energy
technology creating jobs.

Hydrogen chain [11]

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HYDROGEN STORAGE & DISTRIBUTION
When the hydrogen is produced the next step is to store and distribute it.
Hydrogen has one proton and one electron making it the smallest and lightest of
all elements. This makes hydrogen the element that contains most energy
compared to its weight but the least when compared to volume. Hydrogen can be
stored in three different ways, gas, liquid and material. Increasing the storage
pressure of gaseous hydrogen will decrease the storage volume needed. Hydrogen
today is typically stored under 200 bars pressure but car manufacturers are already
using 700-900 bars, giving an even higher energy density. When hydrogen is
cooled down to -253 degrees Celsius it becomes liquid giving it a quite high
energy density. Extensive safety test of the pressure tanks shows that it is safe to
store hydrogen, even under such high pressure.

mCHP Hydrogen storage [8]

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HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
Fuel cells convert the chemical energy in a fuel, mostly hydrogen, into electricity
and heat without any noise and mechanical movement. The only emission of the
reaction in the fuel cell is pure water. A fuel cell is like a battery with the only
difference that it will continue to provide power as long a fuel is provided. Fuel
cells are very scaleable and flexible in design giving a vide range of possibilities
of usage. A fuel cell can power a small mobile phone, a car, or even be used for
large central power plant. “The basic principle of a fuel cell is a chemical
reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that produces power and heat. Hydrogen
and oxygen (air) is supplied on each side of a cell. The cell consists of an
electrolyte membrane with a catalyst layer on each side. When hydrogen is lead to
the first catalyst layer, the anode, the hydrogen molecules are split into their basic
elements, a proton and an electron. The protons migrate through the electrolyte
membrane to the second catalyst layer, the cathode. Here they react with oxygen
to form water. At the same time the electrons are forced to travel around the
membrane to the cathode side, because they can not pass the membrane. This
movement of electrons creates an electrical current”. [11]

Basic principle Fuel cells [9]

Fuel cells hold some advantages with great potentials like high electrical and total
efficiency potential, variable loads, zero emission, low maintenance, low noise,
combined heat and power production. And some disadvantages like large research
and development challenges, few fuel cell suppliers, missing fuelling
infrastructure, low life time and not enough operation experiences
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HYDROGEN IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

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ENERGY FOR OWN USE
Hydrogen is a reality for the society of the future. We can develop from a
depending society of fossil energy to a hydrogen-based, independent, and
pollution free community.
Hydrogen is freedom, clean energy, and creativity and innovation:
- “Freedom because the citizens are independent of oil. They produce and store
their own fuel in the form of hydrogen”.
- “Clean energy because hydrogen is produced from renewable energy sources:
sun and wind. And the only exhaust product left over when it is used is water”.
- “Creativity and innovation because demands a close cooperation between the
private and the public sector and cooperation between people who work with
technology, architecture, design and transportation”. [8]

ENERGY FOR HEAT AND ELECTRICITY
Renewable energy is available to everybody and can be produced on small
decentralised plants, e.g. solar panels on house roofs. Fuel cells installed in houses
give the opportunity to produce electricity and heat from hydrogen if available.
“Every household will have renewable energy production technologies installed
producing their own energy. At the same time they use a fuel cell installed in the
house to produce electricity from hydrogen. Whenever the power grid needs
power, the house can sell power to the grid. And when the house needs more
power than it can produce itself, it buys power from the grid. So the idea is to
construct the power grid as the Internet, consisting of small decentralised units
connected to one big power pool. The Power Pool will also contain decentralised
hydrogen production, with e.g. an electrolyser installed in each house, producing
hydrogen for our own car, or supplying hydrogen for a hydrogen pipeline
system”. [10] Work is also going on to control each power consuming device in
the house, so that when power prices are high during the day, devices can be shut
down. The Power Pool will give more security to our energy system. If one
production unit breaks down, there will be plenty of units to takeover, furthermore
bringing more competition into the energy market enabling lower energy prices,
as everybody competes with each other to supply the best price.

- 30 -


HYDROGEN HOUSE
Hydrogen house is the answer for the society of the future, where citizens will
produce the energy they need for themselves. Our consumption of energy will
always have to strike a balance between our need for it and the cost of providing
it. In contrast, hydrogen energy system is based upon self-sufficiency, clean
energy, and a constructive partnership between the public and private sector.
Hydrogen house will work to secure and enhance our welfare in a way that
balances our energy needs with the cost to the environment and our climate of
producing this energy. This is how it works: “The renewable energy comes from
solar or wind power and is used to split H2O-ordinary water- into H2 and O2-
hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is vented into the atmosphere, which already
contains about 20% of O2. The hydrogen is used in fuel cells that can produce
energy, for instance in the form of electricity and heat. In the fuel cell, the energy
is created by silent electromechanical processes with no pollution. The only
product left over when the hydrogen is used up, is pure water. During periods
with low energy demands, we can storage the hydrogen. Then, the wind is not
blowing and the sun is not shining, we can use the storage hydrogen”. [9]
Hydrogen energy house plus passive house concept can create a completely
self-sufficient with energy house. The heat comes from solar panels that also can
produce hot water and electricity. If we want to create a communal residence, we
can create also a central energy producer where people don not need to be
concerned about where the energy comes from. People get electricity and heat
from the central energy supply.

Hydrogen energy house plus passive house concept [13]

- 31 -


CONCLUSION

- 32 -


The passive house is a more efficient form of
building a house paying bigger attention to those
sensitive constructive elements that do not take
care too much in the traditional construction
(insulation, heat losses, thermal bridges, air-
tightness...), they intend ingenious solutions that
improve the habitability conditions (ventilation,
buffer spaces, solar control,...) and feel new ways to reduce to the maximum the
consumption of the two main resources of a housing (water and electricity).

It seeks to decrease to the maximum the energy expense and the contamination in
the housing that produces 50% of the planet contamination and it is involved in an
energy system completely conditioned by the lobby of the petroleum and the
interests of the current governments that create unjustified energy dependence.

The renewable energy is the natural solution because do not contaminate and
creates liberation in the world energy market where each citizen can produce their
own energy.

Of among all the renewable sources, the Hydrogen energy ( join with solar or
eolic )is the one that presents a bigger potential because it comes from an
inexhaustible natural source (water) always available, you can store easily in fuel
cells of fuel and it has an energy power comparable to the current fossil fuels.

- 33 -


REFERENCES

- 34 -


PASSIVE HOUSE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[6] ANÁLISIS, COMPARATIVA Y SOLUCIONES CON CRITERIOS
BIOCLIMÁTICOS EN VIVIENDAS UNIFAMILIARES, December
2006. Concha Hurtado Badenas, Proyecto Final de Carrera.

CEPHEUS – COST EFFICIENT PASSIVE HOUSES AS EUROPEAN
STANDARDS. July 2001. Project information Nº 38. Stadtwerke Hanover AG.
BU/127/DE/SE/AT

DENMARK, THE PASSIVE HOUSE, May 2004. National publication of
Promotion of European Passive Houses

DESIGN OF PASSIVE COOLING BY NIGHT VENTILATION:
EVALUATION OF A PARAMETRIC MODEL AND BUILDING
SUMULATION WITH MEASUREMENTS, September 2003. Jens
Pfafferott, Sebastian Herkel, Martina Jäschke, Energy and buildings.
Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79098 Freiburg, Germany

[3] EXPANDING THE PASSIVE HOUSE CONCEPT TO WARMER
CLIMATES AND WIDER IMPLEMENTATION, January 2005. Passive
On Project.

[2] PASSIVE HOUSES WOLDWIDE: INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENTS, 2006. Henk Kaan, ECN Energy Research Centre
of the Netherlands, P.O. Box 1, 1755 ZG Petten, The Netherlands.

PASSIVE HOUSES WOLDWIDE: INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENTS, 2006. Isolda Strom, DHV Building and Industry,
P.O. Box 80007, 5600 JZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands

[5] PROMOTION OF EUROPEAN PASSIVE HOUSES, May 2006.
Intelligent Energy Europe DHV_WP1.2 European Comisión EIE/04/030/S07.39990

[4] REVIEW OF EXISTING LOW ENERGY AND PASSIVE BEST
PRACTICE, PASSIV HAUS INSTITUT, April 2006. WP1: Existing Low
Energy and Passive Best Practice. PHI ⋅ Rheinstraße 44/46 ⋅ D-64283 Darmstadt

REVIEW OF EXISTING LOW ENERGY AND PASSIVE BEST
PRACTICE, PASSIV HAUS INSTITUT, TASK 1.2: GUIDELINES FOR
BUILDING SECTOR, April 2006. WP1: Existing Low Energy and
Passive Best Practice. PHI ⋅ Rheinstraße 44/46 ⋅ D-64283 Darmstadt

[1] THE REFLEX FOR PASSIVE & LOW-ENERGY HOUSES, June
2006. Passiefhuis - Platform vzw, Gitschotellei 138 - 2600 Berchem

- 35 -


WEB LINKS

www.casasbioclimaticas.com

www.enercity.de/unternehmen/passivhaeuser

www.europeanpassivehouses.org

www.leonardo-energy.org/drupal/node/1268

www.medibix.com/CompanySearch.jsp?cs_choice=c&clt_choice=t&treep
ath=16798&stype=i

www.passiefhuisplatform.be

www.passive.de

www.passive-on.org

www.sundolitt.dk [7]

HYDROGEN ENERGY

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

AN INTRODUCTION TO FUEL CELLS AND HYDROGEN
TECHNOLOGY, December 2001. Brian Cook. Heliocentris. 3652 West 5th
Avenue Vancouver, BC V6R-1S2, Canada

[11] FUEL CELLS – FACTS SHEET, 2006. A short introduction.
miniHYDROGEN™ and H2 Logic ApS

HYDROGEN – FACTS SHEET, 2006. A short introduction.
miniHYDROGEN™ and H2 Logic ApS

[9] HYDROGEN HOUSE, THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A
HYDROGEN HOUSE IN WESTERN JUTLAND IS TO VISUALISE
AND DEMONSTRATE A COMPLETE “HYDROGEN CHAIN” BASED

HYDROGEN LINK. A GREEN NORDIC HYDROGEN
TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR, October 2005. Tommy Tvedergaard
Madsen, Nordic Transportpolitical Network, Consultant H2 Logic ApS,
Nordjylland County

HYDROGEN ON SITE GENERATION SYSTEMS, FROM A
TECHNOLOGY TO A BUSINESS, 2005. Distribute Energy Systems.

- 36 -


HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM EXCESS POWER IN SMALL
HYDROELECTRIC INSTALLATIONS, August 2004. Z. Yumurtacia, E.
Bilgenb. International Association for Hydrogen Energy 29 (2004)
687-693, . Ecole Polytechnique, University of Montreal, C.P. 6079, centre ville,
Montreal, QC, Canada H3C 3A7

[8] H2PIA, VISION FOR THE HYDROGEN SOCIETY OF THE
FUTURE WHERE CITIZENS WILL PRODUCE THE ENERGY THEY
NEED FOR THEMSELVES, 2007. Hydrogen innovation & Research
Centre, Birk Centerpark, 40. Herning (Denmark)

[10] INTRODUCTION TO HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELLS, 2006. A
short introduction. miniHYDROGEN™ and H2 Logic ApS

ON RENEWABLE ENERGY, 2007. Hydrogen innovation & Research
Centre, Birk Centerpark, 40. Herning (Denmark)

PRODUCCIÓN DE HIDRÓGENO A PARTIR DE ENERGÍA SOLAR,
2005. Montes, A.Abánades, J.M.Martínez-Val. Centro de Análisis de
Desarrollo Energético Sostenible, FFII Grupo de Termotecnia, ETSII-
UPM

WEB LINKS

http://aeh2.org

http://ingenieria.udea.edu.co/investigacion/gea/hidrogeno.htm

www.energiasostenible.net

[12] www.hirc.dk

www.hydrogenlink.net

www.how2live.dk

[13] www.h2pia.com

www.lucido-solar.com

www.minihydrogen.dk

www.nrel.gov

www.protonenergy.com

www.shec-labs.com

- 37 -


- 38 -


M12BLD FINAL DISSERTATION

- 39 -


FOREWORD

- 40 -


This work is the Final Project Dissertation of
Antonio Gandía Gómez for the Master Degree in
European Construction carried out during the
academic course 2006/2007. This paper is part of a
huge project call Efficient Buildings.
.
The methodology that I have used in the realization of the following project has
been search of books in the library and digital information in Internet, meetings
with tutor Regner Bæk Hessellund and workmate and meetings with specialist
people in the topics that I have tried: Lars Yde (Manager of the Hydrogen
Innovative Research Center) and Olav Langenkamp (Specialising within the field
of passive house technologies).

The purpose of write about the implementation of Passive Buildings in Spain is
because this topic adopt ingenious and novel solutions for the energy saving of
buildings as well as an improvement in the quality on the current constructive
system that together with the renewable energy sources, in this case, Hydrogen,
the fuel of the future for its readiness limitless and inexhaustible, easy storage and
distribution, simplicity of production and great energy power, believe a new and
more efficient constructive and energy system, respectful with the environment
and with an inferior global economic costs in comparison with the current
pattern.

ABSTRACT

- 41 -


- 42 -


The building construction is the responsible in
direct way of 42% of the emissions of CO2 in the
world and indirectly, of approximately 50% of the
world energy consumption.

The building construction sector in Spain has not
been developed with the step of the years and at the moment presents serious
problems that could be solved innovating and with a more efficient construction
process.

Passive Buildings and renewable energies as the hydrogen is a solution to be more
respectful with the environment and change the actual energy building situation.

The intention of this project is to analyze the current situation of the building
construction in Spain and to study the effectiveness and practical application of
the passive buildings and the energy coming from the hydrogen in this country.

- 43 -


PROJECT STATEMENT

- 44 -


This project is part of a huge project call Efficient
Buildings based on the idea of create and to
apply in Spain an innovative and more efficient
constructive system and respectful education
with the environment due to the current problems
that presents the Construction sector in this
country.

This document is the continue of “Passive House & Hydrogen Generator” Review
Paper that was handed on July 2007. Before I talked about theoretical concepts
and its main principles and now I am going to talk about the practical
application and implementation in Spain.

- 45 -


INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE

- 46 -


This project is structured in two main parts:
“Application of passive house concept to
buildings in Spain” and the “implementation of
renewable energies and hydrogen energy”.

In the first part I am going to talk about the
citizen’s education, building members contribution, building problems and
possible passive building solutions in building construction in Spain chapter. I am
going to do a description, an analyse and criticize of Spanish Saving Energy
standards (HE´s). Talk about the maximum energy efficiency in construction and
the main objectives of the sustainable architecture in principal dispositions of
passive buildings chapter. I am going to do a study of the climate, location,
orientation, optimum building shape and internal and external distribution in
building environment conditions and passive design chapter. Finally I am going to
talk about the technical systems, cooling, ventilation, renewable energies, energy
performance and user acceptance in an example of passive building in Spain.

In the second part I will focus my attention on the energy buildings problems,
hydrogen as a renewable energy source, hydrogen energy in hybrid buildings, the
problems to solve with hydrogen, promoting a hydrogen-base society and the
implementation of hydrogen energy in passive buildings in Spain.

This final dissertation has been developed by the student of the Master Degree in
European Construction 2006/2007 Antonio Gandía Gómez in the University of
Virus Bering, Horsens (Denmark) and in the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia
(Spain) for the Professors Regner Bæk Hessellund and Olav Langenkamp.

- 47 -


BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN SPAIN

- 48 -


In Spain it is promoting two construction types: massive promotion of buildings,
and the promotion of quality construction that includes singular and
administration buildings.
The only objective of the massive promotion of buildings is to obtain the biggest
possible amount of money. For it, any innovation that reduces the costs will be
welcome, although it implies a quality reduction. On the other hand, the
innovations that improve the well-being of people, if they suppose a rise in the
price, in principle they won't be welcome. The biggest problem in the Spanish
construction in the last years has been the easy business that supposes to invest in
housings/buildings.
The massive promotion of buildings seeks to get the maximum economic amount
of money, and any thing that can’t get this it is a problem, included the
environmental respect.
Another problem is the public administration; it doesn't stop to speak of
sustainable development, although the architecture that promotes doesn't have
anything of sustainable. There are other objectives.

If we want to change the current situation, we should undertake a series of
actions:

THE CITIZEN´S EDUCATION
The citizen's education will be necessary for provides social pressure on the
promoter and he doesn't sell so easily flats of very few architectural quality.
Education will force the administration to take out better normative, more
effective, cheaper and better thought that the current ones. Finally, the citizen's
education will be the one that forces promoters to construct a better and
sustainable construction type.

BUILDING MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION
The action of the members involved in a building promotion is very important for
getting the biggest degree of energy efficiency in the building.
All project team members, should know the expected performance of the building
well so as to set the design objectives and targets in advance. Each member is
required to provide input to formulate the design brief, based on this design, the
developers can appreciate the good practices of energy conservation to be
implemented; All the elements contributing to the energy saving measures should

- 49 -


be integrated with the comments and advice from the building managers as well
as the end-users who will be the ultimate operators and users of the building.
DEVELOPER´S CONTRIBUTION
The developer should understand the most cost-effective measures in
implementing energy efficient design for buildings at the very beginning of the
project.
An energy efficient design does not necessarily mean a costly design. In fact, the
energy efficient design can be considered as a kind of investment. Most of these
designs will not lead to substantial increase in the whole construction cost nor the
life cycle cost. However, the gain in benefits will be great, not only on savings
due to the reduction of operating costs, but also in projecting a better image of the
developer in public.
ARCHITECT CONTRIBUTION
Architects can have great influence on space planning, selection of building
materials, building orientation, shading devices, building envelope, and so on.
Once the building is constructed, their design will affect the whole life of the
building in respect of energy consumption. With their expertise, the built
environment can meet the end-user´s need while achieving the target of energy
efficiency and conservation.
In most of the projects, architects also play a leading role in building design which
will influence the selection of building services systems and equipment directly.
ENGINEER CONTRIBUTION
The energy consumption of building is mainly due to the operation of
equipment/systems of various building services installations. A good building
services engineering design will usually require contribution from all project team
members. The building services engineer will act as the key person to collect the
operational requirements from the developer and to coordinate with the architect
on the space allocation of plant rooms.
BUILDING MANAGER´S CONTRIBUTION
It is recommended that the building manager should be involved in an early
design stage if possible so that it can understand the design brief and provide
advice in the early stage of the project. Energy audits are recommended to be
conducted frequently to identify any energy management opportunities.

- 50 -


END-USER´S CONTRIBUTION
The end-user´s are the ones who actually consume energy. An energy-conscious
end-user can save energy directly. For example turning off unused equipment,
switching off lighting, using intelligent controls when carrying out any retrofit or
renovation works…

BUILDING PROBLEMS CONSTRUCTION IN SPAIN
Architectural proposals that show the problems of the current building
construction in Spain.
1. Plane and horizontal covers, without enough isolation and less thermal inertia
of the necessary one.
2. Inadequate orientation of the spaces and glasses surfaces that provides
enormous thermal earnings of the buildings in summer and losses in winter.
4. Inadequate space orientation of the building.
5. Inadequate typologies that waste space, resources and make more expensive the
final cost of the building.
6. Constructive solutions with enormous thermal bridges.
7. The building structure is totally independent of the façade. The façade is
unloaded to the maximum, which diminishes their thermal inertia.
8. Remove the glasses external surface carpentry in the façade. This practice
reduces the solar protection of the glasses and it increases the thermal bridges.
9. The modulation used in the cover of façades, floors, walls, etc. The
manufacturing companies have machinery to manufacture materials with some
certain dimensions. When the architect design in an arbitrary way to get some
visual objectives, is evident that this certain modulation of the material it is
generating an enormous quantity of residuals.

PASSIVE BUILDING SOLUTIONS
We can solve the problems of the current construction, without a higher cost and
in the more efficient way from an energy point of view carrying out the following
measures:
- Necessary, enough and appropriate architectural elements to each typology,
without unnecessary expenses, without superfluous elements and with the
appropriate materials.
- Architectural typologies much simpler and more flexible.
- Less quantity of glass in the façades.
- 51 -


- The architectural structure should be focused to obtain the maximum use of the
natural resources: heat, wind, coolness. It should be obligatory a south
architectural orientation.
- Flexible spaces, well measured, simple and economic.
- Constructive systems with a big quantity of industrialization and prefabrication
components.
- Dry assembling of the different architectural components, for a better
optimization of the design, later reutilization and the elimination of possible
residuals.
- Bigger robustness in the aspect of the buildings, like evidence of their high
thermal inertia.
- Use of technological devices for the use of alternative energy sources.
- Use of natural, recovered, recycled and beneficial for the health construction
materials.
- Architectural design to make satisfy the final user and to be in balance with the
environment.

Building members contribution [9]

- 52 -


PRINCIPAL DISPOSITIONS OF PASSIVE
BUILDINGS

- 53 -


The implementation of the European Directive 2002/91/EC in Spain is included in
the Technical Building Code (CTE: Código Técnico de la Edificación) in the
Basic Document HE´s (“Saving of Energy”). The appropriate use of HE´s
guarantees compliance with the basic requirements. These documents contain
procedures, technical rules and examples of solutions for determining whether a
building complies with the stipulated performance levels.

HE´s DESCRIPTION.
The Spanish Basic Document HE concerns in Energy Saving and consists of the
following topics:

HE1: Energy demand Limitation
“Buildings shall feature a set of characteristics capable of adequately limiting the
energy demand necessary to ensure human thermal comfort in accordance with
the local climate, the use of the building, and the summer and winter regime as
well as their characteristics of insulation and inertia, air permeability and
exposure to solar radiation, reducing the risk of superficial and interstitial
humidity that may affect their characteristics, with appropriate treatment of the
thermal points to limit heat losses or gains and to avoid any hydrothermal
problems therein.” [1]

HE2: Efficiency of thermal installations
“Buildings shall feature appropriate thermal installations to ensure human
thermal comfort by regulating the efficiency of said installations and their
equipment. This requirement is currently being developed in the prevailing
Regulation of Thermal Installations and Buildings (RTIB, known by the Spanish
acronym ‘RITE’) and its application shall be defined in the plan of the building.”
[1]
HE3: Energy efficiency of lighting installations
“Buildings shall feature adequate lighting installations for the needs of their
users; installations shall also be energy efficient, with a control system to adjust
the light to the actual occupancy of the area, as well as a regulation system to
optimize the supply of natural light in areas that meet certain conditions.”

- 54 -


HE4: Minimum solar contribution to domestic hot water
“In buildings with foreseen demand for hot water or the conditioning of a covered
swimming pool, in which, as established in this TBC, part of the thermal energy
needs derived from said demand shall be covered by incorporating systems for the
collection, storage and use of low temperature solar energy suitable for the global
solar radiation of their location and the hot water demand of the building. The
values derived from this basic requirement shall be considered minimum values,
without prejudice to stricter values that may be established by the competent
authorities which contribute to sustainability, in compliance with the specific
characteristics of their location and territorial limits.” [1]

HE5: Minimum photovoltaic contribution to electric power
“In buildings thus defined in this TBC shall be incorporated systems for the
collection and transformation of solar energy into electric power by photovoltaic
processes for proprietary use or supply to the network. The values derived from
this basic requirement shall be considered minimum values without prejudice to
stricter values that may be established by the competent authorities which
contribute to sustainability, in compliance with the specific characteristics of their
location and territorial limits.” [1]

HE´s ANALYSIS.
If we analyze HE´s (Saving of Energy) standards of the Código Técnico de
Edificación, CTE (Spanish Technical Code of Construction), we will observe the
enormous mistakes that take place in it.

- The article HE 1 is more restrictive than in the previous document for the
values of the limit of floors, covered and facades transmittance, but it is not
written about the ecological characteristics of the materials, constructive
solutions, shading controls, etc.
All this will benefit directly to the thermal isolations and air conditioned makers,
not to the buildings and their occupants. If you isolate much more the walls,
floors, and covers…it will escape less energy in winter…But in summer,
buildings are going to be very reheated (because there is nothing in the norm to
avoid this), they won't be possible to refresh at night, so whole day the flat would

- 55 -


be heating and is going to foment the use conditioned air installations. Surely
decrease the necessary energy for heating, but it will increase the necessary
energy of conditioned air.
Inside this section, there are two points appear to analyse because of their extreme
graveness:
- Point 5.2. “The architect will control the execution of the work in site”
or, nobody will control what is made in the work.
- Point 5.3 “Control of the finished work in site” it is said literally that
final tests are not prescribed. So, with independence of what puts in the
project…This means that many paper works will be made, many records
will be stuffed in the projects… but NOBODY will control neither what
puts in brief, neither what is made in fact and with independence of the
project.

- The article HE 2 specifies how should be the heating and illumination facilities.
It will imply the adoption of more energy efficiency boilers.

- The article HE 3 speaks about how should be the systems of natural and
artificial illumination. At the moment all new building construction fulfils the
stipulations of the code perfectly.
It is also fomented big natural illumination surfaces but not the correct
distribution, so this article continues fomenting the indirect use of conditioned air
installations and it is deduced that there is not going to be any energy saving.

- The articles HE4 and HE5 should not be included with the title of
“Energy Savingquot;, because the code is not fomenting the saving and the
energy efficiency, simply the use of alternative energy as thermal and
photovoltaic panels. That is to say, there won't be saving, it will be less
paid to the traditional energy companies but we will be paid more to the
makers of thermal and photovoltaic solar panels. In this articles it is
fomenting a passive concept not well understood because it is talking
about make a building with a bad orientation and distribution, arbitrary
and wasteful design… but with solar panels. There will be fewer emissions
to the environment, but with this mistaken model, it will go up the final

- 56 -


cost of the buildings and their technical complexity very much and we
won't obtain the wanted energy efficiency.

As a conclusion, the CTE in the construction is consolidating a not very effective
and very expensive model of sustainable construction where:
- The saving of the energy consumption will be imperceptible and it will produce
a change from the picks of energy consumption of winter to summer.
- It is only spoken of isolation and equipment and in any moment of the design,
interior and external distribution or orientation of the building.
- There will be big economic benefits for the makers of isolations, boilers,
illumination systems, air conditioned installations and solar panels.
- An unreal and unjustified increase of the price of the buildings will take place
- The administration is fomenting a bad, incomplete, not very effective and very
expensive of energy saving.

Passive Buildings in Valencia [9]

- 57 -


MAXIMUM ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN CONSTRUCTION.
“We can obtain an energy efficiency of among 50% to 90%, with a maximum over
cost of 15% and without any reduction of the architectural quality of the project
without any lack of well-being degree of their occupants, choosing the typology,
materials and building orientation more efficient, correct disposition of their
spaces and types of windows and design of the façades and more appropriate
technologies”. [2]
We can have more than 40 actions that we can carried out to make a 100%
sustainable construction, we can classify in three groups:
- A. 25 actions (Orientation, distribution, crossed ventilation…) that
doesn’t suppose any significant overcost in the construction (0-2% of the
total cost), and you can achieve an energy efficiency of until 60%.
- B. 10 actions (Increase of the building thermal inertia, mechanical
systems of natural ventilation…) that imply a moderate overcost (2% to
5%) and you can achieve an energy efficiency of until 30% more.
- C. 5 actions (Photovoltaic panels, radiant floors…) that imply a
substantial overcost (5% to 15%) and you can get an additional degree of
energy efficiency of 10% approximately.
It is curious that the actions that are being carried out at the present ,time are
centred in the group C, the most expensive actions and with fewer environmental
improvement. It is the case of the placement of thermal, photovoltaic solar panels,
intelligent systems of conditioned air, absorption systems, radiant floors, domotic
systems, etc. The worst of all is that these actions are a perfect promoter’s excuse
to increase the building final costs.
As we have seen, it is possible to carry out a high energy efficiency buildings
degree without any overcost and only with simple actions.

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE.
1. Optimization of the resources and materials
2. Energy decrease consumption and renewable energy development.
3. Decrease of residuals and emissions
4. Decrease of the maintenance, exploitation and use of the buildings
5. The increase of the building’s occupant’s quality of life. [2]

- 58 -


BUILDINGS ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS
AND PASSIVE DESIGN

- 59 -


Spain is a country with different climatic varieties but in general, we can say that
except in some areas of the peninsular centre, in the rest of Spain it is more
important to be isolated against the heat that against the cold.
At climatic level, it will be detected the best elements that can we take advantage
and of those we should take cautions.
We should locate the latitude, to be able to determine the angles of the solar
radiation intensity incidence and, and the duration of the day (sun/hours).
It will be necessary to carry out a topography study of the surrounding to
determine the land and the received shades variables.
Once we have all these data, the design stage of the building begins, putting into
operation the interrelation of parameters that determine the increase or decrease of
the energy consumption for a level of comfort. These options will also define the
geometry and the characteristics of the location and size of the openings of the
building.
We want that the own architectural element acts as captor, accumulator and
distributor of the produced energy received. We will offer the North orientation to
the tightest adornments and the rooms of limited stay or those we don't use
heating, locating the biggest openings and the sedentary areas toward the South,
being able to use these spaces as a greenhouse to generate hot. This energy
captured is distributed and it accumulates in the interior, in accordance with the
characteristics of the façade and they act as climatic modifier of the inhabitable
space.
I will develop the more important factors corresponding to the constructive
process in the design stage.

CLIMATE
In the north of Spain there is an Oceanic climate due to Atlantic Ocean in which
the majority of the year it is raining. In the centre we have a continental climate in
which is very hot in summer and very cold in winter. In the close areas to the
Mediterranean Sea, the temperatures are soft in winter and very hot and humid in
summer. In the south we have subtropical climates with warm temperatures in
winter and very hot and humid temperatures in summer.

- 60 -


The climate of a region is determined by a series of elements that act as an
advantage in the thermal conditions of the building and its comfort, but also
presents important inconveniences.
The climatic elements and their influences are:
-Intensity of direct or diffuse radiation. It determines the orientation of the
façades, protection, the glass proportion and the ways of solar reception.
-Temperature of the air. With their daily and seasonal variations it influences in
the evaporation, radiation and movement of the air. It determines the constructive
system in function of their thermal inertia.
-Humidity of the air. Related with the precipitations and evaporation. Show the
radiation intensity (fog, cloudy, etc...)
-Cloudy. It influences in the transmission of the radiations, in those that we
received (day) like in those emitted (night).
-Speed and direction of the winds. It is decisive part of the orientation of the
façades and in the way of the building. The dimension of the windows and
distribution of the internal and external uses. [3]
In general we will design to obtain earnings of heat in winter, avoiding losses for
renovations and infiltrations. We will avoid earnings of heat in summer and we
will obtain losses of heat with the land, with circulations of air, cooling for
radiation and for evaporation.

Passive house design [9]

- 61 -


LATITUDE
“To more latitude, minor will be the received radiation and the days will be
shorter. It will determine the possible orientations of the building, the inclination
of the surfaces and the measurement of the protection elements.
As the position of the sun it is constantly varies in the sky, we will take an angle
that offers the biggest perpendicularity to the incident rays in the building”. [3]

Passive building design [9]

ORIENTATION
Due to we are in the north hemisphere, the façades guided to the south will
receive bigger quantity of solar radiation, and those guided to the north won't
receive direct radiation, being also affected by cold winds. The East orientation
could have smaller radiation for the presence of morning fog; the west façade
receives the sun in the afternoon, being necessary to foresee some protection type
to avoid overheatings.
The buildings that we will build will have the biggest glass surface guided toward
the South, relapsing on this orientation all the stays we will stay longer.

- 62 -


OPTIMUM BUILDING SHAPE

The ideal form is the lengthened East-West axis plant; a bigger surface will be
exposed toward the South during the winter capturing bigger radiation. The South
façade receives three times more radiation in winter than the East or West
orientation facades. The walls mediators to the East or West buildings are the
most efficient in earning sun radiation.
Although the constructions lengthened East-West axis plant, are the most efficient
speaking, the proportion of the lengthening depends on each particular climate.
It is relevance to point out the thermal importance of the cover. By the surface of
the roofs, are carried out strong exchanges of heat (high earnings during the day in
summer and strong losses for radiation in the winter nights) Due to, it is better to
reduce the cover surfaces designing the buildings with two levels, what allows
also, circulations and natural thermal exchanges between the hot air and the
interior atmosphere. The cover can also be used to diminish the surface of the
North facade (not sunny in winter and attacked by the cold winds); this
aerodynamic volume allows the action of the sun turn on the lands to the North of
the building, maintaining them drier.

Passive building project [9]

- 63 -


INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION
The movement of the Sun during the day and the climate conditions of the
environment in the winter station points out the design rules to decide the internal
space distribution.
During the winter the North facade is the coldest, for what the spaces of sporadic
use will relapse to it (toilets, corridors, laundries, garages…) or heat producing
rooms (kitchen, boiler room, etc). The areas of the building that give to the South
façade are the best to locate spaces of day occupation (living room, dining room,
offices, etc). The facades East and West receive the same radiation level
approximately; nowadays the West façade will be more heat because of the
adding of the air temperature in the afternoon.
These approaches have been kept in mind in our example building and like we can
appreciated in the following plane:

Internal and external plant disribution [3]

It is advisable that the areas that generate more heat during the day are distributed
in inferior levels, allowing that the hot air ascends toward the superior spaces in a
natural way (termosifonic effect), loading the thermal mass of the high plant, what
will allow a restitution of night heat. As for the adjacent external spaces of the
building, besides keeping in mind the shades of the environment of the
construction, it is convenient to endow of transition spaces among external and
interior that protect of the rains or winds, but at the same time it is open to receive
the solar rays of the afternoon and midday. These spaces can be used practically
during the whole year, except in the very cold or windy days.
- 64 -


EXAMPLE OF PASSIVE BUILDING IN SPAIN

- 65 -


The example that we are going to analyse is a building of 6 floors above ground
and 3 below ground with a three-body form elliptical ground plan in all oriented
north-south with a stepped section towards the south, to optimise the energy,
natural lighting and ventilation as well as to eliminate the direct sunlight at
workstations.
The building technology is based on a prefabricated solution, not only in the
structure of the reinforced concrete pillars and beams, but also in the precast
concrete hollow core units in the flooring, as well as raised floors. This facilitates
future demolition work and re-use and recycling, apart from the energy saving
entailed in these systems.
The façade consists of a stainless steel and glass construction designed to be taken
to pieces and recycled. The building in general, is constructed using only eight
materials, all chosen because they can be recycled.

SANITAS building view [4]

- 66 -


TECHNICAL SYSTEMS
The building utilizes several energy saving technologies. Selective artificial
lighting coordinated with natural lighting admitted through the atriums and glass
façade; low consumption lamps with electronic switchgear in the offices.
Minimum water usage, taps and toilet cisterns with low water consumption. The
control is descentralized and hot water is heated by heat recovery controlled by
computer equipment with operates 24 hours/day. Sectorised air conditioning
system without CFC. Air conditioning by selective false floor flooding.
The latest generation Building Management System (BMS) for permanent control
of energy and comfort.

Other technologies: Interior details [4]
- Compost plant to be provided
- High performance gas boilers with condenser
- Lifts with very low energy consumption and low speed
- Heat radiant floor in patios
- Free-cooling of water and air
- Humidity control in offices

- 67 -


COOLING
“Apart from the fresh-feeling due to the natural ventilation, the fresh air enters
the atrium through low level intakes and is precooled by evaporative cooling from
the water features and by fan assisted circulation through the basement chamber
labyrinth. This helps to lower the air temperatures in summer. The building is
also provided with roller blinds and canopies on the east and west façades,
terraces and patios for direct solar protection. Glazing is also treated with ultra
violet protection. The building has a high thermal mass due to its construction
materials.
The office ceilings incorporate cool radiant panels as an active energy efficient
system. The humidity in these rooms is constantly controlled above the dew point
temperature to avoid condensation”. [4]

VENTILATION
“Due to its geographic location, the ventilation strategy used is through indoor
patios like atriums with vegetation where natural ventilation is encouraged. The
air circulates from the lowest layers up to the highest levels where it is extracted.
Prevailing winds are taken into account with regard to the aerodynamics of the
building. In winter, in order to improve the air quality and the patio ventilation,
the patio underfloor heating is operating, so that the hot air rises and the desired
air movement is generated.
- 68 -


The stack effect ventilation in atriums assists natural ventilation in all offices. The
offices have manually operated opening windows on the lower and the upper
parts of the façades. The air is regenerated through convection movement from
the lowest windows towards the upper ones.
The building also has a double ventilated façade on the north and south ends, and
the supply of outdoor air is based on the occupancy levels”. [4]

Façade details [4]

RENEWABLE ENERGIES
“The lowest part of the canopies are covered with photovoltaic panels, whereas
the upper part comprises solar protected glass which lets the diffuse natural light
from the north pass through it. It also provides effective protection from solar
heat gains. Photovoltaic lamps are also used in the exterior landscape”. [4]

- 69 -


ENERGY PERFORMANCE
“The annual reduction of CO2 emissions is calculated in excess of 37 tons.
The building guarantees a saving of 35% of its consumption in extreme conditions
in comparison with a conventional building with the same usage, due partly to the
energy saving system based on a cold-heat accumulation. It can even achieve a
global saving of 60% of its consumption due to the favourable orientation, and the
opacity of the east-west façades”. [4]

North façade [4]

USER ACCEPTANCE
“The general user opinion is quite positive, the Sanitas building rates well in
almost all comfort parameters, especially noise insulation and natural lighting
due to materials like pine wood, and the atrium design. However the building
scores poorly on temperature in summer, as the natural ventilation and cooling
are sometimes inadequate”. [4]

- 70 -


ENERGY BUILDIGNS PROBLEMS

- 71 -


Energy is crucial to the development of modern society. We need enormous
energy resources to create a habitable indoor environment in commercial and
residential buildings. The efficient use and conservation of energy, as well as the
minimisation of the environmental impact due to energy production and use
should be promoted. We are always on the watch for the changing global energy
supply and demand situation and seek for the balance among achieving economic
development, satisfying the need of society and protecting our precious
environment.

View of Benidorm (Spain) [10]

The energy demand of the 160 million buildings in the EU accounts for over 40%
of its annual energy consumption. The building sector offers the largest single
potential for energy efficiency in the EU. Studies show that more than one-fifth of
the present energy consumption and up to 30-45 million tonnes of CO2 per annum
could be saved by 2010 by applying more ambitious standards to refurbishments
and new passive building projects.

- 72 -


HYDROGEN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE

- 73 -


Clean production of hydrogen while exploiting a renewable energy source, such
as wind power (although solar energy or biomass could also have been
considered), to overcome, on the one hand, the problem of storing surplus energy
(so frequent with renewable energy sources) and, on the other hand, the
production of clean hydrogen that effectively meets the demands of an energy
sector that is compatible with sustainable development.

The most efficient possibility, and that which most respects the environment, is
the integration of renewable energies with hydrogen technology, which permits
the production, storage and use of the same to generate electricity.
Special attention must also be paid to the design of the accompanying water
electrolysis unit. Potable water is considered to be another rare commodity, with
an increasing energy cost at national and international level.

In summary we can design, construct and assessment the self sufficient energy
systems, in such a way that wind or solar power can be used to generate hydrogen,
electricity and water, with the characteristics of hydrogen as an energy being used
to this end. These types of systems could be implemented in the more or less near
future in any region with a high renewable potential to produce and
commercialize hydrogen and to meet the demand for electricity and water.

Renewable energy sources [10]

- 74 -


HYDROGEN ENERGY IN HYBRID BUILDINGS

- 75 -


Building power use is increasing as the intensity of our electronics use rises. Thus
increasing energy efficiency in buildings enables us to satisfy increased
electronics use with a smaller amount of energy input for every kilowatt hour of
power generated.

While hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid buildings are still more expensive than
traditional grid power per kilowatt hour generated, their continuing innovation
provides an alternative to hooking up to the local utility’s grid to hybrid buildings:
“Ultimately, we will see hybrid buildings powered by combinations of grid power
and alternative power sources, such as fuel cells, wind turbines and solar energy
– without the need for multiple conversions of AC to DC at each device. The result
will be energy that is more abundant, less dependent on foreign sources, safer and
more reliable than grid power alone. Similar to the pick-up in efficiency hybrid
vehicles deliver versus the internal combustion engine alone.” [5]

Hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid buildings will not replace traditional grid-powered
buildings quickly, both because of higher cost and because of the installed base
advantages (and associated high switching costs) of the grid. However, as
hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid buildings provide increasingly commercially viable
alternatives to traditional grid distribution, building managers are more likely to
choose to install them to decrease their energy use rate and to provide the benefits
of reliable, cleaner power.

Hydrogen fuel cell [10]

- 76 -


PROBLEMS TO SOLVE

- 77 -


Electrolyser and hydrogen gas handling and storage plant will be integrated into a
compact filling station. There are management problems associated with this area
relating to standardisation of gas pressures, adoption of dispensing hardware and
adaptation of technical and safety standards on an international basis to aid the
development of a universally acceptable hydrogen infrastructure model.

The technology is costly; although costs are falling fast a dominant technology
has still to emerge. Hydrogen storage is still an issue, with standardisation of
pressures to be agreed, as a minimum. Nano-technology may provide an answer to
the problem of storage through the use of carbon nanotubes, although this
technology is still under research. Notwithstanding the technical issues remaining
with individual elements of the demonstration, in order to allow an integrated
system to emerge, the practical use and technical interfaces need to be addressed,
optimised and demonstrated.

This aspect will give valuable experience in introducing the hydrogen economy,
with the attendant requirements for recognition to maintain public safety and
develop public acceptance.

Hydrogen electrolysis and power plant [10]

- 78 -


PROMOTING A HYDROGEN-BASED SOCIETY

- 79 -


The main problem we have with Hydrogen technology is the number of vertical
factors such as production, storage, distribution and applications. Above that we
have society, the end-user, with a number of horizontal concerns such as safety,
codes and standards and the environmental impact. In between we have some
non-defined barriers. The main objective is to prepare an action plan to overcome
this non-define barriers, develop the necessary technology and educate society to
establish a hydrogen-based society.

The next step will be to assess the non-technical barriers that may confront the
introduction of hydrogen as an energy carrier in European society. In addition to
the socioeconomic issues of the impact of hydrogen on society, the codes,
standards and cost of infrastructure implementation and public safety concerns,
there are questions about public perception of hydrogen and the reaction to its
introduction in European Society

Hydrogen Action Plan

- 80 -


IMPLEMENTATION OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
IN PASSIVE BUILDINGS IN SPAIN

- 81 -


Based on a real Danish case, I am going to apply the Hydrogen Energy in a
Spanish Passive building. Denmark has gone from being 99% dependent on
foreign oil sources becoming completely energy self sufficient, nowadays is the
nation ahead in the use of renewable energy technology and leads the way in the
wind energy industry and in future technologies such as hydrogen and fuel cell.
One of the main objectives in the energy area is to promote the use of renewable
energy and every year, increase the total part of the energy consumption.
Several research projects have been launched in order to investigate the potential
usage of hydrogen, as the future energy carrier, both in the area of buildings and
vehicles usage. The most important difference of applying a Danish case in Spain
is the climate. While in Denmark center the interest in how to heat a building, in
Spain is almost more important as cooling it in Summer than to heat in Winter.
Today many private buildings get natural gas to produce heat and hot water and
electricity for light and electrical devices, wasting a lot of energy and
contaminating too much.

Actual energy system [11]

The combination of Renewable Energy Sources (wind, solar,…), Passive
Buildings, Fuel Cells and Micro CHP (combined heat and power) units could be
the better solution to save energy, earn money and respect the environment.

- 82 -


Efficient system [4]

CHP unit is a highly efficient fuel energy technology which puts to use waste heat
produced as a product of the electricity generation process.
Fuel cells have been designed to combine hydrogen and oxygen to form
electricity, heat and water. These can be used for providing heat and power to
individual or multiple homes and for powering cars. The production of hydrogen
from renewable energy sources offers the potential to create an almost zero
emission energy chain.

CHP unit [11]

- 83 -


I am going to explain the process from outside to inside as we can see in the
following graph:

Hydrogen energy system [8]

We will use pure water and electric power coming from the general grid or of any
renewable energy source (wind, solar, hydro, biomass, waves…) to put into
operation the Hydrogen electrolysis generator. This will produce hydrogen,
electricity and heat and water and oxygen like waste products. The water will be
reused, the oxygen is liberated to the atmosphere, the high pressure hydrogen is
stored and the electricity is sold to the general grid or reused.

Hydrogen electrolysis generator [8]

- 84 -


The high pressure hydrogen stored is transform into low pressure; we use this
hydrogen to filling station vehicles and the CHP units of passive buildings.

Hydrogen different uses [8]

Once inside the building, the low pressure hydrogen and the renewable electric
energy (we are also connecting to general grid) feeds the CHP unit. Thanks to the
oxygen, a chemical reaction produces electricity, pure water and hot air about
180ºC. CHP is smaller than a traditional boiler but it produce more and highest
efficient energy.

mCHP internal design [8]

We reuse pure water and the high temperature air, heat the sanitary water. We use
the hot water for the radiant floor and the ventilation units that will maintain the
housing acclimatized during whole year with a temperature of between 18-25ºC.

- 85 -

Efficient Buildings. Antonio GandíA GóMez

Efficient Buildings. Antonio GandíA GóMez

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