Buildings are one of the major sectors where the use of solar energy is naturally used, for day lighting, heat water and more recently with the use of PV systems. Of course the use of solar energy as “passive system” is also referred as a fundamental step in Building project in order to achieve a “high energy efficiency building” or a “low energy consumption building or Green Building”. More recently the NetZEB (Net Zero Energy Building) concept is worldwide discussed as the future trend in the Building sector. This concept synthetizes an overall perspective of a building project, where the integration of passive systems is fundamental, as, also, the building integration of renewable energy systems is a mandatory issue in the overall process. Buildings are one of the most important fields of application of Solar Energy Systems (SES), both for Thermal and Photovoltaic technologies. Also hybrid technologies like BIPV, PV/T and Storage energy technologies have in the building sector major field of application. In this sense a Research Infrastructure for Buildings integrated Solar Energy Systems is proposed having as the main components the Solar XXI Building, a nearly Zero Energy Building and Laboratories and Test Facilities for Solar Thermal Systems, Collectors and other components from LNEG in Lisbon and the Test Facility of PV modules of Lógica in Moura the most sunnier region of Portugal.
This RI infrastructure can in fact promote testing and development of all the applications of Solar Energy in Buildings profiting from the well-known Solar energy resource of Portugal. Taking into account these challenges of research, innovation, economy and policies, the NZEB_LAB Infrastructure´s goal is to develop systematic knowledge about what fosters and promotes research and innovation in this field, train high level professionals able to face the challenges especially in the area of sustainable buildings and solar energy systems.
The 6 years structured scientific investigation of NZEB_LAB will be conducted according with the following main activities:
- RI set up, consolidation of the existing test capacities and establishment of new test capacities focusing in the scientific investigation proposed
- Design and investigation of new concepts of solar building integrated SES;
- Laboratory testing and on SolarXXI façade (real conditions);
- Dissemination and training
- Pre-normative research and technology transfer: preparation of swift market implementation and influence relevant EU and national standards, building codes, directives.
The proposed activities/lines rely on the large experience of the RI team members at national and international level, in the area of energy in buildings and solar energy systems. The RI platform provides unique conditions for developing and testing innovative solar energy systems for building integration, namely: SOLAR XXI building, Laboratories and the Test Facilities for Solar Thermal Systems, Collectors and other components from LNEG in Lisbon and the Test Facility of PV modules of Lógica in Moura the most sunnier region of Portugal.
