Feature:
Solar glass
with the growing world population. According to
Klaus Sedlbauer, Head of the Fraunhofer Institute
for Building Physics (Institut für Bauphysik - IBP),
we must therefore find a way of quickly countering
this trend. “We use around 40 percent of the primary
energy resources for heating and cooling our
buildings. There is gigantic savings potential here. The
aim is to address this in central Europe”. In addition,
fossil fuels used in buildings must be replaced by
renewable energy carriers and green energy also
stored, says Sedlbauer.
Urban planners and architects must now act quickly:
smart houses are required, which produce electricity
and heat themselves, and at the same time offer a
comfortable and secure living environment. Together
with 11 other Fraunhofer institutes, the IBP is
currently conducting important groundwork on the
“Morgenstadt” (City of Tomorrow) project. Based on
six cities – Singapore, Copenhagen, New York, Berlin,
Freiburg and Tokyo – the researchers are developing
concepts aimed at achieving the successful energy
turnaround in metropolises with different features
and conditions. One thing is now already clear to the
scientists: smart electricity and heating networks,
which link energy production and consumption
through many different energy carriers, will be the
elementary prerequisite everywhere.
Buildings with smart technology and building
automation are to become key pillars in these
“Smart Grids”. Solar technology for example would
be easier to integrate in houses than algae. Solar
modules can be screwed onto rooftops as well as
electricity-generating windows or integrated into the
building shell. Additional battery storage units help
to consume as much solar energy as possible directly
in the building. The problem with direct utilisation is
that solar energy fluctuates greatly and is often not
available when needed. Batteries absorb the surplus
energy and supply the solar power when required.
Solar-thermal facilities in turn provide the energy for
hot water heating and heating collectors on the roof
convert the sun’s rays into heat. A heat exchanger is
used for heating water in a storage unit and can then
be used in the kitchen, bathroom and to save heating
energy. The collectors can also be combined with so-
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