“As soon as someone says: We’ll launch this system on the market on a large scale, the parties involved in Smartfacade can join forces again and pick up where they left off. I have every confidence that our concept will take off eventually”, says Bart de Boer of Efficiency & Infrastructure.
Talking about the Zon-WEL Smartfacade is ECN’s Bart de Boer, Project Leader of the research and development project which was completed in 2008. The project involved an extremely diverse group of people from the building trade working to develop an innovative and energy-efficient facade for non-residential building. Especially for the quinquennial series on collaboration, Bart de Boer looks back at the project which, despite exceeding all expectations in terms of cost savings and energy-efficiency, has not yet made it to the market.
Subsidy for Zon-WEL
The Smartfacade project started in 2002 under the melodious name ‘Zon-WEL dynamische zonnegevel’ [Sun-WELL dynamic solar facade]. This name was based on the facade concept that cleverly applied (solar) Heat as well as both the Electricity and (sun)Light (WELL) as an energy-efficient way of creating a healthy and pleasant interior climate.
In consultation with several parties in the building trade, ECN decided to submit a project proposal to the EET programme (Economy, Ecology and Technology): an interdepartmental subsidy scheme of the Dutch ministries of Economic Affairs, Education, Culture & Science, and Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. The proposal was accepted and ECN took up the challenge, together with the submitting parties TNO Built Environment and Geosciences, Cepezed architects, Level Energy Technology inventers and consulting engineers, fitting contractor Itho, Jan van der Vlugt & Zn facade builders, glass specialist AGC Flatglass, and solar panel manufacturer FEE.
Collaboration
De Boer: “We started with a brainstorming session about the desired end result, as the assignment was rather broadly interpretable. One of the conclusions the participating companies reached at that point in time: while Zon-WEL should result in an extremely innovative, energy-efficient and attractive facade, above all it should result in a market-compatible, affordable solution. In particular, the facade builder, fitting contractor and glass manufacturer kept referring to the importance of suitability and usability. The architect especially watched over the architectural design and appearance of the facade. “Cepezed wanted black solar panels as opposed to blue ones, for example. That was more in line with the contemporary, clean-cut style”, Bart de Boer explains. He noticed that every participant wanted to work on the objective of the project: an innovative facade concept, developing their own specialisation at the same time.
De Boer does not recall there being any major conflicts. “Naturally there were some tough discussions, every now and then. At ECN we had a strong preference for fitting the sun blinds on the outside of the double glazing rather than in between the two panes of glass. This is a far better option as regards energy. The glass manufacturer, however, insisted that it be incorporated into the glass, with a view to maintenance and usability at great heights. The use of special daylight-controlled blinds, which also repel heat, eventually resulted in an extremely innovative product.”
Smartbox
The greatest obstacles the project had to overcome concerned the development of the ‘heart’ of the system. This is the so-called Smartbox; a 112x35x40 cm unit that can locally heat, cool and ventilate, with simultaneous heat recycling and humidification. The unit is invisibly incorporated into the ceiling, except for the air inlets and outlets.
De Boer: “Initially, Itho (manufacturer/supplier of CH boilers, heat pumps, ventilation systems, etc. – editor) was to develop the Smartbox. However, they opted for their own version with local ventilation. Level eventually constructed a prototype of the Smartbox, which we then tested in a whole Smartfacade in the revolving ECN testing facility (picture on the rights).”
Compared to the existing technology for a facade, the Smartfacade shows savings on energy demand of more than 50%.
In 2008 the collaborating parties were delighted to conclude that not only was their concept extremely energy-efficient (50% more efficient than standard new building), but also considerably cost-efficient. “The clue is the ‘all-in-1 unit’ and the fact that it is incorporated into the shell of the building. Pipelines, cable ducts, and a lowered ceiling are all superfluous and energy consumption is minimal. This not only enables considerable savings in terms of fuel bills but also in building and installation costs.”
Commercialisation
So why didn’t the concept catch on? “Because the final development of the Smartbox prototype into a commercial product proved difficult. Level is too small a company to do that alone and are consequently looking for a partner.
Although it is now more than two years since the project was concluded, people often still phone and mail Bart de Boer asking about Smartfacade. “That is significant. There is a great deal of interest in the concept which can be viewed via smartfacade.nl. I therefore have every confidence that this clever facade will make it to the market eventually.”
Contact
Bart de Boer
ECN Efficiency & Infrastructure
Tel.: +31 (0)22 456 4901
E-mail: Bart de Boer
Text: Jorinde Schrijver
Info
You will find all relevant information on www.smartfacade.nl (English site).
This ECN Newsletter article may be published without permission provided reference is made to the source: www.ecn.nl/nl/nieuws/newsletter-en/
