Monitoring and common exchange

Minutes- Monitoring and common exchange between Lyon-Zaragoza communities

2^nd Technical session, 28^th April 2009

Chair : Rodrigo Vásquez (UdZ)

Reporter : Hervé Pabiou (INSA-CNRS)

I- Presentation by Rodrigo Vásquez.
I-1 DESIGN VERIFICATION
State of progress:

Optical network

Meeting with Endesa

Meeting with GasAragon

Installation sensors finished
Slide 5 : First information obtained by connected network in Valdespartera. The information given in this presentation are the first one.

First local data on P12 & P14

Example of the solar thermal energy : measurement of higher temperatures in the balcony due to solar radiation. In winter this solar energy supply is essential.

Measurement of solar radiation? : yes.

No local weather station  data collected from the meteorological institute of Zaragoza

Currently, 1 month is needed to get the data, in the future data will be available on-line.

Measurement of the electrical power of each building  measurement device provided by Endesa. The growth of the energy consumption that is currently observed is due to the arrival of the inhabitants in Valdespartera.
I-2 ANALYSIS of LOCAL WEATHER
Measurement of the temperature, humidity and correlation with comfort in buildings.

Measurements of winds

I-3 CERTIFICATION STUDIES
Activities to obtain a norm better than the legal one:

Use of simulations of the energy consumptions in the buildings.

Infra-Red Thermography

Verification that the thermal characteristics in the wall are equal to the values given by the builder : thermal transmittance.

Blower door test to estimate air leakages

Technical inspection of heating systems

 global view for the certification
How the transmittance is measured? First, in laboratory with known materials and surface temperature measurements. Second, acquisition of a new device for a measurement of the temperature of the surfaces in the building + measurement of the humidity

Local or global measurement? If the IR measurements show a non uniform façade, local measurements will be done.

Simulations of P24 & 27 with another software EnergyPlus instead of TSBi3

(see Slide14) New simulations will be done with EnergyPlus.

Examples of IR measurements in laboratory are shown: a door without insulation; façade with different materials.

IR measurement in situ: Measurements on several buildings. Examples of a heated room; evidence of thermal bridges; effects of junction of a balcony with a façade.=> discussion with workers; impact on the roof …

I-4 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IMPACT
Two examples of the impact of the human behaviour are given: when works are done in empty dwellings, the balconies are opened which is an important energy loss in winter (losses are all the more important since some heating systems are still working).

Also in winter, some balconies are closed by curtains or blinds which prevents the solar radiation to heat the dwelling.

To limit these problems one can inform the inhabitants about the usual errors.
I-4 COMMON MONITORING
See next technical session.
I-5 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
What is the French norm on air leakage? In France, the air leakage through the envelope is express in m3/h/m2 (flow of air per m2 of façade), which is not relevant. A relevant unit, which corresponds to a relevant process of measurement, is vol/h under 50pa (air flow for a relative pressure of 50pa inside the building – vol = volume of the envelop).

An ambitious objective is 0.6 vol/h under 50pa, which was adopted in Lyon. Blower door tests were made and some default were corrected.

In Lyon Confluence: the problem of permeability is taken into account. Training of the workers on the air permeability are done.
Rodrigo Vásquez asks how to do these measurements before the end of the building? : When the dwelling is closed, a first test allows corrections and when it is finished a second tests is done but no other corrections can be made.
In Zaragoza, the blower door tests are made with ventilation system opened and closed. What is the protocol in France?

In France all apertures are closed in the dwelling to characterized only the envelope.

In Zaragoza, the monitoring is centralized. Do the inhabitant will have access to these results? The results are anonymous, so the inhabitants will not have access to the results. But, if an inhabitant makes an agreement with the University of Zaragoza (UdZ), he can access his results.
Will IR thermography measurements be done in Lyon? : Yes

What is your [Olivier Sidler] opinion about the measurement in Zaragoza? When a thermal bridge exists, is the difference of temperature large enough to be measured with the IR camera? : Olivier Sidler answers that IR camera is more relevant to detect air leakage. The problem of thermal bridge is now well known and when you see them it is too late. IR camera is more useful to detect air leakages.

In Zaragoza, we try to include in the certification IR measurements and blower door tests during the construction. But the problem is that during the work, there is no heating system so IR camera results are limited. Olivier Sidler makes visits on the construction site to explain what must be done. These visits are essential.

Rodrigo Vásquez says that when the insulation is put, some defaults can be seen by using IR camera. He suggests doing these tests with the builder. If the builder see and understand the problems, he will be able to improve the rest of the building.

Verifications between measurement and simulation will be done in Zaragoza? : Absolutely because we work on certification that will lead to a report indicating all the characteristics.
Summer comfort data will be available in 4 months.