The project energy4buildings has its focus on thermally driven heatpumps and chillers and following the principle hardware-in-the-loop it is an innovative step for the laboratories of AEE INTEC and FH Burgenland combining hardware (e.g. chillers) and software (e.g. the simulation tool TRNSYS).
The project targets the development of concepts to optimize the cost and energy optimized heating (and where required cooling) using geothermic (with heat pumps) and photovoltaic in an urban densely-built-up development area. Special weight is given to storage technologies and building services engineering.
Within the project En-RecoTreat, the membrane distillation technology is further developed for the use of waste water treatment. Thereby ammonia is separated and recovered from the municipal waste-water using energy efficient membrane distillation processes. The direct waste-water concentration also aims to replace the exergy-intensive process of aerobic waste-water treatment by anaerobic high-performance reactors which produce energy in the form of biogas. The integration of the membrane distillation in the waste-water treatment leads to the development of an optimized control-strategy and an overall energy concept for municipal waste-water treatment plants.
Within the scope of this project the membrane distillation will be further developed for the treatment of galvanizing and etching baths. By conducting tests on a laboratory scale and on pilot scale (in a technical centre and directly in an electro-plating plant) a well suited membrane module is going to be developed and operation parameters are optimized. In a next step, the potential of the membrane distillation for the use in an industrial purpose should be pointed out. The potential for thermal energy reductions and, due to the low process temperatures, the possibility to use waste heat and solar thermal energy as a heat source will be pointed out and the economic feasibility will be evaluated . The achievement of this project is an optimized pilot facility with an optimized membrane module, representing the basis for an upscale to a large-scale facility.
Main focus in IEA Annex 61 is on the development of technical and economical concepts for Deep Energy Retrofit of public buildings.
Efficient short and long term thermal energy storage technologies are crucial in enhancing energy security and in improving energy efficiency in energy conversion, distribution and end use in three sectors of energy use: buildings, industry, and mobility.
The project aims at developing simple, affordable, energy- and resource-efficient ventilation systems for the renovation of residential buildings. They consist of less materials, are easy in installation, maintenance and cleaning. They use the heat of the exhaust air, protect against moisture and ensure a minimum of indoor air quality and comfort being at the same time cost-effective over the life-cycle.
Surveying an actual vein among Styrian communities, the project „BEZUG“ will generate a catalogue of ten future-oriented and life-cycle analyzed measures regarding energy supply and building performance as valid basis of decision-making for all Styrian communities.
IEA SHC Task 52 focuses on the analysis of the future role of solar thermal heat in integrated urban energy supply systems.
The aim of the task is to provide a holistic decision support for urban energy planners or energy providers and to disseminate the outcomes to other relevant stake holders such as energy policy decision makers.
The R&D Project „Optimisation of primary energy consumption of solar (thermal) cooling plants by means of efficient technology and innovative control strategies“ (SolarCoolingOpt) aimed to find out the optimized configurations and control strategies for solar thermal cooling plants regarding primary energy balance.