Technical Approaches and Development Strategies for Solar Buildings
To fully utilize solar energy to meet the energy demands of buildings in terms of functionality and environmental needs, thereby reducing the proportion of building energy consumption in society's total energy consumption. Therefore, further consideration should be given to combining the use of solar energy with other composite energy sources such as geothermal energy, wind energy, biomass energy, and low-temperature heat energy from nature, and to conduct systematic optimization configurations to satisfy the energy supply and healthy environment requirements of buildings. This represents the ultimate goal of solar building development. Zero-emission buildings represent the highest ideal of comprehensive solar energy application. The recent focus of research and development is on the integration of solar thermal utilization products and systems with architecture.
7.4 Comprehensive Determination of Solar Building Development Strategies
1) Climate Characteristics and Economic Development Level: In western regions with underdeveloped economies but abundant solar resources, passive solar building utilization should still be the main approach, with emphasis on the R&D and promotion of materials and technologies for heat collection, storage, and conduction. For economically developed coastal areas with hot summers, cold winters, and both winter heating and summer air conditioning lifestyle demands and economic capabilities, active expansion of investment advantages in comprehensive solar building new technologies should be encouraged, making these areas the preferred locations for demonstration buildings implementing solar or ground-source heat pump heating and air conditioning technologies.
2) Living Habits and Economic Levels: With the continuous social development and improvement in people’s living standards in China, stable hot water supply has gradually become one of the basic living demands of residents. This is the primary reason why the integration of solar hot water equipment and systems with buildings is the fastest-growing area in the field of solar buildings.
3) Building Characteristics and Policy Guidance: Different demonstration guidance and incentive policies such as taxation should be given for different types of buildings and social functions in the field of solar energy utilization. For example, a policy of mandatory implementation of solar energy utilization can be adopted for public welfare buildings; whereas commercial buildings can be incentivized through tax policies; and residential buildings with large quantities and wide coverage can adopt strategies that combine tax incentives, energy investment mechanisms, and owner-paid usage. Of course, these strategies are equally applicable to the renovation of existing buildings. In the near term, special-purpose buildings, large public welfare buildings, and government office buildings can be selected for demonstration promotion and policy guidance.
4) Solar Building Technology and Systems: Compiling design specifications, standards, and related drawing sets, establishing product (system) testing centers and certification agencies, and improving construction acceptance and maintenance technical regulations, etc., are prerequisites for including solar energy utilization (such as hot water supply) in the architectural engineering design phase and incorporating it into the building system as a "specialty."
5) Concept Promotion: Education on energy conservation and ecology, changes in lifestyle, and the spread of concepts are crucial in the development of solar buildings. Educating people about conventional energy knowledge, the superiority of solar energy, and healthy lifestyles is an important task for the whole society, and all levels of government should give sufficient attention and provide dedicated funding support.
6) Research and Promotion of Solar Building Application Technologies: Based on China's social development, technological progress, economic capacity, regional climate, and living demands, using hot water supply in the solar building field as a starting point, expanding the existing conceptual advantages of solar hot water supply, advocating the principle of "concept first, demonstration breakthrough, policy follow-up," and promoting the mechanism of "standard design, testing certification, building access" to advance the development of solar buildings in China in stages, ultimately achieving the popularization and promotion of solar buildings.
1 Building Energy Consumption
According to China's statistical requirements, building energy consumption generally refers to the energy consumed during the use of buildings, including lighting, appliances, heating, cooling, facilities, hot water, cooking, etc. Statistical results from 2000 showed that despite the overall comfort level of China's civilian buildings being lower than that of developed countries worldwide, China's building energy consumption already accounted for 27.8% of the total terminal energy consumption in society at that time, approaching the level of developed countries (about one-third). Latest reports indicate that China's total terminal energy consumption has now ranked second in the world.
2 Energy Status
According to forecasts by companies like the United States, Japan, Shell, BP, etc., the peak production and consumption of global fossil fuels will occur between 2020 and 2030. China has a large population, with per capita energy resource ownership below the world average, and the resource guarantee degree of remaining economically exploitable energy reserves is only 129.7 years.
3 CO2 Emission Reduction Pressure
Relevant data shows that CO2 emissions from building energy consumption worldwide account for about one-third of the global total emissions. Among them, residential buildings account for about two-thirds, and public buildings account for one-third. Future predictions of CO2 emissions indicate that if no measures are taken, atmospheric CO2 content will be 3.5 times the current level in 50 years. However, if various clean energy substitution technologies are actively adopted, significant effects can be seen within 25 years, and CO2 content can be reduced to the current level within 50 years.
Systematic research on the emission reduction potential of renewable energy indicates that the contribution of solar thermal photovoltaic applications and solar buildings to CO2 emission reduction from 2010 to 2030 can reach 1-5~15-30 TtC/yr.
China has abundant solar energy resources, with more than two-thirds of the country having over 2200 hours of annual sunshine. Predictions for solar energy application show that under normal development and ecological drive development models, China's solar energy utilization will account for 4.7% and 10%, respectively, of the total energy supply by 2050.
Its estimated potential for future CO2 emission reduction in China suggests that after 2010, solar energy utilization will begin to have a noticeable effect on emission reduction, and after 2020, it will start to have a significant effect.
4 Solar Buildings
Definition: Considering factors such as social progress, technological development, and economic capacity comprehensively, buildings that fully utilize solar energy in activities such as planning, construction, design, use, maintenance, and renovation are collectively referred to as solar buildings. The most mature technology, widest application range, and fastest industrial development in China's solar building field are household solar water heaters (systems), followed by passive solar heating houses.
China has conducted long-term, active research and practice in the field of solar buildings. Including manufacturers of solar thermal and photovoltaic equipment, local governments, research institutions, design institutes, and development enterprises have carried out extensive research, development, design, and construction work at different levels, regions, and building types. Based on these works, the Chinese Solar Energy Society decided to add a professional committee for solar buildings. Its role is to aim at meeting the demand for clean energy in buildings, within the framework of sustainable development, to construct academic and technical exchange platforms for the application of solar energy in buildings, and promote technological progress in both industries.
5 Technical Approaches for Solar Buildings
The application fields of solar buildings include the functional use of buildings and owners' demands for safe, convenient, comfortable, and healthy environments.
The technical approaches for solar buildings include multiple methods such as passive application, active application, and comprehensive application. From the development of thermal insulation materials, realization of natural lighting and ventilation functions, application of solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies to the creation of shading, light shadow, and comfortable environments, solar energy resources are comprehensively applied in all aspects. Currently, the fastest-growing solar thermal utilization will include multi-level energy efficiency utilization forms such as low-temperature, medium-temperature, and high-temperature utilization; while solar photovoltaic utilization will show broader development prospects in solar building integration.
6 Factors Restricting the Development of Solar Buildings
Despite the fact that national and industry authorities have issued a series of regulations and standards such as the Energy Conservation Law, Civil Building Energy Conservation Management Regulations, and energy-saving design standards for different regions, apart from cost, technology, market, and other restrictive factors, scattered management systems, incomplete incentive policy systems, insufficient universal education, and concept dissemination are all related factors restricting the development of solar buildings.
Currently, promoting the concept of solar buildings is more urgent than promoting specific technologies or products.
7 Development Strategies for Solar Buildings
7.1 Development Ideas for Solar Buildings
Based on policy orientation and incentive mechanisms at all levels of government, improve vocational training and public education, strengthen product (system) testing certification and building access systems, improve norms, standards, and related technical regulations, and mobilize the enthusiasm of all levels from enterprises to owners to jointly promote the orderly and healthy development of solar buildings.
7.2 Development Strategies for Solar Buildings
1) Comprehensive utilization of mature passive solar technology and modern solar photovoltaic and thermal technology;
2) Organic combination of thermal insulation enclosure structure technology and natural ventilation, lighting, and shading technology;
3) Integration of traditional building structures with modern technology and concepts;
4) Balancing initial investment in buildings with lifecycle investment;
5) Penetration of ecologically driven design concepts into conventional building design;
6) Consideration of regional climate characteristics and differences in economic development levels;
7) Attention to different building characteristics and people's living habits.
7.3 Development Goals for Solar Buildings
Link to this article: Shandong Solar Water Heater by: http://www.oketyn.com/