A key fundamental in the creation of sustainable architecture is the whole ingredient of checking that designing of buildings is energy efficient. In addition energy efficiency is seen by using environmentally friendly and renewable sources of energy. By far the most common generator of energy is the sun, from where we glean solar energy.
Creating sustainable architecture Through Energy Efficient Design By Using Solar Energy
As sunshine is almost constantly available in the equatorial regions of the earth, it is possible to utilize this energy source as a major power source for much of the year. This means that it is a source of energy that can be used to alleviate most electrical energy requirements of various appliances in the home and the workplace for much of the year. This is great news for investors who are wary of the impacts of escalating prices of fossil fuels that can cause great instability regarding energy costs.
In the past, solar energy had a big challenge in that the systems that were available for harnessing the sun’s energy were not very efficient in creation of electrical energy. This means that there was a disparity between the level of power output and the financial outlay required, with only small energy output being achieved from substantial financial investment.
Some alternatives for harnessing solar energy to create energy efficiency in buildings
Technological advancements in the field of manufacturing solar panels has seen a great improvement in the quality of solar installations being supplied now. It is now possible to get a reasonably good power output from solar panels which have been priced reasonably. This has also seen modern buildings being constructed integrating them within their built fabric to harness natural energy incident on the building itself.
Solar panels harness solar energy through their photovoltaic cells. These are the most costly aspect of solar technology as they have a relatively high cost consideration attached to them. Nevertheless despite their high initial cost, these cells are virtually free of maintenance thereafter, short of cleaning and occasional service.Sustainable buildings are characterized by installations that may seem to have marginally higher cost inputs at their onset, but have much smaller operational and recurrent costs thereafter. This long term saving philosophy is what makes them able to be more viable than ordinary buildings that do not have these provisions. Photovoltaic cells in this regard may cost a little more at the onset, but great savings are achieved in the long run with regard to one’s energy bill.
By far the most common use of solar panels in Kenya is for the purpose of heating water. Hot water supply in the context of a home or office is a recurrent cost that can be quite substantial as regards the energy expenditure in a given home. There is constant heating of water for various uses, whether for bathing, cooking or washing at various levels. Even commercial and industrial concerns have high demand for heated water in their industrial processes.
Solar energy for water heating is a basic element of sustainability
Solar water heaters collect and store the sun’s heat energy to warm water flowing through their reticulating systems and stores them within hot water cisterns. As a result they can be used to heat water inexpensively once they have been adequately installed within a building. They are installed on building roofs or surfaces that are well exposed to incident sunshine in the course of the day. Their effectiveness may be reduced during overcast seasons, but again technology improvements are enhancing their output even during adverse conditions. During these seasons they may need to be supplemented through the use of gas or electrical heating systems. The solar panels are usually coupled with inverters and battery systems which can be used to store the electrical energy for use. An average domestic home can require as much as 10 – 15 volt ampere power supply load. This can be relatively costly to supply using solar energy. However in many cases it may be wiser to prioritize the installation to reduce the power load by simply supplying power to only those appliances that are considered highest in priority, e.g. domestic lights and refrigerator.
The built environment in this way can be be made more sustainable by the use of such renewable energy sources that promote energy efficiency within buildings.
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