SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING (HONOURS)

BUILDING SERVICES 2 (QSB 2714/ BLD 60503)

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

Name: Goh Jia Jun

Student ID: 0323302

Word Counts: 1925 words

Lecturer: DR Kam Kenn Jhun

Date of Submission: 29th May 2017

Green technology also known as environmental technology or green technology is an evolving group of methods and materials constantly, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products. It also can be defined as minimizing or reducing the negative impact of human activities and conserve the natural environment and resources. The expectation for nowadays is to bring innovation and changes in daily life that are comparable with information technology which is growing rapidly over the last two decades. There are 5 subject areas that green technology involves which are energy, green building, environmental preferred purchasing, green chemistry and green nanotechnology.

The driving forces behind these technological advancements are improving efficiency and reducing utility bills, lessening the strain on both the grid and the environment, and lastly is increasing the comfort of rooms in a home or building. What's making this possible is the fact that interconnection is at an all-time high between both people and machines and only improving on basically a daily basis.

Malaysia started promoting green technology and recognized it as one of key to increase economic growth. Malaysia government launched the National Green Technology Policy with a National Green Technology Policy on 24 July 2009. There are 4 pillars of the policy focused on, which are Energy, Environment, Economy, and Social. Malaysia government planning to focus on green technology and renewable energy industry as it’s not just increasing the jobs opportunities unit also green business opportunities. [footnoteRef:1] (EARTHGREEN TECH: Green Technology, 2017) [1: [] EARTHGREEN TECH: Green Technology. 2017. EARTHGREEN TECH: Green Technology. [ONLINE] Available at: http://dib1adis2013a.blogspot.my/2014/03/green-technology-malaysia-has.html. [Accessed 2 May 2017].]

Air conditioning is the process of controlling the humidity, temperature, ventilation in the space or building. The goal of air conditioning is to keep it more comfortable inside the house than outside. There are many types of air conditioning systems can enhance green technology and mainly suggest these four types of air conditioning systems not only environmentally friendly and save cost, but also suitable to use in Malaysia are solar air conditioning system, ice-powered air conditioner and inverter air conditioning.

The number of humans keeps increasing and a question appears, what is going to replace of the resources after the disappearance of fossil fuels? One of the best renewable resources is solar energy. Solar air conditioning system is the cooling system using solar power to cool down the rooms or buildings. The photovoltaic (PV) solar panel receives light energy and heat energy from the sun then convert it to electricity. Solar air conditioning can be divided into many types but the two most famous, which are hybrid solar air conditioner and Solar closed-loop absorption cooling.

A hybrid solar air conditioning system consists of photovoltaic technology and direct current (DC). It can switch between solar and battery power automatically. Hybrid solar air conditioning system does not require batteries, inverter and controller. It generates power in the same way as a common grid-tie solar system but use batteries to store energy for later use. When there is sunlight, the system will charge their batteries automatically; When the sunlight is unavailable, the system runs on battery backup while charging its batteries via alternating current (AC) power. This allows solar hybrid air conditioner can reduce power consumption from the grid and even can be used even when a grid outage or blackout. [footnoteRef:2] (How Solar Air Conditioners Work, 2017) [2: HowStuffWorks. 2017. Environmental Benefits of Solar Air Conditioners - How Solar Air Conditioners Work | HowStuffWorks. [ONLINE] Available at: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/solar-air-conditioner1.htm. [Accessed 25 May 2017].]

Solar closed-loop absorption cooling which recognized as thermally driven air-conditioning, operate by heating and cooling water through evaporation and condensation. The water is mixed with other materials and can be grouped into 3 categories: Lithium-Bromide(LiBr)-Water Solution, Water-Ammonia, and Lithium Chloride (LiCl)-Water systems. The chillers are used to cool the air and blowing it over water-saturated material while the fan and motor are powered by the solar energy. It only consumes little electrical energy where the part that use electricity are low amp fan motors and control boards. Cheap natural gas can be added to the chillers depend on situations. In addition

Solar conditioning system doesn’t consume a lot of electricity which generated from the power plants. Electricity is generated from burning non-renewable resources such as coal, petroleum and natural gas. This will produce a lot of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants. This will enhance the greenhouse effect and climate change. Solar conditioning using the renewable energy to generate electricity not only decrease the greenhouse effect but also decrease the electricity bill. Solar conditioning has become more famous and attractive day by day as the cooling system because of the increment of electricity cost. However, the initial cost is quite expensive which is 4 times higher than conventional air conditioners. Although it’s considered very expensive, but it will benefit the owners and the environment in long run.

The second type of air conditioning system is ice-powered air conditioner which is one of the thermal energy storage(TES) technology that converts water to ice to decrease the temperature of the room. Thermal energy storage is like a battery for a building’s air-conditioning system. This technology makes ice and stored at night or during off-peak hours and use it to cool the existing air conditioning units' refrigerant during the day, which decreases the amount of electricity a building uses. [footnoteRef:3] (Ice Energy, 2017) [3: Ice Energy. 2017. Technology - Ice Energy. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ice-energy.com/technology/. [Accessed 25 May 2017].]

During hot days, homes and buildings turn up the air conditioning, which uses a tremendous amount of power. At night, the unit freezes 450 gallons (1,703.81 liters) of water with 25% of ethylene or propylene glycol by circulating refrigerant through a system of copper coils. 95% of the water that surrounds the coils in the tank turns to ice, which is then stored. The water in the heat exchanger will not leave the tank. The tank takes 6 to 12 hours to fully charge. As temperatures rise in the next day, the existing AC unit stands down and glycol solution circulates through the ice storage tanks to deliver the stored energy to the building to augment or offset electric chiller cooling. A fan blows air over the coils to deliver cooling to the occupant spaces. People feel cool and comfortable and never know ice storage is being used to save money on cooling costs.

One of the companies that design ice storage system is a young company named Ice Energy. The company’s Ice Bear unit can reduce electricity by 95% up to 6 hours a day for every day. Ice-powered air conditioner can decrease about 30% of power and save up to 40% of their cooling bills. Besides, the ice batteries cost less than half of lithium-ion batteries of the same capacity on a life-cycle basis. Ice-powered air conditioner also a green technology as it reduces CO2 emissions by up to 40% and NOx emissions by up to 56% and reduces greenhouse gas emission and reduce hazardous waste and toxic material. More importantly, it reduces the use of CFCs gasses which is harmful to the ozone layer.

Lastly, the third type of air conditioning system I have chosen is the inverter air conditioning system. Inverter technology is the latest evolution of technology concerning the electro motors of the compressors. A non-inverter type air conditioner or conventional air conditioner remains constant motor speed and temperature is adjusted by turning the motor either on or off. When the motor is on, it will work at full capacity and consumes maximum electricity as it’s designed to consume and throws cool air at the temperature one sets it at. When thermostat reaches the required temperature level in the room, the compressor will stop until the temperature of the room has increased and it will start turning again. [footnoteRef:4] (What is Inverter Technology AC and How it is Different from BEE 5 star Non Inverter AC?, 2017) [4: Bijli Bachao. 2017. What is Inverter Technology AC and How it is Different from BEE 5 star Non Inverter AC? - Bijli Bachao : Bijli Bachao. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.bijlibachao.com/air-conditioners/what-is-inverter-technology-air-conditioner-and-how-it-is-different-from-bee-5-star.html. [Accessed 25 May 2017].]

However, in inverter type air conditioners, the temperature is adjusted without turning the motor on and off. The speed of compressor motor and the frequency of power is controlled by the inverter so as to continuously regulate the temperature. It gives more power when the compressor needed and when it doesn’t, it will give less power. This technology works like an accelerator in a car, which means the compressor is always turning on but consume less power or more power depending on the required temperature in the room. This allows the air conditioner to keep the room temperature comfortable all the time.

According to the annual electricity consumption based on date from Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a 5-star non-inverter air conditioner with 1.5 tonnages consumes 1130kWh for 1600hrs while a 5-star inverter air conditioner with 1.5 tonnages consumes only 815kWh for 1600hrs which consume less 315kWh of electricity per year. It can save about 30% more energy compared to non-inverter air conditioners. It consumes more energy during the start-up but it also speeds up the start-up time to reach the required temperature.

In addition, it can work smoothly and quite when it’s operating and provide higher comfort levels. Although the initial cost of inverter air conditioner is expensive compared to non-inverter type however this is balanced by the lower energy bills. The payback time is estimated in 2 years depending on the usage.

Furthermore, I would like to discuss about the smart thermostat. A normal room thermostat requires a control panel or dial to allow homeowners to change the temperature. If you upgrade to smart thermostat after years with a basic one, the first and most life-changing difference will be the ability to control it remotely, from your phone, on your tablet, or with your voice. For example, if you forget to adjust the thermostat before leaving home, you’ll be able to change the settings no matter where you are, using a tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Smart thermostats can detect the presence of people in the room. This smart thermostat will control the air conditioning system so that it turns off in unoccupied rooms.

Smart temperature can allow user to optimize the energy usage to save money. You will also receive email, alerts or reports about your usage, which can help you better understand your heating usage, and adjust your behavior and preferences accordingly to save money. It can show you the indoor temperature, relative humidity, outdoor temperature, and humidity so that the users can adjust the suitable temperature. Smart thermostats can learn and remember your habits and schedule by detecting when your smartphone is in the house, or even taking it step further by detecting when you're on your usual route home, and preparing your home to the desired temperature. It can even turn itself off completely so that you save money as well. This is especially useful when it can shut itself off during peak demand.[footnoteRef:5] (The Best Smart Thermostat, 2017) [5: The Wirecutter. 2017. The Best Smart Thermostat | The Wirecutter. [ONLINE] Available at: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-thermostat/. [Accessed 25 May 2017].]

According to Consumer Reports, smart temperature can save up to 42% of the home’s energy use and about $180 per year in United State. Although smart thermostat seems like not an air conditioning system but it’s a gadget that can enhance green technology. Smart thermostat can be used with the previous three air conditioning which are solar air conditioning, ice-powered air conditioning and inverter air conditioning to double the effect of reducing costs, save energy and protect the environment.

In conclusion, global warming is getting serious and cause heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere, was a topic of heated debate in the scientific community. There are many reasons increase the greenhouse effect including the use of CFC to deplete the ozone layer. There are many types air conditioning systems using diverse ways to enhance green technology. It requires a huge effort on the part of the air conditioning sector, provides an opportunity to design new equipment using renewable as energy sources and using technologies with good energy efficiency. Existing equipment can and must be improved. However, the progressive renewal, within about 20 years on the average, of refrigeration and air–conditioning equipment, using environmentally friendly technologies, is a key factor and could represent a major part of worldwide efforts for mitigating global warming until 2030.

Bibliography

EARTHGREEN TECH: Green Technology. 2017. EARTHGREEN TECH: Green Technology. [ONLINE] Available at: http://dib1adis2013a.blogspot.my/2014/03/green-technology-malaysia-has.html. [Accessed 25 May 2017].

HowStuffWorks. 2017. Environmental Benefits of Solar Air Conditioners - How Solar Air Conditioners Work | HowStuffWorks. [ONLINE] Available at: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/solar-air-conditioner1.htm. [Accessed 25 May 2017].

Ice Energy. 2017. Technology - Ice Energy. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ice-energy.com/technology/. [Accessed 25 May 2017].

Bijli Bachao. 2017. What is Inverter Technology AC and How it is Different from BEE 5 star Non Inverter AC? - Bijli Bachao : Bijli Bachao. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.bijlibachao.com/air-conditioners/what-is-inverter-technology-air-conditioner-and-how-it-is-different-from-bee-5-star.html. [Accessed 25 May 2017].

The Wirecutter. 2017. The Best Smart Thermostat | The Wirecutter. [ONLINE] Available at: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-thermostat/. [Accessed 28 May 2017].