Bioclimatic Eco-Renovation Concept Design and Strategies. The Use of Different Materials

Abstract

The main bioclimatic passivePassive strategies include optimization of the use of natural lightNatural light, reducing the need for artificial lightArtificial light, maximizing the solar gainSolar gain using thermal traps and promotion of natural ventilationNatural ventilation in order to avoid the need for air conditioning for coolingCooling. The usage of cool air passing through the underground tunnelsTunnels located in the selected neighborhood in Tirana in order to enhance the cooling process is of huge importance. On the other hand, the buildingBuilding must benefit from the passive solar systemsPassive solar systems and thermal energyThermal energy conservation strategies implementing thermal insulationThermal insulation materialsMaterials. These strategies improve both the indoorIndoor comfort and economic aspect. The aim is to be aware of the communityCommunity for the big benefits of such strategies, increasing the number of passivePassive bioclimaticBioclimatic implementations not only in Albania but also in the region. Through the use of such systems the building can obtain indoor thermal comfortThermal comfort without a traditional coolingCooling system. The passive systems discourage the use of mechanical systems for lighting, cooling, and heatingHeating, supporting the natural phenomena such as power of the sun, underground constant temperatureTemperature, wind direction, and other climate parameters. The selection of the proper thermal insulationThermal insulation materials is complex and sometimes determinant in order to reduce heatHeat gain. The thermal accumulation capacity depends on materialMaterials width, material type, density, and porosity of the material. The top insulating materialsMaterials are mostly used in the Tirana. Albania is the expanded polystyrenePolystyrene (EPS). The energyEnergy needed for its production is relatively low compared to the other insulating materials. Passive designDesign encourages the application of such kind of materials, reducing the ecological footprintEcological footprint of the buildingsBuilding. WaterWater recyclingRecycling is another aspect that bioclimaticBioclimatic design takes into consideration, promoting it. The use of specific materials in order to recycle the rain water through drainage is an important task. The buildingBuilding is faced with significant thermal losses due to the windowsWindows. The sizing of the glassGlass area, the orientationOrientation, as well as the choice of glass determine the penetration of solarSolar radiation in the building. The selection of the correct type of window is also a complex task. The designer should consider the climate type, the area of the openings, the typology of the windowWindows, and the characteristics of the window materialsMaterials and its thermal performancePerformance before implementing it. The usage of the high thermal capacity materials (stone, waterWater) is getting noticed nowadays in bioclimaticBioclimatic and passivePassive buildingBuilding designsDesign. These materials are efficient when having large surfaces and face a strong solarSolar radiation. PCM (phase change materialsPhase Change Materials (PCM)) are innovative materials that undergo a physical transformation stabilizing the temperatureTemperature fluctuations in the indoorIndoor area of the buildingBuilding archiving and improving thermal comfortThermal comfort parameters inside the building. The typology of such materialsMaterials and their field of implementation is a very large one. Such materials have resulted to be an added value when implemented and are part of passive systems such as Trombe wallTrombe wall, enhancing its performancePerformance. The piezo-electric materials are another group of innovative materialsMaterials used to gain energy. Their role in energyEnergy gaining nowadays is very small but the future belongs to them. The use of such materials is promoted by bioclimaticBioclimatic designDesign benefiting by their mechanical properties, producing electricityElectricity. The Empathic houseEmpathic house is one of the examples of the future generations. The implementation of some other materialsMaterials such as ETFEETFE in the buildingBuilding envelope in contrast to glassGlass allows the long-waveLong wave penetration inside the building increasing the solar gainSolar gain capacity. The visibility of such materials is still under examination.