Using Electrification and Automation
and other energy-consuming building systems. Embodied
generation and externally generated (sourced) energy. On-site fossil fuel combustion is not prohibited. The total energy consumption must consist of on-site or externally generated renewable energy or carbon offsets. ILFI Zero Energy Certification is the most restrictive standard. It requires on-site renewable sources to supply 100% of the building's energy needs. No combustion is allowed, and certification is based on actual performance; modeling is not allowed. Zero Code specifically targets new commercial, institutional, and mid-to high-rise residential buildings. It defines a zero-carbon building as one that uses no on-site fossil fuels and produces on-site or procures enough of carbon-free renewable energy or carbon credits to meet building operational energy needs. Zero Code also requires that buildings meet the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019 for building efficiency. Zero Code allows the substitution of other energy efficiency standards if they result in equal or greater energy efficiency. LEEDing by example Phoenix Contact recently installed a 961-kilowatt (kW) PV system on the roof of the logistics center on the company's main US campus. The system generates enough power to satisfy about 30% of the facility's energy needs, or the
equivalent energy consumption of about 160 homes per year. The building earned LEED Silver and Zero Energy certifications. The on-site, natural gas-fired 1 MW microturbine cogeneration system was integrated with the PV system. The central energy control system monitors the PV plant's output and the building's energy consumption in real time. The microturbine generator is used when overall energy demand exceeds the PV system's output. There are times when the PV system and the microturbine are used together to provide electricity to the grid through net metering, generating income for the company. The system was designed to reduce natural gas consumption during daylight hours and run the microturbine generator mostly at night, maximizing overall energy efficiency and minimizing overall CO2 generation. On some days, it's possible to reduce natural gas consumption to almost zero. Some statistics of the PV system include: n 2,185 solar panels n 1,214,235 kWh generated annually n 1,939,279 pounds of CO 2 footprint reduction Continuous monitoring and control of individual PV system segments in large installations like this one is necessary to achieve maximum efficiency and availability of power production.
LEED is holistic LEED is a comprehensive system that factors in all elements needed to create high-performance buildings. LEED certifications are based on credits or points awarded to a project using detailed performance criteria. The performance categories and their relative importance (from most- to least important) are 1 : n Reduce contribution to global climate change. n Enhance individual human health. n Protect and restore water resources. n Protect and enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services. n Promote sustainable and regenerative material cycles. n Enhance community quality of life. The most essential criteria, reducing contribution to global climate change, accounts for 35% of all points. The levels of LEED certifications include Certified (40- 49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points), and Platinum (80+ points). In the newest version of LEED, v4.1, most points are related to operational and embodied carbon. Operational carbon is the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions generated by heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting,
Defining zero
Automation needs actionable information Effective automation and control for electrification systems like PV installations requires extensive and actionable information. Real- time monitoring of each string of PV panels maximizes production and supports preventative maintenance. If a string goes down unexpectedly, it could lose thousands of kW of power with corresponding monetary losses. The 961 kW PV system at Phoenix Contact's main US campus includes twelve inverters with six strings of PV panels feeding each inverter, and it incorporates several of the company's products, starting with second-generation EMpro energy meters like the panel mount 2908286. These meters are designed to measure and transmit key energy parameters to cloud- based platforms that support remote monitoring of all the system elements. EMpro energy meters are available for various power system designs, including one-, two- and three-phase installations and configurations. The system monitors numerous system elements and operational conditions in real-time, including: n Inverters are individually monitored for DC input power, AC output power, active and reactive power, faults, and operational status.
Zero energy seems like a straightforward concept, but it has several definitions. The three most cited are the LEED Zero Energy program, International Living Future Institute (ILFI) Zero Energy, and the Zero Code Renewable Energy Procurement Framework (Zero Code) — an initiative of the Architecture 2030 organization that has been adopted as a California building energy standard. There are significant differences in how "zero" is defined. To achieve LEED Zero Energy certification, a building must have an energy balance of zero for 12 months, including on-site
carbon are emissions associated with the production of building materials and building construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building. LEED certification is important for the creation of a greener society. Buildings account for 39% of global CO 2 emissions, with 28% from building operations and 11% from embodied emissions (Figure 2). Since the buildings sector is the most significant contributor to global CO 2 emissions, special programs have also been developed to encourage the development of zero energy buildings.
Other 9%
Building Operations 28%
Industry 30%
Building Materials and Construction 11%
Transportation 22%
Figure 2: Building operations plus materials and construction are major contributors to global CO 2 production. (Image source: new buildings institute)
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