ENGG 413 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Main

Topic 4: Sustainable Development and Energy

Green Engineering

Introduction
This lesson discusses the definition of green engineering, and its principles. Green
engineering in building design will be focused, and energy audit will be discussed.

Learning Outcomes

Intended Learning Outcomes 2 and 3 (Syllabus)

ILO 2 - Identify the various effects of environmental pollution and describe the engineer's role in the
manipulation of materials and resources.
ILO 3 - Select appropriate design treatment schemes and efficient safety measures for waste disposal
and explain their effect if implemented in the community and in the workplace.

Topic Outcomes:
• Solve the electricity and water consumption reduction using different green engineering
practices

Green Engineering

On a typical day, what are the activities that you do that use energy and water? How about
resources? Can you have a day without using any of the three?

These are essentials and we cannot avoid using them. However, due to depleting resources,
we, as engineers, scientists and professionals must learn to design systems, operations and
structures in which people can reduce their resource usage even without them knowing.

So, what is green engineering?

According to EPA (2017), green engineering is the “design, commercialization, and use of
processes and products that minimize pollution, promote sustainability, and protect human
health without sacrificing economic viability and efficiency.”

In this module, we will focus on green engineering applied to buildings.

Energy Flows

In order to understand one of the concepts in green engineering used in designing buildings
and products, it is important to understand energy flows.

Principles of heat transfer

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Heat can be transferred into or out of a system and work can be done on or by a system, but a
system cannot contain or store heat or work,

The transfer of energy as heat is always from the higher-temperature medium to the lower-
temperature one. Moreover, heat transfer stops when the 2 mediums reach the same
temperature.

Three types of heat transfer:

1. Conduction - energy transfer from the more energetic particles to the adjacent less energetic
ones, by direct contact

2. Convection - transfer between a solid surface and the adjacent liquid or gas that is in motion

3. Radiation - energy emitted in the form of magnetic waves

"Radiation Conduction Convection" by Stephen Lower is licensed under CC BY 3.0

This knowledge wherein heat is transferred is the basis of many technologies in

conserving energy in a building.

Thermal insulation

Thermal insulation is one application of the reduction of heat transfer from one surface to
another. Here, the heat or coldness of an object is being trapped using an insulating
material.

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Radiant insulation uses materials with low emissivity

values (aluminum) to reduce radiant heat transfer. Like
used in the gyms, radiant barriers are combined with
convective (thermal) insulation for increased energy
efficiency.

Source: Fairconditioning, 2017

Standard insulation materials are not as effective in

reducing radiant heat transfer, which is the primary mode of heat transfer in buildings in the
tropics. However, there are other ways to feel cooler inside a building. Aluminum foil under the
roof prevents up to 97% of the radiant heat. Radiant barrier is a highly reflective, low emitting
material installed at the underside surface of the roof deck. Other insulating materials are:
rockwool, foam, laminated aluminum foil.

Thermal comfort

- A subjective measure of comfortability of a person in terms of the thermal properties of

the surroundings (ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55).
- Parameters:
a. Humidity
b. Air Velocity
c. Clothing insulation
d. Metabolic Heat (activity)
e. Air temperature
f. Radiant temperature (surfaces around)
- The easiest way to achieve thermal comfort is to appropriate one's clothing to the
surroundings. However, this will not always be achievable, especially in functions with
dress codes. One tip is to loosen them up. In Japan, for example, “casual look” for
working clothes replaced black suits and was backed up by their Environment Ministry to
deal with the heat instead of using air conditioning(AC) (Lim, 2011). It was projected to
save 10% of the electricity bill.
- However putting ACs in every corner is not sustainable. To minimize this, parameters b,
e and f can be controlled by the design of the building.
- In the Philippine setting, Zero Carbon Resorts Director Dr. Wimmer pointed out that
we’ve been designing our houses to our maximum thermal comfort all along.

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- In our typical bahay kubo, we have long eaves to shade us from the sun; we use large
windows in every wall to give way for air to pass through. Thatched roofing and shade
from trees are used to reduce radiation from the sun. The house is on stilts for flood
protection and for ventilation.

Source: Zimmer, et al., 2015

With these techniques, they made a modern version of our bahay kubo in Palawan.

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Topic 4: Sustainable Development and Energy

Made with bamboo for the walls and anahaw for the roofing, cured to have longer lifespan, this
installation is open for all guests and is made to be off-the-grid. It has solar panels for the
electricity; solar tubes for illuminating the living room during daytime, low hp ceiling fan, and
solar thermal heater for peanut oil used as cooking fuel. Water comes from rainwater collector
with filtering system.

In general, the graph below can be used to modify the air temperature depending on the
humidity of the surroundings (Zimmer, et al., 2015):

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Topic 4: Sustainable Development and Energy

So, in designing house/building:

- Minimizing solar heating of the buildings

- Maximizing the rate of natural (passive) cooling
- *note: Do not forget this in your Project 2 designs

To prevent heat, we can use any or all of the following:

● Shading
● Reflection
● Insulation

To mitigate or reduce heat, we can use the following::

● Ventilation
● Evaporation
● Heat sinks

Design possibilities:

Building layout

•Orientation of the main rooms and the openings - e.g. you do not want your room to be
facing west because this direction receives most of the sunlight, thus the heat. Windows should
also face north and south. If this is unavoidable, make sure to use awnings or shading to your
windows.

•Size and details of openings and walls - Windows facing east and west should be smaller
than those facing north and south. They should also be placed to maximize the airflow at body
level. Louvers are effective for directing airflow as well as keeping out direct sunlight. Window to
wall ratio must be 10-30% in bedrooms and 20-30% in living rooms. Also, tint used in car
windows can also be used in window buildings.

•Provision of verandas and balconies - These, with plants placed in the structure, can divert
heat, thus lessening what will enter the room or building.

•Roof type and details - The trend now in roofing is covering parts of it with vegetation,
reducing the urban heat island effect (Sunlight hitting concrete surfaces produces hotter
surroundings than when it hits vegetation, making one increase their AC electric consumption.

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ACs release heat outside the building, making the outside surroundings hotter, thus creating a
vicious cycle). If that’s not possible, reflective insulation, 30-45 degrees roof pitch, and/or
thatched or clay roofs can be used.

•Zoning and space planning - Wind direction and positioning of structures are important
considerations in green engineering. For example, because it is not considered in Manila, thus
the air coming from exhausts of vehicles is circulating in one area because the buildings are
preventing it from escaping. Moreover, fresh air cannot easily pass through these structures,
making the air more polluted.

Air flows

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Source: https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/6431909_f1024.jpg

Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/14/bf/2114bf1719d66295fe5a09a754ee340f.jpg

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Shading and Ventilation

Utilize wind from east, with openings facing north and south (sun protection)

•Minimize wall surface and windows on east and west side

•Extend balcony and trees, climbing plants on east and west side
• Hot air between roof and radiant barrier has to be removed
• Below shows the percentage of sunlight entering a room with or without protection:
Without protection 100%
Foils 40 – 70%
Sunblind 50%
Shutter 30%
Roof 30%
Awning 40% – 50%

Source: Wimmer et al., 2015

Source: Wimmer et al., 2015

Evaporation

- Traditional passive cooling method:

- Cooling by evaporation
- Fountains

Roof color

- About 10% AC electricity savings can be achieved with proper roof color, i.e. use lighter
colors such as white and cream.

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Source: Wimmer et al., 2015

Conclusion

•Lighter colours can prevent up to 50% of radiant energy

•Insulation of the roof

•Radiant barriers can help to reduce radiant heat gain

•Shading of walls and windows

•Natural ventilation (breezeways)

Day lighting techniques

1. Windows
○ Most common way
○ combination with a light colored wall increases the amount of light available from
a window.
○ Clerestory windows and Vertical windows

2. Light shelves
○ Placing a white or reflective metal light shelf placed to reflect light to upper
surfaces
○ Effective way to enhance the lighting from windows
○ Combine with a projecting eave to protect windows from direct sun.

3. Solar tubes
○ Placing a white or reflective metal light shelf placed to reflect light to upper

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surfaces
○ Effective way to enhance the lighting from windows
○ Combine with a projecting eave to protect windows from direct sun.

Carbon Footprint
● Carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases emitted that one is responsible for,
expressed in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2e).
● Why CO2? Methane is 21 times better at absorbing the sun’s energy than CO2 and N2O is
about 300 times more effective than CO2.
But CO2 is more abundant.
● From Kyoto Protocol Computations:
Carbon Dioxide = 1 CO2e
Methane, CH4 = 21 CO2e
Nitrous Oxide, N2O = 310 CO2e
Other Gases – HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 = range 600 – 23900x CO2e
Recommendation: Measure emissions from the six GHGs covered by the Kyoto Protocol
where relevant for you
● In our scale, these are the kg CO2 (University of Exeter, 2015):
○ Electricity: 0.5 kg CO2 per kWh
○ Diesel: 2.68 kg CO2 per L
○ Gasoline: 2.31 kg CO2 per :
○ LPG: 1.51 kg CO2 per L
■ Current and avoided Emissions may be computed using this
● Guidelines for computation:
○ Location-dependent, e.g. electricity cost may be different in Luzon vs Visayas
○ Size-dependent, e.g. different rooms may have different consumption
○ Assumption of values must be realistic, e.g. research may be needed
○ May contain margin of error
○ There is no constant equation
● Energy savings may be computed in this manner (unit=kWh/yr):

Energy savings = power * % savings * time of use * rate of usage/year *

(number of rooms/units)

Energy Audit
- systematic approach for decision-making in the area of energy management.
- attempts to balance the total energy inputs with its use, and serves to identify all
the energy streams in a facility.

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- Verification, monitoring, and analysis of use of energy accompanied by

recommendations for improving energy efficiency with a cost benefit analysis and
an action plan to reduce energy consumption.
- Three phases: pre-audit, audit, and post-audit

Steps for a Detailed Energy Audit (Zimmer, et al., 2015)

Step Action Purpose

1 Phase 1 - Pre-Audit Resource planning; establish an energy audit

- Plan and organize team
- Walk-through audit Organize time frame
- Informal interviews with Familiarization of the subject activities
technical staff and First-hand observation & assessment of current
supervisor level operation and practices
Calculation of kWh consumption/m2/yr
Calculation of individual facility occupancy:
m2/person
Calculate lighting: watts/m2
Building, doors and windows orientation
(windows facing west and east most likely to get
hotter due to sunlight)
Check roof and wall finish, color and insulation
Check shades, overhangs, fins

2 Conduct briefing/awareness Building up cooperation

session with all concerned Awareness creation
(1-2 hrs) Document acquisition - building layout,
electricity and water distribution, permits,
among others

3 Phase 2 - Audit Historic data analysis; baseline data collection

Primary data gathering Potential for fuel substitution, process
modifications, use of combined heat and power
generation
Energy Management procedures currently done

4 Conduct survey and monitoring Measurements: motor survey, insulation and

lighting survey
Confirm and compare actual operating data with
design data

5 Conduct detailed trials and Trials:

experiments - 24-hr power monitoring (maximum
demand, peak factor, kWh)

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- Load variation trends in pumps, fans,

compressors, etc.)
- Equipment performance

6 Analysis of energy use Energy balance & energy loss

Waste analysis

7 Set up a sustainability strategy Identification and consolidation of energy

8 Cost-benefit analysis Identify the most appropriate sustainable energy

technologies
Review ideas suggested by personnel and
preliminary energy audit
Use brainstorming and value analysis
techniques
Canvass for more efficient technology

9 Reporting and presenting to top Report presentation to top management mainly

management for administrative and financial support

10 Phase 3 - Post-Audit Assist and implement energy conservation

Implementation and follow-up measures and monitor performance
Action plan, schedule for implementation
Follow-up and periodic review

Energy audit and Reporting

For an organized presentation of the report of findings and recommendations, here is
an example layout (Zimmer, et al., 2015):

Type of Resource- Cost and Potenti Addition Ease of Stat

Saving Options Benefit al al implementati us
Analysis Benefits on
Annual
(Computatio Saving
n of s
Savings)

A No investment to low investment (immediate)

1
(Example) The amount of Assuming Easy
electricity 10 PHP
Provide proper savings by per kWh:
labelling of all sealing of gaps Monetary
switches to avoid can be up to savings =
confusion when 10%. Assuming 10 PHP *

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lighting up specific 1HP A/C is 35,942.28

areas. This is a used: Electricity kWh/yr =
simple but savings = (1.0 PHP
effective way to hp * 0.746 359,422.8
increase the kW/hp) * 10% 0/yr
lifespan of the savings * (12
lighting bulbs and h/day * 365
save energy. (A) days/yr) * 70%
occupancy rate *
110 AC units =
35,942.28
kWh/yr

Avoided
emissions =
17,971.14 kg
CO2

B Medium investment (short to medium term)

(Example) Low
1
Consider to install The amount of Assuming wattage Easy
a ceiling/wall fan in electricity 10 PHP per ceiling fans
all rooms to savings by kWh: are
circulate cool air providing ceiling Monetary available
inside and to fans to circulate savings = which
reduce the working cool air is at 10 PHP * consumes
load of the AC least 10%. 25,159.60 5-18 watts
units. (B) Assuming 1 HP kWh/yr = only.
A/C is used: PHP 251,
595.96/yr
Electricity
savings = (1 hp
*0.746 kW/hp) *
10% savings *
(12 h/day * 365
days/yr) * 70%
occupancy rate *
58 rooms =
13,265.97
kWh/yr

Avoided
emissions =
12,579.80 kg
CO2

C High investment (long term)

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1
(Example) Higher Easy to
efficiencies moderate
In the future, mean
replace damaged moderate
or destroyed consumption
pumps with high and with
efficiency motors sufficient
(HEMs). Highly quality output.
efficient motors
are usually
labelled with IEC
marks. (C)

References

Anastas, P.T., and Zimmerman, J.B., (2003)"Design through the Twelve Principles of Green
Engineering", Env. Sci. and Tech., 37, 5, 94A-101A.

Fairconditioning. (n.d.). Radiant Barriers. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from Fair
Conditioning: http://fairconditioning.org/knowledge/passive-design/radiant-barriers/

Lim, L. (2011, June 9). Japanese Told To Beat The Heat With Hawaiian Shirts. Retrieved
July 25, 2020, from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2011/06/09/137009383/japanese-told-to-
beat-the-heat-with-hawaiian-shirts
Lower, S. (2018). "Radiation Conduction Convection" by Stephen Lower is licensed under
CC BY 3.0 http://www.chem1.com/acad/webtext/pre/pre-3.html

University of Exeter. (2015, January 22). Calculation of CO2 emissions, Retrieved from:
https://people.exeter.ac.uk/TWDavies/energy_conversion/Calculation%20of%20CO2%20emissi
ons%20from%20fuels.htm

US EPA. (2017). Green Engineering Retrieved August 3, 2020, from EPA:

https://www.epa.gov/green-engineering.

Zimmer et al. (2015) Zero Carbon Resorts for Sustainable Tourism Training Manual (Reduce),
Manila.

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