By Andy Walker, Jennifer Scheib, Craig Turchi, RobiRobichaud, Gregg Tomberlin, Kari Burman, Michael Hillesheim, BenKroposki, Ming Qu

Technologies for Sustainable Life (TSL) – ConciseMonograph Series

ASME’s Technologies for Sustainable Life (TSL) is a series ofconcise and timely monographs exploring the interface betweenengineering and the environmental sustainability agenda. The seriesadopts a broad base examining fundamental principles and paradigmsbefore a contextual exploration of ecosystems and resources,sustainable manufacturing, energy technology, environmentalpollution and finally aspects of environmental governance. Eachmonograph is written by leading experts in their field and examinesthe relationship and contributions of engineering to the topic ofstudy. As a series, TSL addresses a long-awaited niche inengineering publishing, providing in-depth discussions ofenvironmental significance set within a technology, economic andpolicy context.

ABSTRACT
Energy efficiency measures are generally less expensivethan a renewable energy (RE) system to provide the same amount ofenergy saved.  The Energy Information Administration reportsthat, on average, a dollar spent on efficiency saves $2 off thecost of a renewable energy system to provide the same amount ofenergy [IEA, 2011].  But as the saying goes “you can’t saveyourself rich” and having installed sophisticated controls andefficient systems, we need some source of energy to powerthem.  On-site renewable energy systems offer severaladvantages, especially when operated in concert with a largerutility system.  The main reasons to consider RE iscost-effectiveness, but other reasons are as diverse as: reductionof atmospheric emissions; compliance with regulations requiring RE;enhanced reliability through redundant energy supply; abate risksrelated to fuel availability and cost, or risk of fuel-spillsduring delivery; score points in a sustainability rating; or as amitigation measure in a larger environmental-permittingprocess.

Renewable energy technologies used on buildings includedaylighting; solar photovoltaics; solar water heating; solarventilation air preheating; passive solar heating and cooling loadavoidance; wind power; biomass heat (or cogeneration as discussedin Chapter 8); anaerobic digestion of waste; and geothermalheat.  Ground source heat pumps are also often considered,in-part, RE systems.  Daylighting and the envelope measures(passive heating and cooling) are often considered efficiencymeasures, but daylighting is a direct and obvious use of solarenergy in buildings, and photovoltaics (PV), Solar Water Heatingand Solar Ventilation Air preheating are technologies to consideron any building project.  We even consider an example ofhydroelectric power on the water supply to a building.

We cover the operating principle of each type of system, listcomponents and provide schematic diagram of how components areassembled into systems; provide information for cost estimate andlife cycle cost calculation, describe how system size may beoptimized to minimize life cycle cost, and we stress the importanceof operations and maintenance (O&M) over a long performanceperiod.  Significant emphasis is placed on integration of REinto the conventional utility system, at both the site level andfrom the perspective of the larger utility system, so that savingsdue to the RE may be realized without compromising the reliabilityof the system.  Case studies are presented to exemplifyapplication of each technology.

Hardcover