Technology, culture and nature combined to improve energy efficiency

RTU’s IESE tackles the challenge of combining technology, culture, and nature in one synergy. In the project “Improvement of building energy efficiency Technologies” focused on the transition from traditional to positive energy block researchers study both existing building stock supporting the Renovation Wave goals and new buildings promoting smarter technologies as well as the use of renewables available on-site.

Work in RTU’s Institute of Energy Systems and Environment always has been focused on human well-being in livable surroundings without compromise to the environment. It should become the new lifestyle.

During the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von den Leyen’s visit to RTU, professor Andra Blumberga highlighted the social acceptance challenges in the energy transition to achieve The Green deal goals. Project “Bridging the Carbon Neutrality Gap in Energy Communities: Social Sciences and Humanities Meet Energy Studies” will study behavior patterns in the decision-making process on issues related to energy efficiency and energy community.  Multi-player games will be created in the project allowing to reveal attitudes to crucial aspects in the energy transition.

Natural thermal insulation

In addition, EC president and Latvia’s prime minister Krišjānis Kariņš was acquainted with the natural thermal insulation material by showing how our communities can reduce the negative impact on the environment by making our living spaces energy efficient. Energy efficiency can be achieved by thermally insulating our living spaces. As at this point fossil or mineral solutions are not an sustainable option anymore, hence we in IESE are working on bio-based thermal insulation material.

In line with the EU Green deal, local bio-resource must be used to produce higher added value materials. Natural thermal insulation material is made from forest logging residues and bio-based binder, as a result is has lower life cycle impact and is easily recyclable at the end of its life. In addition, it has better hydrothermal properties compared to conventional thermal insulation materials. Latvia is looking forward to strengthen the EU bioeconomy with natural thermal insulation material.

Smarter building with biomimetic ideas

For faster decarbonization of building stock, conceptual new ideas are needed on building thermal envelope – what if it could become an active part of building energy balance?  Senior researcher Ruta Vanaga presented dynamic solar façade system developed in Fundamental and applied research project “Smart building envelope with solar Energy storage” funded by the Latvian Science Council. 

Innovative concepts can be borrowed from nature – the idea of this particular solar façade is borrowed from marine mammals that use oily layer of blubber for energy storage and insulation, so that the inner core of the body would keep constant temperature. In dwellings we need the same. A facade module acts as an energy converter – it harvests solar energy available on site, stores it in a phase change material that has significantly higher heat capacity compared to other building materials and releases to indoor space when needed.  Active components adjusting to changes in intensity of solar radiation ensures faster harvesting of solar energy and prevents from heat losses, when solar radiation is not available. Thus, biomimetic ideas can help to create smarter buildings.