1

Challenging the Orthodoxy of Sustainable Building Design

Paul G Smith, CEO

Part (1): Sustainable building design

► Energy, carbon and ventilation

► Key policy challenges

► Current, regulation-driven thinking

► Limitations of this approach

2

Energy, carbon and ventilation

The facts

► Energy & carbon

Globally, 40% of all energy and 50% of all carbon

emissions are attributed to buildings.

The energy used for air conditioning in torrid climates

can exceed 70% of electricity supply.

► Ventilation

Heavily insulated, air tight buildings with inadequate

ventilation will impact indoor air quality (IAQ).

Excessive outdoor pollution can degrade the health and

well-being of building occupants.

Key policy challenges

Priorities in policy

► The large numbers of existing buildings that pose a

challenge to carbon reduction targets.

► Overcoming inertia, resistance to change and over-

regulation as barriers to innovation.

► Developing measures to accommodate the emerging

3

Current, regulation-driven thinking

‘Business as usual’

► Thick insulation, such as 300mm of mineral wool in

walls to achieve a U-value of 0.15 W/m2K in.

► Additional structural material to accommodate and

support thick insulation.

► Restricting indoor fresh air ventilation to levels that

research has shown to be unhealthy.

► Resorting to massive construction to store heat and

increase thermal inertia.

Limitations of the current approach

The case for change

► High cost of materials and labour.

. . due to thick insulation, heavier structure, etc

► Low floor plate efficiency.

. . an undesirable feature of thick-wall construction

► High embodied energy.

. . linked to greater use of construction materials

► Interstitial condensation.

. . a known risk with thick-wall, tight construction

► Inadequate ventilation, poor IAQ.

. . that can significantly impair occupant health

4

Mohammed Imbabi, CTO

Part (2): A new approach

► The art & science of Dynamic Insulation (DI)

► Dynamic Breathing Building (DBB™) systems

► The Energyflo™ cell – an enabling product

► Summary of the benefits achievable

(outside) (inside)

fabric heat loss

ven

tila

tio

n lo

ad

Conventional wall construction

5

(outside) (inside)

ven

tila

tion

load

heat recovered

to air

fabric heat loss

Dynamic wall construction

Dynamic U-values using Energyflo™ cells in Typical Wall Construction

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.0000 0.0005 0.0010 0.0015 0.0020 0.0025 0.0030 0.0035 0.0040

Airflow velocity (m/s)

U-V

alu

e (

W/m

2.K

)

95mm cell

135mm cell

175mm cell

2007 Building Regulations (Scotland)

2007 Building Regulations (Engand)

2003 Building Regulations (Dubai)

Dynamic U-value

OperatingOperatingrangerange

6

Examples of DBB™ systems

► A multi-functional

product that replaces

conventional wall, roof

and floor insulation in all

building types.

► Transforms the envelope

into a heat exchanger,

fresh air ventilation

source and filter of

airborne pollution.

► Transforms the building

into a sustainable, clean,

energy efficient DBB™.

The Energyflo™ cell

7

Summary of the benefits achievable

Change for the better

► Ultra-low dynamic U-values in thin walls.

. . future-proof compliance without the cost penalty

► Low energy demand for heating and cooling.

. . cuts carbon emissions and whole life costs

► Low mass, high thermal inertia buildings.

. . demand peak shaving to boost energy infrastructure

► Affordable, high performance construction.

. . low carbon building without high add-on costs

► Filtration and good ventilation for improved IAQ.

. . the building envelope as a filter of air pollution

Mohammed Imbabi, CTO

Part (3): Demonstration of the technology

► The Balerno project, City of Edinburgh

► Affordable house design in Scotland

► Cooling mode trials in Abu Dhabi

► The UAE eco-villa project

8

The Balerno project construction phase

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

03/09/200700:00

04/09/200700:00

05/09/200700:00

06/09/200700:00

07/09/200700:00

08/09/200700:00

09/09/200700:00

10/09/200700:00

11/09/200700:00

Time

Tem

pera

ture

(oC

)

outside after insulation attic air

`

Average temperature uplift

5.6°C of 8.8°C

Energy saving over conventional house

16% of total heating load

Post occupancy (Sept 07)

9

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

10/12/200700:00

11/12/200700:00

12/12/200700:00

13/12/200700:00

14/12/200700:00

15/12/200700:00

16/12/200700:00

17/12/200700:00

18/12/200700:00

Time

Tem

pera

ture

(oC

)outside after insulation attic air

`̀̀

Average temperature uplift

5.2°C of 13.0°C

Energy saving over conventional house

10% of total heating load

Post occupancy (Dec 07)

Conclusions (energy)

► The Balerno project has demonstrated the energy-

saving benefits of the DBB™ roof system.

► It has allowed us to assess and quantify these benefits

in the context of a real building.

► The benefits are universal, irrespective of building

element, type or location.

► A spin-off of the project is of a very promising new

technology (heat scoop) for retrofit applications.

10

Measured filtration performance

Nano-Particle Filtration

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Time

Par

ticl

e C

on

cen

trat

ion

(pt/

cc)

supply duct outside

90%Efficiency

► The Energyflo™ cell filters ~90% of fine and nano

particles from ventilation air.

► This is achieved at the ventilation rates required to

maintain a good indoor environment.

► Filtration efficiency in this range is not affected by

geographical location or pollution level.

► The results are in good agreement with theory and

will inform future product development.

Conclusions (filtration)

11

Affordable house design in Scotland

Space heating (07 Regs)

12

Space heating (DBB™ System 2)

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

01-Jan

01-Feb

01-Mar

01-A

pr

01-May

01-Jun

01-Jul

01-Aug

01-Sep

01-Oct

01-Nov

01-Dec

Sp

ace

Hea

t Lo

ad (k

W)

Reduction in peak load

Shortening of the heating season

Target Emissions Rate (TER)

Code for Sustainable Homes, HMG 2007

0 20071 >10%

>14%2 >18%

>22%3 >25%

>31%>37%

4 >44%>52%>60%>69%>79%>89%

Base Standard

DBB™ System 22

DBB™ System 11

TER reductions shown for this house design, relative to

2007 Base Standard, are solely for space heating.

1 House fitted with GCH.

2 House fitted with ASHP.

Other measures3

3 Lighting & water savings.

13

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

DB

B S

yste

m

Co

nve

ntio

nal

Insu

latio

nEm

bo

die

d C

arb

on

in in

sula

tion

(TC

O2)

Embodied carbon reduction

Dynamic Insulation:1.0 Tonnes CO2

Mineral Wool Insulation:6.4 Tonnes CO2

Up-front saving

5.4 Tonnes CO2

NOTE: The estimates of CARBON FREE YEARS of operation relate solely to space heating energy.

Embodied carbon offset

#2 Exhaust Air Heat Pump

5,400 579 9.3 #2 Exhaust Air Heat Pump

5,400 579 9.3

DBB System Heat Source Embodied

Carbon Saving (kgCO

2)

Space Heating Emissions (kgCO

2 pa)

CARBON FREE YEARS

#1 Gas Boiler 5,400 756 7.1

DBB System Heat Source Embodied

Carbon Saving (kgCO

2)

Space Heating Emissions (kgCO

2 pa)

CARBON FREE YEARS

#1 Gas Boiler 5,400 756 7.1

14

Conclusions (carbon)

► 32% reduction in TER (DBB™ System #2).

► 80% reduction in embodied carbon.

► 6% increase in useable floor area.

► Significantly reduced carbon footprint.

► Significantly reduced energy bills.

► Significantly improved IAQ.

Affordable housing development in Orkney

15

Cooling mode trials in Abu Dhabi

Cooling mode thermal performance

Measured Temperatures, 19th September 2006

0

10

20

30

40

50

00:00 06:00 12:00 18:00 00:00

Time (hh:mm)

Tem

pera

ture

(o

C)

Outdoor

Dry Wall

Indoor

16

Predicted benefits

Energyflo™ cells in 25% of the façade would:

► cut a/c plant cost by 3 – 4 times the cost of cells

► significantly reduce the building’s carbon footprint

► significantly reduce the annual energy bill

► payback in less than 3 years as a retrofit

► limit peak demand on the power grid

► dramatically improve IAQ

The UAE eco-villa project

17

Paul G Smith, CEO

Part (4): Mounting the challenge

► The value proposition

► Benefits to all stakeholders

► Our company in brief

The value proposition

DBB™ systems challenge the orthodoxy to:

► significantly reduce energy for heating AND cooling

lowers whole life running costs and reduces carbon emissions

► improve IAQ and boost fresh air ventilation

increases comfort levels and enhances health and well being

► lower carbon footprint at no incremental cost

reduces capital costs and lowers whole life running costs

► lower peak demand and aid supply infrastructure

increases availability, enhances security, reduces fuel poverty

18

Benefits to all stakeholders

Building developers

► Potent carbon reduction strategy.

► Compliance with building regulations for all time.

► Lower construction costs for both plant and materials.

► Higher floor plate efficiency for improved ROI.

► New build | retrofit | refurbishment opportunities.

Benefits to all stakeholders

Owners & occupiers

► Low energy bills for BOTH heating and cooling.

► Low carbon footprint.

► Enhanced indoor air quality.

► Enhanced health and well-being.

► Enhanced asset value.

19

Benefits to all stakeholders

Society at large

► Low energy demand | high energy security.

► Alleviates the threat of fuel poverty.

► Cuts emissions to help the environment.

► Reduces pollution-related health problems.

► More efficient use of generation capacity.

Our company in brief

► Initial route to market through off-site and system

build channel.

► Shipping product to modular house builder for social

housing sector.

► Robust pre-sales support process to deliver optimised

DBB™ systems.

► Strong R&D focus resulting in a robust product

pipeline.

► The eco-villa project in the UAE is our first overseas

DBB™ demonstration project.

20

Our company in brief

► Worldwide patent protection of core EBP Intellectual

Property (IP).

► Circa £1M first round investment completed in

November 2008.

► Strategy in place to evolve integrated low carbon

division.

► MOU in place for a JV manufacturing opportunity with

a concrete SIP manufacturer in the GCC region.

► Further JV possibilities under discussion in the wider

Middle East region.

www.environmental-building.com

Further information

Paul G Smith, CEO Mohammed Imbabi, CTOSandy Brown, Programme Manager