The “Integrated Resource Management in Asian Cities: The Urban Nexus” Project organized an “Energy Efficiency in Buildings” Workshop in Da Nang/Viet Nam, one of the Nexus partner cities between October 13 to 14, 2016.
“Exploring possibilities of cooperation in energy efficiency of buildings and energy plus buildings” is one of the areas Da Nang and the GIZ Nexus Project agreed to collaborate on in the second phase of the project.
Following the successful implementation of the Workshop on Planning Concept of “Nexus Energy Plus Buildings” which took place on August 18 and 19, 2016 in Bangkok/Thailand, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of Da Nang City, who participated actively at the workshop mentioned above, hosted a similar workshop in order to create awareness on the energy saving through energy efficient buildings in Da Nang City.
During the workshop concepts of integrated urban development with innovative engineering technologies, urban planning and architectural competitions, design principles for energy efficient buildings, energy efficient building solutions, thermal insulation of the building envelope, utilization of renewable energies and concrete core cooling were presented. Moreover, Thai and German consultants from Chulalongkorn University/Thailand, EGS Plan Ltd. Co./Thailand and Unexpected Ltd. Co. Consultants/Thailand presented best practice examples of energy efficient buildings realized in Thailand (Thai Health Promotion Office and Energy Plus House of PRUKSA Real Estate Company).
A Vietnamese representative from the FPT Software Corporation of Vietnam gave a presentation on the “FPT Complex”, an example of an IT Building Complex to be implemented near Da Nang.
About forty workshop participants from the public sector as well as from private companies, universities and the architecture association took part in the event participating vividly in the discussion, raising their concerns and giving comments from their perspectives on how to adapt the Energy Efficiency (EE) concepts to the local context of Da Nang.
The Workshop can also be seen in the light of experience sharing between Thailand and Vietnam, both countries located within similar climatic conditions being hot and humid, posing a special challenge to energy efficiency of buildings.
The reduction of the energy consumption of buildings is the basis for the use of renewable energy sources.
Shading is a central aspect to reduce energy consumption of buildings combined with an airtight thermal insulation.
Photovoltaic panels (PV) on roof tops or walls1 help in generating renewable energy, however, the problem of storing energy during night time remains unsolved, as respective batteries are very expensive and their durability is limited. Whenever possibilities of feeding into the electric grid system are given, there is an incentive to install PV2.
It was pointed out, that PV panels have to be cleaned regularly to maintain their energy generating potential.
PV panels can moreover be used for shading at the same time, serving a dual purpose.
The application of concrete core cooling was rather unknown in Da Nang and never used up to date. Concrete core cooling is a method used in Germany and other European countries for cooling as well as for heating purposes by pipes inside the concrete slab through which hot or cold water is flowing. The International Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok for example disposes of a concrete core cooling system for its climate control.
The concrete core cooling/heating systems is characterized by the following parameter:
- Slow cooling process
- Silent
- No draft
- Reliable.
During the discussion on the concrete core cooling systems questions of installation, leakage control, repair and maintenance and pre-treatment of the raw water were raised.
It was recommended to “dig deeper” into concrete core cooling in Vietnam as could be a convenient, energy saving system for buildings in the near future. However, innovation always comes with trial and error – but this is the only way forward generating a learning curve.
The Workshop was completed by forming working groups elaborating on the possibilities of developing a pilot energy efficient settlement on the basis of urban design competition including potential source of investment, possible location for construction, beneficiaries and organizational set-up. Innovative and concrete proposals were developed to be submitted to the Department of Planning and Investment (DPI) and the People’s Committee of Da Nang City for further action.
On October 14 a site visit to the 4th working campus of the FPT Software Corporation in Viet Nam designed to be the largest of the 4 campuses with a total area of 5.9 ha took place. The campus is supposed to be the first project in Viet Nam designed according to Regulation 2013 of the Ministry of Construction as a “green” office. Currently, FPT Complex has completed its first phase accommodating 1,700 employees.
1 Right positioning towards the sun radiation is important.
2 Depending on the feed-in tariff.