1.

Case study: Choose a real-world industry or commercial establishment and analyse its
energy management practices. Evaluate the effectiveness of its energy-saving initiatives
and propose recommendations for improvement.
Answer:
Suzlon One Earth
Design Approach

Spread over a sprawling 10.5 acres in Pune, the Suzlon One

Earth campus was to be designed as per Sustainable
Building practices. The entire design process of the campus,
for both indoor and outdoor spaces, was to be created in a
manner that would increase sustainability; in other words,
improve the quality of life for Suzlonians while designing
within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems.

The design brief was clear: sustainability was to be the hallmark, and several innovative measures
were successfully adopted to make this campus the greenest in India - both literally and figuratively.
While the low slung campus is outfitted with the latest technology, many elements of it are based on
traditional Indian architecture, such as horizontal louvers that allow the sunlight inside while
keeping the heat and glare outside, thus drastically reducing the need for artificial lighting during
the day time. The roofing design reflects solar radiation, delays heat gains, reduces the heat island
effect and decreases energy loads.

An integrated building management system (IBMS) calculates the use of water and electricity
consumed by each block. Charging points have been provided across the campus to promote the
use of electric vehicles that reduce air pollution. Five percent of parking has been reserved for
carpool users as consistent use of carpools is known to reduce CO 2 emission by 2.8 tons/ year. The
campus represents the company’s core value of sustainability in every aspect of the project.

More than five percent of Suzlon One Earth’s energy requirement is met by the use of renewable
sources; windmills and solar panels with a capacity of 154 kW have been installed on-site.

Electrical Design

The requirements in the electrical design brief were quite clear. What was needed was an electrical
installation which was modular, scalable, flexible and reliable. Each of the office blocks were to be
provided with independent distribution and metering systems. The initial design was for 5600 kVA
connected load and 6000 kVA transformer capacity. However, this was reworked to meet the
company’s initiative towards creating a low energy consumption building, and finally fixed at 3600
kVA with transformer capacity of 4000 kVA.

Value added design solutions like onsite power generation through a windsolar hybrid system, solar
hot water system, and e-vehicle charging facility were integrated into the design. The One Earth
campus generates 154 kW through a combination of windsolar hybrid system and Building
Integrated Photovoltaic panels (BIPV). More than 5% of the project’s energy consumption is met by
renewable sources; windmills and solar panels. A solar water heating system with a capacity of
10,000 liters per day has been installed, saving 135,501 kWh of electricity annually.
Envelope shading and overhangs:

The building
envelope
optimizes the
thermal
performance of
a building. It
reduces the
heat load, and
allows maximum daylight harvesting, thereby reducing the energy requirement of the building. At
One Earth, terraces and pavilions extending out provide shade to the ground floor glass. The first
floor largely extends over the ground, adding to the shaded areas. The most effective shading is
provided by the roof overhangs on the third floor, and external louvers on the first and second floor,
which provide 100% shading.

Efficient lighting design:

One of the key factors to saving energy is making maximum utilization of daylight. The 9 ft. full
height glazing coupled with a narrow floor plate - 79 ft. in general and 59 ft. in the Sun Lounge -
provide tremendous potential for daylight harvesting. This potential has been fully utilized by
nonobtrusive placement of enclosures like conference rooms and the use of intelligent lighting
controls. Approximately 7 ft. wide cutouts all along the periphery and a large one at the center of the
building cut down the need for basement lighting during the daytime.

The lighting system in the interiors is smartly designed by employing dimmable ballasts, electronic
ballasts, occupancy sensors, motion
sensors and daylight sensors. This
ensures that lights get switched on
only when required. The general
lighting level from the ceiling
luminaries is fixed at 350 lux. The
artificial lights can be dimmed up and
down from 0% to 100% depending on
the adequacy of available daylight to
meet the 350 lux requirement. The
task lights have an intelligent built-in
occupancy sensor in conjunction with a continuous dimmer. Lighting of individual offices is
controlled by combined daylight and occupancy sensors.

HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) Systems:

The indoor unit’s cooling operation offers flexibility to the user to control the desired temperature in
any location in the premises according to individual preferences. Controls for switching on or
switching off, scheduling, temperature and air flow are possible for each enclosed space. Such
flexibility of operation based on users’ needs curtails wastage and enables substantially higher
energy savings than conventional systems.

Direct-indirect evaporative cooling: Systems such as Indirect Evaporative Cooling have been used in
short occupancy areas like the café, gym, employee lounge, etc. to help maintain comfortable
temperatures of 25°C and eliminate the need for air conditioners. This has helped reduce the total
air conditioning required for the project by approximately 300 tons.

Jet fans for parking ventilation: As opposed to conventional ducted arrangement, fresh air is drawn
through large openings provided on the periphery
of the basement, and pushed by PLC controlled
dual speed jet fans towards the center of the
basement. The foul air is picked up at 10 locations
and exhausted onto the terrace level by exhaust
fans. The connected load is brought down to 216
kW as opposed to 472 kW expected in
conventional ways. The operation of fans is based
on signals received from CO sensors which act only
when required resulting in further reduction of electrical consumption.

2. Compare and contrast the efficiency of various heat recovery systems, such as heat exchangers,
heat pumps, and cogeneration systems. Discuss the factors that influence the selection of a
suitable heat recovery system for a specific application.

Answer:

Heat recovery systems play a crucial role in maximizing energy efficiency by capturing waste heat
from various processes and utilizing it for useful purposes. Let's compare and contrast the efficiency
of three common heat recovery systems: heat exchangers, heat pumps, and cogeneration systems.

1. Heat Exchangers:

- Efficiency: Heat exchangers are relatively efficient in transferring heat from one fluid to another
without any additional energy input. The efficiency depends on factors such as the design of the
exchanger, the temperature difference between the two fluids, and the flow rates.

- Operation: Heat exchangers operate based on the principle of thermal conduction, where heat is
transferred from the hot fluid to the cold fluid through a conductive barrier.

- Applications: They are commonly used in HVAC systems, industrial processes, and power generation
for preheating air or water, or for cooling purposes.

- Advantages: Simple design, low maintenance, and can be easily integrated into existing systems.

- Limitations: Limited to transferring heat between fluids with compatible properties, and efficiency
decreases with large temperature differences between the fluids.

2. Heat Pumps:

- Efficiency: Heat pumps can achieve high levels of efficiency by transferring heat from a low-
temperature source to a higher-temperature sink using a relatively small amount of external energy.

- Operation: Heat pumps operate on the principle of refrigeration cycle, extracting heat from a low-
temperature source (such as ambient air, water, or ground) and releasing it at a higher temperature.

- Applications: Common applications include space heating, water heating, and refrigeration.

- Advantages: Can provide both heating and cooling, highly efficient under certain conditions
(especially in moderate climates), and can be used for both residential and industrial applications.
- Limitations: Efficiency drops significantly in extreme temperatures, initial installation cost can be
high, and may require regular maintenance.

3. Cogeneration Systems (Combined Heat and Power - CHP):

- Efficiency: Cogeneration systems are highly efficient, often achieving efficiencies above 80% by
simultaneously producing electricity and capturing waste heat for heating or cooling purposes.

- Operation: Cogeneration systems generate electricity through a power generation unit (such as a
gas turbine, steam turbine, or reciprocating engine) while utilizing the waste heat from the
generation process for heating or cooling applications.

- Applications: Widely used in industries, commercial buildings, and district heating systems.

- Advantages: Maximized energy utilization, reduced energy costs, and lower greenhouse gas
emissions compared to separate heat and power generation.

- Limitations: Initial capital investment can be substantial, and suitability depends on the availability
of suitable fuels and the demand for both electricity and heat.

Factors influencing the selection of a suitable heat recovery system for a specific application include-
Temperature requirements: Different systems are suitable for different temperature ranges of waste
heat.

- Energy demand: The magnitude and nature of the energy demand (heating, cooling, or electricity)
influence the choice of system.

- Space constraints: The available space for installation may dictate the type and size of the system.

- Initial investment and operating costs: Budget considerations impact the selection, as some systems
may have higher upfront costs but lower operating costs.

- Environmental considerations: Sustainability goals and emissions regulations may influence the
choice towards more efficient and cleaner systems.

- Integration with existing infrastructure: Compatibility with existing systems and ease of integration
play a role in the selection process.

Ultimately, the optimal heat recovery system for a specific application depends on a careful analysis
of these factors to balance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.