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The worldwide electricity supply network has recently experienced a huge rate of solar photovoltaic penetration. Grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems range from smaller custom built-in arrays to larger utility power plants. When the size and share of PV systems in the energy mix increases, the operational complexity and reliability of grid stability also increase. The growing concern about PV plants compared to traditional power plants is the dispersed existence of PV plants with millions of generators (PV panels) spread over kilometers, which increases the possibility of faults occurring and associated risk. As a result, a robust fault diagnosis and mitigation framework remain a key component of PV plants. Various fault monitoring and diagnostic systems are currently being used, defined by calculation of electrical parameters, extracted electrical parameters, artificial intelligence, and thermography. This article explores existing PV fault diagnostic systems in a detailed way and addresses their possible merits and demerits.
Qamar Navid; Ahmed Hassan; Abbas Ahmad Fardoun; Rashad Ramzan; Abdulrahman Alraeesi. Fault Diagnostic Methodologies for Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plants: A State of the Art Review. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1629 .
AMA StyleQamar Navid, Ahmed Hassan, Abbas Ahmad Fardoun, Rashad Ramzan, Abdulrahman Alraeesi. Fault Diagnostic Methodologies for Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plants: A State of the Art Review. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):1629.
Chicago/Turabian StyleQamar Navid; Ahmed Hassan; Abbas Ahmad Fardoun; Rashad Ramzan; Abdulrahman Alraeesi. 2021. "Fault Diagnostic Methodologies for Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plants: A State of the Art Review." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 1629.
Solar thermal-powered desiccant dehumidification systems are attracting attention for cooling load-dominated climates. However, their performance varies substantially from place to place depending on climatic conditions, which therefore warrants a tailored design and specification at each geographical location. The current article attempted to investigate the feasibility of extending an existing solar thermal system in a school building in Abu Dhabi to provide dehumidification for the existing air condition system through a desiccant system. The system performance was predicted through a Transient System (TRNSYS) Simulation model to determine the energy savings achieved by the solar-assisted dehumidification system. The current articles determined the effect of fluid flow rate, solar radiation concentration, and heat exchanger effectiveness at the dehumidification of the fresh air as well as energy saved by the proposed system. It was concluded that the system can remove 35% moisture from the air, simultaneously saving 10% of the building’s energy. The system cost and benefit analysis revealed a payback period of 7.5 years, considered slightly higher for an attractive investment in such systems.
Kheira Aoul; Ahmad Hasan; Joud Dakheel. Assessment of Solar Dehumidification Systems in a Hot Climate. Sustainability 2020, 13, 277 .
AMA StyleKheira Aoul, Ahmad Hasan, Joud Dakheel. Assessment of Solar Dehumidification Systems in a Hot Climate. Sustainability. 2020; 13 (1):277.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKheira Aoul; Ahmad Hasan; Joud Dakheel. 2020. "Assessment of Solar Dehumidification Systems in a Hot Climate." Sustainability 13, no. 1: 277.
In this study, a novel porous geopolymer mortar (GP) was produced and tested experimentally. Industrial waste materials/by-products were used as constituents of the GP, along with dune sand. One sample was produced as a control sample for benchmarking. For the rest of the samples, 15%, 30%, and 45% by volume, the solid constituents were replaced with expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) beads. These mortar samples were heat cured to depolymerize the EPS to cause porosity inside the samples. Indoor experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of produced porous GP to high heat flux. The porous samples were able to reduce heat transmission across the opposite surfaces. Induced porosity resulted in a decrement in compressive strength from 77.2 MPa for the control sample to 15.8 MPa for 45% porous sample. However, the limit lies within the standards for partitioning walls in buildings and pavements in urban areas to absorb rainwater.
Ghulam Qadir; Yasir Rashid; Ahmed Hassan; Esmaou Mahmoud Vall; Shamsa Saleh; Khadega Salim. Development and Mechanical Testing of Porous-Lightweight Geopolymer Mortar. Buildings 2020, 11, 1 .
AMA StyleGhulam Qadir, Yasir Rashid, Ahmed Hassan, Esmaou Mahmoud Vall, Shamsa Saleh, Khadega Salim. Development and Mechanical Testing of Porous-Lightweight Geopolymer Mortar. Buildings. 2020; 11 (1):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGhulam Qadir; Yasir Rashid; Ahmed Hassan; Esmaou Mahmoud Vall; Shamsa Saleh; Khadega Salim. 2020. "Development and Mechanical Testing of Porous-Lightweight Geopolymer Mortar." Buildings 11, no. 1: 1.
Dust accumulation on the photovoltaic (PV) surface decreases the solar radiation penetration to the PV cells and, eventually, the power production from the PV system. To prevent dust-based power losses, PV systems require frequent cleaning, the frequency of which depends on the geographical location, PV integration scheme, and scale of the PV power plant. This study aims to measure the drop-in radiation intensity, as well as power output, due to dust and to determine the optimal time interval for PV cleaning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) climate. In this research, a dusting study experiment was carried out at the Renewable Energy Laboratory, Falaj Hazza Campus, UAE University, Al Ain, UAE, for 3.5 months, from 22 April 2018 to 7 August 2018. To measure the pure radiation losses caused by the dust, four transparent glasses were used to mimic the top glass cover of the PV modules. The dusting induced power losses were measured for four selected PV cleaning frequencies (10 days, 20 days, 1 month, and 3 months). This study revealed that up to 13% of power losses occurred in PV panels that remained dusty for 3 months, compared to panels that were cleaned daily. PV cleaning after 15 days brought the losses down to 4%, which was found the most feasible time for PV cleaning in this study, considering a reasonable balance between the cleaning cost and energy wasted due to soiling.
Ali Shah; Ahmed Hassan; Mohammad Laghari; Abdulrahman Alraeesi. The Influence of Cleaning Frequency of Photovoltaic Modules on Power Losses in the Desert Climate. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9750 .
AMA StyleAli Shah, Ahmed Hassan, Mohammad Laghari, Abdulrahman Alraeesi. The Influence of Cleaning Frequency of Photovoltaic Modules on Power Losses in the Desert Climate. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (22):9750.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAli Shah; Ahmed Hassan; Mohammad Laghari; Abdulrahman Alraeesi. 2020. "The Influence of Cleaning Frequency of Photovoltaic Modules on Power Losses in the Desert Climate." Sustainability 12, no. 22: 9750.
The share of photovoltaic (PV) power generation in the energy mix is increasing at a rapid pace with dramatically increasing capacity addition through utility-scale PV power plants globally. As PV plants are forecasted to be a major energy generator in the future, their reliable operation remains of primary concern due to a possibility of faults in a tremendously huge number of PV panels involved in power generation in larger plants. The precise detection of nature and the location of the faults along with a prompt remedial mechanism is deemed crucial for smoother power plant operation. The existing fault diagnostic methodologies based on thermal imaging of the panels as well as electrical parameters through inverter possess certain limitations. The current article deals with a novel fault diagnostic technique based on PV panel electrical parameters and junction temperatures that can precisely locate and categorize the faults. The proposed scheme has been tested on a 1.6 kW photovoltaic system for short circuit, open circuit, grounding, and partial shading faults. The proposed method showed improved accuracy compared to thermal imaging on panel scale fault detection, offering a possibility to adapt to the PV plant scale.
Qamar Navid; Ahmed Hassan; Abbas Ahmad Fardoun; Rashad Ramzan. An Online Novel Two-Layered Photovoltaic Fault Monitoring Technique Based Upon the Thermal Signatures. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9607 .
AMA StyleQamar Navid, Ahmed Hassan, Abbas Ahmad Fardoun, Rashad Ramzan. An Online Novel Two-Layered Photovoltaic Fault Monitoring Technique Based Upon the Thermal Signatures. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (22):9607.
Chicago/Turabian StyleQamar Navid; Ahmed Hassan; Abbas Ahmad Fardoun; Rashad Ramzan. 2020. "An Online Novel Two-Layered Photovoltaic Fault Monitoring Technique Based Upon the Thermal Signatures." Sustainability 12, no. 22: 9607.
The green building rating system within the sustainability framework of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Pearl Rating System (PRS), similar to most international rating systems such as LEED, considers several strategies, regulations, and policies to improve the energy and water performance in buildings. However, the applicability of considering water as part of energy or the fact that the utilization of energy mandates the usage of water seems unexplored and is not yet included in any of the existing building rating systems. A unified approach of water and energy resources is thus vital for future considerations in energy policy, planning, and the inclusion of the same in the sustainability rating systems. This paper investigated, as a case study, the prospects of water–energy nexus in the prevailing UAE green building rating system—PRS—to uncover whether any water conservation strategy has an adverse effect on energy and vice versa. The review revealed that the major shortcomings of the PRS in terms of water–energy nexus strategy are the usage of reference codes that are not suitable for the UAE’s climate and geographical conditions, inexistent synergy between some credit categories, the oversight of rebound effects, and a need for credit reassessment. The paper also recommends that any proposed strategy to realign credit categories in terms of the water–energy nexus with the potential risk to also have a hidden negative rebound effect that researchers and practitioners should identify lest the water–energy tradeoff brings unprecedented repercussions. The theoretical analysis establishes that the bifurcating management of water and energy in the sustainability rating system and energy policy needs to be revisited in order to reap more sustainable and optimum results that are environmentally, ecologically, and financially consistent.
Reshna Raveendran; Ahmed Hassan; Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul. Diagnoses for Potential Enaction of Water–Energy Nexus in Green Building Rating Systems: Case Study of the Pearl Rating System of United Arab Emirates. Energies 2020, 13, 5284 .
AMA StyleReshna Raveendran, Ahmed Hassan, Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul. Diagnoses for Potential Enaction of Water–Energy Nexus in Green Building Rating Systems: Case Study of the Pearl Rating System of United Arab Emirates. Energies. 2020; 13 (20):5284.
Chicago/Turabian StyleReshna Raveendran; Ahmed Hassan; Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul. 2020. "Diagnoses for Potential Enaction of Water–Energy Nexus in Green Building Rating Systems: Case Study of the Pearl Rating System of United Arab Emirates." Energies 13, no. 20: 5284.
This paper investigated the impact of the changes of thermal conductivity of an expanded polystyrene insulation layer embedded in a typical residential building on the cooling effect at different temperatures and moisture contents. The simulation was performed using expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the extremely hot conditions of Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates, UAE) at different levels of density, denoted as low density LD (12 kg/m3), high density HD (20 kg/m3), ultra-high density UHD (30 kg/m3), and super-high density SHD (35 kg/m3), and three moisture content levels (10%, 20%, and 30%), compared to dry LD insulation material. The thermal performance of the building incorporating polystyrene with variable thermal conductivity (λ-value) was compared to one with a constant thermal conductivity by assessing the additional cooling demand and capacity due to the λ-relationship with time, using e-quest as a building energy analysis tool. The results showed that, when the λ-value was modeled as a function of operating temperature, its effect on the temperature profile during daytime was significant compared with the use of a constant λ-value. The monthly energy consumption for cooling required by the building was found to be higher in the case of variable thermal conductivity for the LD sample. The yearly average change in space cooling demand and cooling capacity when employing polystyrenes with constant and variable thermal conductivity increased with the increase of the moisture content. Indeed, the highest changes in cooling demand and capacity were 6.5% and 8.8% with 30% moisture content polystyrene.
Maatouk Khoukhi; Shaimaa Abdelbaqi; Ahmed Hassan. Yearly Energy Performance Assessment of Employing Expanded Polystyrene with Variable Temperature and Moisture–Thermal Conductivity Relationship. Materials 2019, 12, 3000 .
AMA StyleMaatouk Khoukhi, Shaimaa Abdelbaqi, Ahmed Hassan. Yearly Energy Performance Assessment of Employing Expanded Polystyrene with Variable Temperature and Moisture–Thermal Conductivity Relationship. Materials. 2019; 12 (18):3000.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaatouk Khoukhi; Shaimaa Abdelbaqi; Ahmed Hassan. 2019. "Yearly Energy Performance Assessment of Employing Expanded Polystyrene with Variable Temperature and Moisture–Thermal Conductivity Relationship." Materials 12, no. 18: 3000.
The fluctuating nature of power produced by renewable energy sources results in a substantial supply and demand mismatch. To curb the imbalance, energy storage systems comprising batteries and supercapacitors are widely employed. However, due to the variety of operational conditions, the performance prediction of the energy storage systems entails a substantial complexity that leads to capacity utilization issues. The current article attempts to precisely predict the performance of a lithium-ion battery and capacitor/supercapacitor under dynamic conditions to utilize the storage capacity to a fuller extent. The grey box modeling approach involving the chemical and electrical energy transfers/interactions governed by ordinary differential equations was developed in MATLAB. The model parameters were extracted from experimental data employing regression techniques. The state-of-charge (SoC) of the battery was predicted by employing the extended Kalman (EK) estimator and the unscented Kalman (UK) estimator. The model was eventually validated via loading profile tests. As a performance indicator, the extended Kalman estimator indicated the strong competitiveness of the developed model with regard to tracking of the internal states (e.g., SoC) which have first-order nonlinearities.
Qamar Navid; Ahmed Hassan. An Accurate and Precise Grey Box Model of a Low-Power Lithium-Ion Battery and Capacitor/Supercapacitor for Accurate Estimation of State-of-Charge. Batteries 2019, 5, 50 .
AMA StyleQamar Navid, Ahmed Hassan. An Accurate and Precise Grey Box Model of a Low-Power Lithium-Ion Battery and Capacitor/Supercapacitor for Accurate Estimation of State-of-Charge. Batteries. 2019; 5 (3):50.
Chicago/Turabian StyleQamar Navid; Ahmed Hassan. 2019. "An Accurate and Precise Grey Box Model of a Low-Power Lithium-Ion Battery and Capacitor/Supercapacitor for Accurate Estimation of State-of-Charge." Batteries 5, no. 3: 50.
Maatouk Khoukhi; Ahmed Hassan; Shaimaa Abdelbaqi. The Effect of Temperature and Moisture Variation on the Heat Transfer Through Building Envelope. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Civil, Structural and Transportation Engineering (ICCSTE'19) 2019, 1 .
AMA StyleMaatouk Khoukhi, Ahmed Hassan, Shaimaa Abdelbaqi. The Effect of Temperature and Moisture Variation on the Heat Transfer Through Building Envelope. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Civil, Structural and Transportation Engineering (ICCSTE'19). 2019; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaatouk Khoukhi; Ahmed Hassan; Shaimaa Abdelbaqi. 2019. "The Effect of Temperature and Moisture Variation on the Heat Transfer Through Building Envelope." Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Civil, Structural and Transportation Engineering (ICCSTE'19) , no. : 1.
Skylights and windows are building openings that enhance human comfort and well-being in various ways. Recently, a massive drive is witnessed to replace traditional openings with building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems to generate power in a bid to reduce buildings’ energy. The problem with most of the BIPV glazing lies in the obstruction of occupants’ vision of the outdoor view. In order to resolve this problem, new technology has emerged that utilizes quantum dots semiconductors (QDs) in glazing systems. QDs can absorb and re-emit the incoming radiation in the desired direction with the tunable spectrum, which renders them favorable for building integration. By redirecting the radiation towards edges of the glazing, they can be categorized as luminescent solar concentrators (QD-LSCs) that can help to generate electricity while maintaining transparency in the glazing. The aim of this paper is to review the different properties of core/shell quantum dots and their potential applications in buildings. Literature from various disciplines was reviewed to establish correlations between the optical and electrical properties of different types, sizes, thicknesses, and concentration ratios of QDs when used in transparent glazing. The current article will help building designers and system integrators assess the merits of integrating QDs on windows/skylights with regards to energy production and potential impact on admitted daylighting and visual comfort.
Amira R. Abouelhamd; Khaled A. Al-Sallal; Ahmed Hassan. Review of Core/Shell Quantum Dots Technology Integrated into Building’s Glazing. Energies 2019, 12, 1058 .
AMA StyleAmira R. Abouelhamd, Khaled A. Al-Sallal, Ahmed Hassan. Review of Core/Shell Quantum Dots Technology Integrated into Building’s Glazing. Energies. 2019; 12 (6):1058.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmira R. Abouelhamd; Khaled A. Al-Sallal; Ahmed Hassan. 2019. "Review of Core/Shell Quantum Dots Technology Integrated into Building’s Glazing." Energies 12, no. 6: 1058.
The thermal and structural performance of geopolymer-coated polyurethane foam⁻phase change material capsules/geopolymer concrete composites was investigated. Three groups of concrete composites were prepared. The first was pure geopolymer (GP, control sample), the second was a GP/polyurethane foam (F) concrete composite, and the third was GP-coated polyurethane foam-phase change material capsules (GP-F-PCM)/GP concrete composites. Three different percentages of foam and GP-F-PCM capsules (25%, 50%, and 75%) were used in the composites. Thermal and U-value tests were conducted for all composites to characterize their peak temperature damping and insulation performances. The addition of 75% foam has been noticed to increase the back-surface temperature by 5.9 °C compared to the control sample. This may be attributed to the degradation of foam into low molecular constituents in the presence of a strong alkali. However, a temperature drop of 12.5 °C was achieved by incorporating 75% of GP-F-PCM capsules. The addition of 50% foam as a sandwich layer between two halves of a geopolymer concrete cube is also investigated. It was found that inserting a foam layer reduced the back-surface temperature by 3.3 °C, which is still less than the reduction in the case of GP-F-PCM capsules. The compressive strength was tested to check the integrity of the prepared concrete. At 28 days of aging, the compressive strength dropped from 65.2 MPa to 9.9 MPa with the addition of 75% GP-F-PCM capsules, which is still acceptable for certain building elements (e.g., nonloadbearing exterior walls). Generally, the best results were for the GP-F-PCM composite capsules as a heat insulator.
Ahmed Hassan; Yasir Rashid; Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad; Najif Ismail; Mohammad Shakeel Laghari. Thermal and Structural Characterization of Geopolymer-Coated Polyurethane Foam-Phase Change Material Capsules/Geopolymer Concrete Composites. Materials 2019, 12, 796 .
AMA StyleAhmed Hassan, Yasir Rashid, Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad, Najif Ismail, Mohammad Shakeel Laghari. Thermal and Structural Characterization of Geopolymer-Coated Polyurethane Foam-Phase Change Material Capsules/Geopolymer Concrete Composites. Materials. 2019; 12 (5):796.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAhmed Hassan; Yasir Rashid; Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad; Najif Ismail; Mohammad Shakeel Laghari. 2019. "Thermal and Structural Characterization of Geopolymer-Coated Polyurethane Foam-Phase Change Material Capsules/Geopolymer Concrete Composites." Materials 12, no. 5: 796.
Paraffin-based phase change material (PCM) is impregnated into the pores of lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) through vacuum impregnation to develop PCM containing macro-capsules of LECA. Three different grades of LECA varying in size and morphology are investigated to host the PCM to determine the impregnation effectiveness, viability for coating, and its stability. The produced LECA-PCM is coated with geopolymer paste (GP) to provide leak proofing during the phase change. The PCM is thermophysically characterized by employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the temperature history method (THM) to determine the phase transition and the latent heat. The stability of the macro-capsules is determined by weight loss through rapid thermal cycling (RTC) at elevated temperatures. Leakage of the PCM is tested using the diffusion-oozing circle test (DOCT). The results show that the GP coated LECA-PCM macro-capsules achieved 87 wt % impregnation efficiencies and no noticeable loss of PCM, which indicates leak proofing of the developed capsules up to 1000 RTC.
Ahmed Hassan; Najif Ismail; Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad; Yasir Rashid; Mohammad S. Laghari. Preparation and Characterization of Expanded Clay-Paraffin Wax-Geo-Polymer Composite Material. Materials 2018, 11, 2191 .
AMA StyleAhmed Hassan, Najif Ismail, Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad, Yasir Rashid, Mohammad S. Laghari. Preparation and Characterization of Expanded Clay-Paraffin Wax-Geo-Polymer Composite Material. Materials. 2018; 11 (11):2191.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAhmed Hassan; Najif Ismail; Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad; Yasir Rashid; Mohammad S. Laghari. 2018. "Preparation and Characterization of Expanded Clay-Paraffin Wax-Geo-Polymer Composite Material." Materials 11, no. 11: 2191.
Global interest in Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has grown following forecasts of a compound annual growth rate of 18.7% and a total of 5.4 GW installed worldwide from 2013 to 2019. Although the BIPV technology has been in the public domain for the last three decades, its adoption has been hindered. Existing literature asserts that proper information and education at the proposal or early design stage is an important way of addressing adoption barriers. However, there is a lack of BIPV communication approaches for research, and market proposals that focus on clear information about its benefits. This has limited the adoption of BIPV.. Based on this, the present study aims to develop a conceptual framework for an educative-communication approach for presenting BIPV proposals to encourage its adoption. This is aimed at developing holistic research and market proposals which justify scholarly investigation and financial investment. Using a multiple case study investigation and Design Research Methodology (DRM) principles, the study developed an approach which combines core communication requirements, the pillars of sustainability and a hierarchical description of BIPV alongside its unique advantages. A two-step evaluation strategy involving an online pilot survey and a literature-based checklist, was used to validate the effectiveness of the developed approach. Our results show that understanding environmental and economic benefits was found to be significantly important to people who are likely adopters of BIPV (p < 0.05), making these benefits crucial drivers of adoption. Statistical significance was also found between those who do not know the benefits of using solar energy for electricity, and interest in knowing these benefits (p < 0.05). We thus conclude that proper communication of these benefits can safely be advanced as important facilitators of BIPV adoption. In general, this study elaborates the need and strategies for appropriate dissemination of innovative ideas to encourage and promote adoption of technological advancement for a sustainable global future.
Daniel Efurosibina Attoye; Timothy O. Adekunle; Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul; Ahmed Hassan; Samuel Osekafore Attoye. A Conceptual Framework for a Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Educative-Communication Approach. Sustainability 2018, 10, 3781 .
AMA StyleDaniel Efurosibina Attoye, Timothy O. Adekunle, Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul, Ahmed Hassan, Samuel Osekafore Attoye. A Conceptual Framework for a Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Educative-Communication Approach. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (10):3781.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Efurosibina Attoye; Timothy O. Adekunle; Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul; Ahmed Hassan; Samuel Osekafore Attoye. 2018. "A Conceptual Framework for a Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Educative-Communication Approach." Sustainability 10, no. 10: 3781.
Similar to many fast growing countries, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) witnessed fast population and urbanization growth. The building sector accounts for a major share of its electricity consumption, reaching up to 70%. To encourage sustainable development and reduce energy consumption and emissions, the government introduced a sustainability initiative called “Estidama”, which employs the use of the Pearl Building Rating System (PBRS). Government buildings, which constitute 20% of the built environment, aim to lead the way, and are therefore required to attain a high level of achievement, based on their PBRS ranking (minimum of two out of five pearls). Schools, led by Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC), are governmental buildings and aim to attain a higher level of achievement (three out of five pearls). The ADEC plans to build one hundred schools to be built by 2020, through its Future Schools Program. Over half of the schools have been completed, but only 20% reached the targeted rating (of three out of five pearls). The Renewable Energy (RE) application in the UAE is minimal, although it represents 25% of the local rating code. The objective of this paper is to explore the sustainable performance of one representative school that did not reach the desired green rating level, with the objective to assess opportunities for an enhanced performance. This is done through testing the performance and the application of three RE systems comprising of photovoltaics (PV) array, an absorption cooling system and a geothermal cooling system through Transient Systems Simulation (TRNSYS) software. Cumulatively, implementation of these options results in RE potentially contributing to 19% of the school’s annual energy consumption, enhancing the school’s performance by up to 14 additional credit points, and reaching the target level of achievement (a three pearl rating). Furthermore, system integration of RE into the existing school were also considered. Results indicate the significant potential of integrating RE systems in future schools in hot climatic contexts, for an improved energy performance.
Joud Al Dakheel; Kheira Tabet Aoul; Ahmed Hassan. Enhancing Green Building Rating of a School under the Hot Climate of UAE; Renewable Energy Application and System Integration. Energies 2018, 11, 2465 .
AMA StyleJoud Al Dakheel, Kheira Tabet Aoul, Ahmed Hassan. Enhancing Green Building Rating of a School under the Hot Climate of UAE; Renewable Energy Application and System Integration. Energies. 2018; 11 (9):2465.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoud Al Dakheel; Kheira Tabet Aoul; Ahmed Hassan. 2018. "Enhancing Green Building Rating of a School under the Hot Climate of UAE; Renewable Energy Application and System Integration." Energies 11, no. 9: 2465.
Photovoltaics (PVs) are promising sustainable energy generators, yet the higher initial cost of PV systems compared to the conventional fossil fuel based energy systems remains a barrier to their large-scale adaptability. Concentrating solar radiation onto a smaller area by replacing expensive cell materials with cheaper optical materials can be an alternative way to reduce PV cost, but concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) yield substantially higher cell temperatures reportedly detrimental for CPV life and electrical yield. Various thermal management approaches have been adopted to mitigate the adverse effect of temperature on CPV life and performance. The potential use of thermal energy discarded in CPV thermal management systems has been traditionally overlooked. The aim of this article is to briefly review the progress in PV cells, different CPV systems, and thermal issues specific to concentration techniques and propose potential uses of thermal energy recovered from the CPV. The review finds that temperature mitigation and thermal energy recovery & utilization can be a promising pathway to improve CPV performance.
Ahmed Hasan; Jawad Sarwar; Ali Hasan Shah. Concentrated photovoltaic: A review of thermal aspects, challenges and opportunities. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2018, 94, 835 -852.
AMA StyleAhmed Hasan, Jawad Sarwar, Ali Hasan Shah. Concentrated photovoltaic: A review of thermal aspects, challenges and opportunities. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2018; 94 ():835-852.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAhmed Hasan; Jawad Sarwar; Ali Hasan Shah. 2018. "Concentrated photovoltaic: A review of thermal aspects, challenges and opportunities." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 94, no. : 835-852.
Building applied solar thermal systems are considered by different stakeholders an attractive alternative to traditional space and water heating systems. However, their performance depends largely on climatic conditions, water heating needs and operational parameters which, in turn, offer opportunities for performance optimization. The present research attempts to provide architects with a design decision tool that integrates solar thermal collectors efficiently to meet hot water demand for various building types inclusive of residential, commercial and industrial in a hot climate. The analysis is conducted numerically through a thermal model developed and executed in TRNSYS and validated experimentally. The parameters investigated include the collector tilt angle, azimuth angle and collector inlet fluid flow rate. Finally, the collector aperture area required per building foot print area is determined. The research revealed that for a 1000 m2 footprint building area of schools, offices, residential, factories and hospitals would require respectively 8 m2, 10 m2, 14 m2, 24 m2 and 38 m2 of the static collector installed at 24° tilt angle with optimal water flow rate. Additional operational aspects of collector tracking, and solar radiation concentration were investigated and further reduce the required collector area. A simple payback period analysis reveals a return on investment of 2 years applying subsidized tariff rates under the climatic conditions of, or similar to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
Kheira Tabet Aoul; Ahmad Hasan; Hassan Riaz. Solar water heating systems for different buildings under a hot climate; parametric optimization and economic analysis. Sustainable Buildings 2018, 3, 3 .
AMA StyleKheira Tabet Aoul, Ahmad Hasan, Hassan Riaz. Solar water heating systems for different buildings under a hot climate; parametric optimization and economic analysis. Sustainable Buildings. 2018; 3 ():3.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKheira Tabet Aoul; Ahmad Hasan; Hassan Riaz. 2018. "Solar water heating systems for different buildings under a hot climate; parametric optimization and economic analysis." Sustainable Buildings 3, no. : 3.
Technological advancement in Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has converted the building façade into a renewable energy-based generator. The BIPV façade is designed to provide energy generation along with conventional design objectives such as aesthetics and environmental control. The challenge however, is that architectural design objectives sometimes conflict with energy performance, such as the provision of view and daylight versus maximum power output. In innovative cases, the characteristics of conventional BIPV façades have been modified by researchers to address such conflicts through customization as an emerging trend in BIPV façade design. Although extensive reviews exist on BIPV product types, design integration, adoption barriers and performance issues, research on BIPV customization has not been reviewed as a solution to BIPV adoption. This paper seeks to review the potential of BIPV façade customization as a means of enhancing BIPV adoption. The current paper identifies customization parameters ranging from the customization category, level, and strategies, and related architectural potential along with an assessment of their impact. The findings reflect that elemental and compositional level customization using combined customization strategies provide enhanced BIPV products. These products are well integrated for both energy generation and aesthetic applications with a power output increase of up to 80% in some cases. The paper concludes that a wide range of BIPV adoption barriers such as aesthetics, architectural integration, and performance can be overcome by appropriate BIPV customization.
Daniel Efurosibina Attoye; Ahmed Hassan; Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul. A Review on Building Integrated Photovoltaic Façade Customization Potentials. Sustainability 2017, 9, 2287 .
AMA StyleDaniel Efurosibina Attoye, Ahmed Hassan, Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul. A Review on Building Integrated Photovoltaic Façade Customization Potentials. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (12):2287.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Efurosibina Attoye; Ahmed Hassan; Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul. 2017. "A Review on Building Integrated Photovoltaic Façade Customization Potentials." Sustainability 9, no. 12: 2287.
The use of vegetated walls and intensive plantation around buildings has increased in popularity in hot and arid climates, such as those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is due to its contribution towards reducing the heat gain and increasing the occupants’ comfort levels in spaces. This paper examines the introduction of plant-shaded walls as passive technique to reduce heat gain in indoor spaces as a strategy to lower cooling demand in hot arid climate of Al-Ain city. Experimental work was carried out to analyze the impact of using plantation for solar control of residential building façades in extreme summer. External and internal wall surface and ambient temperatures were measured for plant-shaded and bare walls. The study concluded that shading effect of the intensive plantation can reduce peak time indoor air temperature by 12 °C and reduce the internal heat gain by 2 kWh daily in the tested space. The economic analysis reveals a payback period of 10 years considering local energy tariff excluding environmental savings.
Mahmoud Haggag; Ahmed Hassan; Ghulam Qadir. Energy and Economic Performance of Plant-Shaded Building Façade in Hot Arid Climate. Sustainability 2017, 9, 2026 .
AMA StyleMahmoud Haggag, Ahmed Hassan, Ghulam Qadir. Energy and Economic Performance of Plant-Shaded Building Façade in Hot Arid Climate. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (11):2026.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMahmoud Haggag; Ahmed Hassan; Ghulam Qadir. 2017. "Energy and Economic Performance of Plant-Shaded Building Façade in Hot Arid Climate." Sustainability 9, no. 11: 2026.
Phase change materials (PCMs) have been identified as potential candidates for building energy optimization by increasing the thermal mass of buildings. The increased thermal mass results in a drop in the cooling/heating loads, thus decreasing the energy demand in buildings. However, direct incorporation of PCMs into building elements undermines their structural performance, thereby posing a challenge for building integrity. In order to retain/improve building structural performance, as well as improving energy performance, micro-encapsulated PCMs are integrated into building materials. The integration of microencapsulation PCMs into building materials solves the PCM leakage problem and assures a good bond with building materials to achieve better structural performance. The aim of this article is to identify the optimum micro-encapsulation methods and materials for improving the energy, structural and safety performance of buildings. The article reviews the characteristics of micro-encapsulated PCMs relevant to building integration, focusing on safety rating, structural implications, and energy performance. The article uncovers the optimum combinations of the shell (encapsulant) and core (PCM) materials along with encapsulation methods by evaluating their merits and demerits.
Ahmed Hassan; Mohammad Shakeel Laghari; Yasir Rashid. Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Materials: A Review of Encapsulation, Safety and Thermal Characteristics. Sustainability 2016, 8, 1046 .
AMA StyleAhmed Hassan, Mohammad Shakeel Laghari, Yasir Rashid. Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Materials: A Review of Encapsulation, Safety and Thermal Characteristics. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (10):1046.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAhmed Hassan; Mohammad Shakeel Laghari; Yasir Rashid. 2016. "Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Materials: A Review of Encapsulation, Safety and Thermal Characteristics." Sustainability 8, no. 10: 1046.
In the current study, a phase change material (PCM) contained in an insulated concrete block is tested in extremely hot weather in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to evaluate its cooling performance. An insulated chamber is constructed behind the block containing PCM to mimic a scaled down indoor space. The effect of placement of the PCM layer on heat gain indoors is studied at two locations: adjacent to the outer as well as the inner concrete layer. The inclusion of PCM reduced heat gain through concrete blocks compared to blocks without PCM, yielding a drop in cooling load indoors. The placement of PCM and insulation layers adjacent to indoors exhibited better cooling performance compared to that adjacent to the outdoors. In the best case, a temperature drop of 8.5% and a time lag of 2.6 h are achieved in peak indoor temperature, rendering a reduction of 44% in the heat gain. In the tested hot climate, the higher ambient temperature and the lower wind speed hampered heat dissipation and PCM re-solidification by natural ventilation. The findings recommend employing a mechanical ventilation in hot climates to enhance regeneration of the PCM to solid state for its optimal performance.
Ahmad Hasan; Khaled A. Al-Sallal; Hamza Alnoman; Yasir Rashid; Shaimaa Abdelbaqi. Effect of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Integrated into a Concrete Block on Heat Gain Prevention in a Hot Climate. Sustainability 2016, 8, 1009 .
AMA StyleAhmad Hasan, Khaled A. Al-Sallal, Hamza Alnoman, Yasir Rashid, Shaimaa Abdelbaqi. Effect of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Integrated into a Concrete Block on Heat Gain Prevention in a Hot Climate. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (10):1009.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAhmad Hasan; Khaled A. Al-Sallal; Hamza Alnoman; Yasir Rashid; Shaimaa Abdelbaqi. 2016. "Effect of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Integrated into a Concrete Block on Heat Gain Prevention in a Hot Climate." Sustainability 8, no. 10: 1009.