Feasibility Study of Smart Materials Usage in Outdoor Spaces
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FEASIBILITY STUDY OF SMART MATERIALS USAGE IN OUTDOOR SPACES 1DINA ABUHENIDY, 2YASSER FARGHALY, 3FAHD HEMIEDA 1,2,3 Architectural Engineering Department, Arab Academy For Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Alexandria, Egypt E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract- Outdoor spaces contribute to a large extent towards the problem of resources depletion. These spaces include built environment, landscape elements and lighting fixtures which consume a lot of energy sources. These spaces also are in continuous subjection to high levels of vandalism and deterioration, leading to frequent maintenance requirements. Nanotechnology offered new means towards adjusting the properties of materials to invent new smart materials, which are able to react towards the surrounding environment. In architecture, they are considered as alternatives for traditional materials as they suggest the feasibility of energy consumption and frequent maintenance requirements reduction, improving building performance and protecting more resources from depletion, for more sustainable architecture and environment. Objective: To illustrate smart materials various application in outdoor spaces as coatings, lighting fixtures and furniture Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of smart materials usage in outdoor spaces to reduce the energy consumption and high frequency maintenance requirements with minimum environmental impact. Methodology: A case study was conducted in Heliopolis Sporting Club, Cairo in Egypt. Comparative analysis was conducted to compare between smart materials and existing materials and their capability to reduce the club energy consumption and the cost of its frequent maintenance with minimum environmental impact. Keywords- Smart materials, Nano coatings, Smart materials applications, Energy Efficiency. I. INTRODUCTION are capable of generating clean energy, reducing energy consumption and maintenance frequency with Outdoor spaces consume high energy percentages and minimum environmental impact [3].Such materials maintenance requirements. The continuous increase can be used in outdoor spaces to overcome the two of energy consumption became an international threat major problems of any outdoor spaces ,as stated to the environment, economy and society. If this before, high energy consumption and high increase continues, it will consume all existing non- maintenance frequency. renewable resources, and emit high percentages of 2.1. Energy harmful emissions from burning fossil fuels, leading Smart materials have several applications in outdoor to major consequences as global climate change spaces to reduce energy consumption and generate [1].Another problem of outdoor spaces is the frequent clean energy. These applications include lighting maintenance requirements, which also consume a lot fixtures as LED and NanoLED, hardscape as of resources. In order to overcome this problem, new piezoscape and street furniture as illuminating technologies and alternatives can be used to make a furniture. significant improvements in energy consumption, 2.1.1. NanoLED maintenance reduction and maintaining the aesthetic NanoLED is a type of lighting system that is based on quality at the same time [2].One of these new pulsed laser diode and LED technology combined technologies are smart materials ,these materials are together. NanoLED contains Nanowires of indium advanced materials alternatives which are cost- phosphide as shown in (Figure1) that cut down LED efficient, resources-efficient, environmentally in yellow and green color range [4].NanoLEDs are friendly and also can reduce this increased another alternative of energy-efficient lighting, that consumption and contribute towards less energy can be used in lighting displays, optics industry and consumption especially in the outdoor spaces[3].This lighting fixtures. study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of smart materials usage in outdoor spaces to reduce the energy consumption and high frequency maintenance requirements with minimum environmental impact. Heliopolis Sporting Club, Egypt was taken a case study. II. LITERATURE REVIEW Figure 1. Nanowires of indium phosphide[5] Smart materials have various applications in 2.1.2. Lighting Emitting-Diodes (LED) architecture. In outdoor spaces, they are considered LED consists from a diode, which is a form of device “smart” alternatives for traditional materials, as they made from two different conducting materials (p-type Proceedings of ISER International Conference, Malacca, Malaysia, 30th July 2016, ISBN: 978-93-86083-34-0 1 Feasibility Study Of Smart Materials Usage In Outdoor Spaces and n-type silicon) as shown in (Figure 2).When the contain any volatile organic compounds. In addition electric current passes, the atoms of one material get they reduce the frequency of cleaning surfaces, excited and transfer electrons to the other material maintenance demand and costs. causing a light to be generated [4]. LED lighting 2.2.1. Self-cleaning: Lotus effect coating recently became a common alternative of lighting Self-cleaning coatings were first introduced in 1970s sources as LED has long life span of up to 50,000 by the botanist Wilhelm Barthlott. Barthlott observed ,more energy-efficient and mercury free. a self-cleaning effect in the Lotus leaves, in which the leaves showed a hydrophobic property as shown in (Figure 5). He analyzed this effect under the microscope discovering that the lotus leaves were covered with wax on the leaves spikes, which reduced the surface contact and the adhesion of water to settle on, causing water to form small droplets that run off easily and thus washing all the dirt on the surface. Self cleaning coating can last up to 5 years; it only needs to be rinsed with water to restore hydrophopic property [9]. Figure 2. Parts of LED[4] 2.1.3. Piezoscape Recently, a company called Pavegen manufactured piezoelectric tiles, which are made from piezoelectric materials to generate energy from pedestrians’ footsteps. Each tile moves 5 millimeter beneath from each foot step, converting the kinetic energy to electric energy as shown in (Figure 3).Each tile generates 7 watt of electricity for an average foot step. These tiles store the electric energy, to use it in Figure 5. An illustration of lotus effect the mechanism, the several applications as street lighting for more energy water refuses to be absorbed and changes to droplets that are and money saving [6]. washed away easily [9] 2.2.2. Self-cleaning Coating: Photocatalysis Photocatalysis self-cleaning coatings were first discovered in 1967 in Japan. The main function of this type of coatings is to reduce the amount of dirt adhesion on the applied surfaces, keeping them clean. Figure 3.Pavegen tiles energy generation mechanism [6] In case of self-cleaning coatings, they require less 2.1.4. Illuminating Furniture detergents to be cleaned, making them Illuminating furniture is a smart alternative for environmentally friendly, and protect surfaces from outdoor street furniture, providing both function and being damaged. Self-cleaning coatings are also cost efficiency at the same time as shown in (Figure energy-efficient, as they improve the light 4). Illuminating furniture body composes of durable transmission through the clear glazing and electroluminescent materials covered with a thin layer membranes, which reduce the energy consumption of Photovoltaic film [7].The film captures the solar for lighting needs. Photocatalysis process as shown in energy, convert it to electric energy and store it in an (Figure 6), occurs as a result of daylight exposure, the inner Lithium battery. UV light excites the photocatalystic reaction, leading to decomposition of the dirt settled on the surface by the help of titanium dioxide [9]. Figure 4.Illuminating furniture at night providing both function and efficiency [8] Figure 6.This diagram shows how sun light excites the photcatalysis process, leading to decomposition of dirt on the 2.2. Maintenance glass surface [9] Smart materials have significant impact on 2.2.3. Anti-graffiti Coating maintenance frequency reduction in outdoor spaces. Anti-graffiti coatings main function is to protect Smart materials maintenance applications include buildings and constructions surfaces from undesired self-cleaning coatings and anti graffiti coating. These graffiti and damages which make them a perfect coatings are long lasting; they can last up to five choice for outdoor spaces. These nano-based coating years and are environmentally friendly as they don’t are highly effective and have a distinguished Proceedings of ISER International Conference, Malacca, Malaysia, 30th July 2016, ISBN: 978-93-86083-34-0 2 Feasibility Study Of Smart Materials Usage In Outdoor Spaces hydrophobic properties that makes any graffiti ,dirt assessed (Figure 9, Table 1) in terms of their annual and even chewing gum be removed easily as shown energy consumption and cost of this consumption. in (Figure 7). Anti-graffiti coatings are highly Then, a comparative analysis was conducted to effective, very durable, require minimum compare between the existing lighting fixtures and maintenance, long lasting and environmentally smart lighting fixtures alternatives including LED and friendly [9]. NanoLED. It was found that (Table 2): . Replacing the lamps of the existing lighting fixtures type A and B, which use spiral Compact florescent lamps with LED lamps will be the most energy-efficient and cost-efficient alternative as it will reduce the annual energy