Construction of an Active Façade Envelope with Peltier Cells

Abstract

The team researchers have been investigating on alternative ways for buildings to waste less energy. The result is the consecution of a new facade system with Peltier cells, that is to say, a new system of air conditioning that works both as a machine as a facade. That means the application in the field of construction of a technology that is already in use in other areas, fundamentally the military and aerospace. The new system has to be a prefabricated element that perfectly fix between the slabs. The result of all these ideas is the construction of a prefabricated module, consisting of a simplified inhabited housing unit with a thermoelectric installation that provides service to this module. The prototype has been monitored during one year. The University of Navarra has got the national patent for a “prefabricated and decentralized facade module for the climate control of inhabited spaces”. Moreover, the Thermoelectric Conditioning System (TCS) is designed to reach a high comfort level for people living in the local. Without mechanical parts like pumps or compressors, there is no necessity for maintenance, reducing the possibilities of failure. The only mechanical elements are the dissipation heat fans placed in the external face of the prototype. There are also some heat sinks to evacuate the heat from the power elements. The next step is improving the system as a facade, paying special attention to carry out the legal façade envelope’s requirements, such us, noise level, thermal transmittance, hydrothermal condition or behavior against fire. At the same time, it is going to be design a facade solution that tries to take advantage of inside and outside conditions in order to achieve the desire inside comfort conditions. Furthermore, the module is going to integrate photovoltaic panels to achieve a total autonomy system, which does not need to be connected to the traditional electrical network.