KR20120036320A - Supporting structure for green building facade - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, a support structure 10 for mounting on a green building facade is disclosed. The support structure 10 of the present invention comprises two compartments, the first compartment being covered by the photovoltaic system 12 and the second compartment being covered by the vegetation system 14. The photovoltaic system generates power from the sun to reduce the energy load of the building while the vegetation system cools the ambient temperature.

Description

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR GREEN BUILDING FACADE}

The present invention relates to a support structure for a green building facade.

Background of the Invention The present invention described below is to assist in understanding the present invention. However, it is to be understood that this document does not recognize or permit that the documents mentioned in this specification are part of the knowledge that is published, known, or known in any country, on the priority date herein.

Urban heat island effect (UHIE) refers to a phenomenon where urban temperatures are higher than in suburban and rural areas. UHIE is mainly due to the increasing number of buildings constructed as a result of urbanization and economic growth, which replaced the vegetation and trees that previously filled the urban area. In addition, human activity generates heat, which contributes to an increase in urban temperatures.

Urban environments are greatly affected by higher temperatures. First, the air quality in the city is reduced. Increasing temperature causes smog formation in the presence of air pollutants, which not only damages the natural environment but also adds risks to human health. Secondly, UHIE leads to more use of electrical appliances such as fans and air conditioners, which have a direct impact on building energy consumption.

In the intent to reduce the negative effects of UHIE, vegetation is grown on rooftops (ie green roofs) and building facades (ie green walls) to compensate for replaced vegetation and tree losses. The vegetation acts to filter urban greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and other toxins. These green roofs and green walls help to reduce the temperature of the roof and the surrounding wall, and it has been studied and demonstrated that heat transfer from the roof and walls to the rooms just under and behind the walls is reduced. Reduced ambient temperature, and reduced heat transfer from the roof and walls to the rooms just below and just behind the roof, leads to a lower dependency on electrical appliances such as fans and air conditioners, thus reducing building energy consumption. You can.

As mentioned above, an increase in ambient temperature leads to more use of electrical appliances such as fans and air conditioners, which in turn leads to greater dependence on fossil fuels for power generation. Recently, there have been developments and efforts on more environmentally friendly and renewable energy alternatives such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal energy, but so far most countries still rely on fossil fuel consumption for power generation. In the process of burning fossil fuels for power generation, greenhouse gases are generated and released into the atmosphere, where more heat is trapped in the air, requiring more dependence on electrical appliances such as fans and air conditioners. This creates a false cycle that can be irreversible if more greenhouse gases are produced and trapped in the air. In an additional effort to reduce the negative impact of UHIE, photovoltaic systems are applied to the building to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.

Photovoltaic cells are solid-state semiconductor type devices that generate electricity when exposed to light. Photovoltaic materials (also referred to as solar panels or solar cells) are increasingly used to replace conventional building materials in parts of the building envelope, such as roofs and facades. It is increasingly being introduced into new building construction as a major or ancillary source of power, but modules containing photovoltaic materials can be remounted in existing buildings. Photovoltaic materials incorporated into roofs or facades of new buildings, or photovoltaic materials contained in modules for retrofitting into existing buildings, are generally known as building integrated photovoltaic cells (BIPVs). BIPV includes all types of photovoltaic panels, including composite photovoltaic panels. In brief, during operation, sunlight illuminated by BIPV generates electricity. This electricity flows through the power conversion device to the building electrical distribution system and supplies the building electrical loads, such as air conditioners and conventional lighting.

It is very recent that a combination use of green roof and BIPV in a single building has been proposed and tested for its viability. The main advantages of this combination include the ease of installation and maintenance of the photovoltaic device and the high efficiency of the photovoltaic unit due to the cooling effect of its green roof. Since it is known that lower ambient temperatures increase the efficiency of the photovoltaic unit, the green roof cools the ambient temperature of the photovoltaic unit so that the photovoltaic unit can be kept colder.

Nevertheless, there are certain technical requirements that must be met for the combined green roof and BIPV system. First of all, the dedicated types of vegetation that can be mounted on the roof with the photovoltaic unit are a wide variety. Since most green roofs are on flat or gently sloped roofs, photovoltaic units are typically mounted on a support to achieve the best angle to the sun. The photovoltaic unit should be installed above the vegetation position so that the photovoltaic unit is not shaded by wide vegetation to reduce its efficiency. On the other hand, the photovoltaic unit provides a partial shade for the vegetation during the day to reduce the evaporation rate and the required water supply. In locations with strong winds, very strong metal structures and strong roofs or good wind blockers, preferably both, are required behind the photovoltaic unit to prevent wind damage.

It would be desirable to provide a system for reducing UHIE that overcomes or at least alleviates the above problem.

Throughout this specification, unless otherwise specified, the terms 'comprising', 'consisting of' and the like are to be interpreted as meaning non-exclusive, in other words, including, but not limited to.

According to the first aspect of the present invention,

A compartment covered with a photovoltaic system; And

-Compartments covered by vegetation systems

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A support structure for mounting on a building facade is provided.

The accompanying drawings merely illustrate embodiments of the invention.
1 is an illustration of a support structure in a first aspect.
2A and 2B show back and side views, respectively, of the support structure of FIG. 1 when mounted on a building facade.
3A and 3B show, respectively, a partial view of a staircase core wall having a support structure after installation of a vegetation system in a second aspect, and after installation of a photovoltaic system and a vegetation system, wherein the flooring between the vegetation system and the photovoltaic system ( flooring) is strong enough to withstand human weight.
4A and 4B show perspective and side views, respectively, of the support structure in a third aspect wherein the vegetation system comprises a concave and convex mesh.
5A and 5B show perspective and side views, respectively, of a support structure of a photovoltaic system member, according to a first aspect wherein the vegetation system comprises a convex mesh; 5C and 5D show perspective and side views, respectively, of a support structure having a photovoltaic system, according to a first aspect wherein the vegetation system comprises a convex mesh.
6A illustrates the localization of the photovoltaic system and the vegetation system, with the gap between the photovoltaic system and the vegetation system minimized; 6B, 6C and 6D show detailed views of the curved mesh, respectively, in isometric, side and plan views.
7A-7E illustrate alternative arrangements of the support structure mesh.

The present invention relates to a support structure for a green building facade.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, a support structure 10 for mounting on a building facade as shown in FIG. 1 is provided. The support structure 10 comprises two compartments, the first compartment being covered by the photovoltaic system 12 and the second compartment being covered by the vegetation system 14. As illustrated, there may be a third compartment 16 which may be empty or covered with other members or systems such as glass panels, decorative panels and safety panels. The photovoltaic system 12 generates power from sunlight to reduce the energy load of the building, while the vegetation system 14 serves to cool the ambient temperature. The vegetation system 14 may also help to reduce the surface temperature of the building facade.

The photovoltaic system comprises a photovoltaic unit, such as a solar panel. The photovoltaic unit can be composed of individual photovoltaic subunits or standalone photovoltaic units connected together. The photovoltaic unit is fixed to the support structure 10 by fastening means, such as bolts and nuts. Alternatively, the photovoltaic unit can be hung on the support structure 10.

The vegetation system comprises a mesh for the vine plant covering the support structure 10. Vine plants include but are not limited to self-supporting plants, such as root climber and adhesive-sucker, and plants that require support structures, such as entwined vines, leaf-stem vine plants, leaf vine plants And scrambling plants. When the vegetation system is exposed to the outside, i.e. when exposed to severe climatic conditions, strong species and vine plants that are resistant to wind, heat, drought, frost, etc., depending on the climatic conditions in which the support structure is broken, It is preferred to be selected.

Preferably, the support structure 10 is shaped such that the vertical frame and the horizontal frame have a substantially rectangular block structure forming a skeleton. A first compartment covered with the photovoltaic system 12 is located on a first side of the support structure 10, wherein the first side of the support structure 10 is such that the support structure 10 is on a building facade. It is located farther from the building wall when mounted on. A second compartment covered with the vegetation system 14 is located on a second side of the support structure 10, wherein the second side of the support structure 10 is such that the support structure 10 is connected to the building facade. It is located closer to the building wall when mounted on the floor. In this arrangement, the support structure 10 serves to provide the following advantages: (i) The photovoltaic system 12 is not shaded or blocked by the vegetation and maximum exposure to sunshine can be achieved. (Ii) a portion of the vegetation system 14 is shaded by the photovoltaic system 12 to shield the vegetation system 14 from harsh climatic conditions, and (iii) the vegetation system 14 is a building facade. And cooling the ambient temperature to help improve the efficiency of the photovoltaic system 12, which not only reduces the energy load of the building but also operates more efficiently in low temperature environments, and (iv) the external photovoltaic system 12 Since the photovoltaic system 12 is located farther from the building wall, it is protected by the internal vegetation system 14 against vandalism, theft and damage. In addition to the mesh, other protection means for the photovoltaic system 12 may also be used, such as billboards and signs. When both the mesh and bulletin board or signage are used, the mesh may also protect the bulletin board or signage if the bulletin board or signage is installed in front of the mesh. Other shapes of the mesh are also possible, such as irregular shapes, as long as the mesh protects the photovoltaic system 12 from top and back.

2A and 2B show back and side views, respectively, of the support structure 10 when mounted on a building facade. In this embodiment, the support structure 10 is shown to include a first compartment covered with the photovoltaic system, which is spaced apart and associated with the second compartment covered with the vegetation system 14. As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the spacing between the photovoltaic system 12 and the vegetation system 14 is for maintenance of the photovoltaic system 12 or vegetation system 14 and for the supply of vegetation. It may be fitted with a flooring that is strong enough to support and withstand the weight of one or more persons. 3A shows a partial view of the support structure 10 after installation of the vegetation system 14, and FIG. 3B shows a partial view of the support structure 10 after installation of the photovoltaic system 12 and the vegetation system 14. Indicates.

4A and 4B show another embodiment of the support structure 10 in perspective and side views, respectively. In this embodiment, both the photovoltaic system 12 and the vegetation system 14 are located on the first side of the support structure 10, wherein the first side of the support structure 10 is on a building facade. If mounted, it is further away from the building wall. The photovoltaic system 12 is located in a spaced apart relationship with the vegetation system 14, and the vegetation system 14 is located closer to the building wall than the photovoltaic system 12. In this embodiment, the mesh of vegetation system 14 is shown to be shaped into a curved structure instead of a flat plate when viewed from the side (illustrated in FIG. 2). The vegetation system 14 is shown to be composed of a mesh having a concave structure and a convex structure. The photovoltaic system 12 is positioned in front of the concave mesh of the vegetation system 14 such that the convex mesh of the vegetation system 14 is substantially flush with the photovoltaic system 12. The facet of the photovoltaic system 12 and vegetation system 14 ensures that a person moving an object over the parapet wall of the building facade will not damage the photovoltaic system 12 from the top.

In a third embodiment, FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of a support structure 10 comprising only the vegetation system 14, and FIG. 5B shows a side view thereof. FIG. 5C shows a perspective view of the support structure 10 including the vegetation system 14 and the photovoltaic system 12, and FIG. 5D shows a side view thereof. 5a-d clearly show the curved mesh of vegetation system 14 having a convex structure with the mesh projecting outwardly. The edges of the mesh are curved inwardly to accommodate the photovoltaic system 12 as shown in FIGS. 5C-D.

In the detailed view of the curved structure of the mesh of the vegetation system 14 shown in FIG. 6A, the spaced relationship of the photovoltaic panel 12 and the mesh of the vegetation system 14, ie, the gap, is minimized so that Effectively reduce the heat formed on the back. Vegetation located behind the photovoltaic panel cools the ambient temperature around the photovoltaic panel. Thus, the closer the vegetation is to the photovoltaic panel, the more the ambient temperature around the photovoltaic panel is cooled, thus improving the efficiency of the photovoltaic panel. The mesh may be designed so that the gap between the mesh and the photovoltaic panel is too wide to form an angle that is too steep for vine plants to grow. At the same time, the angle of the mesh is (i) spaced between the mesh and the photovoltaic system so that the individual performances of the vegetation system and the photovoltaic system are not influenced by each other during operation, and (ii) they are brought to the photovoltaic panel for maintenance. It should be sufficient to allow access. The mesh not only protects the photovoltaic panel from the photovoltaic panel without shading the photovoltaic panel, but also protects the photovoltaic panel and / or billboards and signs from damage caused by waste administered from the top of the building. The photovoltaic panel can be bent in a manner that protects it from damage at the back of the photovoltaic panel. The mesh is designed so that the length of the cantilever beam from the facade is minimal to minimize the structural load and size of the structural members. 6B-D show detailed views of the curved mesh in isometric, side and plan views, respectively. Other configurations of mesh placement and curved mesh angles of the vegetation system 14 are also possible. Further examples of such mesh arrangements, such as straight, corrugated, pyramidal, curved and vented, are illustrated in FIGS. 7A-E.

The advantage of BIPV over more general non-integrated systems can offset the initial cost by reducing the amount used for building materials and labor that would normally be used to build the building portion that the BIPV module replaces. In addition, since BIPV is an integral part of the design, it is generally combined better than other solar options and looks more aesthetic. This advantage makes BIPV one of the top growth segments of the photovoltaic industry.

In addition to the established benefits of reducing energy consumption and improving air quality by reducing UHIE, cities are now cooler and quieter through shading, evaporative transpiration and sound absorption by green facades. Green facades can also help to reduce surface runoff from buildings.

The combination of green building facades and photovoltaic systems has advantages over the combination of green roofs and photovoltaic systems. The facade of the building provides a larger surface area for mounting photovoltaic and vegetation systems compared to the building rooftop. Thus, lower ambient temperatures and lower energy loads of the building can be achieved. In addition, building rooftops generally suffer from more severe weather conditions than building facades. Thus, photovoltaic systems and vegetation systems mounted on the building facade are more durable and stable. The exterior of the building looks more aesthetic and pleasant to the greenery provided by the vegetation system over the wider surface area of the facade. Without the vegetation system and photovoltaic system mounted on the facade, glare and reflection of sunlight from the concrete facade can cause eye discomfort. The greenery on the roof may not have this effect because the roof is generally less accessible and less visible.

The support structure for the green building facade and the mesh of the vegetation system may be formed of a lightweight material (e.g., but not limited to, a hot dipped galvanized mesh) that is resistant to corrosion and able to withstand harsh weather conditions. Can be. The support structure comprising the mesh can be modular and prefabricated to allow for easy fabrication, mounting and maintenance. Alternatives include stainless steel cables, ropes, wires and rods. The support structure may be mounted on the building facade by fastening means such as bolts, nuts, hooks, and the like.

The foregoing has been described by way of illustration in connection with one or more embodiments for the purpose of clearly understanding the invention, but the invention is capable of modifications, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible.

Claims (8)

A compartment covered with a photovoltaic system; And
Compartments Covered With Vegetation Systems
Including,
Support structure for mounting on a building facade. 2. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the support structure is formed of a rectangular skeleton having a plurality of vertical frames and a plurality of horizontal frames. The support structure of claim 2, wherein the photovoltaic system is adapted to include one or more solar panels fixed on a plurality of vertical frames and / or horizontal frames. 4. The support structure of claim 2 or 3, wherein the vegetation system comprises one or more meshes for supporting vine plants, the meshes being adapted to be fixed on a plurality of vertical frames and / or horizontal frames. 5. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic system and the vegetation system are positioned in spaced relation to form a gap therebetween. 6. The support structure of claim 4, wherein the side view structure of the mesh is selected from straight, concave, convex, corrugated, pyramid, vented, and combinations thereof. 7. The support structure of claim 6, wherein the first portion of the mesh is concave and the second portion of the mesh is convex. 8. The support structure of claim 7, wherein the photovoltaic system is adapted to be secured to a recess of the mesh such that the photovoltaic system is flush with the convex portion of the mesh.

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