Page 35 - Altogether Magazine Issue 4 English

35 and experimental buildings and provides performance like indoor air temperature, relative indoor air humidity parameters for advanced computer models to predict and air velocity and, out of the data then determine the efficacy of engineering designs. the energy consumption of a building using the tested curtain wall solution. The aim of The ZE²B Research Laboratory is to increase knowledge on the use of different curtain wall solutions A “zero energy building” is a building in the Middle East, where the potential for energy savings in buildings is untapped. So what is the ZE²B? It with zero net energy consumption and consists of two independently operated test containers zero carbon emissions annually. While no and a detached chiller station. Each of the two test such building currently exists in Qatar, the containers has two test chambers embedded, which represent a single office room. In the area of the building potential to achieve this is great. envelope, the test containers have an opening allowing the installation of different curtain wall solutions. Each In Europe, there are already aluminium solutions to test chamber itself can be individually cooled, artificially reduce energy consumption by implementing smart lighted, mechanically and naturally ventilated. facade systems, which can significantly reduce the need for heating or cooling. However, in the Middle The research lab can analyse four different curtain East, high temperatures combined with air humidity, wall solutions in parallel - allowing mainly qualitative sand and very high solar radiation, provide one of the comparison between the options. In addition, the facility most demanding climatic conditions for buildings and is equipped with specialist equipment to test solar their materials, and there is currently only limited data thermal and photovoltaic applications. It is expected to and research available regarding the performance of operate for several years, during which test data will be different solutions under these climatic conditions. collected and analysed. As a leader in operational excellence, high-quality aluminium products and environmental performance The research at the facility will be conducted to make in the Gulf, Qatalum is actively working towards a assessments of the impact of the Middle East climate future where the combination of Qatalum’s primary on building envelopes and how building envelopes can aluminium production and other Qatari firms’ use be developed to influence the long-term sustainability of that aluminium to create value-added products, of buildings. The facility will enable Qatalum and Hydro results in Qatar becoming one of the main centres of to provide environmentally sustainable products and aluminium trade and production in the region and the knowledge on options for building design and layout. It world. will allow the companies to investigate room conditions,