solar energy follow up, images + website

This is the follow up blog post from aleks, haomin, kaylyn and sarah


Here is an image of the solar panels currently in place at the horse palace, you can view their performance here: http://view2.fatspaniel.net/FST/Portal/TorontoHorsePalace/

Solar energy model!

This shows how the solar panels would look on the roof of OCAD, facing south (to get the most sunlight) at a 45 degree angle.

Made by me, Sarah. :)

aleks, haomin, kaylyn, sarah - Taking Action on Renewable Energy

Group Members: aleks, haomin, kaylyn, sarah

Proposal:

Installation of Solar panels on the flat rooftop of the tabletop structure above the OCAD’s main building.

Purpose:

Allow OCAD contribute to environmental sustainability, by switching part of OCAD’s energy use to a more “green” source. Usage of solar energy will reduce OCAD’s Carbon footprint, and overall emission of toxic chemicals into the environment by other non-renewable energy sources.

What’s been done?

OCAD’s current step toward a “greener” source of energy use was to enter into the bullfrog system for the student union building. This system allows part of OCAD to be powered by a “green” source for an increased fee on electricity.

We, however, whish to push this initiative into the next step, by having OCAD become part of the “green” source of electricity. By introducing this system of solar energy into the open grid hydro system, we not only produce electricity for ourselves, but also any extra electricity gets to be inputted into Ontario’s hydro grid.

Technical information:

Structural requirements:

The rooftop of OCAD’s tabletop structure measures approximately 83 meters by 31 meters, which translates into approximately 2500 square meters of area available. We propose to use half of that area, which is about 1250 square meters or approximately 14000 square foot of available space for installing the solar panels.

There should be no additional strain to the building from the extra weight, as the original architect that designed the Sharp Center had proposed that prefabricated student pub or lecture hall can be hung from the tabletop. Thus, the extra weight shouldn’t pose any problems.

The solar panels needs to be south facing, and inclined at about 45° angle. The Sharp Center is completely unobstructed from the south side, making it perfect for the solar panels.

Technology:

We decided to do a comparison study between what we are proposing and another case study that was done at the Horse Palace at the Exhibition place, in late 2006. Their solar panels covered approximately 15000 square feet of area, which is similar to the area we r proposing to cover on OCAD’s rooftop. They chose between two systems, a 50kw system and a 100kw system, which will produce 120,000 kWh of electricity per year. In the end, they decided to opt for the 100kw system, as it was a lot more cost efficient to install.

We propose to do the same, and install the 100kw system at OCAD. Also, because Carmanah Technologies had done a system of this scale for the case study, it would be a lot more efficient to use the same company, as they have the experience to create a smooth operation.

Budgeting and Incentives:

The costs for solar panels are according to the energy produced by the system. To create a 100kw system costs about $1.1 million (where as the 50kw system require about $750,000, about $15,000 per kw) averaging about $11,000 per kw.

From our research, we understand that OCAD’s sustainability taskforce only has about $518,000 in their budget. However, the government gives many incentives toward those that wish to build systems of energy production based on sustainable sources. The case study at the Exhibition Place built their system primarily based on government incentives. They received a grant of $250,000 from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and a grant of $250,000 from the Toronto Atmospheric Fund. In addition, they were also able to apply for a $600,000 interest free loan from the Better Buildings Partnership.

We understand that we might not receive the same type of grants from the government, because the case study was a pilot program. However, the existence of these grants and loans will be able to make the project feasible. As well, the government also has another incentive – for every kilowatt-hour produced by the renewable system, the government will pay back 42 cents, thus allowing the system to pay for itself in about 22 years.

Energy by Group #4 (Steven, Leo & Guia)

Energy sources:
1. Fossil Fuels - involves burning of coal or hydrocarbon fuels, extremely inefficient and non-renewable
2. Nuclear Energy - uses nuclear fission to generate energy, reduces carbon emission although the radioactive waste might cost contamination
3. Nuclear Fusion - Not yet fully developed

Examples of renewable resources
- Biomass, bio-fuels, & vegetable oils
- Geothermal, Hydroelectric energy
- Solar & Tidal power generation

Renewable energy can be defined as the energy that is obtained through natural resources such as the sun, waves, water, wind, etc. The advantage of using these kinds of energy is that they are available almost everywhere, and can be replenished easily. They are in most of the cases unlimited and produce a lot less pollution than fossil fuels. Examples of where such renewable energies are being used efficiently are Sweden, where the goal is to eliminate all dependence on oil as by 2020; Samso island where wind farms produce more energy than they use in the island; Japan and Germany, where solar panels are getting really popular, etc. Renewable energy have a lot more advantages as they also constitute a permanent source of energy and their price will only get lower as technology advances.

As for energy efficient heating & cooling practices, our trip to the MEC provided us with a few of the many benefits of the green roofs. Basically, the ground/soil functions as a shade from the sun's heat during the summer, (thus spending less on air conditioning systems) and as an insulation from the cold during winter (hence less heating needed). Not to mention the plants used in this small ecosystem are all native to Canada and are self-sustainable requiring very little maintenance. In addition, the practice of 'daylighting' (building windows or skylights), also helps reduce the need for artificial lighting. The use of occupancy sensors that control lights (see OCAD's yellow staircase) are also a great way of cutting energy costs regarding lighting.

Assignment #3 Energy (Haomin, Kaylyn, Serah, Aleks)

There are generally ten types of energy: Fossil Fuel, Nuclear Power, Solar Power, Wind Power, Tidal Power, Hydroelectric Power, Pumped Storage, Wave Power, Geothermal Power and Biomass. Three major sources of energy are used in Ontario - Fossil fuel, Nuclear Power, and Hydroelectric. Of the non-renewable energy sources, Nuclear power is a lot more environmentally friendly than Fossil Fuel as it doesn't emit greenhouse gas. Although, the radio active waste produced is a huge concern to safety and the environment.

Of the renewable energy sources, currently Japan plans to use biomass to help improve their environment, and both San Francisco and Dubai are harvesting Solar Energy to aid their environmental efforts.

For heating and cooling, Geothermal energy seemed sound for keeping indoor environment comfortable, and be a great resource that does not damage the environment. Using Solar energy to heat water indoors will both save money and the environment.

FCL, florescent compact lighting, is very sound for the environment using less electricity and running longer. This helps to keep a lot of the greenhouse emissions from the fossil power plants from entering into the environment.

[murmur] in our local neighbourhood!

In week 2 we will be getting to know our local neighbourhood. Come to class with your walking shoes on, because we will be visiting Kensington Market and Spadina, two rich, diverse local communities right on our doorstep. We will get to know these places a bit better by participating in the [murmur] project:

"It's history from the ground up, told by the voices that are often overlooked when the stories of cities are told. We know about the skyscrapers, sports stadiums and landmarks, but [murmur] looks for the intimate, neighbourhood-level voices that tell the day-to-day stories that make up a city. The smallest, greyest or most nondescript building can be transformed by the stories that live in it. Once heard, these stories can change the way people think about that place and the city at large."

Bring your cellphone, and look for the green ears! With your group, listen to and collect as many [murmur] stories as you can find by documenting their locations, and then bring them back to class next week, when we will discuss and listen to some of your favourite stories. This is a competition!