ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Built in the early 1970s due the rapid and vast growth of the urban population, buildings from large prefabricated concrete panels (LPCP) represent around 2% of the entire building stock. More than half of the urban population lives in them. Currently these buildings consume huge amounts of energy and are outdated by failing to meet modern living standards. Because they were built based on project types and configured in various ways for a better use of land, these buildings are suitable for an extensive retrofitting strategy to bring them up to date while improving not only the quality of life within but also the surrounding communities. With the advances in design, operation optimization and control of energy-influencing building components (HVAC, solar, CHP, natural ventilation, shading, fuel cells etc.) the potential for realizing significant energy savings and efficiencies in a buildings operation is unleashed. Today, governments and power companies across the world have recognized that the traditional grid, which has not significantly changed over the last decade, must be replaced by more efficient, flexible and intelligent energy-distribution networks, called “smart grids”. The building connected to the new power network becomes both receiver as well as energy distributor. The grid optimizes power delivery and facilitate two-way communication across the grid, enabling end-user energy management, minimizing power disruptions and transporting only the required amount of power. The result is a lower cost to the utility and the customer, more reliable power, and reduced carbon emissions.
