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PV AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAGA
Published on 09 March 2021
Spain
Andalucía
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About this good practice
With the intention of achieving a sustainable, ecological and highly efficient university campus, the University of Malaga has drawn up a Sustainability Master Plan that will be gradually applied to both new-build buildings and existing buildings and open areas of the campus.
The School of Industrial Engineering is a project aimed at achieving a university complex with the highest energy rating. For this, two fundamental concepts are combined: the production of electrical energy using renewable energies, and the implementation of home automation control systems that allow optimizing both the energy required and the management of its facilities.
With the first objective, a total of 1 MW have been installed on their roofs, using 230 W monocrystalline panels. This system was implemented to produce an average of 704 KWh / year, which more than met the energy needs of the building when the activity carried out in it coincides, for the most part, with the hours of sunshine at this latitude.
For the second proposed objective, there is a LonWork system using a Building Magnagement System that allows controlling the air conditioning and lighting.
The objective, from the energy point of view, is to achieve the self-sufficiency of the facilities and, even, to be able to transfer energy to other neighboring buildings.
The beneficiaries are the university community, 4,500 students from 12 engineering specialties, 140 professors and 140 administration and services staff.
The School of Industrial Engineering is a project aimed at achieving a university complex with the highest energy rating. For this, two fundamental concepts are combined: the production of electrical energy using renewable energies, and the implementation of home automation control systems that allow optimizing both the energy required and the management of its facilities.
With the first objective, a total of 1 MW have been installed on their roofs, using 230 W monocrystalline panels. This system was implemented to produce an average of 704 KWh / year, which more than met the energy needs of the building when the activity carried out in it coincides, for the most part, with the hours of sunshine at this latitude.
For the second proposed objective, there is a LonWork system using a Building Magnagement System that allows controlling the air conditioning and lighting.
The objective, from the energy point of view, is to achieve the self-sufficiency of the facilities and, even, to be able to transfer energy to other neighboring buildings.
The beneficiaries are the university community, 4,500 students from 12 engineering specialties, 140 professors and 140 administration and services staff.
Expert opinion
The ongoing project described in this good practice shows that universities are among the institutions that can spearhead the Renovation Wave as urged by the European Commission. Policymakers and other academic institutions may certainly learn from it. The approach adopted to improve the energy performance of the building hosting the Faculty of Engineering, which combines on-site generation of renewables with the installation of smart appliances for lightening and air conditioning is the most inspiring aspect of this good practice. It is also worth stressing that this energy efficiency intervention implements a piece of a wider Sustainability Masterplan which seeks to improve overall sustainability at campus level. Academic institutions and public administrations in all EU regions are advised to adopt similar instruments to substantiate their energy and climate commitments and plan for their implementation.
Resources needed
€ 300,000.00 during 2021 and € 2,700,000.00 for the next 5-year period
The School of Engineering was built with the University of Malaga's own funds and the installation of photovoltaic energy was paid for by a private company in exchange for the exploitation of the production of energy
The School of Engineering was built with the University of Malaga's own funds and the installation of photovoltaic energy was paid for by a private company in exchange for the exploitation of the production of energy
Evidence of success
The project is currently producing 1,297,613 kWh / year and avoids 1,300 tons / year of CO2
Potential for learning or transfer
The experience is fully replicable in other universities. The experience gained will make it possible to optimize the available resources in each area as well as make it possible to achieve sustainable campuses, from an energy and environmental point of view. Likewise, it is possible to optimize the response of the maintenance and support services both to infrastructures and to the personnel who carry out their activity in the university buildings.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
University Institute of Domotic and Energy Efficiency, Vicerectorate of Smart Campus, University of Malaga
Spain
Andalucía
Contact
Senior Expert