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Water Current Turbines in Malaysia: Perspectives

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Generation of energy using ocean water currents is one of the most important yet unexplored and neglected topic in Malaysia. Water current turbines are energy contributors which can reduce conventional  energy dependency  and decrease dependence on conventional fossil fuels in the country. In case of water current turbines, issue of space comes nowhere, what matters is the availability of optimum water currents and use of strong materials which are resistant to corrosion. What are Water Current Turbines River or ocean waters are constantly on the move. They usually flow in complex patterns affected by wind, water salinity, temperature, topography and the earth’s rotation. As for ocean currents most of them are driven by wind and solar heating of surface waters near the equator, while some currents result from density and salinity variations of the water column. Ocean and river currents are relatively constant at a point and flow in one direction While average ...

Benefits of Sustainable Buildings

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The concept of sustainable building was started during 17 th  century when Greeks developed technological innovations for passive solar design so that every home can avail solar heat during winters .  Sustainable building  is designed, renovated, operated or reused in an ecological and resource efficient way without compromising with needs of future generation and reduce negative impacts on the environment. In addition to energy efficiency and resource conservation, sustainable buildings make judicious use of renewable energy. Sustainable building is focused on reducing energy consumption by HVAC units and lighting systems as they are major contributor to energy consumption during and post-construction.  Some of the salient features of sustainable building are listed below: Use of fly ash ready mix concrete or light weight concrete / cavity walls for insulation and sustainability. Use of roof insulation method like expanded polys...

Solar Energy in Sustainable Buildings/Green Buildings

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Application of solar energy systems in building design saves money and conserves energy, in addition to attractive architectural designs and improving environmental conditions surrounding the building. Passive solar technologies and PV systems can be effectively used in a building in several ways. Passive Solar Design Passive solar technologies directly take advantage of the sun’s light and heat without using any mechanical or electrical devices. Also termed as ‘daylight’, this method is used for floors, window and walls to capture sunlight from high heat zone and relay it to low heat zone For example, we can capture sun’s heat from outside and transfer it to a room during winter and vice versa during summer. Use of building structure to capture sunlight and store heat alone can save upto 50% of the energy used at home. Window placement, use of thermal mass and appropriate solar orientation of building are key aspects of solar passive design. Some major design considerations are ...

Passive Solar Design: Sustainable Energy For Air Conditioning and Heating

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Passive solar design is a method to collect solar energy using windows, walls, floors etc and distribute it to the room during winters to maintain considerably high temperature than outside or reject it to maintain inside temperature considerably cool during summer. The system does not require any mechanical or electrical devices which make it best suited for building design. Passive design takes advantage of climate in best possible way to maintain the comfortable temperature range in a room. Passive solar design eliminates the use of any auxiliary items for heating or cooling systems, which account for 35% or more reduction of energy use, saving substantial electricity bill. Buildings are properly oriented and windows are designed in such a way that they carefully balance energy requirements without adding any mechanical or electrical devices and with minimal maintenance cost. Passive Heating and Cooling Masonry walls properly oriented towards south with allowance of 30 deg...