Geo-structures, hybrid solar systems, energy storage : solution for energy positive buildings – GECKO

GECKO: geostructures and hybrid solar panel coupling for optimized energy storage. Solution for energy positive buildings.

2020 will lead to the generalisation of energy positive buildings, which is a technical and economic challenge. It makes it necessary to implement new solutions, potentially combining several energy sources.Limitation of building energy consumption is a priority. However, the following questions remain to be answered:

- Energy positive buidings make it necessary to produce electricity in order to compensate for the electric consumptions of the building (ligntening). How can solar panels for water production take place together with those necessary for electrivity production on a limited roof space?

-How to extand the range of applicability of renewable energies, enhance their ability to be implented in various conditions and improve their economic efficiency?

- How to bring the summer cooling/chilling, especially for office buildings, hospitals, eledrely housing?

Geostructures (or thermo-active fundations) are a renewable solution to reach this goals.

The heat is stored in the ground during the summer (while the building is being chilled), and used in the winter to heat the building.

This technic uses limited space, which is intereting in dense urban areas. It is respectfull of environnment, It requires local manpower to be implemented.

On an economic point of view, these systems have a significant life expectancy and need limited maintenance. The solution is relevant on an economic point of view, when considering the full cost including investment, maintenance and energy consumption of a building.

The coming regulations are an opportuity for these systems. They oblige investors to comply with performance levels, and not only investment cost. The potential is therefore significant and the mix between thermo-active fundations and hybrid solar panels shall be a reference solution for energy positive buildings.

The GECKO project aims at bringing answers to the structural behaviour of ground and energy piles under thermal fluctuations. It also aims at improving the applicability and economical efficiency of these systems by mixing them together with hybrid solar panels.

The two main axis of the project are:

1) Behavior of the ground, ground/pile interface and pile/structure interface under thermal fluctuations.

2) Technical optimisation of the system by mixing it together with hybrid solar panels.

The conclusions of the project will be applicable to more traditional use on borehole geothermal systems, or other applications on geo-structures (diaphragm walls, slabs...).