IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i15p3962-d1709178.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Application of Indoor Greenhouses in the Production of Thermal Energy in Circular Buildings

Author

Listed:
  • Eusébio Conceição

    (Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
    ADAI, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Rua Luís Reis Santos, Pólo II, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • João Gomes

    (CINTAL, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal)

  • Maria Inês Conceição

    (Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Margarida Conceição

    (Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Maria Manuela Lúcio

    (Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal)

  • Hazim Awbi

    (School of Built Environment, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AW, UK)

Abstract

The production of thermal energy in buildings using internal greenhouses makes it possible to obtain substantial gains in energy consumption and, at the same time, contribute to improving occupants’ thermal comfort (TC) levels. This article proposes a study on the producing and transporting of renewable thermal energy in a circular auditorium equipped with an enveloping semi-circular greenhouse. The numerical study is based on software that simulates the building geometry and the building thermal response (BTR) numerical model and assesses the TC level and indoor air quality (IAQ) provided to occupants in spaces ventilated by the proposed system. The building considered in this study is a circular auditorium constructed from three semi-circular auditoriums supplied with internal semi-circular greenhouses. Each of the semi-circular auditoriums faces south, northeast, and northwest, respectively. The semi-circular auditoriums are occupied by 80 people each: the one facing south throughout the day, while the one facing northeast is only occupied in the morning, and the one facing northwest is only occupied in the afternoon. The south-facing semi-circular greenhouse is used by itself to heat all three semi-circular auditoriums. The other two semi-circular greenhouses are only used to heat the interior space of the greenhouse. It was considered that the building is located in a Mediterranean-type climate and subject to the typical characteristics of clear winter days. The results allow us to verify that the proposed heating system, in which the heat provided to the occupied spaces is generated only in the semi-circular greenhouse facing south, can guarantee acceptable TC conditions for the occupants throughout the occupancy cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Eusébio Conceição & João Gomes & Maria Inês Conceição & Margarida Conceição & Maria Manuela Lúcio & Hazim Awbi, 2025. "Application of Indoor Greenhouses in the Production of Thermal Energy in Circular Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-24, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:3962-:d:1709178
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3962/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3962/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yang, Liu & Yan, Haiyan & Lam, Joseph C., 2014. "Thermal comfort and building energy consumption implications – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 164-173.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carolina Rodriguez & María Coronado & Marta D’Alessandro & Juan Medina, 2019. "The Importance of Standardised Data-Collection Methods in the Improvement of Thermal Comfort Assessment Models for Developing Countries in the Tropics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Yang, Haiyue & Wang, Yazhou & Yu, Qianqian & Cao, Guoliang & Yang, Rue & Ke, Jiaona & Di, Xin & Liu, Feng & Zhang, Wenbo & Wang, Chengyu, 2018. "Composite phase change materials with good reversible thermochromic ability in delignified wood substrate for thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 455-464.
    3. Ebrahim Morady & Madjid Soltani & Farshad Moradi Kashkooli & Masoud Ziabasharhagh & Armughan Al-Haq & Jatin Nathwani, 2022. "Improving Energy Efficiency by Utilizing Wetted Cellulose Pads in Passive Cooling Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, January.
    4. Hinker, Jonas & Hemkendreis, Christian & Drewing, Emily & März, Steven & Hidalgo Rodríguez, Diego I. & Myrzik, Johanna M.A., 2017. "A novel conceptual model facilitating the derivation of agent-based models for analyzing socio-technical optimality gaps in the energy domain," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 1219-1230.
    5. Yan, Huaxia & Pan, Yan & Li, Zhao & Deng, Shiming, 2018. "Further development of a thermal comfort based fuzzy logic controller for a direct expansion air conditioning system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 312-324.
    6. Cui, Can & Zhang, Xin & Cai, Wenjian, 2020. "An energy-saving oriented air balancing method for demand controlled ventilation systems with branch and black-box model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    7. Mukhtar, A. & Ng, K.C. & Yusoff, M.Z., 2018. "Design optimization for ventilation shafts of naturally-ventilated underground shelters for improvement of ventilation rate and thermal comfort," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 183-198.
    8. Girish Rentala & Yimin Zhu & Neil M. Johannsen, 2021. "Impact of Outdoor Temperature Variations on Thermal State in Experiments Using Immersive Virtual Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-36, September.
    9. Balali, Amirhossein & Yunusa-Kaltungo, Akilu, 2025. "Selection of passive energy consumption optimisation strategies for buildings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    10. Picallo-Perez, Ana & Catrini, Pietro & Piacentino, Antonio & Sala, José-Mª, 2019. "A novel thermoeconomic analysis under dynamic operating conditions for space heating and cooling systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 819-837.
    11. Baglivo, Cristina & Congedo, Paolo Maria & D'Agostino, Delia & Zacà, Ilaria, 2015. "Cost-optimal analysis and technical comparison between standard and high efficient mono-residential buildings in a warm climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 560-575.
    12. Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak & Katarzyna Nowak & Marcin Furtak, 2019. "Analysis of the Effect of Using External Venetian Blinds on the Thermal Comfort of Users of Highly Glazed Office Rooms in a Transition Season of Temperate Climate—Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Pikas, Ergo & Thalfeldt, Martin & Kurnitski, Jarek & Liias, Roode, 2015. "Extra cost analyses of two apartment buildings for achieving nearly zero and low energy buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 623-633.
    14. Burillo, Daniel & Chester, Mikhail V. & Pincetl, Stephanie & Fournier, Eric, 2019. "Electricity infrastructure vulnerabilities due to long-term growth and extreme heat from climate change in Los Angeles County," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 943-953.
    15. Shady Attia, 2020. "Spatial and Behavioral Thermal Adaptation in Net Zero Energy Buildings: An Exploratory Investigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-15, September.
    16. Li, Biao & Han, Zongwei & Bai, Chenguang & Hu, Honghao, 2019. "The influence of soil thermal properties on the operation performance on ground source heat pump system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 903-913.
    17. Buratti, C. & Palladino, D. & Ricciardi, P., 2016. "Application of a new 13-value thermal comfort scale to moderate environments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 859-866.
    18. Bakhshoodeh, Reza & Ocampo, Carlos & Oldham, Carolyn, 2022. "Thermal performance of green façades: Review and analysis of published data," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    19. Jiayi Shi & Tao Zhang & Hiroatsu Fukuda & Qun Zhang & Lujian Bai, 2022. "Socio-Environmental Responsive Strategy and Sustainable Development of Traditional Tianshui Dwellings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-27, July.
    20. Magnouréwa Josiane Tossim & Parfait Altolnan Tombar & Sinko Banakinao & Célestin Adeito Mavunda & Tchakouni Sondou & Cyprien Coffi Aholou & Yawovi Mawuénya Xolali Dany Ayité, 2024. "Analysis of the Choice of Cement in Construction and Its Impact on Comfort in Togo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-19, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:3962-:d:1709178. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.