IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i8p1913-d1631411.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Review and Characterization of Energy-Harvesting Resources in Buildings with a Case Study of a Commercial Building in a Cold Climate—Toronto, Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Jeremy Lytle

    (Building Science Program, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada)

  • Zenon Radewych

    (WZMH Architects, 95 St Clair Ave W #1500, Toronto, ON M4V 1N6, Canada)

  • Kristiina Valter Mai

    (Department of Electrical, Computer & Biomedical Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada)

  • Alan S. Fung

    (Department of Mechanical, Industrial & Mechatronics Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada)

Abstract

The present work provides a framework for the comprehensive assessment of energy-harvesting resources in buildings, encompassing environmental, anthropogenic, and recyclable sources. A review of resources and state-of-the-art energy-harvesting technologies is presented, including an outlook on the future theoretical limitations of their performance. The assessment framework is applied to a case-study commercial building located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The available resources are categorized into three orders of magnitude with respect to achievable power generation, with solar and wind in the first tier, elevator potential and fitness centres in the second tier, and sources including vibrations, occupant traffic, and thermoelectric conversion in the third. Situated in a mid-rise context, the total annual resource magnitude is found to be eight times greater than the building demand. However, only an overall 10% of the available resource is converted with the harvesting applications and efficiencies considered, resulting in a net energy deficit. It is shown that with maximum theoretical efficiencies, the conversion rate can reach 30% resulting in 151% surplus electrical generation for the building in question.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeremy Lytle & Zenon Radewych & Kristiina Valter Mai & Alan S. Fung, 2025. "A Review and Characterization of Energy-Harvesting Resources in Buildings with a Case Study of a Commercial Building in a Cold Climate—Toronto, Canada," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-33, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:8:p:1913-:d:1631411
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/1913/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/1913/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fontenot, Hannah & Dong, Bing, 2019. "Modeling and control of building-integrated microgrids for optimal energy management – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    2. Li, Q.S. & Shu, Z.R. & Chen, F.B., 2016. "Performance assessment of tall building-integrated wind turbines for power generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 777-788.
    3. Hughes, Ben Richard & Chaudhry, Hassam Nasarullah & Calautit, John Kaiser, 2014. "Passive energy recovery from natural ventilation air streams," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 127-140.
    4. Alharbi, Fahhad H. & Kais, Sabre, 2015. "Theoretical limits of photovoltaics efficiency and possible improvements by intuitive approaches learned from photosynthesis and quantum coherence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1073-1089.
    5. Calautit, John Kaiser & O'Connor, Dominic & Hughes, Ben Richard, 2016. "A natural ventilation wind tower with heat pipe heat recovery for cold climates," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(P3), pages 1088-1104.
    6. Gerber, Daniel L. & Vossos, Vagelis & Feng, Wei & Marnay, Chris & Nordman, Bruce & Brown, Richard, 2018. "A simulation-based efficiency comparison of AC and DC power distribution networks in commercial buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 1167-1187.
    7. Binama, Maxime & Su, Wen-Tao & Li, Xiao-Bin & Li, Feng-Chen & Wei, Xian-Zhu & An, Shi, 2017. "Investigation on pump as turbine (PAT) technical aspects for micro hydropower schemes: A state-of-the-art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 148-179.
    8. Li-Dong Zhao & Shih-Han Lo & Yongsheng Zhang & Hui Sun & Gangjian Tan & Ctirad Uher & C. Wolverton & Vinayak P. Dravid & Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, 2014. "Ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric figure of merit in SnSe crystals," Nature, Nature, vol. 508(7496), pages 373-377, April.
    9. Chen, Jiayu & Qiu, Qiwen & Han, Yilong & Lau, Denvid, 2019. "Piezoelectric materials for sustainable building structures: Fundamentals and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 14-25.
    10. Kumar, Rakesh & Raahemifar, Kaamran & Fung, Alan S., 2018. "A critical review of vertical axis wind turbines for urban applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 281-291.
    11. Aslam Bhutta, Muhammad Mahmood & Hayat, Nasir & Farooq, Ahmed Uzair & Ali, Zain & Jamil, Sh. Rehan & Hussain, Zahid, 2012. "Vertical axis wind turbine – A review of various configurations and design techniques," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 1926-1939.
    12. Wang, Hao & Jasim, Abbas & Chen, Xiaodan, 2018. "Energy harvesting technologies in roadway and bridge for different applications – A comprehensive review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1083-1094.
    13. Lanzafame, R. & Messina, M., 2010. "Horizontal axis wind turbine working at maximum power coefficient continuously," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 301-306.
    14. Toni Pujol & Albert Massaguer & Eduard Massaguer & Lino Montoro & Martí Comamala, 2018. "Net Power Coefficient of Vertical and Horizontal Wind Turbines with Crossflow Runners," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-24, January.
    15. Dragomirescu, A., 2011. "Performance assessment of a small wind turbine with crossflow runner by numerical simulations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 957-965.
    16. Ming, T. & Wu, Y. & Peng, C. & Tao, Y., 2015. "Thermal analysis on a segmented thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 388-399.
    17. Mohamed Amine Zoui & Saïd Bentouba & John G. Stocholm & Mahmoud Bourouis, 2020. "A Review on Thermoelectric Generators: Progress and Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-32, July.
    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. Škvorc, Petar & Kozmar, Hrvoje, 2021. "Wind energy harnessing on tall buildings in urban environments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    2. Mohanasundaram Anthony & Valsalal Prasad & Kannadasan Raju & Mohammed H. Alsharif & Zong Woo Geem & Junhee Hong, 2020. "Design of Rotor Blades for Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Wind Flow Modifier for Low Wind Profile Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-26, September.
    3. Wang, Y. & Mauree, D. & Sun, Q. & Lin, H. & Scartezzini, J.L. & Wennersten, R., 2020. "A review of approaches to low-carbon transition of high-rise residential buildings in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    4. He, J.Y. & Chan, P.W. & Li, Q.S. & Huang, Tao & Yim, Steve Hung Lam, 2024. "Assessment of urban wind energy resource in Hong Kong based on multi-instrument observations," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    5. Wu, Yongjia & Yang, Jihui & Chen, Shikui & Zuo, Lei, 2018. "Thermo-element geometry optimization for high thermoelectric efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 672-680.
    6. Tian, Wenlong & Song, Baowei & Mao, Zhaoyong, 2020. "Numerical investigation of wind turbines and turbine arrays on highways," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 384-398.
    7. Zhu, Lei & Li, Huaqi & Chen, Sen & Tian, Xiaoyan & Kang, Xiaoya & Jiang, Xinbiao & Qiu, Suizheng, 2020. "Optimization analysis of a segmented thermoelectric generator based on genetic algorithm," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 710-718.
    8. Ying, P. & Chen, Y.K. & Xu, Y.G. & Tian, Y., 2015. "Computational and experimental investigations of an omni-flow wind turbine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 74-83.
    9. Daniel Micallef & Gerard Van Bussel, 2018. "A Review of Urban Wind Energy Research: Aerodynamics and Other Challenges," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-27, August.
    10. Peng, H.Y. & Liu, H.J. & Yang, J.H., 2021. "A review on the wake aerodynamics of H-rotor vertical axis wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    11. Zhu, Xinyu & Guo, Zhiping & Zhang, Yanfeng & Song, Xiaowen & Cai, Chang & Kamada, Yasunari & Maeda, Takao & Li, Qing'an, 2022. "Numerical study of aerodynamic characteristics on a straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine with bionic blades," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    12. Kumar, Rakesh & Raahemifar, Kaamran & Fung, Alan S., 2018. "A critical review of vertical axis wind turbines for urban applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 281-291.
    13. Tummala, Abhishiktha & Velamati, Ratna Kishore & Sinha, Dipankur Kumar & Indraja, V. & Krishna, V. Hari, 2016. "A review on small scale wind turbines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1351-1371.
    14. Calautit, John Kaiser & O’Connor, Dominic & Tien, Paige Wenbin & Wei, Shuangyu & Pantua, Conrad Allan Jay & Hughes, Ben, 2020. "Development of a natural ventilation windcatcher with passive heat recovery wheel for mild-cold climates: CFD and experimental analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 465-482.
    15. Shen, Zu-Guo & Liu, Xun & Chen, Shuai & Wu, Shuang-Ying & Xiao, Lan & Chen, Zu-Xiang, 2018. "Theoretical analysis on a segmented annular thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 297-313.
    16. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Kalkman, Ivo & Blocken, Bert, 2017. "Effect of pitch angle on power performance and aerodynamics of a vertical axis wind turbine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 132-150.
    17. Liu, Miaomiao & Nejat, Payam & Cao, Pinlu & Jimenez-Bescos, Carlos & Calautit, John Kaiser, 2024. "A critical review of windcatcher ventilation: Micro-environment, techno-economics, and commercialisation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    18. Bai, H.Y. & Liu, P. & Justo Alonso, M. & Mathisen, H.M., 2022. "A review of heat recovery technologies and their frost control for residential building ventilation in cold climate regions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    19. Zahra Sefidgar & Amir Ahmadi Joneidi & Ahmad Arabkoohsar, 2023. "A Comprehensive Review on Development and Applications of Cross-Flow Wind Turbines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-39, March.
    20. Guo, Lukai & Wang, Hao, 2022. "Non-intrusive movable energy harvesting devices: Materials, designs, and their prospective uses on transportation infrastructures," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

    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:8:p:1913-:d:1631411. 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.