Projets finalisés

TETRAENER

Genève-Lac-Nation (GLN) project : application of a European CONCERTO project

Mots clés
Cold/hot network, lake, buildings, environmental impacts

Financement
UE

Résumé
TetraEner is a european integrated project included in the sixth framework Priority 6.1 “Sustainable energy systems”. This project is based on the premise of creating residential and administrative communities where external energy dependency is reduced by optimising the supply/demand balance through an improvement in energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, together with demand monitoring and control applications.
TetraEner encompasses two new urban developments in the cities of San Sebastian (Spain) and Geneva (Switzerland). These communities can offer a series of synergies with regard to the priorities set out in the CONCERTO initiative : Large-scale integration of renewable energy sources, Eco-buildings, polygeneration, energy storage and supply assurance.


Geneva project objectives

1) Low Temperature Exchange Network
Lake Geneva can be seen as a virtually unlimited source of perfectly renewable and non-polluting energy that can be used to provide heating, cooling and water services. Water is drawn from a depth of 30 meters and is distributed through a hydraulic network at a temperature lower or equal to 10 °C, to heat or cool buildings in the area. The network also serves as a thermal exchange medium and as a source of non-potable water.

2) Related objectives
Sustainable development requires a global energy management strategy that goes beyond the design of low energy consumption buildings. Within the frame of the Genève-Lac-Nations project, new methods will be developed, taking into account the energy and environmental aspects of future energy flows of the given perimeter. Objectives are :

  • Achievement of 100 % renewable electricity use by the building participating to the GLN project upon completion of the project (5 years)
  • On public buildings, construct roofs designed to receive solar panels in the future
  • Collect rooftop rainwater to irrigate landscaping and flush the building's toilets
  • Adaptation of existing buildings to heat distribution techniques compatible with weak temperature gradients, close to operating temperatures

Our Activities

Monitoring and adaptation of existing buildings to a hydraulic network : the objectives are to propose a methodology for monitoring and auditing the existing buildings for their integration into the thermal exchange network, if possible by using an available audit method or by creating an extension of an available method.
Evaluation of the GLN project : the objectives are to demonstrate the efficiency of the GLN project with respect to energy, environmental and economical aspects, and to raise awareness an to promote the use of “green, blue and yellow” categories of electricity with the objective of achieving 100 % use of certified renewable electricity among the buildings participating in the GLN project.

tetraener.png
Cooling network in the concerned district

Publications