Plant design and automation
The plant design must be an advanced but moderate "integration", which provides for that little bit of energy that the building envelope is not able to accumulate and passively store. Under a design actually "integrated", the technological plant systems must harmoniously interact with the architectural union, according to the morphology of the building and site.
To plant systems is required not only to integrate passive building technologies, but also to act as "active sensors" (think, for example, thermal solar and photovoltaic). In conclusion, they will be the shrewd "managers" of the energy resources of a building, and their good conception, design, execution will contribute decisively to the hygro-climatic benefit even clearly economic, that the end users will appreciate.
Design of controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV)
Controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) has the dual advantage of keeping constantly healthy indoor air (with excellent impact on the living comfort), and to cut down heat losses by ventilation. The fan units are fitted with high-efficiency heat recovery units that, in the cold months, subtract the heat in the exhaust air that is about to be expelled outside the building, and give it to the "clean" but cold air just picked up from outside. It is the responsibility of the designer to have a HVAC distribution network able to "wash" continuously the entire volume of air contained in the treated location (generally air intakes are prepared for in the main rooms and vents in service rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens , access rooms).
Design of home automation systems
With the passing of time, technology is pervading every aspect of our lives. The latest evolution of this process is represented by the maximum entry of technology in modern plant design, which has allowed us to introduce many improvements in terms of safety, efficiency, energy savings and comfort.
These factors have benefited from the spreading of electronics in plant components and the subsequent birth of the first intelligent components able to allow small automations and controls, such as the light regulators, the leak gas signal systems, infrared or microwave presence detectors, timers, weather sensors, etc..
The challenge these days is to move from the current situation of intelligent components operating autonomously, to a situation where these components come to be part of a big network system that spreads throughout the building.
In it lies a deep innovation, compared to "traditional" electrical plant design still widespread.
The automation technologies make it possible not only to separate power and electrical controls (greatly reducing the seams of cables and conduits), but also to control in an "intelligent" way all the plant design systems of a building (residential or not) on site or online.
Design of air conditioning systems
The choice of how best to heat and cool the spaces is conditioned by a variety of factors (intended use, external weather conditions, design of the building, quality of the building envelope, users aptitude, etc.). Hence the need for integration between plant design system and architectural implementation. Given this, for example, the cost for a "thermal radiation plant", combined to advanced generators at low temperature, may appear slightly higher than that for other more antiquated systems, but this cost converts itself into a benefit within pay-back periods favourable, thanks to the rational use of energy carried out by the building plant system.