Glan Blake Thomas Glan
Chairman and CEO
AET Flexible Space (Hong Kong) Ltd
 
Renewable Energy: Organic Rankine Cycle Technology, Absorption Chiller and Solar Energy
 

Session Description:
In Europe, commercial buildings services account for 50% of our total energy consumption.The majority of the consumption is as a result of heating and air conditioning our commercialbuilding stock. AET Flexible Space is world leader in Under Floor Air Conditioning (UFAC)technology and we are dedicated to continuous improvement in efficiency. Solar Energygeneration is gaining momentum as a serious alternative to fossil fuel energy generation,and in this presentation I investigate the potential of the solar energy to power our existingheating and air conditioning systems with the integration of absorption chillers into systemdesign, as well as an insight to Organic Rankine Cycle technology.
Absorption cycles work on the same refrigerating principle as conventional electric chillersexcept that the electric compressor and the expansion valve are replaced by an absorberand a generator. Solar cooling can be achieved by the conversion of solar heat energy intocooling power. Ice storage systems offer building owners the potential for maximizingsavings by using solar energy gain during weekends to produce ice for cooling during peakoperating hours. Absorption chillers can also utilise other waste heat sources such as thatfrom a boiler of a factory.
Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology can also be applied. This technology canincrease efficiencies in power generating systems and is increasingly adopted in industrialapplications, with the potential transfer of application to commercial applications. ORC andAbsorption chilling technologies represents the concept of Tri-Generation - i.e. a third stage toCo-Generation. The market potential for Tri-Generation technologies is massive, the permittingprocess to add-on to existing facilities and the fact that transmission limitations are not an issueversus wind and solar makes this the lowest hanging fruit in the transition to a cleaner energybase.
 

Speaker Profile:
Glan studied Building Services Engineering at the National College, South Bank University and following experience in the design office of Haden Young in London, joined Mott Macdonald as the Design Manager for Building Services and his work subsequently took him to South Africa, Iran, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore. Glan was invited to join Hiross in 1987 as Director of the Environmental Division and was responsible for the design co-ordination of all Flexible Space projects with Hiross for six years. During this time he developed their unique “Fantile Unit” and worked with BSRIA to study fresh air distribution and Building Simulation to study energy consumption and CO2 emissions of the system compared with conventional overhead systems. In 1993 Glan established Advanced Ergonomic Technologies Ltd, incorporated in the UK and has since established offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing and distribution agents in several other countries. In 2010 AET established manufacturing facilities to continue production of the AET Flexible Space Under Floor Air Conditioning (UFAC) system.
Glan has delivered papers and speeches in many countries during his career; including CIBSE and ASHRAE conferences, focusing on Under Floor Air Conditioning technology and industry issues such as Intelligent Building, Sustainability and Energy conservation.