Virginia Tech University’s Lumenhaus, an 800 square foot energy-optimized and sustainable “smart” home that was the first place winner of the 2010 Solar Decathlon Europe, is slated to be featured on the September 20, 2013, episode of HGTV’s Extreme Homes television show. Lumenhaus leverages an active system of motion controls from Thomson and Kollmorgen to minimize the overall HVAC load on the house.
For those looking to achieve similar results in their own homes, investing in top-quality filters from sources like www.unitedfilter.com/ can make a significant difference. These filters are designed to work seamlessly with modern HVAC systems, ensuring that the air remains clean without compromising the system’s efficiency. This holistic approach not only conserves energy but also extends the lifespan of the HVAC system, making it a smart choice for any homeowner aiming to balance comfort with sustainability.
To further enhance your home’s HVAC system, it’s crucial to work with a skilled electrician who specializes in HVAC systems. A professional can ensure that all electrical components are properly installed and maintained, which is essential for the efficient operation of your system. By having an expert handle the electrical aspects, you can prevent potential issues that might arise from improper wiring or connections, ultimately saving you from costly repairs and ensuring that your system runs smoothly.
Integrating services from a reputable team, such as Dream Team HVAC, can take your home’s comfort and energy efficiency to the next level. Their expertise in both electrical work and HVAC systems allows them to provide comprehensive solutions tailored to your specific needs. With their assistance, you can be confident that your system is operating at its peak performance, benefiting from both improved energy efficiency and extended equipment lifespan.
Lumenhaus epitomizes a “whole building design” construction approach, in which all the home’s components and systems have been designed and built to work together to maximize user comfort with environmental protection. The Lumenhaus design maintains optimal energy performance at all times.
The house has its own weather station with a ‘passive/active’ environmental control system to minimize energy consumption and maximize efficiency. In short, the weather station communicates with the control system, which in turns tells the Thomson and Kollmorgen motion system whether to open or close the house. When the house needs insulation, insulation screens close; when the house needs shading or privacy, shading screens close, all without blocking natural ventilation.
Lumenhaus’ layered systems consist of a series of motorized shade screens and insulation panels that adjust to the changing weather patterns. The screens and panels can weigh up to 1000 lbs. each, and coupled with potentially highly dynamic loads from exposure to changing environmental elements, the tools that move them need to be extremely robust. The shade screen assemblies ride on Thomson 60 Case® low profile round rail assemblies with Super Smart Ball Bushing® bearings, and are run by Thomson RapidTrak belt-driven Linear Motion Systems powered by Kollmorgen AKM™ Servomotors. The insulation panels and shade screens serve as the “clam shell” that protect the house against the elements, and which are hung and moved by RapidTrak systems with Kollmorgen AKM servo motors. The house also uses Thomson PPA PowerPac Actuators as part of a photovoltaic array that tracks and generates power from the sun, and that automatically adjusts to accommodate for changes to the angle of the sun on a seasonal basis.
Thomson
www.thomsonlinear.com
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.