European Association for the International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality

Development of Renewable Energies, Environment (ICREPQ’12)

and Power Quality (EA4EPQ) Santiago de Compostela (Spain), 28th to 30th March, 2012

Renewable Energies in Vocational Training

María Otero Prego(1), Juan Ignacio Latorre Biel(2), Emilio Jiménez Macías(3)

(1) University of La Rioja. Mechanical Engineering Department.

La Rioja, Spain [email protected]; [email protected]
(2) Public University of Navarre. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Energy, and Materials.
Tudela, Spain. [email protected]
(3) University of La Rioja. Electrical Engineering Department.
La Rioja, Spain [email protected]

Abstract. This paper tries to show how the relationship well as what is considered as renewable energy and the
between energy production, obtained from renewable cero net energy consumption principle.
sources based on low-power generators, and passive
house’s design, can be a clue to get low consumption A. Life Cycle Assessment
energy buildings. As it is briefly described in this paper,
we have applied a Live Cycle Assessment procedure in a This is considered as the main tool for the evaluation of
vocational training school, and we have detected the environmental impacts in the entire life cycle of a
main points of energy consumption that can be modified product, process or service, and it is based on the "cradle
to obtain long-term cost savings. What we have also to grave" approach (Curran, 1996)[1]. It stars from the
found is that, after applying the mentioned methodology gathering of raw materials demanded by the product,
to this kind of public building, where it is developed an including their energy needs, and ends at the time these
educational activity, the value added of the service given materials back to earth (EPA, 2006)[2]. LCA requires an
and the image of the educational institution among the inventory of inputs and outputs, which are considered
community can be improved, according to the three relevant from the environmental point of view, taking
constituent parts that usually define the sustainable into account all the stages involved in the product life
development. The main aim of this paper is to offer a cycle, and all the cumulative environmental impact that
simple action protocol to improve the cost of the power are generated (UNRP, 2003)[3]. Therefore, under this
invoice, mainly by reducing the environmental impact. approach, all the stages in the life of a product, process or
Although the initial cost may intimidate the service, are interdependent, thus an operation leads to the
understandings and application of these measures, such next. This methodology has been developed for assessing
an approach will promote the rising awareness in the a wide range of resources and the generation of impacts,
students and teaching staff, setting environmental including, among others, global warming, the ozone hole,
friendly practices as everyday routines. eutrophication of surface waters, acid rain, human
toxicity and ecotoxicity, depletion of natural resources,
Key words etc. (Guinee et al., 2002)[3]. That is why LCA is
considered as the impact analysis tool more widespread,
as well as currently, the only one subjected to
Life Cycle Assessment, renewable energy harvesting, harmonization (Sonnemann, 2002)[4].
low consumption energy building, vocational training,
green awareness. As mentioned above, this technique of evaluation of
environmental aspects and potential impacts, requires the
1. Introduction inventory of relevant inputs to the system (material and
energy), and emissions to the environment, the evaluation
This paper arises as a consequence of the decision- of potential environmental impacts associated with these
making procedure, which has been done during the inputs and outputs, and the interpretation of the results
implementation of a Life Cycle Assessment in a that will optimize the decision-making. Therefore, it can
vocational training centre in Navarre. We will try to be said that the LCA is a systematic phased approach
summarize briefly what this methodology implies, as which consists of four components (UNE-ENE ISO
14040:2006)[5]:

https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj10.806 1687 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.10, April 2012

 1) Goal Definition and Scoping: phase where the and material use are assessed, as well as the
activity is described, and establishes the context environmental releases, identified in the
in which the LCA is to be made, identifying the previous phase.
boundaries and environmental impacts to be 4) Interpretation: phase that evaluates the previous
reviewed for the assessment. results to select the preferred product, process or
2) Inventory Analysis: phase that identifies and service with a clear understanding of the
quantifies energy, water and materials use, and uncertainty and the assumptions used to
environmental releases. generate the results.
3) Impact Assessment: phase where the potential
human and ecological effects of energy, water,

Goal Inventory Impact

Definition and Analysis Assessment

Interpretation
Fig. 1.1. Phases on a LCA (Source: ISO, 1997[6])

B. Usage of Renewable Energies city where the building is placed, as the Tudela
(Montes del Cierzo) GN meteorological station
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural has recorded.
resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, water masses,
vegetation, and geothermal heat, which are renewable
(naturally replenished). The renewable energies
considered to be used in the building studied are the
following:

 Solar Energy: as the sun produces 4·1026 W·s, and

the belief is that it will last for another 5 billion
years (solar-thermal, 2008) [6,7], we can
considered this source of energy as the most
reliable and abundant. Thus, it has been proposed
to be used by installing Solar Photovoltaic Panels
(PV) and Solar Thermal Collectors, due to the
high average of solar irradiance in the area. In
fact, we have found that, for example, on the 31
of July, 2011, the global solar irradiance in the Fig. 1.2. Wind turbine diameter and energy
meteorological station of Cascante (located only production, depending on the average wind speed
at 9 km from Tudela, where the mentioned (Source: Reysa, 2011)[10]
building is placed) was, 337,6 W/m2
(D.D.R.I.E.M.A.G.N., 2012)[8]. Although PV As the changes considered in the usage of power come
energy conversion directly converts the sun’s from sources that are available in the environment around
light into electricity, these solar panels are only the building, we considered this as a renewable energy
effective during daylight hours, because storing harvesting.
electricity is not a particularly efficient process.
Nevertheless, the whole activity developed in the C. Low Energy Buildings
mentioned building, is going to be done mostly
during the daylight hours, so this is a perfect A low Energy Building (or Zero energy Building) is a
source for our proposals. passive house design, which uses energy harvesting to
 Wind Turbings: due to the high and constant wind achieve low consumption energy goals. The Passive
that usually blows in the area, with an average House concept represents today's highest energy standard
speed of 14,9 km/h, during the period between the with the promise of slashing the heating energy
years 1997-2006, included (D.D.R.I.E.M.A.G.N., consumption of buildings by a maximal amount of 90%
2012)[9-11]. This data has been registered in the (Passive House Institute US, 2011)[12]. Although zero

https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj10.806 1688 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.10, April 2012

energy buildings can be key in the aim of achieving In the field of Renewable Energies, there is an educative
sustainable development goals (EPA, 2008)[12], centre, which is a vocational training centre, (actually an
according to the renewable energy harvesting, they may Integrated Higher Vocational Centre) considered as a
not be considered ‘green’ in all the areas, depending on reference in the Community; that is CENIFER
the policy applied to the waste management, and so. This (http://www.cenifer.com/). Along with the vocational
target would be easier to reach if the zero energy building training, this centre manages the Training National
would be planned from its design the site required to Centre for Vocational Training and it is also a
meet the right passive solar orientation, natural delighting Foundation for the Training in Renewable Energies, so
and ventilation, etc. In our case that was impossible, leads the formation of many professional people in the
because the construction on the mentioned building was feel of renewable energies in Spain (diariodenavarra.es,
done before our study, but we have made the suggestions 2011)[14].
for improvement based on the zero net energy
consumption principle, to get as far as it would be 3. The Target Centre
possible such a goal.
The mentioned building, which is the study’s target, is
2. Life Cycle Assessment and Renewable placed in Tudela, in the region of Navarre. It is a
Energies in the Educative System vocational training centre, where full time students get
their initial training, as well as, employee training and
Since education is a social activity, it must comply with unemployed people formation meet their educational
the demands of its socio-economic environment in which goals.
such an activity takes place. This environment demands
the involvement of all socio-economic actors, in what is This is, in fact, an Integrated Higher Vocational Training
called sustainable development. Due to this circumstance, Centre (called ETI), where students can get formation to
we have addressed the task of assessing the get their first job, but also improve their skills in higher
environmental impacts that are generated by a formal formation, in different areas such as Electric and
educational activity, within the framework of the Electronic Systems, Telecommunications, IT,
secondary education, as in fact, vocational training is. Manufacturing, Hair Dressing, Sports, Sanitary
The tool that is considered as the most reliable method Technicians, Management, Commerce and Marketing,
for achieving sustainability goals is the Life Cycle Prevention of Occupational Hazards, and different
Assessment (LCA) (Hertwich, 2005)[13]. professional workshops. The normal starting age for the
students of this school is 16 and beyond. More than 800
There are very few evidences about such a research, or at students and 100 teachers coexist in this building during
least we have not found them, so we think that it adds longer than eight hours, from Monday to Friday.
value to our work, and it is also a challenge. Furthermore,
the social benefits of such an implementation reach People graduated in the school, many of whom continue
beyond the benefits related to the energy efficiency, to participate in training activities at this centre, form a
because a part of the society is involved in the large part of industrial and economic hub. This means
improvement, from diverse points of view, as we will that the teaching and educational projects developed in
see. the school have great social impact in the area.

Fig. 3.1. Integrated Higher Vocational Training Centre ETI

4. Work Methodology and implementation round-the-clock. So it provides the reader with an

overview about the importance that the managing board
After having implemented the Life Cycle Assessment gives to the efficient use of the available technology and
methodology to the vocational training centre mentioned other resources. Another project in course, inside the
above, we have detected that the most important issues to school, is dealing with renewable energies. Thanks to a
reduce both, environmental impacts and economical remote control system students can manage a micro-
costs, are related to the energy consumption (along with power production station based on renewable energy
water consumption and waste management) (Otero, harvesting, which consists in a low power hybrid system
2011)[15]. As part of the singularity of the mentioned composed by a wind-turbine and a complementary PV
school, here the traditional teaching-learning process has cell, all together with PV energy conversion panels, that
been extended by a European project, to offered distance works separately.
learning with online practices that use real equipment

https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj10.806 1689 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.10, April 2012

As part of the forth step of the LCA implementation, the All this suggestion for improving the energetic efficiency
Interpretation (EPA, 2006)[2] where the results of the are based on proven facts, such as that solar water
inventory analysis and impact assessment are evaluated heating can reduce CO2 emissions of a family of four by
to select the preferred product, process or service, some 1 ton/year, if replacing natural gas, or even 3 ton/year, if
recommendations have been done to help decision- replacing electricity (Kincaid, 2006)[17]. Another fact we
makers to improve the activity that results in the least have taken into account is that, as it is generally assumed,
environmental impact, along with cost and social factors. traditional building consumes 40% of the total fossil
From the point of view of the economics, some of those sources of energy in Europe and the USA (Baden, et al
recommendation are focused on using renewable energy 2006)[18].
harvesting (thermo-solar medium temperature collectors,
for heating and cooling needs, and increasing power of Along with the facts mentioned above, the features of the
photovoltaic and wind turbines for the electricity) and the most important inputs and outputs in energy and water
installation of fluorescent and LED lighting illumination consumption have been taken into account (hot water for
that use 1/3 or less electrical power than traditional bulbs showers and heating, as well as requirements of
(Benchmark Report, 2008)[16], together with the electricity in workshops), so these measures are aimed to
exploitation of passive ways of saving energy, such as reach a reduction on CO2 emissions and the cost of
high-efficiency windows and other techniques, which purchasing energy. To deal with fluctuations in demands
allow the reduction of the heating and cooling loads, of electricity, these sort of micro-generation technologies
based on the climatic features of the area where the allow the building to export electricity to the grid when
building is placed (such as the wind, called Cierzo, which the power requirements are lower than consumption, so
in some circumstances blow around, at a significant some incomes can be managed as a profit, and balance
speed). the costs of electricity when the demand is bigger (Saéz-
Diez, 2006)[19], as we can see in the following diagram.

Fig. 4.1. Diagram for the implementation of the proposed methodology, applied to a vocational training centre

https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj10.806 1690 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.10, April 2012

5. Conclusions
The power generation throughout renewable energy so these measures are aimed to reach a reduction of
sources is gaining a great interest nowadays, due to the greenhouse gas emissions, and the cost of purchasing
increasing need of reducing drastically greenhouse gas energy.
emissions. In this paper we have discussed about the
relationship between renewable energy harvesting and To deal with fluctuations in demands of electricity, these
architecture, due to the possibility of adding the zero net sort of micro-generation technologies allow the building
energy consumption principle to a public building were to export electricity to the grid when the power
an educational activity is developed in it. requirements are lower than consumption, so some
incomes can be managed as a profit, and balance the
Thanks to this work, we have tried to demonstrate what costs of electricity when the demand is bigger.
we consider as the main advantages of the combination
of renewable energy harvesting with the passive house’s Besides this, the social benefits of such an
design, in order to get low consumption energy buildings. implementation reach beyond the benefits related to the
In fact, what we have found is that these advantages, as use of renewable energy and passive buildings. If the
we have seen, are not only connected with the energy students take part of the improvements stated for the
efficiency in the use and conservation of the energy, as minimization of the environmental impacts that the
well as, in the low dependence with the grid of school is generating to the area, they will be part of two
electricity, but also with the social side of the significant assets. Likely, as students of technological
development and improvement of the technology focused subjects, such us electrical systems, compress air and
on a vocational training approach, according to what is hydraulic systems, telecommunications and even
usually known as sustainable development, at the machining centres, they will be able to apply their
confluence of three constituent parts, which are the theoretical learning on the real-life stage. Likewise, they
economical, the environmental and the social one will become conscious of the financial and environmental
(Adams, 2006)[20]. advantages of this kind of technology, which will lead
them with the appropriate knowledge to meet the future
After having implemented the Life Cycle Assessment needs that, as technicians, they will have to deal with.
methodology to a vocational training centre in Navarre, Furthermore, such an approach will promote the rising
Spain, where full-time students who get the initial green awareness in students and teaching staff, setting
training, as well as employee training and unemployed, environmentally friendly practises as every day routines.
meet their educational goals, we have detected that the Thanks to this knowledge, students will be also able to
most important issues to reduce both, environmental advice and spread away information about new
impacts and economical costs, are related to the energy technologies, considered as part of the global effort to
consumption. As part of the singularity of the mentioned reduce emissions and to improve the energy efficiency, in
school, here the traditional teaching-learning process has their future jobs.
been extended by different projects (within national and
European scopes), to offered distance learning with Like every new decision, this performance has
online practices that use real equipment round-the-clock. advantages and drawbacks. Among the advantages, we
So it provides the reader with an overview about the can mention the less-dependence of the building from
importance that the managing board gives to the efficient energy price increases; the more comfortable feeling of
use of the available technology and other resources. the users, due to more indoors natural light and
ventilation (Arnadottir, 2011)[21]; the total cost
As part of the forth step of the LCA implementation, the reduction, thanks to the improvement of the energy
Interpretation, where the results of the inventory analysis efficiency; the added value image, due to the increasing
and impact assessment are evaluated to select the environmental concern as a public utility; and the going
preferred product, process or service, some ahead preventing for future legislative restrictions to
recommendations have been done to help decision- carbon emissions and penalties to inefficient building. On
makers to improve the activity that results in the least the other hand, the initial cost may intimidate the
environmental impact, along with cost and social factors. understanding and application of these measures.
From the point of view of the economics, some of those Nevertheless, some authors point that thanks to the
recommendation are focused on using renewable energy economical incentive that countries, such as, United
harvesting (thermo-solar collector for heating and cooling Stated give to these kind of systems, the payback time for
needs, and photovoltaic and wind turbines for the a typical house hold is four to nine years, depending on
electricity) and the installation of fluorescent and LED the state (Northern systems require more collector area
lighting illumination that use 1/3 or less electrical power and a more complex plumbing to protect the collector
than traditional bulbs, together with the exploitation of from frozen (Taylor, 2006)[2]
passive ways of saving energy, such as high-efficiency
windows and other techniques, which allow the reduction Although zero energy buildings can be key in the aim of
of the heating and cooling loads, based on the climatic achieving sustainable development goals, according to
features of the area where the building is placed. As it is the renewable energy harvesting, they may not be
generally assumed, traditional building consumes 40% of considered ‘green’ in all the areas, depending on the
the total fossil sources of energy in Europe and the USA, policy applied to the waste management, and so. This

https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj10.806 1691 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.10, April 2012

target would be easier to reach if the zero energy building http://www.passivehouse.us/passiveHouse/PassiveHo
would be planned from its design the site required to useInfo.html Accessed on: 22, December, 2011.
meet the right passive solar orientation, natural delighting [12] US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Green
Building Strategy, in EPA-100-F-08-073. November,
and ventilation, etc.
2008 Available at:
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/greenbuilding
References _strategy_nov08.pdf. Accessed on: 17 October 2011.
[13] Hertwich, E. G., “Life Cycle Approaches to
[1] Curran, M. A., Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, Sustainable Consumption: a critical review”, in
McGraw-Hill, 1996. Environmental Science and Technology, 2005. Vol.
[2] Environmental Protection Agency, Life Cycle 39, n# 13, pp. 4673-4684.
Assessment: Principles and Practice, National Risk [14] DiariodeNavarra.es, (2011/08/30) “Profesores de FP
and Research Laboratory. Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. de todas las comunidades se forman en Navarra”, in
2006. http://www.diariodenavarra.es/noticias/navarra/mas_n
[3] Guinée, J. B. et al., Handbook on Life Cycle avarra/profesores_todas_las_comunidades_forman_na
Assessment. Operational guide to the ISO standards, varra.html Accessed on: 5, November, 2011.
Dordrecht, 2002. Available at: [15] Maria Otero et al., 2011, “Aplicación de la
http://www.leidenunuv.nl/cml/ssp/projects/lca2.htm Metodología del Análisis de Ciclo de Vida a un
Accessed on: 2, January, 2012. Centro Educativo de Formación Profesional”, in MAS
[4] Sonnemann, G. W., Environmental Damage XXI 2011, Santa Clara, Cuba.
Estimations in Industrial Process-chains. [16] Benchmark Report, 2008, Performance of Halogen
Methodology development with a case study on waste Incandescent MR16 Lamps and LED Replacements,
incineration and special focus on human health., Ph. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy by
D. Thesis. Departamento de Ingeniería Química. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. November,
Universidad Rovira Virgili. Tarragona, 2002. 2008.
[5] International Standard Organization, Environmental [17] Kincaid, J. (May 2006).
Management. Life Cycle Assessment. Principles and http://www.cleanenergydurham.org/why/solarjobrepo
Framework, Geneva, ISO 14040, 2006. rt.doc Accessed on: 16, November, 2011
[6] International Standard Organization, Environmental [18] Baden, S., et al., Hurdling Financial Barriers to Lower
Management –Life Cycle Assessment– Principles and Energy Buildings: Experiences from the USA and
Framework ISO 14040, 1997. Europe on Financial Incentives and Monetizing
[7] http://www.solar-thermal.com/, Solar Thermal Building Energy Savings in Private Investment
Energy. An Industry Report, 2008. Accessed on: 2, Decisions. American Council for an Energy Efficient
January, 2012. Economy, Washington DC, 2006.
[8] Departamento de Desarrollo Rural, Industria, Empleo [19] Sáenz-Díez Muro, J. C., et al. Optimization of
y Medio Ambiente. Gobierno de Navarra, 2012. Photovoltaic Solar Electric Power for Renewable
Available at: Energy Generation and DSM Strategies in Singular
http://meteo.navarra.es/estaciones/mapasdatosdiaspas Apartment Building, in. ICREPQ, 2006.
ados.cfm?estaciones=AUTO&fecha_sel=31%2F07% [20] Adams, W.M. The Future of Sustainability: Re-
2F2011&IDParam_sel=1012 thinking Environment and Development in the
Accessed on: 2, January, 2012. Twenty-first Century, Report of the IUCN Renowned
[9] Departamento de Desarrollo Rural, Industria, Empleo Thinkers Meeting, 2006.
y Medio Ambiente. Gobierno de Navarra, 2012. [21] Arnadottir, A.B. A House for the Future. Isobo Aktiv.
Available at: Jardahus. Active house. Info. Network and knowledge
http://meteo.navarra.es/energiasrenovables/rosaviento sharing, 2011.
s_estacion.cfm?IDEstacion=36 http://www.activehouse.info/cases/house-future-
Accessed on: 2, January, 2012. isobo-aktiv Acceded on 15 October 2011.
[10] Reysa, G., Builditsolat, 2011. Available at: [22] Taylor R., Solar Thermal Technology & Applications,
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Wind/wind.htm NREL, A Laboratory of the U.S. Department of
Accessed on: 22, December, 2011. Energy. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, 2006. Available at :
[11] Pasive House Institute US (PHIUS), What’s a passive http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/pdfs/course
building, 2011. Available at: _solar_taylor_thermal.pdf
Accessed on: 4, December, 2011

https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj10.806 1692 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.10, April 2012