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Ecotown: A Case Study in Tropical Savanna Climate

Abstract:

An ecotown is designed and built under the principles of living with the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy production from renewable sources. This research shows the electrical and hydraulic parameters and characteristics of an ecotown located in tropical savanna climate. The design and modelling of electricity systems and the energy analysis of a typical house was carried out considering factors such as lighting, ventilation, geographic orientation, and energy envelopes. On the other hand, the design, dimensioning, and calculation of the underground grids’ electrical system in the ecotown that includes centralized photovoltaic generation and the distribution grids connected to public grid were performed in compliance with national and international codes. The design of the potable water and wastewater disposal system must include the grey water treatment and rainwater collection system as to an alternative to reduce the water consumption in the ecotown. Finally, we performed an economic analysis of the distributed generation and grey water treatment processes to determine their profitability for investors’ benefit. Implementing an ecotown type urban project was proven to be both technically and economically possible in tropical savanna climates.