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Evaluation of energy efficiency measures for the ecuadorian antarctic station Pedro Vicente Maldonado through a calibrated building energy model

Abstract:

In Antarctica, as a sensitive continent to human activities and a strategic site for research on the effects of climate change, it is important that the developed projects minimize environmental impacts. Within this context, the Ecuadorian Antarctic seasonal Station Pedro Vicente Maldonado, built in 1990, will become, in a few years a permanent station. For this reason, to optimize energy consumption, various energy efficiency measures were analyzed on a calibrated energy model based on the current base diesel consumption for heating. The results of this study show that the envelope elements, for which more energy is lost, are both floor and roof. Furthermore, due to the low window to wall ratio of the station, the reduction in diesel consumption generated by the use of triple and quadruple glazing is not significant. By combining different energy efficiency measures, up to 50% of savings on annual diesel consumption for heating can be achieved compared to the diesel consumption that the current station would present operating permanently. This study will serve as a reference for the changes to be implemented at the station.