Interactive real-time infrastructure for smart and zero energy building analysis

Smart GEMS is a dynamically interactive real-time infrastructure concept that encompasses the many visions of diverse energy system stakeholders for smart and zero energy building analysis at community level.

The Smart Grid is integrating the electrical and information technologies in between any point of generation and any point of consumption. The main objective of the project is to fully analyze all aspects of smart grids targeting in the improvement of reliability, mitigation of security risks, increase load shaping and energy efficiency, optimal integration and generation-consumption matching as well as smart monitoring and control. To this end, the aim of the SMART GEMS project is to use Smart Grids’ optimization and reliable operation concept as the common basis for collaboration and staff exchange among the partners.

Smart GEMS is based on a cycle expansion of three phases:

• The first phase starts from the users aspects by focusing on smart and zero energy building analysis.
• In the second phase research activities are focused on the various smart grid components expanding the cycle by the smart grids' penetration at community level.
• The third phase concerns the integration of all components targeting the development of smart applications for optimisation purposes.

In smart and zero building energy research activities, integrated energy design, advanced monitoring and control techniques and the role of zero energy buildings in smart grids are examined.

In smart communities and smart grids, research projects deal with the optimised operation of the smart grid by using prediction of energy loads, prediction of power generation and load shaping or shaving techniques using intelligent metering equipment by Elgama-Elektronika. Optimisation of renewables operation with the aid of advanced demand side management and demand response optimisation methodologies based on two existing microgrid infrastructures owned by TUC (Camp IT) and AEA (Smart Leaf) is performed. 

Technologies such as Concentrated Solar Power and Concentrated Photovoltaic systems (CSP/CPV) and integration in polygenerative energy districts is evaluated from technical and financial perspectives. The effective management of smart grids and innovations in the successful integration of components but also in processes, services and systems is pursued.

Meet the Principal Investigator(s) for the project

Professor Maria Kolokotroni - Academic Career I studied for an MSc in Environmental Design and Engineering at the Bartlett School, University College London (UCL). I stayed at UCL to carry out a PhD on the 'Thermal Performance of Housing' and further on for a post-doc on a two year project to develop environmental design guidance for research laboratories. I then moved on to the University of Westminster for a three-year post-doc on an EPSRC funded project dealing with Moisture in Residential Buildings. I joined Brunel in 1998. Industrial Career I worked for five years at the Building Research Establishment, Garston in the Indoor Environment Division. My research work focused on the application of natural ventilation strategies in office buildings as well as other energy and indoor air quality related issues in non-domestic buildings.

Related Research Group(s)

Resource Efficient Future Cities - Urban energy; Sustainable advanced materials; Energy efficiency in buildings; System integration of energy and infrastructure planning at community/district/city scales.

Project last modified 21/11/2023