Evaluation of the energy efficiency of an active thermoelectric façade

Innovative sustainable and decentralised energy systems have the potential to contribute significantly to energy saving and carbon emission reduction in the building sector. This article discusses the evaluation of such a novel decentralised heating and cooling system based on small thermoelectric heat pumps called Peltier elements, focusing on its energy efficiency. Experimental studies on the performance of a prototype façade system in outdoor conditions were performed. Based on the results of these experimental studies, thermal simulations were performed using the thermal building simulation program TRNSYS. Combining the results of the outdoor evaluations with those of the building simulations, the energy performance of the developed façade system could be evaluated. It was found that the demand for electrical energy was about 10% higher than that for heating energy, showing that the designed façade system cannot be operated with sufficient efficiency and therefore is not a sustainable alternative to commercially available systems at the current state of the art.