A smart neighborhood should essentially act as booster for innovation in field of

Energy efficient practices. Energy efficiency as discussed earlier, in the basic frame
work, is core component of revitalizing the neighborhood.
Efficient use of energy is being achieved by minimizing use of non-renewable
energy (NRE) sources and maximizing use of renewable energy (RE) sources,
popular among them being, solar energy, Bio-gas energy, wind energy etc. But
there are few key hurdles faced in all these energy systems while using them at
neighborhood level like, (a) huge capital investment requirement & (b) less
efficiency with reference to size. Here this paper focuses on methodologies which
could be utilized to mitigate or minimize these hurdles.
To reduce investment requirement
In order to reduce the investment required for use of RE systems, this paper
suggests utilizing these systems in conjunction with various existing building
systems (such as faade systems, wall systems, structural systems etc.).
Logic behind this is simple, when we install a stand-alone renewable energy system
(say solar electricity system), cost for that will be separate from building systems
cost. But, if we integrate that renewable energy system with the building, in such a
way that it could replace part or full component of certain building system, then the
overall cost will have some amount of reduction. That, in turn, will make utilizing
renewable energy system more viable cost-wise. To further explain, this paper
employs above strategy on solar electricity system and its integration with building
system in a smart neighborhood to achieve better cost.
Traditionally, solar electric systems are installed on terrace area having a wide open
space allowing ample direct sunlight. But this approach doesnt result in any cost
saving on account of its integration with building system. It also results wastage of
usable terrace space.
This paper proposes to integrate the solar electric system with parapets (part of
building wall system), by removing portions of brick parapet located on southern,
Eastern & Western edges of the terraces of neighborhood buildings and replacing
this parapet space with solar panels facing sun. Resulting parapet would be part
brickwork and part solar panels. This would lead to cost savings on part of brickparapet removal from building and hence a better approach than traditional one.
The extent of this integration could be quantified subject to various project design
considerations. See example schematics 1a & 1b.
To increase the efficiency with reference to size of system
The effective output of any RE system depends directly on its size. Larger the
system better the output. This paper proposes to look into possibility of increasing
efficiency of RE systems without increasing the size, through interaction of different

RE energy systems with each other in common building system/systems. For

example, Interaction of solar energy & bio-gas energy in reducing the overall
inefficiency could be explored through designing both of these to complement each
other. In this approach output from one RE system could be utilized in tandem with
output of other RE system to maximize the effective gains.