The Science, Technology, and Environment Programme at the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy, in partnership with ExxonMobil and Abu Dhabi Gas Industries (GASCO), announced that Dr. Alex Friess, Mechanical Engineering professor at RIT Dubai has won a research grant from the Emirates Research Foundation for his project on RIT Dubai Residential Energy Assessment Centre. The grants are awarded to support UAE-related research, to create local energy efficiency related initiatives, facilitate workshops and conferences that enhance public awareness and to enable Emirati nationals to participate in leading professional conferences on the topic. The Foundation has successfully completed two rounds of its Energy Efficiency Competition, supporting hundreds of Emiratis in promoting energy-efficient practices throughout the country. The Foundation has received many proposals submitted for the third round competition for energy efficiency and is currently in the process of evaluating them.
Welcome the RIT Dubai's Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency group. The activities of the group build on the Alternative Energy and Sustainability concentration of the Master of Engineering degree-program at the University, and focus on sustainability and energy efficiency aspects of interest in Dubai and the UAE.
The necessary paradigm shift in the source of the energy we use and how we use it represents a truly global challenge, and our group, part of the worldwide network of expertise that Rochester Institute of Technology embodies and represents, is uniquely positioned to accept this challenge.
We are currently working on projects aimed at reducing the energy signature of the Dubai build environment, we are investigating the implementation of alternative energy technology into the building envelope and in extreme climates, we study water conservation, present public sustainability information, and we are interested in the study of the rapidly growing field of E Mobility and its deployment in the region.
Our aim is to work and collaborate with industry and government entities to truly address national and regional relevant issues, and we look forward to hearing from you.
For sutdents interested in RIT Dubai and its programs please contact the admissions office at dubai@rit.edu
Residential Energy Efficiency
Energy demand in Dubai, UAE has increased in sync with the explosive urban development and population growth over the past decade. In particular the residential (villa) building stock, which represents about 10% of the overall energy demand of the emirate, has grown by over 300% from slightly over 20,000 villas in 2000 to over 60,000 villas in 2009 (Dubai Statistics Center). Throughout this time, three typical outer wall materials have been used in response to the Dubai administrative Decree 77 (2001)– insulated concrete block, aerated concrete block, and plain concrete block with perimeter insulation, in combination with a reinforced concrete structure. This work investigates the difference in energy performance of the three materials by means of an EnergyPlus (design Builder) energetic simulation of a typical villa, and examines the effect of typical wall/roof energetic retrofit measures. In particular it compares the energetic performance of the standard insulated and aerated block with that of a building with continuous outside perimeter insulation. Preliminary results show that by addressing the thermal bridging of the RC structural elements with an appropriate full perimeter insulation, energy savings of 8-10% can be realized.
Additional work addressing the effect of Green Roofs in the UAE climate is being initiated.
E-Mobility
The UAE, with its generally short driving distances (with the exception of inter emirate commutes, most peoples drive stays within for example the confines of Dubai), is particularly suited to rapidly establish an appropriate E-Mobility ecosystem. The driving habits are generally “day drives”, meaning while the car is being used, the trip originates from home, to the workplace, and back to home – this is an ideal usage pattern for electric vehicles, as they rely on charging stations, and the more concentrated the usage pattern, the easier it is to provide an appropriate network of charging stations.
The Sustainability group is studying the performance (from a sustainability, technological and economical standpoint) of a variety of E Mobility solutions in this ecosystem.
Deployment of sustainable energy technology in extreme climates
Dust deposition on solar modules. One of the characteristics of the Middle East is the large desert areas surrounding the cities. The blowing wind will carry over dust particles from these desert areas towards the city. As wind hits the PV panels, dust particles accumulate on the glass cover and in turn reduce the transmittance of the solar irradiance to the PV cells. The group studies this soling effect by long term measurements of spatial dust deposition patterns, as well as appropriate CFD simulations.
Dr. Alex Friess
Dr. Friess is the leader of the group. He holds a Ph.D. in Aeronautical engineering and a B.Sc. in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY, 1997), and has served as Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at RIT Dubai since 2009. He teaches graduate level courses in Renewable Energy Systems, Sustainable Energy Management in the Build Environment, and Wind Turbine Aerodynamics in the Mechanical Engineering program, and brings years of experience in energy efficiency and renewable energy systems to RIT. Dr. Friess has extensive industrial experience in the US, Europe and the UAE, and his interests revolve around energy modeling, thermal building envelope optimization, integration of renewable sources into the building envelope, and electric mobility.
Tamer Hendawi
Tamer Hendawi has completed his M.Eng. degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has a B.Sc.degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cairo University where he also completed a two years of higher studies in air conditioning and refrigeration. For several years he has been involved in sustainable building design and has a LEED AP certification from the US Green Building Council. His research interests cover fluid mechanics,CFD analysis and energy modeling, Also the development of renewable energy such as wind and solar energy, wind turbines, photovoltaic panels and CSP technology.
Kambiz Rakhshan
Kambiz Rakhshan, graduated from Hormozgan University - Bandar Abbas, Iran on October 2002 (Mechanical Engineering, Heat and Fluids major). My graduation project was an experimental study on an internal combustion engine exhaust gasses. I am a Piping Material Engineer in the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries and I have worked with PIDEC, Iran and Petrofac, UAE. I am currently working on Energy Efficiency of residential Buildings in the UAE. I am interested in Sustainable Engineering researches (sustainable utilization as well as renewable power generation).
Sahand Tajerzadeh
Sahand has graduated in spring 2010 from American University of Sharjah and has worked on unmanned aerial vehicles for almost 2 years. His passion for cars and planes triggered the search for more suitable sources of energy, and in turn enrolling at Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai's Masters of Engineering with a concentration in Renewable Energy.
Dr. Ghalib Kahwaji
Associate Professor – Mechanical Engineering
R.I.T Dubai
P.O. Box 341055
Dubai, U.A.E.
TEL: +971 4 371 2052
Email: afriess@ritdubai.ae or axfeme@rit.edu -- gykcad@rit.edu
Web: www.rit.edu/dubai
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dubai.RIT
Dubai residence cooling simulation
Hot air infiltration through sliding window
Dust deposition on PV module
Streamlines over PV module
Poorly insulated exterior wall
