Utilizing Solar Energy

In King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

By:

Juwayria Osman

A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirements For The Degree Of

Master Of Science In Urban Environmental Systems Management

School Of Architecture

Graduate Center For Planning & The Environment

Pratt Institute

December 2012

Thesis advisors:Alec Appelbaum

Jaime SteinEvren Uzer

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1. IntroductionGoalGeography & Climate

2. BackgroundAbout King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research CenterNorth Tower Existing ConditionSimilar Case Studies:

Saudi Aramco North Park Project KAUST Project Farasan Project

3. King Faisal Optimum Solar UtilizationSolar Energy Technologies:

PhotovoltaicSolar Thermal

SWOT AnalysisGreen Building Legislation in KSA

4. Proposed Solar System5. Solar System Design Calculation

Lighting loadPV Panels size, quantity and arrangementEnvironment Impact

Footprint Calculation

6. National Solar System® Proposal7. Results8. Recommendations9. Conclusion10. References

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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GOAL

I aim to design a solar energy system for King Faisal Specialist Hospital and ResearchCenter (KFSHRC) that can clearly lift a significant proportion of its electric load and allowfor future expansion of the facility. I will illustrate the number of solar panels needed toprovide power to meet my specific design criteria.

KFSHRC hospital requested this review to rectify a mismatch between load and usage.It had requested an additional higher power load of 25 megawatt from the utilitycompany - Saudi Electricity Company - but had not received this capacity. This additionalpower will cost the hospital SAR 20 million (US $5,333,333).This study undertakes only one building (The North Tower), one of the newestbuildings within the hospital.

This is an urgent situation in the short-term, calling for a targeted design. An integrateddesign taking on all power shortages issues collectively may yield an alternative approachand provide a comprehensive solution.KFSHRC Facility Project Management Department (FPMD)- senior electrical engineer,Jaime Cristobal, argues that solving this shortage in power by utilizing renewable energycould be a model for similar size issues around the hospital1.

The hospital administration introduced the subject of renewable energy but neverinvested in it. Omar Al Shuwaier, Executive Director of FPMD is an advocate forimplementing renewable energy.“I support it for the current shortage issue as well as for the future,” he said2.

To understand solar potential economics in the hospital and throughout Saudi Arabia, let’sscan the environment.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE IN KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA (KSA)

Saudi Arabia's geography is dominated by the Arabian Desert and associated semi-desertand scrublands. It is a number of linked deserts including the world’s largest contiguoussand desert, the 647,500 km2 (250,001 sq mi) Rub' al Khali in the southern part of thecountry that includes south of Riyadh City.Most of Saudi Arabia has a desert climate with extremely high day-time temperatures anda sharp temperature drop at night. Average summer temperatures are around 45 °C(113F), but can be as high as 54 °C (129.2F). In winter, the temperature rarely drops below0 °C (32F). In the spring and autumn the heat is temperate; temperatures average around29 °C (84.2 F).

1 INTRODUCTION

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Solar radiation is strongest in the Sun Belt, and the returns from solar plans therewould be greatest, according to a study by the European Photovoltaic IndustryAssociation and the management consultancy AT Kearney- Michael Urban / AFP3

Figure 1: KSA Solar Isolation Map

Solar, the most plentiful renewable energy source is sufficient at 2200 thermal kilowatthours (kWh) per square meter to make significant as well as strategic contributions to theKingdom’s energy supply. That is why Saudi Arabia, even though it’s a leading oil producer,is taking an active part in the development of new technologies for exploiting and utilizingrenewable sources of energy. The kingdom plans to produce electricity from its firstnuclear plant by 2020 and begin operating a solar farm by 20154.

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ABOUT KING FAISAL SPECIALIST HOSPITAL & RESEARCH CENTER (KFSHRC)

Established in 1973, King Faisal Hospital was 450,000 square meters operating 120 beds.Today, KFSHRC is a 936-bed hospital and occupies 920,000 square meters. The hospital isalso a national referral center for oncology and organ transplants, offers emergency careand clinics for members of the Saudi Royal Family. This status made it eligible for regulargovernmental funds and grants which allow for feasible green design researches andapplications. “Most of the major expansions lacked a master plan strategy resulting indesign inefficiencies across all disciplines”, said Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Manager, StructuralFPMD5.

NORTH TOWER - EXISTING VS FUTURE DEMAND

The North Tower, a nine-story building built in 2010, is considered the central point in thehospital, linking the 35 years old structure with the still in construction towers.The integration with the new towers demands an expansion to established lighting design- an additional 400 KW, (162,000 Kwh/annually) load that the existing power plant fails toprovide6.

Figure 2: North Tower Location in the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center

2 BACKGROUND

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SIMILAR CASE STUDIES

SAUDI ARAMCO NORTH PARKThe North Park project will provide 10 megawatts of power to the complex of buildingsthat include, research labs attached to Saudi Aramco in Dhahran City. It is one of thelargest PV parking lots in the world, with each of the 4,450 parking spaces covered with anawning of Copper Indium and Selenium (CIS) modules. Mr. Azim Ahmed, of National SolarSystems LLC, a Saudi national company, told me that CIS cells were partially damagedbecause of the severe hot weather and that had lowered its efficiency significantly.Dhahran can average as high as 7.96 kWh/m2 per day of insolation during peak periods;making it one of the sunniest places on Earth. “Silicon based panels would have been abetter choice, for their endurance in heat.” added Mr. Ahmed7.Saudi Aramco North Park project and KFSHRC share the advantage of open parking spacesthat can accommodate an effective quantity of solar panels. Compared to KFSHRC, NorthPark will have a better opportunity to extend its solar panels since the project is located ina remote area and expansion is not restricted.

Figure 3 Saudi Aramco North Park solar project

KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROJECT (KAUST)The 2 MW solar plant – the first polycrystalline solar installation in Saudi Arabia -completed in April 2010, consists of two rooftop solar installations with a capacity of 1MW each, installed on the north and south laboratories of the university.The Power Generation Facility features premium components, combining over 9 300 high-efficiency solar modules with mounting systems and 280K central inverters - an electricalpower converter that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Thephotovoltaic plant occupies 11 577 square meters of roof space and produces 3 332MW/h of clean energy annually, while also saving up to 33 320 tons of carbon emissions.High amounts of dust and strong winds cause solar panels to become coated with sandvery quickly. At KAUST, two operation teams are scheduled to clean the panels once every6 days in order to maintain efficiency and output of the system. The hospital also shouldconsider this issue as dust is the biggest challenge for a PV installation in Saudi Arabia.

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Figure 4 KAUST Rooftop PV panels

FARASAN ISLANDThis is the second largest grid-connected CIS solar power plant in Saudi Arabia. Executedover an area of approximately 7,700 square meters, the solar plant will generateapproximately 780 Megawatt hours annually into the Farasan grid. This is sufficient topower approximately 150-200 homes. The project will also avoid at least 400 tons ofcarbon emissions annually.The size of the Farasan Solar power project (500KW) is very close to this study scope(400KW), thus allows for comparison and improvement in installation technique and celltechnology selection.

Figure 5 Farasan project top view

The different scales and PV systems applied in these projects allowed an opportunity tomonitor and compare. I asked National Solar8, the installer of both KAUST and Farasanprojects about the technical differences and economical efficiencies learned. CopperIndium and Selenium (CIS) thin films used in Aramco and KAUST demonstrated afluctuation in collection efficiency and apparently had damaged cells from the sunradiation. Ground mount projects over come roof mounted projects in the amount ofsolar energy rate per area. That was mainly because of the clear sun exposure parkingshades have verses the shadow caused by mechanical units and other constructionelements on roofs.

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SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES:

PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMSPhotovoltaic systems convert sunlight directly into electrical energy. The electricitygenerated by a system travels through an inverter and then into a building. Some systemsalso have batteries to provide backup electricity. The system could be either gridconnected or off-grid. When grid-connected systems generate more electricity than thebuilding uses, the surplus electricity enters the grid. When the system produces less thanthe building uses (such as in the evening or when it is cloudy), the utility company gridprovides electricity to the building.PV modules have no moving parts, typically require little maintenance other thanoccasional rinsing and can last over 25 years. PV system costs depend on the system’stype and size. An average panel produces 300W with a minimum price of $2509.

THERMAL SOLAR SYSTEMSConcentrated Solar Power (CSP); solar radiation is concentrated by mirrors or lenses toobtain higher temperatures. The focused radiation is used to heat an absorber tube thatruns water solution. Heat energy is then converted to electricity through either gas orsteam turbines. The CSP plant therefore requires a large area to be covered with mirrorsor lenses to obtain a significant amount of energy. This investment may be considered inan integrated design targeting hospital power shortages collectively.At this project scale, the capital cost, maintenance and conversion technique are still notconvenient if compared to PV technology which dominates the market. A 250 MW CSPstation would have cost $600–1000 million to build. $2.50 to $4 a watt for capital cost.10

Figure 6 PV solar system Figure 7 Thermal solar system

3 KING FAISAL OPTIMUM SOLAR UTILIZATION

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SWOT ANALYSIS FOR PV SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM

STRENGTHS1. The solar panels proposed in this project meet the threshold the client requested

without burning carbon, matching strategic goals and operating needs. It replacestraditional, carbon based energy sources.

2. Photovoltaic (PV) panels operate without any noise, a property of key value inhospitals because they do not incorporate any moving mechanical parts

3. With respect to operating costs and maintenance costs, photovoltaic (PV) panels,unlike other renewable energy technologies, require minimum operating ormaintenance costs. Just performing some regular cleaning of the panel surface isadequate to keep them operating at high efficiency levels.

4. For emergency and backup, it is much easier (and cheaper) to keep a solar-powered system going than it is a diesel engine. This is evident in field wherediesel engines lie rusting and unused.

WEAKNESSES1. Relatively long term return of installation. The major weakness of the solar

industry is that its product is costly to implement and is difficult to produce highlevels of solar power. Compared to Diesel generators11, most solar products cost 8-10 times more on installation.

2. Space requirement for the panels is significant approximately 250W/m2.

OPPORTUNITIES1. Provide possibility for expanding power capacity throughout a facility.2. Participate in renewable promotion publicly through green building councils and

groups in the country and region and exchange technical experience in solartechnologies. Design & Development Division within KFSHRC Facility ManagementDepartment to include solar technology vendors and advocates into their seminarparticipant list.

3. The Kingdom needs a hedge against a cost spike in oil. Because oil and other fossilfuels are a finite resource they will eventually become depleted. As theseresources become depleted they will rise in costs. As this occurs it presents anopportunity for the solar industry to compete on the basis of price, eventuallybecoming cheaper than fossil fuels. Saudi Arabia consumes 2.4 million barrels aday, and is expected to need at least 8.3 million barrels by 2028 if no action istaken12.

4. Reduce power generation and transition cost, particularly in King Faisal Satellitehospitals on rural areas.

5. Exposed real-time monitoring of the daily solar energy yield contributes to thepublic awareness and the overall promotion for renewable energy benefits. Usingsimple wall mounted screens to give an estimate of the amount of electricity usedin real time. They allow employers to view their real time electricity usage in unitsof energy used (kWh), cost, and carbon emissions13. I think those devices would

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encourage them to reduce their energy consumption because they cannot managewhat they cannot measure.

THREATS1. One threat of the solar energy systems is that batteries contain hydrofluoric acid

and are made with flammable lithium-based product. In this project it’s far easier,safer, and more cost-effective to remain tied to the grid and get our power fromthe utility company at night and on cloudy days (if any).

2. Intermittency inherently affects solar energy, as the production of electricity fromsolar sources depends on the amount of light energy in a given location. In KSA thedusty weather condition might reduce the efficiency of the system.

3. There is not any kind of regulations that control buildings in KSA withinsustainability measures.

GREEN BUILDINGS LEGISLATION IN KSADespite the lack of green-building legislation, some small groups and organizations havestarted to call for sustainability in the kingdom.Leading the call is Saudi Green Building Council (SGBC), a public organization.As more governmental and private sector companies are in support of international greenbuilding standards and initiatives, both LEED registrations and LEED certifications havesignificantly increased.Since the Kingdom is a member in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)14, it could benefitfrom its neighbors’ experience in establishing and implementing green buildingregulations. Both Qatar and United Arab of Emirates have done significant changes in theattitudes and demands related to the sustainable built environment. The kingdom iswealthy and can encourage and provide incentives to developers and contractors thatadopt green building practices.

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KFSH&RC ESTIMATED POWER LOADS

This table shows all current construction works (new buildings and maintenance for oldones) in the hospital and the estimated power needed to cover that in the next five years.

Item Project NameExpected Year Of

Completion Estimated PowerLoad(Mva)

1 KACC&LD , central plant, royal wing, ems(mega project) 2013 100

1.1 Bio-technology building(mega project) 2014 (included in item-1)

2 H- Complex housing 2014 8

3 Facility centralized workshop(to bedisconnected from mcv) 2014 4

4 F-Complex chillers 2013 6

5 Sewage treatment plant 2014 6

6 Family medicine building 2015 8

7 Pediatric hospital(under design) 2017 40

8 Security & its building 2015 6

9 Housing project(under study by Hejailan) 2016 8

10 Relocation of powerhouse building 2015 30

11 Back-up capacity for ss#7039(patient caresubstation) 2016 40

Total Estimated Power Load In The Next 5 Years = 256 (mva)

Table 1 KFSH&RC Estimated Power Loads in the Next 5 Years

(mva)= Megavolt Ampere

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GRID TIED

The most suitable approach for this design is Grid-tied since the project is providing only8% of the total energy consumption.Grid-tied doesn't need batteries to store excess energy, hence cutting the capital cost.Off-Grid systems are more suitable for content consumption in residential homes wheresolar energy during the day exceeds direct demand and can be stored for eveningconsumption.

Figure 8 Basic grid-tied solar electric system

4 NORTH TOWER PROPOSED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM

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PV PANELS

Poly and mono crystalline, silicon-based panels have radiation collection efficiency of20.4% to 27.6%15 and low temperature coefficients of up to -0.5%. Copper Indium andSelenium (CIS) thin films have a lower efficiency16 of 12.5% to 20.3% and fluctuate anddecrease with higher temperatures above 25C.The silicon based PV panels, Crystalline silicon technologies, constitute about 85% of thecurrent PV market and have lowered its price significantly lately and made it moreaccessible17.

Local providers and agents are spread within the Kingdom and offer ample selections andvery competitive prices. I contacted National Solar Systems, LLC. and consulted themabout the specifics of the project. The panels range from $250 to $350 producing around300 KWP.

Crystalline Silicon is chosen for this project for its higher radiation collection efficiency andheat endurance.

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LIGHTING LOAD

North Tower Building Technical Information Remarks

Total electrical power load to be consumed by normallightings. (Currently no power allocated for this portion).

400 kilowatts (8% of thetotal power load).

Total electrical power load consumed by lighting(essential lighting only). Not recommended now as itcould compromise critical safety for patients.

250 kilowatts (5% of thetotal power load).

Other power, equipment and air conditioning loads.(Not recommended for solar energy).

4350 kilowatts (87% of thetotal power loads.

Table 2 - PROPOSED NORTH TOWER ENERGY CONSUMPTION

PV PANELS SIZE, QUANTITY, AND ARRANGEMENT

We are targeting in this study only 8% of the electrical consumption which is the “NormalLighting”. The total normal lighting is 400KW as shown in the table above.

We assume the energy used per day as follows:80% of 400KW running 8 hrs =0.8x400x8 =2,560 Kwh20% of 400KW running 24hrs =0.2x400x24 =1,920 KwhTotal per day = 4,480 Kwh

To calculate the number of panels needed we looked into two different products usingtwo different methods of calculation per vendor:

Product Brand Model Price/Panel

Dim/panel Calculation Method

1 Polycrystalline Astronergy(Taiwan)

CHSM 6612P290W

$370.00(SAR 1,380)

1.6m x 0.95m(1.52m2)

Minimum System SizeE-Calculator 18

2 CIS 19 SF160-S(Japan)

SF160-S160W

$260.00(SAR 980)

1.15m X 0.91m(1.05 m2)

Efficiency 13%

Solar Panel Efficiencyand Total Solarinsolation

Table 3

5 SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM DESIGN CALCULATIONS

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METHOD 1Grid-Tied: Minimum System Size E-Calculator:

1. Normal Lighting Consumption: 134,400 Kwh/Month2. Peak Sun Hours in Riyadh: 8.8Hours

Minimum System Size: 661,818 WattsNo. of Panels: 661,818/290W: 2,283 panels

Area needed to install the panels: 2,283 x 1.52m2: 3470 m2

Roof area of the building: 2,200m2

Additional needed area: 3470-2200: 1270 m2 (Parking Shade)Approximate Cost: SAR 3,500,000

Method 2Grid-Tied: Energy System Size by Efficiency:

1. Average insolation per day: 7.96 Kwh/day2. SF160-S Panel efficiency: 13%3. Total per day: 4480 Kwh

Energy Converted: 7.96 x 13%: 1.03Kwh/dayNo of Panels: 4480 /1.03: 4,350 panelsArea needed: 4350 x 1.05m2: 4568 m2

Roof area of the building: 2,200m2

Additional needed area: 4568-2200: 2368 m2 (Parking Shade)Approximate Cost: SAR 4,500,000

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Figure 9 Proposed PV panels layout (in RED) which is part of section B from National Solar proposal

Figure 10 View for the North Tower and parking lot

FOOTPRINT CALCULATION

Calculating CO2 Emission Reduction:Normal Lighting Consumption: 4,480 kwh/day

I used the calculator, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Equivalencies Calculator, on EPA’S websitebecause it has many options to calculate GHG depending on data available. EmissionFactor from EPA website: 6.8956 x 10-4 metric tons CO2 / kWh

Daily reduction: 6.8956 x 10-4 x 4,480 = 3.0892288 metric tons CO2 /dayAnnual reduction: 3.0892288 x 365 = 1,127.57 metric tons CO2 /year

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FPMD demands vendor input for non conventional design proposals21. In October 2012 Icontacted National Solar. I came to know them through their published projects discussedearlier: Farasan and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) projects.

Mr. Ahmed, Director and senior engineer of National Solar offered to assist in the modelsimulation of the North Tower solar panel layout. KFSHRC Facility Management extendeda request for proposal to Mr Ahmed and I was involved in the coordination processproviding necessary data to National Solar and explaining the scope.

The proposal has extended the scope of the North Tower to include other covering allmajor parking lots in the hospital with solar panels. It divided the regions into 4 regionsand ran a simulation model that calculated the estimated energy outcome as follows:

North Tower: 153 KWp Parking-A: 539 KWp Parking-B: 733 KWp Parking-C: 153 KWp

The proposal currently is under review by Facility Projects Management Department(FPMD). Omar Al Shuwaier, Executive Director of FPMD, has been following this studyclosely and made sure that his staff is providing all information needed. I will present bothmy paper and National Solar proposal to the hospital management as soon as they arecomplete.These two should be a base for an actual implementation.

The following pages will be snap shots of National Solar proposal.

6 NATIONAL SOLAR20 PROPOSAL

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NATIONAL SOLAR:PROPOSAL INTRODUCTION

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NATIONAL SOLAR:NORTH TOWER ROOF SIMULATION RESULTS

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NATIONAL SOLAR:SITE PLAN SHOWING ALL 4 PROPOSED PHASES

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NATIONAL SOLAR:PARKING LAYOUT

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Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) costs $2.50 to $4 a watt for capital cost higher thanPV panels that cost $0.85 to $1.0 a watt for capital cost. However, CSP needs less areafor equal production.

Poly and mono crystalline, silicon-based panels have radiation collection efficiency of20.4% to 27.6%22 and low temperature coefficients of up to -0.5%. CIS thin films havea lower efficiency23 of 12.5% to 20.3% and fluctuate and decrease with highertemperatures above 25C.

To achieve our target of providing 8% of the North Tower consumption, 400KW, weneed approximately 2,500 solar panels, each measuring 1.5m2. This covers 2,200 m2 ofthe rooftop of the North Tower and 2500 m2 of the parking lot - approximately 200parking slot.

The estimated price of this project is SAR 4,500,000.

By implementing solar energy system to supply only normal lighting of the NorthTower, the hospital will reduce 1,127.6 metric tons of CO2 annually. That is equivalentto the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 220 passenger vehicles.

7 RESULTS

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DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS:1. Create a Master Plan

Most of the major hospital expansions lacked a master plan strategy resulting indesign inefficiencies throughout. It is never too late to establish one that includesenergy conservation. KFSHRC should consider partnerships with specialized designconsultants like Saudi Green Building Council members and renewable energycommissioning firms in mechanical and electrical industry.

2. Commit to a Building Envelope Renovation One of the most effective methods of reducing a new hospital facility’s energyconsumption is to properly plan its building envelope. A high performance buildingenvelope also can increase patient and staff comfort and well-being.

8 RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations from the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Zone 2B

Item Component Zone 2B Phase RenovationEstimate (SAR)

Insulation above deck R-35RoofSolar reflectance index (SRI) Comply with Standard 90.1

1 90/m2

Mass (HC >7 Btu/ft2 R-25WallsSteel-framed R-21.6

2 150/m2

Mass R-23FloorsSteel-framed R-60

8 85/m2

Slabs Unheated R-20 for 48 7 85/m2Swinging U-0.70DoorsNon-swinging U-0.50

3 60/m2

Total fenestration to gross wall arearatio 40% maximum

Thermal transmittance (all typesand orientations) U-0.20

SHGC (all types and orientations) SHGC-0.40Visible transmittance VT-0.65

VerticalFenestration

Exterior sun control (SE & W only) Projection factor >0.5

4 150/m2

Area (percent of roof area) 3% maximumThermal transmittance (all typesand orientations) U-0.6Skylights

SHGC (all types and orientations) Comply with Standard 90.1

5 85/m2

Design the building to maximizeaccess to natural light through sidelighting and top lighting)

Diagnostic and treatment block:Shape the building footprint suchthat the area within 15 ft of theperimeter exceeds 40% of the floorplate

• Staff areas (exam rooms, nursestations, offices, and corridors

Day-lighting

• Public spaces (waiting andreception)

Inpatient units: Ensure that 75% ofthe occupied space not includingpatient rooms lies within 20 ft ofthe perimeter

6 T.B.D.

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The above recommendations from ASHRAE are specification list of treatments forimplementing an energy efficient strategy.Listed below are the common architectural strategies related to energy efficientbuilding envelope design and construction or retrofits and operations andmaintenance.

Opaque Surfaces(Roofs, Walls, and Floor Slabs)• Renovate walls, roofs, and floors of adequate insulation for the climate zone toprovide comfort and energy efficiency. Select optimum insulation performanceconsidering R-value of the material (thermal resistance measure).• Consider increasing the thermal mass of the envelope. This allows the building toabsorb energy slowly, hold it longer, reduce indoor temperature fluctuations, andreduce the overall heating and cooling requirements.Thermal mass materials include traditional materials (such as stone and adobe).• Think about installing green or cool roofs, where appropriate, to reduce energyconsumption and the urban heat island effect.

Fenestration(Windows, Doors, Louvers, Skylights, and Curtain Walls)• Select glazing type after careful consideration of all fenestration performancespecifications, such as U-factor, solar heat-gain coefficient, visible transmittance,air leakage, and condensation resistance.• Consider specifying high-performance windows, which can be six times moreenergy efficient than lower-quality windows.• Consider the use of external shading devices, such as overhangs, designedaccording to the building-site climate.• Situate and size fenestration openings to best accommodate energy efficiency,comfort, and visual considerations.

Air and Moisture Control• Ensure that vapor retarders and air-retarding systems have been properlyspecified and installed. Pay careful attention to potential thermal bridges in thebuilding envelope, where moisture and air control problems also can beaggravated.• Adopt careful detailing, weather stripping, and sealing of the envelopeassemblies to minimize air infiltration.

Operations and Maintenance• Include building envelope components with the building’s commissioning plan toensure that all material specifications, performance requirements, andconstruction guidelines are being met.• Ensure that inspection of building envelope components is part of the overalloperations and maintenance protocol.

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3. Integrate Panels Into A New Building EnvelopeIn new construction, it is recommended to consider Building-IntegratedPhotovoltaic (BIPV) systems which integrate PV material directly into the building’smaterials such as the roof or glazing. This can save KFSHRC from the cost ofattaching the panels to an incompatible system. BIPV systems can be particularlyvisually attractive because they are integrated with the building design. BIPVtechnologies include PV shingles or tiles, PV laminates, and PV glazing.

4. Pursue Overall Energy Consumption ConservationI suggest optimized lighting systems, appliances and medical equipment. Motionsensors and dimmers are efficient ways of reducing consumption by constraininglighting to usage. Energy efficient appliances use significantly less energy thanolder appliances. Energy Star products are one example of an internationalstandard for energy efficient consumer products.

5. Considering Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) beyond North Tower.On a macro scale and wider integrated design taking all power related issue in thehospital into consideration, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) would be aneconomical clean energy solution. This recommendation was addressed to KFSHRCFacility Management but they explained that such a big project will not typically befunded. Budget approvals tend to follow local concerns. A good example is thisproject, which they say became a priority after the North Tower power shortage.Another reactive project might entail heating the swimming pools in winter.

TRAININGI advise FPMD to collaborate with Saudi Green building council (SaGBC) and holdtraining courses in sustainability issues and associated techniques and knowledgebased on latest design theories and applications.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITYSaudi Arabia's energy strategy plans to add 41GW to the national grid in 20 yearsthrough investments of $109B.24This attitude encouraged big companies likeAramco and King Abdulla University to invest in green energy and ask for fundsfrom the government. On the same track KFSHRC, in my study, should plan for itsimmediate needs of power and take advantage of the government strategiccommitment by seeking grants to fund the specific study or a complete study ofthe whole hospital.

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Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) at this project scale, the capital cost, maintenanceand conversion technique are still not efficient if compared to PV technology whichover came the initial setup and presence in KSA market.

Polycrystalline, silicon-based panels outperform Copper Indium and Selenium (CIS)films in this design for its weather endurance and efficiency.

The 9 storey North Tower needs approximately twice its roof area to provide 8% of itsconsumption. If converted to KFSHRC main hospital average 3 storey height, thehospital roof by itself will provide 12% of its consumption. Another 12% can beprovided by the existing equal area of parking shades. Hence, utilizing those areas canprovide 20% to 24% of the hospital consumption.

Return of investment is approximately 7.5 years.

Monthly rate over 10,000 KW = SAR 0.3825

N. Tower Normal light (400KW) Monthly Consumption = 134,400 KWh

N. Tower Normal light (400KW) Annual Consumption = 1,612,800 KWh

Annual Fees = 612,864 SARInvestment return years: 4,500,000/ 612,864 = 7.5 years

Implementing solar energy system will save electric expenses, has no running costsand will be friendly to the environment.

9 CONCLUSION

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Figure 11 - Another 12% of the hospital consumption can be provided by the existing equal area of parking shades.

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1 Mr. Cristobal , Jaime. Interview. September 06, 20122 Mr. Al Shuwaier ,Omar. Interview. September 06, 20123 Neuhof, Rian - Kingdom enters the solar race - The National, UAE. Jan 8, 2012.4 Mahdi, Wael - Saudi Arabia Plans $109 Billion Boost for Solar Power Nov 22, 20125 Mr. Ibrahim, Ahmed. Interview. September 15th, 2012.6 Mr. Jaber, Raed. Interview. September 15th, 20127 Mr. Ahmed, Azim. Interview. October. 21, 20128 Mr. Ahmed, Azim. Interview. September 19, 20129 Gevorkian, Peter. Solar Power in building design. Los Angeles10 Gupta, Poornima - Google plans new mirror for cheaper solar power - Sep 11, 200911 Hardy Diesel - http://www.hardydiesel.com/275-kw-up-diesel-generators.html12 Schwartz, Ariel. “As oil supply dwindles, Saudis turn to renewable energy.”MSNBC news. 4 Aug. 2011.13 Energy Technology. How real time monitors can add significant value to your operations. June 201214 GCC is a political and economic union of the Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf.15 Repository -- Equinox Blueprint : Best Research Solar Cell Efficiencies-Chapter 09 page 85.16 Smart Grid and Renewable Energy, 2011, 2, 375-387 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/sgre)17 Mints, P. (2011). Photovoltaic Manufacturer Shipments, Capacity & Competitive Analysis 2010/2011.18 Wholesale Solar online calculator19 Copper Indium and Selenium.20 http://www.national-solar.net/index.html21 Mr. Sulieman, Hashim. Interview. September 09, 201222 Repository -- Equinox Blueprint : Best Research Solar Cell Efficiencies-Chapter 09 page 85.23 Smart Grid and Renewable Energy, 2011, 2, 375-387 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/sgre)24 Financier Worldwide - July 2012, Veteran business lawyer Kevin T. Connor, Squire Sanders.25 Saudi Electric Company official website.

10 REFERENCES