Earth-air heat exchanger as a green retrofit for Chandīgarh—a critical review

Abstract

The natural resources of the Earth are being exploited beyond its sustainable capacity. The building industry consumes nearly 40 % of the global energy requirement. A major portion of this is used in meeting air-conditioning requirements. The present scenario demands increased energy efficiency, i.e., indoor thermal comfort with minimal energy consumption in buildings. Thus, the development of new green technologies, which allows the use of sustainable alternative sources of energy, is the need of the hour. Earth-air heat exchangers (EAHE), which make use of a passive means for the heating and cooling of buildings, are becoming a promising technology in the construction of green buildings. EAHE utilizes the thermal energy contained in the soil at certain depths for meeting the cooling/heating requirement of buildings, reducing the consumption of conventional energy for built environments. The present paper addresses issues of applicability of EAHE in Chandīgarh (India) based upon literature review particularly in Indian context and keeping in mind the nature of soil and climatic conditions of the city.