A Critical Review on Mass Concrete Embedded Water Pipes as Permanent Roofing

Abstract

Tumbling the external energy demand of buildings has always been a challenge for researchers around the world. Supply–demand statistics has never dipped the cost of energy and has always compelled researchers to come with newer models and methods. These methods often lead to huge initial investment and tough maintenance schedules. Concrete, a roofing material in many countries has an excellent thermal mass and can be a source of energy. This when used in roofing structures with water pipes embedded running through it will decrease the external energy demand and maintain comfort conditions inside the building. Studies conducted in this area, even though smaller in number, have been thoroughly reviewed. Different studies conducted in this area, such as the use of PCM (Phase-Change Materials), roof integrated solar heaters, solar concrete collectors, and embedded pipes, removal of hydration heat of concrete, have been analyzed. It was evident that the work in the direction of the solar concrete collector which picked acceleration in the 1990s and early 2000s then gradually gave way for the use of PCM in roof’s concrete collector which was later found to be a failure by itself. Reviews conducted in this article point towards a very serious need for ongoing research in the area of mass concrete embedded water pipes as a permanent roof for achieving energy-efficient residential buildings. Heat extracted by water can then be used to meet different energy-consuming demands of the building itself like hot water for building’s hot water needs, coupling it with thermal power units, solar absorption refrigeration system or even a simple solar stills to produce potable water.