Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: A Green Rooftop System for Commercial Buildings with Superior Energy Efficiency
EPA Contract Number: 68HE0D18C0023Title: A Green Rooftop System for Commercial Buildings with Superior Energy Efficiency
Investigators: Zhu, Xiqun
Small Business: XIMAX Technologies
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: October 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019
Project Amount: $99,837
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2018) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR – Sustainable Materials Management
Description:
The purpose of the research is to develop a green rooftop system for commercial buildings with superior energy efficiency. The total energy efficiency will be significantly higher than the best solar panel technologies in the market and in the research laboratories. Another purpose of this research is to develop a green rooftop system, which can over last the building itself, and at the end of its life, the rooftop materials can be 100 percent recycled and no construction wastes will go into landfills.
During the period of this research project, Ximax has conducted detail engineering design of all systems and components of the proposed green rooftop system, and conducted design confirmations through engineering simulations using computer simulation tools, including ANSYS mechanical simulation tool, Code V optical simulation tool, Pspice electrical simulation tool, etc. We have also conducted some laboratory experiments to verify that above engineering simulation results truly reflect the design goals we are trying to reach.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The research activities during the entire research period have led to the findings that the research purpose we proposed and listed in the project contract are valid and reachable, if sufficient research and development funding is obtained, and reasonable research and development time is allowed. Therefore, we decide to move forward to apply for the Phase II funding of this project, where a full function working prototype will be build in our laboratory, tested in the field and trialed on one of our potential partners/customers' facilities.
Conclusions:
The research activities conducted during this project period has reached the conclusion that the research goal of this project has been proved feasible and reachable. This technology has strong market needs and its successful commercial applications will result in significant environmental benefit to our country and financial advantages to all companies adapting this technology. This project is ready to advance to the second stage, which is the Phase II stage, where a full function prototype will be developed in our laboratory and tested in the field and trialed in customer/partners' facilities.
Commercialization:
Besides technical research and technology development, as the major part of our Phase I research project, we spend significant amount of time and effort to develop and verify the market feasibility of this technology. We have tried to talk to potential customers of this new technology to find out what are their major needs and what are their main pain points, and how our technology can serve their needs and resolve their pain points. During this whole project period, all potential customers we talked to have shown interest and possibly become our partners, as long as the working prototypes of this technology can be developed and become available for field trial in the Phase II period.
The commercial application of this proposed technology based on a main trend that almost all major companies in this country now have a sustainability goal to reach complete green operations. So they are all looking for green technologies like the one we are developing right now. We have tried to talk to major retail companies like Walmart, major banks like Wells Fargo, and some property management companies. Our commercialization development efforts lead to the finding that since our technology can save electricity consumed on building lighting, heating, air conditioning, and other operations such as elevators, office machines and equipment, security systems, etc. and can generate some electricity to upload to the grid system during grid peak hours to in-flow some extra revenues, successful commercial applications of this technology can reduce operation cost of all companies, and reach their green sustainability goals at the same time. As a result, they are all willing to work with us toward the successful commercial applications of this technology.
SBIR Phase II:
A Green Rooftop System for Commercial Buildings with Superior Energy Efficiency | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.