The reduction of energy consumption and the elimination of energy wastage are high on the European agenda. In 2006 the EU intended to cut its annual consumption of primary energy by 20% by 2020. To achieve this consumption drop, minimal energy efficiency standards have been introduced into the building sector.

We know that user behaviour influences the energy demand of a building, but the impact ratio isn’t clear yet. Due to the lack of information, user behaviour is often included in building performance simulations through only one standard user profile. This approach has proved to be insufficient to accurately calculate energy consumption. The mapping and better understanding of user behaviour is therefore a key element in the quest for an improved overall energy efficiency.

As we are concerned about the impact on the built environment this research will investigate to what extend developing technologies can be applied and adapted to give feedback to inhabitants to increase the indoor air quality while decreasing the energy consumption.

The global demand for cheap, clean and sustainable alternatives for fossil fuels to produce electricity is continuously rising. My thesis examines the possibilities of the windbelt. This is a recent technology that uses a renewable energy source, the wind, in an innovative way. Instead of a rotary motion, an oscillation is used to convert wind power to electricity.

The main goal of my research is to verify the published values of Humdinger for the rated power of this device. Different prototypes are built and used to verify these values.

Although the published values for the rated power are not confirmed experimentally, there is a strong indication that they are correct.

The transverse coupling of different panels of windbelts into a ‘windfilter’ is proposed to maximize the power output per square metre.

The feasibility of the windbelt in answering the rising energy demand is also assessed. The windbelt seems to have the potential to fill some gaps in the renewable energy market. For developing countries it might even be a simple, but adequate solution to the demand for cheap and reliable electricity access.

More information on my master's thesis can be found at http://www.windriem.blogspot.com (dutch)