Projects
Projects
The multidisciplinary team at LTSB is dedicated to research solutions that meet the real needs of our partners. The following are a few examples of current projects:
Controlled environment agriculture spaces
The objective of this project is to increase the food autonomy of Canadian Provinces and Territories by providing them with support in the development of controlled environment agriculture. We are developing numerical models to simulate the energy behaviour of these spaces (greenhouses, indoor plant enclosures, etc.), validated using measured data. They will be used to develop guidelines for the sizing of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and to improve the energy efficiency of these spaces. We are also evaluating the potential of various innovative technologies (e.g.: thermal storage) in terms of energy consumption and power demand for these spaces, along with possible synergies with other types of indoor spaces.
Energy storage inside buildings
Within the context of these projects, we are seeking to promote the deployment of energy storage solutions in buildings to support their energy transition. We are evaluating the energy, environmental and economic performance of various in situ thermal storage solutions and developing numerical models of storage devices (e.g.: electrical thermal accumulators, reservoirs containing phase-change materials and compressed-air energy storage devices), and evaluating their potential in many types of buildings and applications.
Development of sensors for capacitive detection of condensation and moisture conditions
The presence of water in its liquid, gaseous or solid state inside a building envelope can result in an increased presence of mildew, decomposition, corrosion of metal and loss of structural integrity for the building. The increased presence of mildew is related to surface conditions, such as temperature, relative humidity and water activity, which is what makes this research project so important. The objective is to determine the feasibility of using structural monitoring technology (SMT) sensors to detect the presence of small quantities of water or ice by measuring the dielectric constant of the area surrounding the sensor.
