Product concept study case for thermal batteries incorporation in housing area according to technical and functional requirements

Abstract

The present research aimed to develop a product concept that integrates a disruptive solution for instant water heating based in thermal batteries in the housing area with minimal impact and adjusted to the construction practices widely used. The conceptual solution provides instant hot water with no energy waste associated with continuous use of domestic hot water recirculation circuits, the conventional solution used for decades with a significant impact on the inefficiency of buildings. The concept developed considered the construction practices and the aesthetical limitation of a new element within the contemporary housing area. Several scenarios relating to current construction practices in different buildings typologies were analyzed, which resulted in the identification of two different general approaches with the respective requirements necessary for their implementation: 1) a vertical solution to integrate within a technical wall 2) a horizontal solution to integrate in the false ceiling. Within the two approaches, the development and design team projected and prototyped two versions of each approach: 1) the integration within a technical wall with access and without access to the batteries 2) the integration within the false ceiling with access and without access to the batteries. With these prototypes it was concluded that the final product is suitable for current construction practices, respecting the necessary technical requirements without aesthetical impact in the general architecture of the space and in the conception of the buildings.