Reshma Krishnan found that research allowed her to "explore problems in depth and build knowledge collectively". After graduating in Polymer Chemistry from St Michael's College, University of Kerala (India) and a doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Oslo (Norway), she came to the University with the Marie Sklodowska-Curie scholarship , promoted by the European Commission. His project focuses on exploring the possibilities of thermoelectric technology for the development of intelligent buildings.
He tells us in first person what his project consists of:
What are the issues addressed by the BITES project ?
Buildings account for a significant proportion of global energy consumption and carbon emissions, making them a central focus of sustainable energy policies.
Modern energy technologies, such as high-efficiency HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, building-integrated renewables, intelligent energy management and advanced insulation materials, are innovative approaches to reduce the high energy consumption of buildings and minimize their contribution to the global energy crisis.
What does the project bring to the field of research?
The Building Integrated Thermoelectric System (BITES) represents an innovative approach that takes advantage of thermoelectric technology to offer autonomous heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. The main goal is to apply thermoelectric technology to reduce energy consumption in buildings, exploring different possibilities in the design thermoelectric devices, modeling programs of study and hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) systems for the development of intelligent buildings, as well as addressing the limitations of current systems.
In which location is the implementation of thermoelectric systems being studied?
At this stage, my project focuses on Pamplona, on the campus of the University of Navarra. I consider it an ideal starting point because of its climatic conditions, its urban structure and the research team led by César Martín.
This will allow me to understand the limitations of current prototypes, implement new strategies to improve system efficiency, develop new models and design approaches for hybrid systems and validate them locally. However, the ambition is to create solutions that are transferable and scalable to other contexts and countries.
What mechanism do buildings follow to generate heat and cold?
In general, buildings use HVAC systems to control temperature, humidity and air quality. These systems require components such as boilers, air conditioners and ventilation ducts.
The thermoelectric technology we propose seeks to complement traditional HVAC systems, offering localized heating or cooling in a more environmentally friendly way, thus reducing the overall energy demand.
Peltier cells are solid-state devices that can be easily integrated into walls, windows or facades. In addition, TE systems can be combined with renewable sources, generating heating and cooling without additional consumption of fossil fuels, driving the goal near-zero energy buildings.
Appearance in the media:
→ Diario de Navarra: Five international researchers join the University of Navarra with a 'Marie Curie' scholarship .
BITES is a project funded by the European Union in the framework of the HORIZON-MSCA-2024 program. It is a two-year research and innovation program, under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA), with subsidy agreement no. 101208430.
