U-CUBE

Short description of U-CUBE
U-CUBE is the only international research facility operated and run by a public school and U-CUBE is currently the only research facility investigating the influence of different heating systems on the thermal performance of building materials in a calibrated microclimate, considering thermal comfort regulation. U-CUBE aims to provide fundamental concepts to enable engineers to use realistic physical models for future intelligent heating designs, providing thermal comfort and energy efficiency.

We have added the U-CUBE introduction video at the end of this blog (yes, it's in English)...

What is the purpose of this project?
The Gerhart Hauptmann school in Griesheim near Darmstadt has teamed up with universities from many different countries to provide research opportunities for students from schools (Jugend Forscht) and students from universities (practicals, bachelor of science, master of science and PhD) alike, bridging the gap between school and university. Adding to the educational purpose U-CUBE currently is the only research facility concentrated on energy efficiency and thermal comfort. In the first step massive wood cubes will be heated by thermal comfort controlled heating systems such as floor heating, infrared wall and ceiling heating, convection heating, ...
Different setups will be monitored over a period of 5 years in a calibrated microclimate. This will allow to gain a much needed deeper understanding of building physics and heat transfer.

What are the aims of U-CUBE?
U-CUBE will share information with everybody (open source) via our webpage. These are our primary aims:

• Define a controlled system of thermal energy exchange (diffusion) between the inside of the cubes and the ambient microclimate.

• With the definition of thermal comfort (e.g. DIN/EN 7730), develop a method of maintaining room air temperatures as well as surrounding (inside) surface temperatures in a controlled environment with changing (outside) influences.

• Develop a system of establishing a 4D map of the microclimate in the area around the cubes (continuous measurement – real-time data for five year period)

• Once the methodology is developed, field tests are used to measure the energy needed to maintain comfort inside of the cubes - with changing outside conditions (data collection)

• Statistical assessment of the measured data (data analysis).

• Comparing data to given systems: Which Ueff best describes the thermal performance of the particular material appropriately?

Why should you support U-CUBE?
We are not bound to or controlled by any lobby and are able to provide urgently needed answers to questions of energy efficiency. We will provide data that could have impact on political decisions about energy saving (e.g. ENEV) and could lead to new laws that are closer to reality and closer to the needs of the people rather than the needs of certain industries.
U-CUBE is a school project and public crowdfunding is the only way to let this happen without getting too much involved with sponsors of a certain industry that might have certain demands on the results.
Everyone who has the feeling that his or her heating system in their own house is not really operating within optimal thermal comfort and energy efficiency and everyone who is not sure if the building material of their house is perfectly matched to the heating system has a very solid cause to be very interested in U-CUBE.

For what will the money from the crowdfunding be used?
The money from the science starter mission is used for the micro climate calibration grid. This is the design, construction, foundation, sensors, controllers of 20 masts with 80 weather stations and 60 calibration cubes. Masts are 5m steel of 70mm diameter with cables and fittings for the weather stations. On top of each mast is a psychrometer and a rain sensor. Depending on the amount of money we will be able to use ultrasonic wind sensors rather than cup anemometers ...

Who is behind U-CUBE?
Gerhart Hauptmann Schule Griesheim
Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg
Stadt Griesheim
University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt
Ingenieurbüro Heidt, Darmstadt
Technical University Kaiserslautern
Tallinn University of Technology
University of Bern
Aalto University Helsinki
Westfälische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen
Università Degli Studi Di Milano