One way to improve the efficiency of a building is to use thermal storage material. A recent thermal storage strategy is to use phase change material (PCM) which allows for the storage and release of thermal energy. One of the main advantages of using PCM over traditional thermal storage (like concrete) is that PCM can achieve the same level of thermal storage as concrete while using less material. Using PCM can also reduce and delay peak load, improve thermal comfort, and reduce the overall energy consumption of a building.

Through the Ontario Green Energy Act, solar manufacturing is rapidly growing in Ontario with S2E being involved in several new initiatives including a new lamination facility in London, Ontario. Several fundamental problems need to be addressed in the lamination procedure and materials required for photovoltaic (PV) panel construction. To increase panel efficiencies, this project will examine new materials and the integration of various light absorbing materials into the poly (ethylene vinyl acetate) EVA encapsulants.

Incorporating the Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) into Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal (BIPV/T) system has the potential to reduce building heating and cooling costs and dependence on non-renewable heating fuels. ASHPs could boost the quality and quantity of heat output of a BIPV/T system by delivering a seasonal Coefficient of Performance (COP) of between 2.0 and 4.0, which means 2-4 times more energy output than the amount of energy (electricity) consumed.

Combining Building Integrated Photovoltaic / Thermal (BIPV/T) system and Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) with a thermal storage potentially can increase the efficiency of the heat pump and therefore reduce cost of heating and cooling for the building. In addition, this system potentially can reduce the GHG emission. A hollow core concrete floor can be used as a heat storage. Excess heat during the day can be stored in the concrete and be used during the night when the heating demand of the building is higher.

The proposed project will survey “best-in-class” decentralized water conservation technologies and approaches such as rainwater harvesting systems and greywater recycling systems for use in single family residential dwellings in Canada. The proposed project will also survey all tools and resources provided by water conservation authorities such as CMHC to homeowners, building designers and municipalities. The proposed project will work with S2E to develop a final comprehensive report which will allow for the research results to be applied to S2E’s Project Smart Community.

Development of stormwater management plans in Ontario has focused primarily on sizing of conveyance infrastructure and stormwater management ponds that mitigate the receiving water impacts of new developments. The focus has shifted in recent years towards the implementation of Low Impact Development (LID) that emphasizes the control of stormwater runoff at the source.

Urban stormwater re-use is gaining acceptance in Canadian jurisdictions as a means to offset anticipated increases in potable water demand from urbanization and climate change. S2e Technologies has partnered with Queen's University to determine if a net economic benefit can be achieved from potable water savings in large-scale stormwater re-use facilities in Canada. The new partnership between s2e Technologies and Queen’s will examine the economic feasibility of large-scale stormwater re-use in a Showcase Community in London, ON.

While electric vehicles (EVs) are generally viewed as non-polluting and environmentally friendly, EV utilization brings other concerns such as: range anxiety, battery charging issues, cost of electricity, and network overload. Furthermore even though EVs are better for the environment in comparison with the traditional vehicles powered with internal combustion engine, they are still vehicles on the road contributing to road congestion. This study aims to address the above mentioned shortcomings of EVs by investing in a door-to transit station shared E-Taxi system.

This project will develop appropriate strategies for a “Smart Community” of the future with respect to the integration of food growing and processing spaces into the community. This may range from rooftop greenhouses, residential growing sunspaces, community gardens, food producing building components, etc. As well this proposal will investigate how food production will interact with other essential systems and infrastructure in such a community.

Efficient yet simple energy storage schemes and smart electronics will not only boost PV system efficiencies but it will also lead to many innovative applications at the system level such as solid state lighting, active bypass diodes, bifacial configurations etc. This research project seeks to develop a novel and efficient on-cell energy storage scheme.