News

Fifth-Annual Green Building Power Forum Call for Papers Issued

October 30, 2012 by Jeff Shepard

An Announcement and Call for Papers has been issued for the Fifth-Annual Green Building Power Forum (GBPF '13) to be hosted September 9-13, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. http://greenbuildingpower.darnell.com. GBPF '13 will encompass high-voltage and low-voltage dc power distribution as well as hybrid ac and dc distribution architectures and dc microgrids. It will be tightly focused on "Identifying Challenges, Progress and Opportunities for the use of DC Power Distribution in Facilities and the Creation of a Flexible and Dynamic Power Infrastructure".

"This is a dynamic period in the development of dc power distribution. The next edition of the National Electrical Code will include 380-Vdc power for buildings, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute has issued a 400-Vdc standard, the International Electrotechnical Commission is actively developing global dc-powering standards and there are a growing number of dc-powered data centers around the world. Darnell's Green Building Power Forum is the only place where global thought leaders gather on an annual basis to assess progress and plan next steps." stated Jeff Shepard, president, Darnell Group. "This year, we have co-located GPPF with Darnell's Forum and the Smart Grid Electronics Forum as part of Darnell's Energy Summit, http://energysummit.darnell.com, giving participants an opportunity to attend any sessions of interest during these simultaneous events," Shepard concluded.

This focused three-day international conference will serve an audience of decision-makers who are interested in learning about and contributing to the latest practical advancements related to the use of dc power distribution in commercial, industrial, government and residential buildings; critical facilities such as data centers; and the creation of a dynamic power infrastructure. A convergence of technologies is occurring that will change how buildings are powered. These technologies include the continued rapid growth of distributed generation resources (photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, fuel cells, micro turbines, etc.), the emergence of high-efficiency lighting technologies (especially solid-state LED lighting), wireless building automation systems, demand-side management of building energy use by electric utilities, and so on.

Examples of the topics to be addressed at GBPF '13 include: Selection of the optimal dc distribution voltage; Integration of distributed generation resources; DC lighting systems; DC HVAC and other building systems; DC appliances; Building automation and controls; DC microgrids; Combined heat and power; Advanced components and hardware; Safety considerations; Standardization issues; Hybrid ac and dc power distribution architectures; Implementation of demand-side management; Implications for power quality; and more.

Submissions are being sought in three areas:

1) Case Studies/Industry Examples: outstanding examples of recent applications of dc power distribution or hybrid ac and dc power distribution in commercial, industrial, government, and residential buildings, or in critical facilities such as data centers, including field tests as well as full production systems.

2) Implementation and Operational Process: return on investment scenarios and analysis of benefits for implementation of new and improved dc power distribution technologies, with special focus on the role of power electronics and applications systems; directions and developments in utility interface and integration; needed and/or anticipated changes in regulatory environments.

3) Technology Developments: projections and forecasts for changes in core power electronic, distributed generation, and building automation technologies, including new designs/implementations, new applications and new methods for implementing solutions.

Darnell Group is the leading source for worldwide strategic information covering the full spectrum of power electronics, energy storage and generation. The company specializes in the economic/business analysis of emerging power markets and technologies. The GBPF '13 web site is at: http://GreenBuildingPower.darnell.com.