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This paper addresses on improving the drying performance of high-moisture content (57.76%) municipal solid waste (MSW) using novel-design solar greenhouse biodrying (SGB) reactors under various operating conditions. Approximately, 4000 kg of MSW was loaded into 3 reactors with passive and active aeration to investigate the pilot-scale system's performance. We found that the pilot-scale reactor using passive aeration SGB, with a final moisture content of 30.51 ± 19.70%, does not meet requirements for cement production companies, although the system can maintain both the air temperature in the greenhouse and the highest energy-content gain in this study (6134.75 ± 245.30 kcal/kg). The active aeration method using 1.96 m3/kgMSW/day presented the highest performances for water removal, reducing water content from 57.76 ± 10.41% to 16.58 ± 10.88%, while the 0.78 m3/kgMSW/day method showed a final moisture content of 21.26 ± 12.60. Both conditions can raise the heating value above the user standard of 4500 kcal/kg. Nevertheless, the 1.96 m3/kgMSW/day method loses more carbon mass and yields a lower energy content than the other active aeration. We found that, with the pilot scale, an aeration rate of 0.78 m3/kgMSW/day showed good performance due to the high moisture content loss with and above the standard heating value. This condition can be implemented on a commercial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As renewable energy sources and net-zero energy homes become increasingly pervasive within the residential building industry, further reductions in consumption patterns will occur through demand side management (DSM). DSM can include measures such as energy-efficient system design, automated control and energy management systems, or policies and monitoring systems intended to alter user behavior. For an energy-efficient modern residence designed within a tropical context, several DSM strategies are considered for reductions in operational-phase energy consumption: a lightweight, thermally high-performing building envelope, installation of light dimmers to enhance user control of lighting, and comparison of a solar hot water system versus a point-of-use electric water heater to produce hot water for bathing demands. The energy-consumption savings associated with the three DSM strategies are simulated and normalized to an energy savings per cost of implementation basis in kWh per 1000 Thai Baht (THB) for comparison. The results show that financial investments in low-energy hot water heaters (i.e., solar water heating systems) result in relatively higher energy savings per unit financial investment than the other two strategies. Conversely, the installation of a lightweight, well-insulated envelope is highly expensive relative to its associated energy savings over a 25-year time frame. The savings associated with the insulated envelope, light dimmers, and hot water production strategies are evaluated at 80, 609 and 657 kWh/1000 THB investment, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]