A visual energy performance assessment and decision support tool for dwellings

Tools for the estimation of energy performance improvement, achievable through energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions, with decision making capabilities for policy implementation at neighborhood level are still lacking. In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept tool that integrates a decision support mechanism for enabling opinions and criteria of various decision makers to be taken into account during the implementation of energy efficiency interventions at neighborhood level. The tool is based on integrating information from aerial and terrestrial imagery, digital maps and national databases and statistics providing housing data on a GIS platform. The testing of the tool with the involvement of local authorities and social housing providers demonstrated that the tool can support policy makers in making informed decisions with regard to the implementation of energy policies and initiatives and contribute to meeting CO2 emission reduction targets.

BackgroundEngland, and the UK more generally, has a large burden of winter- and cold-related mortality/morbidity in comparison with nearby countries in continental Europe. Improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock may help to reduce this, as well as being important for climate change and energy security objectives.ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of home energy efficiency (HEE) interventions on winter- and cold-related mortality/morbidity, including assessing the impact of winter fuel payments (WFPs) and fuel costs.DesignA mixed-methods study – an epidemiological time-series analysis, an analysis of data on HEE interventions, the development and application of modelling methods including a multicriteria decision analysis and an in-depth interview study of householders.SettingEngland, UK.ParticipantsThe population of England. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 households (2–4 participants each) and 41 individuals in three geographical regions.InterventionsHEE interventions.Main outcome measuresMortality, morbidity and intervention-related changes to the home indoor environment.Data sourcesThe Homes Energy Efficiency Database, mortality and hospital admissions data and weather (temperature) data.ResultsThere has been a progressive decline in cold-related deaths since the mid-1970s. Since the introduction of WFPs, the gradient of association between winter cold and mortality [2.00%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74% to 2.28%] per degree Celsius fall in temperature is somewhat weaker (i.e. that the population is less vulnerable to cold) than in earlier years (2.37%, 95% CI 0.22% to 2.53%). There is also evidence that years with above-average fuel costs were associated with higher vulnerability to outdoor cold. HEE measures installed in England in 2002–10 have had a relatively modest impact in improving the indoor environment. The gains in winter temperatures (around +0.09 °C on a day with maximum outdoor temperature of 5 °C) are associated with an estimated annual reduction of ≈280 cold-related deaths in England (an eventual maximum annual impact of 4000 life-years gained), but these impacts may be appreciably smaller than those of changes in indoor air quality. Modelling studies indicate the potential importance of the medium- and longer-term impacts that HEE measures have on health, which are not observable in short-term studies. They also suggest that HEE improvements of similar annualised cost to current WFPs would achieve greater improvements in health while reducing (rather than increasing) carbon dioxide emissions. In-depth interviews suggest four distinct householder framings of HEE measures (as home improvement, home maintenance, subsidised public goods and contributions to sustainability), which do not dovetail with current ‘consumerist’ national policy and may have implications for the uptake of HEE measures.LimitationsThe quantification of intervention impacts in this national study is reliant on various indirect/model-based assessments.ConclusionsLarger-scale changes are required to the housing stock in England if the full potential benefits for improving health and for reaching increasingly important climate change mitigation targets are to be realised.Future workStudies based on data linkage at individual dwelling level to examine health impacts. There is a need for empirical assessment of HEE interventions on indoor air quality.FundingThis project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full inPublic Health Research; Vol. 6, No. 11. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

The school building sector has a pivotal role to play in the transition to a low carbon UK economy. School buildings are responsible for 15% of the country’s public sector carbon emissions, with space heating currently making up the largest proportion of energy use and associated costs in schools. Children spend a large part of their waking life in school buildings. There is substantial evidence that poor indoor air quality and thermal discomfort can have detrimental impacts on the performance, wellbeing and health of schoolchildren and school staff. Maintaining high indoor environmental quality whilst reducing energy demand and carbon emissions in schools is challenging due to the unique operational characteristics of school environments, e.g. high and intermittent occupancy densities or changes in occupancy patterns throughout the year. Furthermore, existing data show that 81% of the school building stock in England was constructed before 1976. Challenges facing the ageing school building stock may be exacerbated in the context of ongoing and future climate change.In recent decades, building stock modelling has been widely used to quantify and evaluate the current and future energy and indoor environmental quality performance of large numbers of buildings at the neighbourhood, city, regional or national level. Building stock models commonly use building archetypes, which aim to represent the diversity of building stocks through frequently occurring building typologies.The aim of this paper is to introduce the Data dRiven Engine for Archetype Models of Schools (DREAMS), a novel, data-driven, archetype-based school building stock modelling framework. DREAMS enables the detailed representation of the school building stock in England through the statistical analysis of two large scale and highly detailed databases provided by the UK Government: (i) the Property Data Survey Programme (PDSP) from the Department for Education (DfE), and (ii) Display Energy Certificates (DEC). In this paper, the development of 168 building archetypes representing 9,551 primary schools in England is presented. The energy consumption of the English primary school building stock was modelled for a typical year under the current climate using the widely tested and applied building performance software EnergyPlus. For the purposes of modelling validation, the DREAMS space heating demand predictions were compared against average measured energy consumption of the schools that were represented by each archetype. It was demonstrated that the simulated fossil-thermal energy consumption of a typical primary school in England was only 7% higher than measured energy consumption (139 kWh/m2/y simulated, compared to 130 kWh/m2/y measured). The building stock model performs better at predicting the energy performance of naturally ventilated buildings, which constitute 97% of the stock, than that of mechanically ventilated ones. The framework has also shown capabilities in predicting energy consumption on a more localised scale. The London primary school building stock was examined as a case study.School building stock modelling frameworks such as DREAMS can be powerful tools that aid decision-makers to quantify and evaluate the impact of a wide range of building stock-level policies, energy efficiency interventions and climate change scenarios on school energy and indoor environmental performance.

Energy Benefits of Electronic Controls at Small and Medium Sized U.S. Manufacturers

The Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten) has identified the built environment as a key area for Sweden’s societal energy savings (STEM, 2007). Governmental objectives for energy efficiency in the built environment are a 20 per cent reduction by 2020 and a 50 per cent reduction by 2050 in relation to 1995. By 2020 a 40 per cent reduction of green house gas emissions should be attained, and at least 50 per cent of the total energy use should be provided from renewable sources. In 2008, almost 30 per cent of the total energy used in Sweden was attributed to housing and services (STEM, 2010). Most of the energy in the housing sector, 87 per cent, is used for heating, hot tap water, domestic purposes and technical installations. Heating and hot tap water is responsible for 60 per cent; lighting, technical installations and domestic use for the remaining 27 per cent (Lindén, 2007). However, there are differences in energy use in different parts of Sweden due to climate conditions (www.smhi.se/klimatdata/meteorologi/temperatur/1.3973). The distance from south to north is 1, 572 kilometres. The mean temperature per year varies from +10°C to -8°C.

Energy renovation rates in the Netherlands – comparing long and short term prediction methods

Energy renovation rates in the Netherlands – comparing long and short term prediction methods

With more than 60% of the inventory being over thirty years old, commercial office buildings represent a substantial global energy consumer. The Australian government has attempted to lower greenhouse gas emissions through legislation, but the implementation of these efforts has only resulted in annual reductions of 1-3%. It is essential to focus energy-efficient interventions on the stock of current commercial buildings if we are to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Energy performance, efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions can all be improved in commercial buildings by reducing energy consumption. According to Climate Works Australia and the IPCC, there is a 30% chance of avoiding current energy use while still reaping net economic benefits. To lessen global warming, the IPCC has also recommended that developed nations, like Australia, reduce emissions by 45% by 2030. Buildings with passive technologies can have better energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort. One of the main tactics for lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions in already-existing commercial buildings is energy retrofitting. "Providing a machine with a part, or a place with equipment which was not originally present when it was built" is what the Cambridge Dictionary defines as "retrofitting." However, in this context, it refers to any intervention activity that involves modernizing or repurposing the current structure to satisfy an appropriate requirement. Both cases deal with increasing a building's level of sustainability and energy efficiency through renovations. Multiple combinations of applicable energy consumption-reducing measures that can be applied to retrofit a building present a major challenge to decision-makers in energy retrofit. The evaluation of life cycle cost (LCC) and life cycle analysis (LCA) during retrofits present additional difficulties. LCC and LCA are not used in tandem; additionally, selecting the most appropriate retrofitting strategy or set of measures can occasionally be challenging due to the inclusion of unqualified sustainable technology in listings and selections. The current study intends to address the problems by creating a strong decision support system (RDSS) that integrates sustainable criteria, or triple bottom line TBLs (environmental, social, and economic benefits), in the energy retrofit decision-making process. This will lessen the difficulties encountered in making decisions that will lead to successful building appraisals. The predetermined objectives are meant to lead to the goal. Because of various technological alternatives, it may be vital to have a comparison to simplify sustainable technologies (STs) tools using SWOT/multiple criteria in TBL aspects. Providing an assessment method to merge LCA & LCC to balance environmental and economic performances and determine the impact of the building life cycle on the energy retrofit decision process. Address the challenges decision-makers encounter in dealing with changes due to building markets and regulations since legislation and public expectation drive sustainable buildings. To develop and validate a holistic optimum strategic decision model to select the best retrofit alternatives for a particular building which maximizes the sustainability ranking of the building. Initial research focuses on conducting a life-cycle cost analysis of a commercial office car park building in Sydney, New South Wales. The evaluation includes assessing energy performance through retrofit measures to determine long-term benefits. By using life-cycle cost analysis, the study aims to enhance decision-making in energy assessment. To examine energy consumption intensity, lifecycle costing, CO2 emissions, and cost efficiency, data will be collected from non-green buildings and one building's envelope will be simulated using the Energy Plus tool. Experimental measurements will be compared to validate simulated models. The study includes a case study on a 12,000 square meter commercial office building used as a commercial parking facility. Retrofitting activities were initiated on three office rooms, focusing on HVAC, lighting, and equipment improvements, resulting in a 1.9-year payback period, 15% emissions reduction, 25% energy savings, and 23% cost savings. The subsequent phase involves utilizing various methods such as concept mapping, focus groups, interviews, Questionnaire surveys, and statistical analysis (SPSS) to develop a robust decision support system (RDSS) for sustainable energy retrofits. The overall goal is to establish a systematic decision support system to aid decision-makers and policymakers in improving energy efficiency in commercial office buildings by implementing passive technologies. The system will also recommend strategies to enhance financial outcomes through smart building operations and management implementations.

IntroductionFuel poverty affects up to 35% of European homes, which represents a significant burden on society and healthcare systems. Draught proofing homes to prevent heat loss, improved glazing, insulation and heating (energy efficiency measures) can make more homes more affordable to heat. This has prompted significant investment in energy efficiency upgrades for around 40% of UK households to reduce the impact of fuel poverty. Despite some inconsistent evidence, household energy efficiency interventions can improve cardiovascular and respiratory health outcomes. However, the health benefits of these interventions have not been fully explored; this is the focus of this study. MethodsIn this cross sectional ecological study, we conducted two sets of analyses at different spatial resolution to explore population data on housing energy efficiency measures and hospital admissions at the area-level (counts grouped over a 3-year period). Housing data were obtained from three data sets covering housing across England (Household Energy Efficiency Database), Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and, in the South West of England, the Devon Home Analytics Portal. These databases provided data aggregated to Lower Area Super Output Area and postcode level (Home Analytics Portal only). These datasets provided measures of both state (e.g. EPC ratings) and intervention (e.g. number of boiler replacements), aggregated spatially and temporally to enable cross-sectional analyses with health outcome data. Hospital admissions for adult (over 18 years) asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were obtained from the Hospital Episode Statistics database for the national (1st April 2011 to 31st March 2014) and Devon, South West of England (1st April 2014 to 31st March 2017) analyses. Descriptive statistics and regression models were used to describe the associations between small area household energy efficiency measures and hospital admissions. Three main analyses were undertaken to investigate the relationships between; 1) household energy efficiency improvements (i.e. improved glazing, insulation and boiler upgrades); 2) higher levels of energy efficiency ratings (measured by Energy Performance Certificate ratings); 3) energy efficiency improvements and ratings (i.e. physical improvements and rating assessed by the Standard Assessment Procedure) and hospital admissions. ResultsIn the national analyses, household energy performance certificate ratings ranged from 37 to 83 (mean 61.98; Standard Deviation 5.24). There were a total of 312,837 emergency admissions for asthma, 587,770 for COPD and 839,416 for CVD. While analyses for individual energy efficiency metrics (i.e. boiler upgrades, draught proofing, glazing, loft and wall insulation) were mixed; a unit increase in mean energy performance rating was associated with increases of around 0.5% in asthma and CVD admissions, and 1% higher COPD admission rates. Admission rates were also influenced by the type of dwelling, tenure status (e.g. home owner versus renting), living in a rural area, and minimum winter temperature. DiscussionDespite a range of limitations and some mixed and contrasting findings across the national and local analyses, there was some evidence that areas with more energy efficiency improvements resulted in higher admission rates for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This builds on existing evidence highlighting the complex relationships between health and housing. While energy efficiency measures can improve health outcomes (especially when targeting those with chronic respiratory illness), reduced household ventilation rates can impact indoor air quality for example and increase the risk of diseases such as asthma. Alternatively, these findings could be due to the ecological study design, reverse causality, or the non-detection of more vulnerable subpopulations, as well as the targeting of areas with poor housing stock, low income households, and the lack of “whole house approaches” when retrofitting the existing housing stock. ConclusionTo be sustainable, household energy efficiency policies and resulting interventions must account for whole house approaches (i.e. consideration of the whole house and occupant lifestyles). These must consider more alternative ‘greener’ and more sustainable measures, which are capable of accounting for variable lifestyles, as well as the need for adequate heating and ventilation. Larger natural experiments and more complex modelling are needed to further investigate the impact of ongoing dramatic changes in the housing stock and health. Study implicationsThis study supports the need for more holistic approaches to delivering healthier indoor environments, which must consider a dynamic and complex system with multiple interactions between a range of interrelated factors. These need to consider the drivers and pressures (e.g. quality of the built environment and resident behaviours) resulting in environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes.

Cost effective energy and carbon emissions optimization in building renovation (Annex 56)

Through their consumption behavior, households are responsible for more than 70% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the GHG emission reduction potential due to the household behavior is very high. Energy consumption is the main source of the GHG emission in households. There are two main ways to reduce GHG emissions in households: use of renewable energy, energy efficiency improvement, and energy conservation due to changes in the energy use patterns. The highest energy saving potential in households is linked with building renovation, followed by the use of energy efficient appliances (including lighting). Renewable energy microgeneration technologies in households also provide opportunities for GHG emission reduction. Although there have been many policies developed to reduce GHG emissions from energy consumption in households, they still need to be more effective. This paper aims to assess willingness of Lithuanian households to reduce GHG emissions from energy consumption in households by embarking on energy renovation of buildings, use of energy efficient appliances and use of renewable energy technologies. The willingness to pay for these GHG emission reduction measures allows to compare household preferences with respect to available support measures and assess the adequacy of such measures. The paper also discusses household attitudes toward the main policies and measures for GHG emission reduction. The results show the highest willingness to pay for energy efficient appliances, followed by renewable energy technologies. The willingness to pay for energy renovation is the lowest one and such s measure requires significant state support.

Exposure to radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer worldwide behind smoking. Changing the energy characteristics of a dwelling can influence both its thermal and ventilative properties, which can affect indoor air quality. This study uses radon measurements made in 470 689 UK homes between 1980 and 2015, linked to dwelling information contained within the Home Energy Efficiency Database (HEED). The linked dataset, the largest of its kind, was used to analyze the association of housing and energy performance characteristics with indoor radon concentrations in the UK. The findings show that energy efficiency measures that increase the airtightness of properties are observed to have an adverse association with indoor radon levels. Homes with double glazing installed had radon measurements with a significantly higher geometric mean, 67% (95% CI: 44, 89) greater than those without a recorded fabric retrofit. Those with loft insulation (47%, 95% CI: 26, 69) and wall insulation (32%, 95% CI: 11, 53) were also found to have higher radon readings. Improving the energy performance of the UK's housing stock is vital in meeting carbon emission reduction targets. However, compromising indoor air quality must be avoided through careful assessment and implementation practices.

The UK housing stock will play an important role in achieving the 2050 national carbon reduction targets. Upgrading the energy performance of the existing housing stock is a significant challenge because retrofit activities are shaped by a wide range of fragmented policies, programmes and actors. Existing approaches to housing retrofit focus on regulations, financial incentives and information provision, but it is argued these are insufficient to realize large-scale, deep changes in energy consumption. An agenda is proposed for systemic domestic retrofit to realize radical changes in the housing stock through community-based partnerships. These programmes are based on a social practices approach that promotes social innovation. Wide-ranging energy-efficiency upgrades can be achieved through the development and realization of customized solutions to local groups of houses through facilitated engagement between occupants, housing providers, community groups, local authorities and construction professionals. Community-based domestic retrofit programmes serve to reframe the governance of household energy performance and suggest alternative routes for realizing significant reductions in energy demand through changes in the socio-technical configuration of materials, competences and images of domestic energy practices. Le parc de logements actuel jouera un rôle important dans la réalisation des objectifs nationaux de réduction des émissions de carbone pour 2050. L'amélioration des performances énergétiques du parc de logements existant est un défi important, car les activités de rénovation sont modelées par un large éventail d'acteurs, de politiques et de programmes éclatés. Les approches existantes de la rénovation dans le logement mettent l'accent sur les réglementations, les incitations financières et la fourniture d'informations, mais il est soutenu que celles-ci sont insuffisantes pour réaliser des changements en profondeur et à grande échelle dans la consommation d'énergie. Il est proposé un programme pour la rénovation résidentielle systémique de façon à réaliser des changements radicaux dans le parc de logements grâce à des partenariats communautaires. Ces programmes sont basés sur une approche des pratiques sociales qui promeut l'innovation sociale. Des améliorations de grande envergure visant à augmenter l'efficacité énergétique peuvent être réalisées par l'élaboration et la mise en œuvre de solutions sur mesure destinées à des groupes locaux de maisons grâce à un engagement facilité entre les occupants, les fournisseurs de logements, les groupes communautaires, les autorités locales et les professionnels de la construction. Les programmes communautaires de rénovation résidentielle servent à recadrer la gouvernance des performances énergétiques résidentielles et suggèrent des voies alternatives pour réaliser des réductions significatives de la demande d'énergie par des changements dans la compréhension et les pratiques sociales (habitudes, perceptions et motivations) des parties prenantes lorsque cela s'accompagne d'interventions physiques. Mots clés: efficacité énergétique, logement, rénovation, pratiques sociales, sociotechnique, consommation durable

Major energy efficiency refurbishment of the UK housing stock is needed to help attain emission reduction targets of greenhouse gases. Such measures typically entail some planned or incidental reduction of uncontrolled ventilation in dwellings. This paper examines the trade-offs for health and sustainability objectives of typical retrofit refurbishments in UK homes. While reducing ventilation can help protect against the ingress of harmful pollutants from the outdoor air, our results demonstrate that reducing permeability to low levels, without additional purpose-provided ventilation, is likely to lead to substantial increases in pollutants derived from indoor sources, including indoor-generated particles, radon and environmental tobacco smoke. The monetised equivalent cost of the health dis-benefits associated with these exposures may exceed the potential benefits of reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Practical application: Reducing uncontrolled ventilation of dwellings helps to improve energy efficiency and can protect against the ingress of pollutants from the outdoor environment. However, simulation studies suggest that at high degrees of airtightness (very low permeability) there is a potentially steep rise in pollutants of indoor origin, whose adverse effects on health may outweigh the benefits of reduced energy use, lower CO2 emissions and protection against outdoor pollution. Though the optimal permeability level for a given dwelling will vary with local circumstances, considerations of health protection suggest the need to avoid reducing permeability to low levels.

Improving energy efficiency in public buildings is one of the main challenges for a sustainable requalification of energy issues and a consequent reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper aims to provide preliminary information about economic costs and energy consumption reductions (benefits) of some considered interventions in existing public buildings. Methods include an analysis of some feasible interventions in four selected public buildings. Energy efficiency improvements have been assessed for each feasible intervention. The difference of the building global energy performance index (EPgl) has been assessed before and after each intervention. Economic costs of each intervention have been estimated by averaging the amount demanded by different companies for the same intervention. Results obtained show economic costs and the EPgl percentage improvement for each intervention, highlighting and allowing for the comparison of energy consumption reduction and relative economic costs. The research results come from data gathered from four public buildings, and as such they could not be used to generically identify cost-beneficial energy efficiency interventions for every context or building type. However, the data reveals useful cost based considerations for selecting energy efficiency interventions in other public buildings.