Smart Energy Efficiency for a Sustainable World

Abstract

This paper gives an overview on the authors' experiences on the best ways to use smart energy efficiency for a sustainable world. The use of smart ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is key to implementing smart energy efficiency. The paper overview includes Smart Energy Systems and Components, Carbon Footprint Measurements, Smart Building, and Smart Transportation. Globally, energy efficiency is growing in importance and plays a key role in world economics. Smart energy efficiency makes heavy use of technology including social media. Technological advances have revolutionized the energy industry worldwide - from smart grids, electric automobiles, to remote monitoring technologies with the help of modern digital equipment, etc. There are many online portals to give consumers information. The complexity of the many uses of building energy use helps account for the large environmental footprint. A big challenge facing the building sector is how best to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of this very complex system. Efforts over the past few years to analyze and create highly efficient data centers presents an excellent opportunity for cost effective Green IT at all organizations. Given the complexity of the energy use options, there is a need for extensive use of data science, Big Data, and analytics as an ideal way to determine how green building outcomes can be improved. Hospitals and healthcare in general can take significant steps in the green direction by combining big data analytics with cloud computing. This paper gives examples of how Data Science, Big Data, Analytics, and Cloud Technology can be used to significantly improve a building's Energy Efficiency along with information on the best ways to improve that energy efficiency in a cost effective manner.