The “rebound effect” of energy efficient actions to be performed as part of a major renovation of apartment buildings

Abstract

Environmental safety and the rational use of natural resources are among pressing present-day problems. Energy efficiency improvement is an important constituent of energy policies in many countries. This article examines the impact of the “rebound effect” on improving the energy efficiency of environmental safety programs implement-d at federal and municipal levels. There is still no consensus on how to take the “rebound effect” into account and whether it should be considered at all. Paradoxically, the “rebound effect” is the unintended side effect of energy efficiency activities. In this paper, different types of this effect are considered. The “direct assessment” method, based on the non-linear relationship between energy consumption and efficiency, is used to assess the “rebound effect” produced on individual household appliances. The factors hindering the implementation of energy efficiency activities are also identified. Having analyzed the impact of the effect on different sectors of economy, we can conclude that the most pronounced “rebound effect” is observed in the housing sector. Consequently, if we consider a major energy efficient renovation, we have to take account of the “rebound effect” caused by new energy saving activities.