Building Energy Efficiency Policies Research Articles

German and Norwegian policy approach to residential buildings’ energy efficiency—a comparative assessment

Buildings in private and domestic use are responsible for about 30% of the global greenhouse gas emissions attributable mainly to their need for heating and cooling energy. This corresponds to about 40% of the global final energy consumption. Therefore, a viable implementation of building energy efficiency policies is inevitable to realize a transformation of the energy system to mitigate climate change. Within the building sector lies a huge potential for emission reduction consisting in the renovation of the existing building stock and climate-friendly building guidelines applicable to new constructions, both adapting CO2-neutral technology solutions. However, as there are several different pathways leading to a decarbonized energy system, there is always the question which political and technological solutions are most efficient, effective, and feasible. This paper aims to analyze building efficiency policy measures and instruments and the related technological solutions in two front-runner countries of the energy transition, possessing different structural conditions: Germany and Norway. We hence apply a comparative approach which allows us to present and assess the policies in place. The paper answers three research questions: (1) Which policies prevail in Germany and Norway to foster the deployment of energy efficient and decarbonized solutions for residential buildings? (2) How do these policies respond to country-specific barriers to the energy transition in the building sector, and (3) What effects do they have on the actual implementation of technological and societal solutions? This research provides a new insight to the highly relevant topic of energy efficiency in buildings in the context of international Intended Nationally Determined Contribution benchmarking and discusses some unsolved trade-offs in the translation of the global climate governance into the national building sector.

Improving building energy efficiency in India: State-level analysis of building energy efficiency policies

India is expected to add 40 billion m2 of new buildings till 2050. Buildings are responsible for one third of India's total energy consumption today and building energy use is expected to continue growing driven by rapid income and population growth. The implementation of the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) is one of the measures to improve building energy efficiency. Using the Global Change Assessment Model, this study assesses growth in the buildings sector and impacts of building energy policies in Gujarat, which would help the state adopt ECBC and expand building energy efficiency programs. Without building energy policies, building energy use in Gujarat would grow by 15 times in commercial buildings and 4 times in urban residential buildings between 2010 and 2050. ECBC improves energy efficiency in commercial buildings and could reduce building electricity use in Gujarat by 20% in 2050, compared to the no policy scenario. Having energy codes for both commercial and residential buildings could result in additional 10% savings in electricity use. To achieve these intended savings, it is critical to build capacity and institution for robust code implementation.

Comparison of three climatic zoning methodologies for building energy efficiency applications

Climatic zoning for building energy efficiency applications is a key element in many programs and policies to improve thermal performance of buildings. In spite of its importance, there is no consensus about the appropriate methodology for climatic zoning. Previous studies indicate a large variety of methods and parameters are currently used for climatic zoning: degree-days, cluster analysis and administrative divisions are some of the most widely used. This study reports and reviews results obtained with these three methodologies for Nicaragua, a small country in Latin America. Results indicate a high level of agreement between the different methodologies, but they also disagree on the appropriate classification of a significant proportion of the country (37% of Nicaragua’s territory). The three methodologies have strengths and weaknesses, and at present it is impossible to conclude which one is the most appropriate to support building energy efficiency programs and policies. Results of this paper highlight the need for procedures and performance indicators to assess the validity of climatic zoning (which shall be addressed by future studies).

A STIRPAT model-based methodology for calculating energy savings in China’s existing civil buildings from 2001 to 2015

Evaluating energy savings in China’s existing civil buildings (ESCECB) plays an essential role in China building energy efficiency (BEE) work. Nevertheless, one missing possibility along this direction is that the said work is currently challenged by the lack of effective method for calculating ESCECB data by summarizing all the quantifiable and unquantifiable impact factors. To overcome this problem, this study employed the method of Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology, and the index decomposition approach of Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index to establish an effective ESCECB calculation method, and then calculated ESCECB data during the period of 2001–2015. Results reflect that ESCECB has significantly accumulated with the rapid development of China BEE work in the past 15 years. In particular, ESCECB data in 2001–2005, 2006–2010, and 2011–2015 are 111, 138, and 248 million tons of standard coal equivalent, respectively. Furthermore, the comparison between the calculated ESCECB and the officially planned ones in the said periods indicates that China has surpassed its BEE targets and China BEE policies obtained a good implementation effect. This study proves the feasibility of calculating ESCECB data and fills the lack of research on effective ESCECB calculation methods. Moreover, this calculation model is also applicable for calculating energy savings in existing civil buildings at a provincial or regional level.

Assessment of Alternative Scenarios for CO2 Reduction Potential in the Residential Building Sector

The South Korean government announced its goals of reducing the country’s CO2 emissions by up to 30% below the business as usual (BAU) projections by 2020 in 2009 and 37% below BAU projections by 2030 in 2015. This paper explores the potential energy savings and reduction in CO2 emissions offered by residential building energy efficiency policies and plans in South Korea. The current and future energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the residential building were estimated using an energy–environment model from 2010 to 2030. The business as usual scenario is based on the energy consumption characteristic of residential buildings using the trends related to socio-economic prospects and the number of dwellings. The alternative scenarios took into account energy efficiency for new residential buildings (scenario I), refurbishment of existing residential buildings (scenario II), use of highly efficient boilers (scenario III), and use of a solar thermal energy system (scenario IV). The results show that energy consumption in the residential building sector will increase by 33% between 2007 and 2030 in the BAU scenario. Maximum reduction in CO2 emissions in the residential building sector of South Korea was observed by 2030 in scenario I. In each alternative scenario analysis, CO2 emissions were 12.9% lower than in the business as usual scenario by the year 2030.

Achieving energy efficiency in government buildings through mandatory policy and program enforcement

Government buildings are responsible for a significant proportion of energy consumption worldwide, for example, in Australia, up to 41.5 PJ energy was consumed by government buildings in 2011–2012. While the newly constructed buildings may be energy efficient, the existing buildings, which account for more than 85% of the total building stock, were built prior to the time when energy rating systems was put in practice and are consequently energy inefficient to a large degree. Reducing the energy consumption in existing government buildings is essential, as it will not only reduce the costs and environmental impacts, but also show governments’ strong commitment towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emission. Furthermore, successful building energy retrofit projects are the showcases to the general public, encouraging other sectors (e.g. commercial) to conduct building retrofits for energy savings. Recognising these benefits, several state governments in Australia have introduced building energy efficiency policies and programs. This paper reviewed the energy efficiency policies/programs in five States in Australia: Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland in terms of respective policies and targets, implementation methods and current progress. The lessons learned from these programs were also discussed. This research revealed that the key factors for a successful government building energy retrofitting program are 1) having a properly enforced energy efficiency mandate with clear energy saving targets, 2) establishing an expert facilitation team and 3) implementing suitable financing and procurement methods.

A methodology to assess China's building energy savings at the national level: An IPAT–LMDI model approach

National building energy savings (NBES) plays an essential role in policymaking of China's building energy–efficiency (BEE) work. Numerous factors, such as technological progress and users' behavior, affect NBES while most of them are unquantifiable. One missing possibility along this direction is that there is currently no method to calculate China's NBES by summarizing all driving factors. To arrive at a solution, we proposed a concept of comparable building energy consumption per unit area and a method of China's NBES calculation based on an extended version of IPAT model (I = PAT, I = Human Impact, P = Population, A = Affluence, T = Technology) and LMDI decomposition (Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index, LMDI). Calculation revealed that China's NBES in “The 10th Five–Year Plan” period (2001–2005), “The 11th Five–Year Plan” period (2006–2010), and the first four years of “The 12th Five–Year Plan” period (2011–2014) was 165, 158, and 127 million tce, respectively. Based on these calculation results, we checked NBES data then successfully proved the validity of this calculation method. Furthermore, after comparing the calculated NBES with the official planned NBES, we found that China surpassed its BEE targets. In the third stage of China's BEE work (2006–2015), the implementation of BEE policies obtained good results.

Improving the Energy Efficiency of Russian Buildings

The article presents a long-term projection of the costs and effects associated with the implementation of additional energy efficiency policies in Russian buildings. It is shown that in Russia, buildings account for 38 percent of primary energy consumption, while at the same time representing significant potential for energy conservation. The article considers ten policy scenarios for improving energy efficiency and shows that it is possible to reduce the fossil fuel consumption of buildings by more than half, while doubling their area and size by 2050. Additional benefits are considered, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, employment growth, improved living conditions, and reduced costs for both residents and the public sector. The costs and economic effects of the energy efficiency measures and policies are assessed, and it is shown that Russia’s new growth model must focus on making the economy more efficient, including more energy efficient.

재실자 쾌적을 고려한 창호 설계 관점에서의 건물에너지 효율화 정책 개선방안

재실자 쾌적을 고려한 창호 설계 관점에서의 건물에너지 효율화 정책 개선방안

A cross-country comparison of the building energy consumptions and their trends

Although it is often stated that the energy consumption in buildings accounts for more than 30% of total global final energy use, only a few studies analyze updated data about the current building energy consumptions or focus on comparing different countries. Similarly, models that predict future trends in building energy demand often use contrasting algorithms which result in diverse forecasts. Scope of this paper is to present and discuss data taken from several studies about the building energy consumptions in US, EU, and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) countries and to provide an updated inventory of useful figures. Comparisons among countries are used to show historical, actual, and future energy consumption trends. Data presented by the World Bank, the United Nations Environment Program, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the International Energy Agency are compared with national reports as well as with research studies. The variety of the approaches used in each of the previous sources was considered fundamental to allow a complete review. The paper shows that the total building energy consumptions in BRIC countries have already overcome those in developed countries, and the continuous increase in the building stock of the BRIC countries creates an urgency for promoting building energy efficiency policies in these countries. At the same time, the policies actually adopted in developed countries are insufficient to guarantee a significant reduction in their building energy consumption in the years to come. In the current scenario, at least a doubling of the global energy demand in buildings compared to today’s levels will occur by 2050. To avoid this forecast, cost-effective best practices and technologies as well as behavioral and lifestyle changes need to be diffused and accepted globally.

Policy measures to improve energy efficiency in russian buildings: Forecast up to 2050

The article presents a long-term forecast of costs and benefits associated with the implementation of additional energy efficiency policies in Russian buildings. In Russia, buildings are directly and indirectly responsible for 38% of primary energy use; at the same time, they have a large energy efficiency potential. The 10 assessed scenarios of implementing packages of policy measures to improve energy efficiency illustrate that it is possible to halve fossil fuel use while providing energy services to the buildings stock which is expected to double by 2050. Additional benefits are considered, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution and improved indoor comfort, employment growth, improved affordability of housing services for both residents and the public sector. The paper estimates the costs and economic benefits of the implementation of energy efficiency measures and policies in the buildings sector. It shows that a new model of economic growth in Russia should be based on improving the overall economic efficiency, including energy efficiency.

Realisation barriers in energy efficiency projects in Croatian public buildings: a critic overview and proposals

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses in detail specific barriers to establishing energy efficiency policies in Croatian public buildings that affect the realisation of energy efficiency projects. Barriers were discovered after years of collaboration with public institutions in Croatia, especially at a local level. Although the information presented in this paper relates specifically to the geographical areas of Splitsko- Dalmatinska and Dubrovacko-Neretvanska counties in Croatia, the research can be generalised to the country as a whole. The paper also analyses the important role of the United Nations Development Programme in encouraging proactive energy efficiency policies in public buildings in Croatia. Finally, a new organisational framework is proposed to eliminate existing barriers and to establish a system which will lead to the effective realisation of energy efficiency projects in buildings. The research presented in this paper should also be useful to countries facing similar barriers to energy investments.

Analysis of a Building Energy Efficiency Certification System in Korea

The Korean government has established a national plan for the promotion of zero energy buildings to respond to climate change and energy crises. To achieve this plan, several energy efficiency policies for new and existing buildings have been developed. The Building Energy Efficiency Certification System (BEECS) aims to promote the spread of high energy-efficient buildings by evaluating and certifying building energy performance. This study discussed Korean building energy efficiency policies and analyzed especially the influence of the BEECS on the actual energy consumption of a residential building and calculated energy performance of non-residential buildings. The BEECS was evaluated to have influence on gas and district heating consumption in residential buildings. For non-residential buildings, a decreasing trend was shown in calculated primary energy consumption in the years since the BEECS has been enacted. Appropriate improvements of the certification system were also discussed by analyzing relationship between building characteristics and their energy consumptions.

Mandating transparency about building energy performance in use

In 2002, the European Union Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was ratified. This paper uses the lens of one policy measure triggered by the EPBD – Display Energy Certificates (DECs) for non-domestic buildings – to describe the difficulties experienced in capitalizing on a policy intention to use transparency about actual energy performance to drive better energy management and focus energy efficiency investment on things that really work in practice. It reviews the history and precedents of UK Building Regulations and European building energy efficiency policies to identify what helped and hindered progress towards buildings that use less energy in operation; and compares and contrasts building energy certificates based on asset and operational ratings. It also looks at the development paths of operational rating schemes in the US and Australia. It identifies a tendency of regulators to focus on one part of the problem, the so-called ‘regulated loads'; an unhelpful split of government ownership of the topic between various ministries and agencies; a neglect of follow-through, enforcement and feedback; and a political rhetoric that favours an abdication of central government responsibilities to market forces. Based on this evidence, it identifies a number of lessons for improvements to future policy outcomes.

A comprehensive analysis of building energy efficiency policies in China: status quo and development perspective

Abstract This article is concerned with a comprehensive analysis of building energy efficiency policies in light of improvements in energy performance, living standards and climate change mitigation in China's built environment. In recent years, China has added about 1.7 billion square meters of new floor space in both urban and rural areas on an annual basis. In 2010, the total area of existing buildings in China was approximately 48.6 billion square meters, nearly twice the total of existing buildings areas in the European Union. How to improve energy efficiency in the soaring number of new buildings and accelerate the retrofit of the huge number of existing buildings are two daunting challenges currently facing China in terms of energy security and climate change mitigation at a global level. China has gradually altered the building energy efficiency policy portfolio, from a purely regulatory approach with a mandatory building code at the initial stage to voluntary green buildings initiatives. This paper is structured as a critical assessment of building energy efficiency policies for new and existing buildings. Both strengths and weaknesses of the implemented energy efficiency policies are detailed in each of the studied areas. It also discusses the dilemma of public games in green and sustainable buildings production in the context of Chinese economic development and societal transition. The analysis emphasises the importance of guaranteeing the consistency between policies in the current regulatory framework to maximise the effectiveness of energy efficiency policies in the built environment in China. For this, it is necessary to articulate building energy efficiency policies implementation and broader energy and climate policies. This integrative study provides both a retrospective assessment and prospective direction of building energy efficiency policy development in China.

Negotiating comfort in low energy housing: The politics of intermediation

Optimising the energy performance of buildings is technically and economically challenging but it also has significant social implications. Maintaining comfortable indoor conditions while reducing energy consumption involves careful design, construction, and management of the built environment and its inhabitants. In this paper, we present findings from the study of a new low energy building for older people in Grenoble, France where conflicts emerged over the simultaneous pursuit of energy efficiency and comfort. The findings contribute to the contemporary literature on the sociotechnical study of buildings and energy use by focusing on intermediation, those activities that associate a technology to end users. Intermediation activities take many forms, and in some cases, can result in the harmonisation or alignment of energy efficiency goals and comfort goals. In other cases, intermediation is unsuccessful, leading to the conventional dichotomy between optimising technical performance and meeting occupant preferences. By highlighting the multiple ways that comfort and energy efficiency is negotiated, we conclude that buildings are provisional achievements that are constantly being intermediated. This suggests that building energy efficiency policies and programmes need to provide opportunities for intermediaries to negotiate the desires and preferences of the multiple stakeholders that are implicated in low energy buildings.

Effects of real-time eco-feedback and organizational network dynamics on energy efficient behavior in commercial buildings

Commercial buildings account for a significant portion of energy consumption and associated carbon emissions around the world. Consequently, many countries are instituting building energy efficiency policies to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of building operations. As building owners and operators act to address the challenge of increasing energy efficiency, occupant behavior modification programs are growing increasingly popular. Recent advances in energy monitoring and control technologies have enabled the development of eco-feedback systems that collect, process, and relay high resolution, real-time energy consumption information to help building occupants control their energy-use. These systems have extended research into the effects of high resolution eco-feedback on building occupant behavior and energy efficiency from residential to commercial building settings. However, little is understood about how organizational network dynamics impact user-engagement levels with such systems and how these network connections may impact the energy conservation behavior of individuals inside commercial buildings. In this paper, results are presented from a novel 9-week eco-feedback system study which demonstrates that organizational network dynamics can significantly impact energy conservation among commercial building occupants. Furthermore, it is shown that exposure to eco-feedback impacts building occupant energy conservation differently in commercial office buildings than it does in residential buildings.

Strategy on Updating Talents Training Mode in Architectural Specialty from Energy-Saving and Emission Reduction Perspective

In recent years,a series of building energy efficiency regulations and policies in China were promulgated. Based on energy-saving and emission reduction policies, present situation of typical architectural colleges were investigated and analyzed. Combined with the feedback of attending post-evaluation of architectural specialty students for energy-saving ability cultivation, from teaching methods and curriculum system, new talents training mode on architectural specialty was put forward in order to construct multiple teaching methods and teaching mode for thinking coherent and technical stage in order to achieve good adaptation of talent cultivation and social demand in architecture.

From “if only” to “social potential” in schemes to reduce building energy use

Much of the people-centered attention in current work on building energy use focuses on changing the behavior of individuals around a fixed set of things and energy services. This work envisions policy interventions for reducing energy use that rest on motivating people to act on potential monetary savings or to prioritize contributing to the global good. These perspectives largely omit consideration of higher scale and more intricate social contexts, professional cultures, and expectations that shape the activities, habits, and practices behind energy use. Below we discuss a notion of “social potential” that affords a broader possible contribution of social sciences to improved understanding of building energy use and how policies might reshape this use. We begin with an overview of the basic genres of research on people and building energy use and outlines three common missed understandings evident in the energy efficiency industry's attention to people: (1) “If only they knew”; (2) “If only they could be made to care”; and (3) “If only they stayed home.” Beyond individuals, communities, and organizations, we suggest social potential as a formulation that complements and transcends the technical and behavioral savings potential concepts underpinning much of today's building energy efficiency policies, programs, and research.

Strategy on Architectural Specialty Curriculum System Update under Energy Saving Emission Reduction Policy-Oriented

In recent years, a series of building energy efficiency regulations and policies in China were promulgated.Therefore, the talent relating to building energy saving has become the urgent needs in the community,but the talent training model of architectural higher education can not make system supplements and adjustments.The necessity for architectural specialty curriculum system update was analysed comprehensively. Under energy saving emission reduction policie-oriented, curriculum system update and cultivating the continuity on energy saving ideas in design courses were put forward. And then ordered butt joint on architectural talent cultivation and national energy-saving emission reduction policies can be achieved.