Energy Labelling Research Articles

Air-to-water heat pumps’ seasonal performance for heating in 16 Greek locations with climate data of the last decade

Heat pumps (HPs) are attracting lately increasing attention due to their features to meet the sustainability criteria. Air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs) have gained prominent success because they can be put in place of oil or gas boilers in heating systems. AWHPs energy consumption and their contribution to the reduction of heating systems gas emissions is strongly related to the seasonal coefficient of performance for heating (SCOP), which is affected by various factors with the most decisive to be the ambient temperature. The SCOP is crucial for the energy labelling of HPs and the estimation of operation costs in every location. The aim of this paper is to estimate and compare the SCOP of various AWHPs models installed in buildings at 16 different Greek locations, in the 4 climate zones of Greece, by using hourly temperature data of the last decade (2010-2019) which were recorded in a network of automatic weather stations across Greece. Numerical results show that the climate plays a key role in the calculation of the seasonal efficiency of AWHPs but also highlight the importance of using different temperature data for each location, even if they are in the same climate zone, in order to obtain accurate results.

Energy labelling of alcoholic drinks: An important or inconsequential obesity policy?

Alcohol is calorie dense, but unlike food products, alcoholic drinks tend to be exempt from nutritional labelling laws that require energy content information to be displayed on packaging or at point of purchase. This review provides a perspective on the likely efficacy of alcoholic drink energy labelling as a public health policy to reduce obesity and discusses key questions to be addressed by future research. First, the contribution that alcohol makes to population level daily energy intake and obesity is outlined. Next, consumer need for alcohol energy labelling and the potential impacts on both consumer and industry behavior are discussed. Pathways and mechanisms by which energy labelling of alcoholic drinks could reduce obesity are considered, as well as possible unintended consequences of alcoholic drink energy labelling. Would widespread energy labelling of alcoholic drinks reduce obesity? The unclear effect that alcohol has on population level obesity, the modest contribution calories from alcohol make to daily energy intake and limited impact nutritional labelling policies tend to have on behavior, suggest alcohol energy labelling may have limited impact on population obesity prevalence as a standalone policy. However, there are a number of questions that will need to be answered by future research to make definitive conclusions on the potential for alcohol energy labelling policies to reduce obesity.

The Contribution of Nutrients of Concern to the Diets of 18-to-30-Year-Old Australians from Food Prepared Outside Home Differs by Food Outlet Types: The MYMeals Cross-Sectional Study.

Young adults are frequent consumers of food prepared outside the home (FOH). In a cross-sectional survey, the MYMeals study, we showed FOH provided one-third of meals and snacks for young Australian adults, yet it contributed higher proportions of energy and nutrients of concern, such as saturated fat and sodium. This study aimed to determine the detailed proportional contribution of nutrients of concern from the nine food outlet types captured in the MYMeals study. Young adults residing in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, (n = 1001) used a validated smartphone app to report all types and amounts of food and beverages consumed for three consecutive days, as well as their preparation location. The proportions of daily energy, macronutrients, sodium, total sugars, and saturated fat were calculated for each of the nine following outlet types: bakeries or patisseries, coffee chains, cold-drink chains, fast-food chains, ice creamery or frozen yoghurt outlets, independent cafes or restaurants, pubs (hotels) and clubs, service stations or convenience stores, and others not fitting the above categories. Of all FOH outlet types, independent cafes or restaurants contributed the most energy (17.5%), sodium (20.0%) and saturated fat (17.8%) to the total diet, followed by fast-food chains (12.0% energy, 15.8% sodium, and 12.0% saturated fat) and other outlets, with smaller proportions. For males, the proportion of energy and nutrients contributed by fast-food outlets was higher than for females (14.8% versus 9.8% energy). Menu labelling at independent cafes and restaurants is recommended, comprising, in addition to the energy labels already in use in fast-food restaurants, the labelling of nutrients of concern. The feasibility of this recommendation warrants further exploration.

Energy labels and heuristic decision-making: The role of cognition and energy literacy

Energy labels are used worldwide to overcome the inefficiency in household energy use. Presenting energy efficiency in grade-like categories has been found to induce heuristic decision-making, known as the “class valuation effect”. This study investigates whether visualising energy efficiency using a continuous-scale label increases consumers’ consciousness when purchasing appliances. We examine this question in an online survey with randomised decision tasks conducted in China and the Netherlands. In the Dutch sample, the effectiveness of continuous-scale labels depends on individuals’ holistic cognitive tendency and the type of comparison they are faced with, whereas the Chinese sample is not sensitive to these moderators. Moreover, energy literacy shows mixed influence on individual decisions. Results suggest that representing energy efficiency on continuous scales can be used as supportive visual information to facilitate purchase decisions. Regarding energy education, knowledge that directly links to daily energy use seems to translate well into consumers’ conscious decisions.

Selection and Evaluation of Indicators for a Building Energy Labeling System for Colombia

Buildings are a key player in the fight against climate change. For this reason, the governments of the world advance in the establishment of regulations and tools that promote energy efficiency in buildings. Colombia presents a legal and regulatory framework that favors the sustainable construction market. However, the country still lacks tools to stimulate supply and demand for buildings with greater energy efficiency. Taking into account the above, this article seeks to select and evaluate the relevance of a group of indicators for a Building Energy Labeling System for Colombia. A literature review and an energy characterization exercise based on energy simulations allowed the identification of three indicators: energy for comfort, energy for equipment, and energy for lighting. The results of the energy characterization validated the relevance of the indicators. In the short term, the authors propose to carry out a more detailed analysis of the indicators to establish the necessary considerations for their estimation.

Uncertainty in potential savings from improving energy label: A Monte Carlo study of the Swiss residential buildings

This paper models scenarios for energy label based retrofit targets for Switzerland’s residential building sector for 2050. It takes into account the magnitude and uncertainty in the energy performance gap (EPG) between labelled and actual energy consumption using actual energy performance data, as previous work highlighted that the EPG is not evenly distributed across different building labels. A building stock retrofit model is developed to estimate the potential energy savings from improving building performance through increasing energy label rating. A Monte Carlo analysis is applied using real EPG distribution data. The uncertainty in total energy savings is calculated for business-as-usual case and for three scenarios based on the different retrofit incentive policies of different Swiss Cantons. This allows to quantify the uncertainties in energy and emission outcomes of different policy targets arising from the variable EPG. The results show that with the business-as-usual approach it is impossible to achieve the objectives set (9.7 Mt CO2-eq/y vs 0.4 Mt CO2-eq/y by 2050). On the other hand, to reach the targets, a more aggressive policy aiming at renovating all buildings to the highest standards is necessary, that translates into a renovation rate that seems unrealistically high (3.4% per year until 2050 vs the proposed 1.4%). The contribution is to inform stakeholders designing new policies (notably the EU Renovation Wave policies) of the risk related to energy policies.

Energy efficiency of consideration sets and choices: the impact of label format

PurposeThis research examines how the design of the online energy label can be improved to stimulate consumer choice of energy-efficient household products in Web stores. Based on general evaluability theory, the authors propose new label formats that aim to improve the evaluability of the label information for consumers and test their influence during two distinct stages in the online decision-making process: consideration set formation and final choice.Design/methodology/approachTwo large-scale controlled online experiments are conducted with over 10,000 consumers in 10 European countries. The experiments test label alternatives in simulated online store environments, mimicking the two distinct decision stages, for four product categories to enhance generalizability. The data are analyzed using random-intercept linear and logistic regression models to account for their multi-level structure.FindingsThe results show that the impact of the online energy label on consumers’ online decision-making depends on both the label format and the decision stage (consideration vs choice), but in a different way than expected. The findings reveal that the current online energy label is significantly outperformed by a label that provides reference information by incorporating the scale range. This alternative label is particularly effective in the consideration set formation stage, and among consumers who consider energy efficiency a relatively unimportant choice criterion.Research limitations/implicationsOnline energy labels encourage consumers to consider and choose more energy-efficient products, especially if scale range information is included. The present results stress the importance of presenting this information early on in the online decision process. They also show that, particularly at this early stage and particularly for consumers who find energy efficiency a relatively unimportant choice criterion, label format matters.Practical implicationsThe present findings provide important input for policymakers in the context of the ongoing revision of the EU energy label. They also help online retailers make decisions about when and how to present product information on their websites.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on product labelling by examining the effects of relatively unexplored types of reference information in two distinct stages of the consumer decision-making process. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the effectiveness of the online energy label.

How does information on environmental emissions influence appliance choice? The role of values and perceived environmental impacts

Energy labels with compact information on the energy use of appliances have been adopted worldwide to encourage consumers to make informed investment decisions. This study examines whether communicating environmental emissions (CO2 and air pollutant emissions) on energy labels can increase the preferences for energy-efficient appliances, with a specific focus on the role of individual psychological traits. A survey with decision tasks was conducted among the adult population in the Netherlands. Results show that information on environmental emissions does not increase the intention to invest in energy-efficiency, while energy-saving attitudes and habits do. Nevertheless, presenting information on CO2 emissions as well as combined CO2 and air pollutant emissions on energy labels can increase the preferences for energy-efficient appliances among individuals with relatively strong postmaterialist values. Information on CO2 emissions also increases the preferences of individuals with strong environmental concerns. However, no significant effects are found for information on air pollutant emissions. Also, personal experience of environmental degradation was not found to affect the effectiveness of the tested information interventions. Finally, we discuss the role of attention and type of decision situation for the processing of emissions information on energy labels. Our findings provide insights for improving information display on energy labels and energy education.

Benchmarking energy performance: indicators and models for Dutch housing associations

Benchmarking is a method that can be used to measure progress and create awareness about the performance of organisations. Benchmarking the housing stock energy performance of Dutch housing associations can be used to measure and assess progress towards the decarbonisation of the housing stock. A new national climate agreement was signed in 2019, and in 2021 a new method to determine the theoretical energy performance of dwellings came into force in the Netherlands. To benchmark energy performance, a set of indicators is created that adequately represents the performance of Dutch housing associations according to the changed policies. A process involving key stakeholders is presented here to identify, assess and combine possible indicators. These were then integrated into four integrated models, which led to a final benchmark model. A model was chosen that consists of three indicators covering the energy performance of Dutch housing associations. The process and arguments that led to this final model are presented. While applicable within the Dutch context, the method and research results provide generalisable insights for the creation of energy performance benchmarks for building stocks. <em><strong>Practice relevance</strong></em> This paper provides both researchers and policymakers with a practical approach to monitor and benchmark the energy performance of dwellings owned by organisations. An analysis of the Dutch policy context is presented. Examples of possible benchmark indicators are described and evaluated. A method is created to assess indicators and it is shown how to integrate indicators in different benchmark models. The final model consists of three indicators: (1) the average theoretical primary fossil energy consumption (energy label value); (2) the difference between the theoretical heating demand (quality building envelope) and the theoretical maximum heating demand of dwellings; and (3) the average actual CO₂ emissions from gas consumption. Researchers and policymakers from other countries can adapt both the process and the final benchmark model to create similar benchmark models across housing stocks.

Consumption Frequency and Purchase Locations of Foods Prepared Outside the Home in Australia: 2018 International Food Policy Study

BackgroundFoods prepared outside the home (e.g., fast-food chains, restaurants) represent increasing proportions of diets worldwide, and have been associated with higher energy intakes and BMIs. To improve the healthiness of population diets, it is important to understand patterns of consumption of these foods, and whether related policy measures are effective. ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify the frequency and sources of consumption of foods prepared outside the home in Australia, and to understand the impact of nutrition information in restaurants on related food choices. MethodsData were from a web-based survey (the International Food Policy Study) completed in 2018 by Australian adults aged ≥18 years (n = 4103). The number of meals prepared outside the home, their purchase locations, and the extent to which nutrition information was noticed and influenced purchasing decisions were each analyzed by sociodemographic characteristics and BMI, with linear models also adjusted for sex, age group, education, ethnicity, and BMI. ResultsAn average of 2.73 (95% CI, 2.61–2.86) meals per week were prepared outside the home, with higher frequencies among men, younger ages, and more highly educated participants. A wide variety of sources for these foods was observed, with fast-food outlets being most common. Around one-quarter of all foods prepared outside the home were delivered. A small percentage (14.9%; 95% CI, 13.3%–16.7%) of participants reported noticing nutrition information, but among those who did, around half reported that it influenced their behavior. ConclusionsFoods prepared outside the home are commonly purchased in Australia, particularly by young adults, from a variety of outlet types. While current menu energy labeling regulations may provide some population health benefit, a broader policy focus on foods prepared outside the home is needed as part of efforts to improve population diets.

Consumer Preference for Energy Label in the Purchase Decision of Refrigerator: A Discrete Choice Experiment Approach in the East Coast, Malaysia

Energy label is a widely used policy instrument to increase consumer awareness of energy-efficient home appliances. It helps consumers make better informed purchasing decision intending to save on the electricity bill. The increase in energy efficiency for a household can generate significant energy savings and emissions reduction which can reduce environmental impact. The energy label targets to fight climate change, protect the environment and is significant to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study presents the results of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) on the East Coast, Malaysia to investigate the consumer preferences for energy label in the purchasing decision of a refrigerator. Multinomial logit (MNL) and mixed logit (ML) models are specified to measure the attributes that consumers assess when choosing refrigerators. This study focuses on four attributes, namely energy star, energy consumption, energy saving and refrigerator price. Findings show that consumers have responded positively to the labels, in which about 88.11% of respondents are willing to pay to get better quality appliances that promote a safe environment while 11.89% of respondents are not willing to pay. The findings are useful in improving the effectiveness of existing energy efficiency and labelling programs to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient technology in Malaysia. Hence, the implementation of energy label promotes energy-efficient appliances, which is in line with SDG Goal 7: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

Long-term Energy Cost Labelling for Appliances: Evidence from a Randomised Controlled Trial in Ireland

Given the longevity of investments in energy-consuming products (such as household appliances, vehicles, and properties), underinvestment in energy efficiency can have long-lasting negative economic and environmental consequences. Previous research has indicated that underinvestment may be due to imperfect information in relation to the long-term benefits of investing in energy efficiency. This paper presents the results of a cluster randomised controlled trial examining an intervention which aims to overcome this information deficit by providing long-term energy cost information on appliances in an electrical retail chain in Ireland. Two treatments are considered: a label showing 10-year energy cost information based on typical usage for four appliance categories (fridge freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, and tumble dryers); and a second treatment which supplements this label with a QR code where consumers can gain personalised cost estimates based on their expected appliance usage. Results indicate that neither of the treatments resulted in an increase in the average energy efficiency of appliances sold. Also, engagement of customers with the QR code was extremely low. Given that the newly designed EU energy labels incorporate QR codes for personalisation, this low usage suggests that this element of the new labels may be ineffective in increasing the uptake of energy efficiency. Finally, a customer survey suggests that while the treatment increased the stated importance of energy efficiency in decision-making, this did not translate into an increase in efficiency of products purchased, i.e., stated preferences for energy efficiency did not translate into revealed purchasing preferences.

Energy conservation and climate change mitigation potential of improving efficiency of room air conditioners in Pakistan

The present study predicts the energy savings, carbon emissions reduction and economic benefits for Pakistan through energy efficiency improvements for room air conditioners under different policy scenarios. The simulation model assumes that room air conditioner stock will increase from 2.7 million for year 2020 to 4.9 million for year 2030. A market average energy efficiency ratio of 2.95 is assumed for year 2020. The impact of improvement in energy efficiency ratio is analyzed for business as usual and four other different scenarios: continuous improvement (5-years and 2-years cycles) and accelerated improvement (5-years and 2-years cycles). The model dynamically incorporates the retiring of old stock and addition of new stock every year. Our results show that annual national electricity consumption for this sector is projected to increase from 7.3 TWh in 2020 to 12.6 TWh in 2030 under the business as usual scenario. The cumulative energy consumption and carbon emissions are 103.5 TWh and 63.1 MtCO 2. However, implementing energy efficiency policies can result in electricity savings of 11.6 TWh over the ten years or savings nearly 7 million barrels of oil import. Policy recommendations aimed at promoting energy labeling, minimum energy performance standards, regulatory policies, and further country-specific studies for variety of appliances are provided.

Using an analysis of concrete and cement epd: verification, selection, assessment, benchmarking and target setting

Carbonation of concretes is a natural physico-chemical process that can be described as a reaction between the carbon dioxide contained in the air and the cement matrix. Carbonation concerns all concretes types in contact with the ambient air but also concretes in ground, from production stage to use and end-of-life stages. The amount of carbon dioxide bound varies according to the type of binder, the compacity of concrete and the environmental conditions during the use and the end-of-life stages. To consider the re-carbonation of concrete, works have been carried out within the framework of the European standardization group CEN/TC229/WG5 and in CEN/TC104. A methodology to consider the re-carbonation of concrete structures has been proposed in the NF EN 16757 standard on environmental product declarations for concrete and concrete elements. In addition, FD CEN/TR 17310 provides detailed recommendations regarding carbonation and absorption of carbon dioxide in concrete and give some precisions for application of NF EN 16757. This is an important topic towards a sustainable development in the current context of circular economy and CO2 uptake related to the French energy labelling (E+C-). In this paper, numerical and analytical carbonation models are used to estimate the CO2 binding ability of concrete structures. The obtained results are compared to the methodology proposed in Appendix BB of NF EN 16757 standard. They confirm that the methodology described in the NF EN 16757 standard leads to estimated degree of carbonation of the same order of magnitude. The advantage of using more advanced models lies in a better consideration of environmental parameters, the possibility to simulate the behaviour of crushed concrete, its reuse in new concrete as recycled aggregate and the possibility to simulate the carbonation of concretes in ground. This is an immediate perspective in the ongoing work in the French national project FastCarb on accelerated carbonation of recycled concrete aggregates.

Inverse multiple criteria sorting problem with fuzzy parameters: an application of building energy labelling improvement

Classification is defined as the problem of assignment of objects to the predefined classes. In general view, classification problems divided into two groups: classification and sorting problems. Sorting problems define the case of existence of ordered classes for objects, while classes are not ordered in classification problems. Besides these two groups of classification problems, Inverse Multiple Criteria Sorting Problem (IMSCP) is also introduced into the literature in recent years. IMSCP deals with finding the possible actions that can change the assignment of objects to classes in order to obtain the desired classification of objects. The main aim in this study is to propose an extension of IMSCP with fuzzy parameters with a proper solution approach. A case study of building energy labelling improvement in an existing building site in Ankara is solved by using parametric fuzzy solution approach of Carlsson and Korhonen. Obtained results of the application presents the possible actions to improve the energy labels of the buildings within the site. Also, solution results show that the proposed model in this study can be used to improve current Building Energy Performance model in Turkey to a new one with efficiency improvement suggestions.

The Influence of New and Old Energy Labels on Consumer Judgements and Decisions about Household Appliances

Energy efficiency is an increasingly important dimension of household appliances, which is why they are labeled to indicate their energy consumption. In 2020, the European Union countries changed the labeling system from the previous system: ranging from A+++ to D, to the new system: ranging from A to G, assuming it would be more transparent for the consumer. The aim of the study was to find out the extent to which consumers are aware of the new labeling system, and the impact that the new labels have (compared to the previous ones) on the perception of household appliances and consumer decision-making. For this purpose, the survey was conducted on a nationwide representative Polish sample (n = 1054). The research was partly experimental, where the same appliances were presented with new and previous energy labels. The results showed that currently most people do not identify the new energy classes. Furthermore, products with the new labels are perceived as being less energy efficient in comparison with products with the previous labels, which shows that there is some confusion among consumers in terms of the new energy efficiency labeling system.

A new approach to reduce the carbon footprint in resistance spot welding by energy efficiency evaluation

Actions aiming to reduce energy consumption directly contribute to the reduction of manufacturing costs and carbon footprint while supporting manufacturing processes’ productivity. Resistance spot welding is relevant in the automotive sector. Due to its operational characteristics, this process has high energy consumption. Despite this fact, few studies have found to guide solutions for its reduction. In this sense, this study proposes a method to improve the resistance spot welding process’s energy performance without compromising its quality. This study applies statistical analysis (ANOVA) to support predictive models that characterise energy and quality performance. The statistical analyses confirmed and quantified the influence of the control factors in energy and quality performance indicators. The predictive models made it possible to anticipate energy consumption and quality behaviour from adjustments in the welding line process parameters studied in this paper. To fit the best compromise between energy consumption and quality, energy labels to classify the process’s energy performance were proposed. The best compromise solution for the studied process parameter ranges in this work was as follows: $${C}_{wel}$$ = 8 kA, $${T}_{wel}$$ = 8 cycles, and $${F}_{ele}$$ = 3.3 kN. This parameter combination results in a consumption of approximately 2 Wh per spot weld. Approximately 33% less than the average estimated consumption per spot weld in the automotive industry.

Optimal combination of an air-to-air thermoelectric heat pump with a heat recovery system to HVAC a passive house dwelling

The main objective of this research is to propose a HVAC system for an 80–100 m2 passive house dwelling based on a thermoelectric air-to-air heat pump combined with a heat recovery unit. The computational parametric investigation demonstrates that the integration of the heat recovery unit significantly improves the coefficient of performance of the heat pump: 2–3 times for partial load operation and 12.5 % for maximum load. Moreover, the number of required modules to reach the maximum performance is at least 5 times lower.A second analysis assesses its seasonal heating performance in three climates as stated by the energy labeling Directive 2010/30/EU. The optimum number of thermoelectric modules in all cases is close to 15, regardless of the climate. This 15-modules thermoelectric heat pump provides a maximum heating capacity of 2500 W and 405 W for cooling, which compensates the typical internal heat gains and the transmission heat flux through the building envelope and the ventilation in the passive house dwelling. Finally, the analysis reveals that, in order to increase this cooling capacity, it is more convenient the improvement of the heat exchangers between the thermoelectric modules and the cooling air stream, rather than increasing the number of modules.

Modernizing Energy Efficiency Improvement With q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy MULTIMOORA Approach

Low quality home energy appliances and cables are responsible for huge electricity wastage in low-income households. Absence of energy efficiency appliances standards and labeling and a policy for low-income households are among the main causes of electricity bleeding in developing countries. Energy efficiency standards and labeling for appliances and cables initiative can save significant amount of energy in Pakistan. In this paper, we used four alternatives for energy efficiency improvement for low income households at national level in Pakistan. For this we developed an extended &#x201C;multi-criteria decision-making&#x201D; (MCDM) approach to choose best alternative as a solution that should be able to evaluate and select the best scenario of energy efficiency with respect to eight criteria. We also developed the q-ROF Einstein aggregation operators based MULTIMOORA approach. This approach is a new hybrid technique that is more efficient to capture uncertain and incomplete assessments of stakeholders in terms of q-ROFNs. MCDM approaches are effective tools for solving energy decision-making challenges. Our results show that adoption of standards and labeling criteria for home appliances can improve living standards of low income households. This adoption has great potential to conserve electricity, environment and cost with introducing low income energy policy at government level.

Evaluating the Energy Readiness of National Building Stocks Through Benchmarking

Evaluating the energy performance of existing buildings is critical for improving the efficiency and resilience of the building stock as a whole. The importance of this information holds at different scales, both locally and at the national and international levels. A major problem arises from the difficulty in obtaining information from existing buildings; often, the only available data are the yearly consumption per unit area, typically corresponding to the energy performance certificate (EPC). This paper shows how to address concerns of practical relevance with a limited number of variables by examining an EPC national database (including the major cities of Tallinn, Pärnu, Tartu, and others) that provides only EPCs, construction/renovation year and heated area. Through a systematic statistical investigation of nearly 35 000 EPCs of educational, office, commercial and other building typologies, we i) characterise the time evolution of EPC classes, ii) evaluate the impact of incentives pre/post-renovations, and iii) create benchmarking tables that allow comparisons of a specific building with the existing stock to identify representative buildings for detailed auditing. The readiness of the Estonian building stock could thus be evaluated by linear fitting. All new and renovated buildings are estimated to achieve the zero-energy building (ZEB) status by 2050; remarkably, for some categories, this will occur already in the present decade if the identified linear trends persist. Additionally, we investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected building stock readiness by comparing pre- and post-2020 ZEB year fit estimations. Contrary to what was expected, the change in working habits affected some building types only marginally, while the national regulations played a prominent role. Detached private houses exhibited a pronounced worsening in readiness, while the educational and entertainment sectors benefited from specific energy labelling remodulations.