Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings: A View from the Building Sector
A survey of senior building sector executives on the feasibility of implementing energy efficiency measures across their sector in China, Europe, India and the U.S.
7 result(s) found
A survey of senior building sector executives on the feasibility of implementing energy efficiency measures across their sector in China, Europe, India and the U.S.
Briefing
A survey of senior building sector executives on the feasibility of implementing energy efficiency measures across their sector in China, Europe, India and the U.S.
Highlights
A survey of senior building sector executives on the feasibility of implementing energy efficiency measures across their sector in China, Europe, India and the U.S.
Case Study
A survey of senior building sector executives on the feasibility of implementing energy efficiency measures across their sector in China, Europe, India and the U.S.
Many recent major studies, including the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report, have attested that energy efficiency is humanity’s prime option to combat climate change in the short- to mid-term. The potential to avoid CO2 emissions cost-effectively has been reported to be significant through efficiency policies. However, the review of global research findings on the quantification of cost-effectiveness of opportunities through improved efficiency has highlighted that there is a major shortcoming in the vast majority of such calculations.
Cost savings from efficiency gains are at the core of the green building business case. Significantly lower energy bills are said to be a major factor in the green rent premium observed in earlier studies. Our study tests this relationship by inferring energy costs from operating expenses for a large dataset of U.S. office buildings and relating them to rental rates. We find that eco-certification is associated with a higher than anticipated total energy expenditure, which is the opposite of its expected effect.
Heat pumps are relatively simple appliances. They share similar components to refrigerators and air conditioners and effectively move an external source of heat to where it is needed, such as in buildings for heating or the production of hot water. Their key value is efficiency; for each unit of electricity consumed to operate them, they produce multiple units of usable heat. Because of this, they require much less energy input for a similar heating outcome compared to combustion technologies, making them naturally cleaner and generally cost effective to run.