scholarly journals The Energy Performance Contracts to enhance the energy efficiency in public sector. The case of Piemonte Region

2019 ◽  
Vol 119 ◽  
pp. 00022
Author(s):  
Silvio De Nigris
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Performance Contracts ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
One Stop ◽  
Assistance Service ◽  
The One ◽  
Regional Authorities

Energy performance contracts (EPC) are able to tackle most of the existing barriers for the upscaling of energy efficiency investments in the public sector. Since EPC are complex, a project development assistance service (PDA) supporting small and medium municipalities is essential for their successful implementation. This PDA should be designed following the one-stop shop approach and should provide assistance and solutions along the entire investment chain (from the decision making process, to the monitoring of performance). The case studies of Piemonte Region implemented in the context of EU funded projects demonstrate that this approach is effective and successful. Nevertheless, further actions could ease the wider use of such an approach, such as the specific modification of the legislative framework, the standardisation of tender documents and procedures, tools for de-risking the financial support of EPC and the institutionalisation of the PDA approach among regional authorities and other territorial coordinators.

Net zero carbon: Energy performance targets for offices

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-369
Author(s):  
Robert Cohen ◽  
Karl Desai ◽  
Jennifer Elias ◽  
Richard Twinn
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Minimum Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Consultation Process ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Extensive Consultation ◽  
Operational Energy ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
The Uk

The UKGBC Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework was published in April 2019 following an industry task group and extensive consultation process. The framework acts as guidance for achieving net zero carbon for operational energy and construction emissions, with a whole life carbon approach to be developed in the future. In consultation with industry, further detail and stricter requirements are being developed over time. In October 2019, proposals were set out for industry consultation on minimum energy efficiency targets for new and existing commercial office buildings seeking to achieve net zero carbon status for operational energy today, based on the performance levels that all buildings will be required to achieve by 2050. This was complemented by modelling work undertaken by the LETI network looking into net zero carbon requirements for new buildings. In January 2020 UKGBC published its guidance on the levels of energy performance that offices should target to achieve net zero and a trajectory for getting there by 2035. This paper describes the methodology behind and industry perspectives on UKGBC’s proposals which aim to predict the reduction in building energy intensity required if the UK’s economy is to be fully-powered by zero carbon energy in 2050. Practical application: Many developers and investors seeking to procure new commercial offices or undertake major refurbishments of existing offices are engaging with the ‘net zero carbon’ agenda, now intrinsic to the legislative framework for economic activity in the UK. A UKGBC initiative effectively filled a vacuum by defining a set of requirements including energy efficiency thresholds for commercial offices in the UK to be considered ‘net zero carbon’. This paper provides all stakeholders with a detailed justification for the level of these thresholds and what might be done to achieve them. A worked example details one possible solution for a new office.

Overcoming barriers for building energy efficiency retrofits: insights from hotel retrofits in Sri Lanka

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-295
Author(s):  
M.F.F. Fasna ◽  
Sachie Gunatilake
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
National Level ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Building Energy Efficiency ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adoption And Implementation

Purpose Despite the pressures around the world to retrofit existing buildings to have higher energy performance, still the level of adoption and implementation of Building Energy Efficiency Retrofits (BEER) appear comparatively low. The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers that affect the successful implementation of BEER in actual project level executions and identify strategies to overcome such barriers. Design/methodology/approach In total, two case studies were conducted in selected hotel buildings to explore the barriers that hamper the adoption and implementation of BEER in the local context and in turn identify the strategies to overcome them. Altogether 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with respondents involved in different phases of these BEER projects. The data were analysed using code-based content analysis. Findings Altogether 38 barriers were identified under the three main project phases. Furthermore, the study revealed 77 strategies to overcome the identified barriers, classified as individual, organisational and national level strategies. Originality/value This paper has made a unique contribution to the field by identifying the barriers in each phase of BEER projects and proposing strategies to be taken at different levels to overcome them. The findings of this study will provide a basis for setting up country-wide and organisation-wide strategies for successfully improving the energy efficiency of existing hotel buildings.

Assessment of Local Councillors’ Attitudes Towards Energy Efficiency Projects in Croatia

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (04) ◽  
pp. 1950012
Author(s):  
Zeljka Kordej-De Villa ◽  
Suncana Slijepcevic
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Economy ◽  
Regional Authorities ◽  
Local Councillors ◽  
The Impact

Energy efficiency is an important element of Europe's Climate and Energy scheme to meet the target of a 20% reduction in energy demand by 2020. To achieve this goal, it is essential to transform to low-carbon economy and much of required transformations take place at the local and regional level, while regional authorities have the tools to influence and encourage this process. The paper presents the results of a survey relating to the energy efficiency projects conducted among councilors at the regional level. The paper investigates local councilors' attitudes about the impact of energy efficiency projects, prerequisites for successful implementation of energy efficiency projects and preconditions for efficient public procurement in the field of energy efficiency. Survey results could provide some useful insights for policy recommendations in the field of energy efficiency.

scholarly journals Deployed Sustainable Strategies to Realize Benefits from Implementation of Energy Management Systems Across Company’s Multi Functioning Organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Mustafa Hashim ◽  
Mimi Haryani Hassim ◽  
Mimi Haryani Hassim ◽  
Denny KS Ng
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Management ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Business Culture ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Energy Management Systems ◽  
Energy Efficiency And Conservation

Energy efficiency and conservation become an integral part of the business culture, and it simply means using less energy to perform the same tasks. Due to increasing internal demand on energy in many parts of the world, societal expectations for comprehensive approaches on energy efficiency have been forced into focus. As world energy demand soars, it is known that the manufacturing, power generation and transportation sectors are the main consumers to the intensive utilization of energy resources. The demand from the growing population has overwhelmed the current capacity. It is inevitable; therefore, many oil companies are now participating in on-going efforts to conserve energy, and do so in a sustainable manner by means of implementing energy management systems (EnMS) in accordance to internationally recognized standards. However, its progress has just been seen, and unfortunately, most of the oil companies are far away from matured management to excel in energy performance. Most of the oil companies consider EnMS as ambition and certificate on the wall rather than a driving vehicle to become a reference company. In fact, cost reduction is the main focus rather than to explore other hidden benefits of EnMS. More seriously, lack of dedicated measures and right strategies to push for the successful implementation. This paper discusses proven strategies that drive for full realization of EnMS benefits.

scholarly journals Experimental Data and Simulations of Performance and Thermal Comfort in a Typical Mediterranean House

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3311
Author(s):  
Víctor Pérez-Andreu ◽  
Carolina Aparicio-Fernández ◽  
José-Luis Vivancos ◽  
Javier Cárcel-Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Thermal Characterization ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Dwelling House ◽  
Account Standard

The number of buildings renovated following the introduction of European energy-efficiency policy represents a small number of buildings in Spain. So, the main Spanish building stock needs an urgent energy renovation. Using passive strategies is essential, and thermal characterization and predictive tests of the energy-efficiency improvements achieving acceptable levels of comfort for their users are urgently necessary. This study analyzes the energy performance and thermal comfort of the users in a typical Mediterranean dwelling house. A transient simulation has been used to acquire the scope of Spanish standards for its energy rehabilitation, taking into account standard comfort conditions. The work is based on thermal monitoring of the building and a numerical validated model developed in TRNSYS. Energy demands for different models have been calculated considering different passive constructive measures combined with real wind site conditions and the behavior of users related to natural ventilation. This methodology has given us the necessary information to decide the best solution in relation to energy demand and facility of implementation. The thermal comfort for different models is not directly related to energy demand and has allowed checking when and where the measures need to be done.

scholarly journals Minimal Monitoring of Improvements in Energy Performance after Envelope Renovation in Subsidized Single Family Housing in Madrid

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 235
Author(s):  
Fernando Martín-Consuegra ◽  
Fernando de Frutos ◽  
Ignacio Oteiza ◽  
Carmen Alonso ◽  
Borja Frutos
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Nineteen Fifties ◽  
Environment Quality ◽  
Urban Complex

This study quantified the improvement in energy efficiency following passive renovation of the thermal envelope in highly inefficient residential complexes on the outskirts of the city of Madrid. A case study was conducted of a single-family terrace housing, representative of the smallest size subsidized dwellings built in Spain for workers in the nineteen fifties and sixties. Two units of similar characteristics, one in its original state and the other renovated, were analyzed in detail against their urban setting with an experimental method proposed hereunder for simplified, minimal monitoring. The dwellings were compared on the grounds of indoor environment quality parameters recorded over a period covering both winter and summer months. That information was supplemented with an analysis of the energy consumption metered. The result was a low-cost, reasonably accurate measure of the improvements gained in the renovated unit. The monitoring output data were entered in a theoretical energy efficiency model for the entire neighborhood to obtain an estimate of the potential for energy savings if the entire urban complex were renovated.

scholarly journals Attitudes and Approaches of Finnish Retrofit Industry Stakeholders toward Achieving Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7359
Author(s):  
Sadaf Alam ◽  
Miimu Airaksinen ◽  
Risto Lahdelma
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Performance Targets ◽  
Construction Design ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Energy Efficient Buildings ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Property Owners

Key stakeholders in industry are highly responsible for achieving energy performance targets. Particularly, this paper assesses the attitudes, approaches, and experiences of Finnish construction professionals regarding energy-efficient buildings, or nZEBs. A three-tier investigation was conducted including surveys and expert interviews with several stakeholders. The structure of this approach was informed by preliminary data and information available on the Finnish construction sector. The questionnaire showed that the stakeholders ranked energy efficiency and embodied energy/carbon as very important. The survey highlighted that the importance of the embodied carbon CO2 in the materials is less important than the energy efficiency from many of the stakeholders’ points of view. “Energy efficiency” is very important for ESCOs, contractors, and facility managers followed by architects, HVAC engineers, and construction design engineers. Nevertheless, the opinions of architects ranked “embodied energy CO2” as the most important regarding nZEB. When it comes to the importance of “running time emissions” toward nZEB, contractors and ESCO companies ranked it as 1 for importance followed by property owners (78%) and tenants (75%). It is very fascinating to see from the survey that “running time carbon emissions” has been ranked 1 (very important) by all stakeholders. This study will enable construction industry stakeholders to make provisions for overcoming the barriers, gaps, and challenges identified in the practices of the nZEB projects. It will also inform the formulation of policies that drive retrofit uptake.

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