Energy efficiency and behavioral patterns in Latvia

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 695-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jevgenija Makijenko ◽  
Juris Burlakovs ◽  
Janis Brizga ◽  
Maris Klavins
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Physical Phenomenon ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rebound Effects ◽  
Sustainable Education ◽  
New Strategies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness on different aspects that interconnect energy efficiency projects and human behavioral aspects. Perception of energy, as the physical phenomenon, inevitably should be taken into consideration within elaboration of governmental strategies and performing of energy efficiency projects. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative and qualitative data as well as legislation analysis were performed to link consumer behavioral and the duality of perception of energy aspects while performing insulation projects in Latvia. The results confirm prior findings that link together the energy consumption trends and consumer behavioral and rebound effects. The problems are stated clear: society in general is not ready to invest into energy efficiency maintenance, information on energy efficiency projects is weakly disseminated, and lack of proper information on positive aspects about energy saving projects has negative feedback on public opinion and sustainable education in the topic suffers in this case. Findings As the response for solving these issues recommendations are proposed new strategies should be elaborated to perform effective and innovative marketing for promoting positively oriented trends on energy saving issues and behavioral changes in society; and awareness on energy efficiency projects should be raised to show positive examples from successful ones for the good of sustainable education. Originality/value Such type of study about consumer behavior have not been performed in country that is on transition stage for developing the energy-efficient societal thinking.

Does total factor productivity affect the energy efficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Haider ◽  
Javed Ahmad Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Efficient Technology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Efficiency Performance ◽  
Energy Efficient Technology

Purpose Because of growing energy consumption and increasing absolute CO2 emissions, the recent calibrations about the environmental sustainability across the globe have mandated to achieve the minimal energy consumption through employing energy-efficient technology. This study aims to estimate linkage between simple measure of energy efficiency indicator that is reciprocal of energy intensity and total factor productivity (TFP) in case of Indian paper industry for 21 major states. In addition, the study incorporates the other control variables like labour productivity, capital utilization and structure of paper industry to scrutinize their likely impact on energy efficiency performance of the industry. Design/methodology/approach To derive the plausible estimates of TFP, the study applies the much celebrated Levinsohn and Petrin (2003) methodology. Using the regional level data for the period 2001-2013, the study employs instrumental variable-generalized method of moments (GMM-IV) technique to examine the nature of relationship among the variables involved in the analysis. Findings An elementary examination of energy intensity shows that not all states are equally energy intensive. States like Goa, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu are less energy intensive, whereas Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Punjab are most energy-intensive states on the basis of their state averages over the whole study period. The results estimated through GMM-IV show that increasing level of TFP is associated with lower level of energy per unit of output. Along this better skills and capacity utilization are also found to have positive impact on energy efficiency performance of industry. However, the potential heterogeneity within the structure of industry itself is found responsible for its higher energy intensity. Practical implications States should ensure and undertake substantial investment projects in the research and development of energy-efficient technology and that targeted allocations could be reinforced for more fruitful results. Factors aiming at improving the labour productivity should be given extra emphasis together with capital deepening and widening, needed for energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Given the dependence of structure of paper industry on the multitude of factors like regional inequality, economic growth, industrial structure and the resource endowment together with the issues of fragmented sizes, poor infrastructure and availability and affordability of raw materials etc., states should actively promote the coordination and cooperation among themselves to reap the benefits of technological advancements through technological spill overs. In addition, owing to their respective state autonomies, state governments should set their own energy saving targets by taking into account the respective potentials and opportunities for the different industries. Despite the requirement of energy-efficient innovations, however, the cons of technological advancements and the legal frameworks on the employment structure and distributional status should be taken care of before their adoption and execution. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that empirically examines the linkage between energy efficiency and TFP in case of Indian paper industry. The application of improved methods like Levinsohn and Petrin (2003) to derive the TFP measure and the use of GMM-IV to account for potential econometric problems like that of endogeneity will again add to the novelty of study.

scholarly journals A Survey on the Evolution of Opportunistic Routing with Asynchronous Duty-Cycled MAC in Wireless Sensor Networks

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 4112
Author(s):  
Ayesha Akter Lata ◽  
Moonsoo Kang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Wireless Sensor Networks ◽  
Sensor Networks ◽  
Load Balancing ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Opportunistic Routing ◽  
Wireless Sensor ◽  
Mac Layer ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been used for environmental monitoring and reporting for many decades. Energy consumption is a significant research topic because wireless sensor nodes are battery-operated to be highly energy-constrained. Several strategies have been introduced in routing and MAC (Medium Access Control) layer protocols to facilitate energy saving. At the routing layer, an energy-efficient routing protocol, known as opportunistic routing (OR), has been designed to improve efficiency. OR achieves energy efficiency via load-balancing, which forwards packets along multiple routes over WSNs. At the MAC layer, an energy-efficient MAC protocol known as the asynchronous duty-cycled MAC (ADCM) protocol achieves energy saving by turning on and off a sensor node’s transmitter and receiver to eliminate unnecessary energy wastage. These protocols each have their own advantages and disadvantages. OR achieves energy efficiency at the routing layer but it raises an issue at the MAC layer. ADCM achieves energy efficiency at the MAC layer, but it hinders the packet forwarding efficiency of the OR. To attain better energy efficiency, a combination of these two ideas led to the development of OR with asynchronous duty-cycled MAC (OR-ADCM). However, even with better energy efficiency, limitations still exist in combining load-balancing and duty-cycling due to conflicts in the inherent properties of OR and ADCM. In this paper, we present a survey of the evolution of OR-ADCM over WSNs to help the reader better understand and appreciate the details of this tradeoff, which we hope will lead to the development of better protocol designs.

Myanmar’s electrification plans need foreign funds

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Electricity Demand ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Government Subsidies ◽  
The Government ◽  
Building Designs

Subject Electricity sector development in Myanmar. Significance The Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE) may raise electricity tariffs to mitigate spiralling government subsidies exacerbated by growing electricity demand of 5-7% annually, reports citing the department’s permanent secretary said on April 7. The government is pushing electrification as Myanmar’s burgeoning economy diversifies. Impacts Electrification could aid Myanmar’s poverty reduction aims and its economic productivity. Energy-saving measures such as energy-efficient lighting and building designs are required. Off-grid electrification will utilise renewables. Higher business electricity tariffs would have inflationary effects and could see business closures.

scholarly journals Improving the efficiency of capital repairs of apartment buildings through energy-saving measures (on the example of the Republic of Tatarstan)

2021 ◽  
Vol 274 ◽  
pp. 10011
Author(s):  
Evgeniya Ilina ◽  
Diana Gafurova ◽  
Andrey Puris
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
The State ◽  
Apartment Building ◽  
Apartment Buildings ◽  
Efficient Construction ◽  
The Republic

The article discusses the energy-efficient repair and construction of apartment buildings, as well as the dynamics of changes in the energy efficiency class of apartment buildings in the Republic of Tatarstan. The object of the study is directly the energy efficiency of apartment buildings, as well as its increase in the course of major repairs and construction of apartment buildings. The article also discusses measures to improve the energy efficiency of apartment blocks. The purpose of the study is to analyze the state of management of energy efficient construction and repair of apartment building, mainly using the example of the Republic of Tatarstan.

A collaborative image of energy efficient housing via a photo-based approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-532
Author(s):  
Javad Asad Poor ◽  
David Thorpe ◽  
Yong Wah Goh
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Environmental Perceptions ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range

Purpose Regarding the contribution of Australian small-size housing in the enhancement of total energy consumption of the country and the roles of the occupants’ preferences in successful implementation of action plans, the purpose of this study is to identify the Australian occupants’ collaborative image of housing energy efficiency. The two main objectives are, therefore, to address the main energy-related housing physical factors that have the potential in representing the housing image of Australian occupants and to explain the causal factors that make the physical factors critical to their energy efficiency perception. Design/methodology/approach This study has been developed through a qualitative approach. Given that the images encompass a wide range of information expressing human perceptions, an online photo-based qualitative survey was developed based on previous research works. The survey includes respondents’ demographic profiles and the evaluation of images, asking for their perception of overall housing energy efficiency, the impacts of building envelope physical attributes on the energy efficiency of the houses and the reasons behind the selection of different attributes. Findings This study has developed a set of attribute-based factors, explaining occupants’ collective perception of energy efficient small-size housing of Brisbane in the area of exterior aspects of the buildings. Specifically, the collaborative image of small-size housing of Brisbane is about the thermal performance of the buildings provided through passive climatic principles by using more efficient envelope features, e.g. material, colour, transparency, texture, openings, balconies and shadowing devices, while ignoring the impacts of architectural composition principles along neighbourhood quality. The key attributes in assessing the small-housing energy efficiency are ventilation, thermal performance and shadowing. The housing images in old traditional architectural style with rural face, built by stone, brick and concrete in high dense vegetation were evaluated to be more energy efficient than those with modern architecture, built by large glass panel and metal cladding with light or no vegetation. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of the paper is related to the nature of an image-based survey, which leads to ignoring some aspects of real spaces such as odour, temperature and noise. Practical implications This research has the potential for developing a practical methodology for assessing housing-resident fit using computer-based methodology and neural networks. Social implications This research has the potential for developing a methodology, assisting the end users in meeting their desires and motivations by helping them in assessing how a housing unit fits with their expectations and preferences. Originality/value This research provides a reliable conceptual platform for dealing with the complexity of occupants’ housing perceptions. This is achieved by establishing a collective conceptual picture of these environmental perceptions, namely, housing image, which is a platform for transferring abstract data related to human perception into measurable and quantitative scales.

Improving energy efficiency of HVAC systems in buildings: a review of best practices

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Kwame Simpeh ◽  
Jon-Patrick George Pillay ◽  
Ruben Ndihokubwayo ◽  
Dorothy Julian Nalumu
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Hvac Systems ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Smart Technologies

PurposeHeating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems account for approximately half of all energy usage in the operational phase of a building's lifecycle. The disproportionate amount of energy usage in HVAC systems against other utilities within buildings has proved a huge cause for alarm, as this practice contributes significantly to global warming and climate change. This paper reviews the status and current trends of energy consumption associated with HVAC systems with the aim of interrogating energy efficiency practices for improving HVAC systems' consumption in buildings in the context of developing countries.Design/methodology/approachThe study relied predominantly on secondary data by analysing the relevant body of literature and proposing conceptual insights regarding best practices for improving the energy efficiency of HVAC systems in buildings. The systematic review of the literature (SLR) was aided by the PRISMA guiding principle. Content analysis technique was adopted to examine germane scholarly articles and finally grouped them into themes.FindingsBased on the SLR, measures for enhancing the energy efficiency of HVAC systems in buildings were classified based on economic considerations ranging from low-cost measures such as the cost of tuning the system, installing zonal control systems, adopting building integrated greenery systems and passive solar designs to major approaches such as HVAC smart technologies for energy management which have multi-year pay-back periods. Further, it was established that practices to improve energy efficiency in buildings range from integrated greening system into buildings to HVAC system which are human-centred and controlled to meet human modalities.Practical implicationsThere is a need to incorporate these energy efficiency practices into building regulations or codes so that built environment professionals would have a framework within which to design their buildings to be energy efficient. This energy efficient solution may serve as a prerequisite for newly constructed buildings.Originality/valueTo this end, the authors develop an integrated optimization conceptual framework mimicking energy efficiency options that may complement HVAC systems operations in buildings.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of China’s Labeling and Incentive Programs for Household Energy Conservation and Policy Implications

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1923
Author(s):  
Zhuangai Li ◽  
Xia Cao
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Durable Goods ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Air Conditioners ◽  
Incentive Programs ◽  
Consumption Decisions

With incomplete information about the potential benefits and costs of energy-using durables, households may be unwilling to invest in products that are more energy-efficient but also more expensive in purchase decisions. To deal with this problem, labeling policy has been developed to guide customers’ energy consumption decisions by providing understandable information to evaluate the energy efficiency of products. Over the last 20 years, China has implemented a series of mandatory and voluntary energy labeling and incentive policies to reduce energy use and improve the energy efficiency of durable goods in dwellings. This study has employed empirical survey data from the Chinese General Social Survey to study the implementation effectiveness of these policies and explore demographic factors behind consumer investments in energy-saving durables by using the logistic regression model. Statistical results show that energy efficiency labeling, incentive programs, education levels, and regional differences of customers appear to be strong predictors for investing in energy-efficient air conditioners and washing machines. House size is a decisive factor in driving consumers to choose energy-saving air conditioners. In light of the above results, the study suggests improved policy for motivating consumers to purchase energy-efficient appliances in dwellings.

Analysis and forecast of Tianjin’s industrial energy consumption

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongqing Zhu ◽  
Xiaoling Ge ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Zequn Ding
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Industrial Structure ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Average Error ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Energy ◽  
Industrial Energy Efficiency ◽  
Industrial Energy Consumption

Purpose This paper aims to study the present situation of Tianjin industrial energy consumption carbon emissions and put forward constructive suggestions for future energy-saving emission reduction work. Design/methodology/approach Using the energy consumption data form the Tianjin’s Industrial Energy Efficiency Guide (TJBS, 2009-2013) and Tianjin’s Statistical Yearbook (NBS, 2006-2012), some models were able to predict the future with a high degree of accuracy. Findings With an average error of 3.06 per cent for the logistic regression model and an average error of 2.03 per cent for the gray model, the R2 for the energy elasticity model is 0.99158. It also indicated that between 2008 and 2012, the energy consumption per unit of industrial added value decreased by approximately 33.61 per cent. These results show that energy-saving efforts and the optimization of the industrial structure have increased the energy efficiency of Tianjin. Originality/value The authors think that their contribution refers to a combination between methodology of forecasting and industrial energy consumption.

Reinvigorating the human instrument

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 505-530
Author(s):  
Hendi Yogi Prabowo
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Qualitative Data Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corruption Prevention

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) to support qualitative evaluation of corruption prevention initiatives, especially those focusing on behavioral changes. To achieve this objective, this paper applies the principles of qualitative inquiries to establish a foundation for developing effective means for evaluating behavior-oriented corruption prevention initiatives in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach Through exploratory study, this paper assesses current corruption prevention evaluation practice in the Indonesian public sector to highlight major deficiencies thereof primarily through examination of publicly available documents on anti-corruption practice in Indonesia. Furthermore, this paper also discusses how qualitative methods using CAQDAS may strengthen the existing anti-corruption regime by aiding decision-makers to better evaluate the success or failure of their corruption prevention initiatives in particular those aiming for behavioral changes. To illustrate how a qualitative data analysis application can support anti-corruption evaluators, NVivo will be used as a reference from which multiple analytical tools will be discussed to highlight their potential for qualitative qualitative analysis analysis in corruption prevention evaluation. Findings The author establishes that the existing quantitative measures of evaluation are insufficient in generating a comprehensive picture of the success or failure of the existing anti-corruption initiatives in Indonesia. Evidences suggest that the existing quantitative measures appear to be unable to cope with the growing complexity of various corruption problems in the country in particular to those related to organizational culture and behavior. Despite the numerous behavior-oriented initiatives to reduce the risk of corruption in the Indonesia public sector, it is still unclear if such initiatives actually have made a difference in preventing corruption, as many of their elements cannot be measured quantitatively. Therefore, the author believe that deeper insights into corruption problems can be obtained through proper qualitative assessments in which evaluators play the role as the primary analytical instrument. To enhance evaluators’ capability in obtaining and analyzing qualitative data, the author proposes the use of CAQDAS and the evaluation of corruption prevention initiatives. With a special reference to NVivo, the author argues that using CAQDAS will enable evaluators to conduct qualitative analysis more efficiently to identify patterns within the data, as it offers various tools to look deeper into context, diversity, nuance and process so as to gain deeper understanding of the meaning of human action and how it may affect the risk of corruption within organizations. Research limitations/implications This study is self-funded and is relying primarily on documentary analysis in assessing the existing corruption prevention evaluation measures in Indonesia. Future studies may benefit from in-depth interviews with anti-corruption evaluators in particular from the country’s anti-corruption agency. Practical implications This paper contributes to the development of corruption prevention strategy by proposing a framework for systematically performing qualitative evaluation on behavior-oriented corruption prevention initiatives. Originality/value This paper highlights the importance of qualitative measures in evaluating behavior-oriented corruption prevention initiatives in the Indonesian public sector.

scholarly journals Energy Sensing and Monitoring Framework with an Integrated Communication Backbone in the Energy Efficient Intelligent Buildings

2013 ◽  
Vol 303-306 ◽  
pp. 1460-1464
Author(s):  
Jian Li Pan ◽  
Shan Zhi Chen ◽  
Raj Jain ◽  
Subharthi Paul
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Communication Networks ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Intelligent Buildings ◽  
Monitoring Framework ◽  
Integrated Communication ◽  
Energy Sensing

Building environments are significant sources of global energy consumption. To create energy efficient buildings, the first step is to sense and monitor all the energy-consuming appliances in the buildings and record all the energy consumption information. After that, appropriate energy saving policies can be decided and the instructions can be sent to the control devices to apply the energy saving adjustments. To do that, in-building two-way communication networks are needed to connect all the sensors to collect information as well as to send control instructions. However, most of the current devices are provided by separate manufacturers and with separate network infrastructures and so there is not much integration and interaction among different subsystems. In this paper, we envision a new energy sensing and monitoring framework with integrated communication backbone in the intelligent building environments. Specifically, through comprehensive comparisons and investigations, we study different candidate communicating media and protocols like wireline, wireless, and power-line communications technologies that potentially can be used in the intelligent buildings to realize the goals of coordination, integration, and energy efficiency. Also, we propose an extension "smart box" for integration of the devices before the maturity of the standardization process. Cloud computing and smart phone technologies are also introduced to realize the goals of improving energy efficiency and promote global sustainability.

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