System Transition and Structural Change Processes in the Energy Efficiency of Residential Sector: Evidence from EU Countries

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Costantini ◽  
Francesco Crespi ◽  
Elena Paglialunga ◽  
Giorgia Sforna
Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 443
Author(s):  
Elena Širá ◽  
Rastislav Kotulič ◽  
Ivana Kravčáková Vozárová ◽  
Monika Daňová

The Europe 2020 Strategy was proposed with a long-term vision to ensure prosperity, development, and competitiveness for the member countries. This strategy is divided into three main areas named “growth”. One of these is sustainable growth. This is an area of sustainability, where the partial targets are referred to as the “20-20-20 approach”, and includes a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, an increase in energy efficiency, and the sharing of renewable energy sources. However, questions arise, including: How do member states meet these targets? Which countries are leaders in this area? According to these stated questions, the aim of this article is to assess how EU countries are meeting the set targets for sustainable growth resulting from the Europe 2020 strategy and to identify the countries with the best results in this area. We looked for answers to these questions in the analysis of sustainable indicators, which were transformed into a synthetic measure for comparability of the resulting values. Finally, we identified the Baltic states, Nordic countries (European Union members), Romania, and Croatia as the best countries in fulfilling the sustainable growth aims. As sustainable development and resource efficiency are crucial areas for the future, it is important to consider these issues.


Author(s):  
Ana Ramos ◽  
Alberto Gago ◽  
Xavier Labandeira ◽  
Pedro Linares Llamas

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 4984
Author(s):  
Veronika Andrea ◽  
Stilianos Tampakis ◽  
Paraskevi Karanikola ◽  
Maria Georgopoulou

Bioclimatic housing design is regarded as an important pillar towards energy policies. Additionally, it is closely affiliated with the performance of energy efficiency of buildings. The citizens’ views and their adaptation to energy saving practices can be utilized as an important data base in order to design, improve and properly manage urbanization and environmental challenges in the residential sector. For the capitalization of the citizens’ views in Orestiada, the newest city in Greece, simple random sampling was applied on data that were collected via personal interviews and with the use of a structured questionnaire. Reliability and factor analyses were applied for the data processing along with hierarchical log-linear analysis. The latter was utilized for the statistical clustering of citizens into given distinct groups—clusters, arising by factor analysis. The main findings revealed that the citizens are merely aware of bioclimatic principles, while only a small percentage of 28.8% adopts some primary bioclimatic disciplines. Conclusively, it should be noted that there is a need for effective planning towards empowerment on energy efficiency in the residential sector of the city. Notwithstanding, it should not be disregarded the need for the incorporation of conceptual frameworks in urban planning. This is an approach that prerequisites public awareness and the stakeholders’ participation in decision making processes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 02003
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Pełka ◽  
Wojciech Luboń ◽  
Przemysław Pachytel

In the municipal and residential sector in Poland, as many as 50% of households are heated by solid fuel boilers. Most often these are, unfortunately, inefficient boilers, fired with low-quality coal. This study characterizes the market of boilers for solid fuels in Poland, and also presents the main apportionment of these devices, due to the different criteria that characterize them. The current legal changes in the scope of energy and emission requirements for solid fuel boilers are also discussed. The main purpose of this work is to analyze the real efficiency of the solid fuel over-fired boiler used, depending on the fuel burned in it. The process of burning selected fuels (seasoned wood, coal and pea coal) in the boiler was preceded by tests of these fuels to determine their energy parameters, such as moisture, ash content, the share of volatile matter and calorific value. In the next step, the energy efficiency obtained by the tested solid fuel boiler during the combustion of selected solid fuels was compared. The highest efficiency was achieved during the combustion of pea coal, and the lowest was achieved during the combustion of wood. In any case, the nominal efficiency value was achieved. Solutions that could improve the quality of the combustion process in this type of boiler were proposed.


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