scholarly journals Small Zero-Utility Passive Houses as a Method of Lowering Smog and Protecting the Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Wes Grebski ◽  
Michalene Grebski ◽  
Stefan Czerwiński ◽  
Dominika Jagoda-Sobalak ◽  
Iwona Łapuńka

AbstractThe chapter describes the concept of sustainable development to minimize the environmental footprint and introduces the concept of the zero-utility solar passive house. The purpouse of the chapter is presentation of sollution for small zero-utility passive houses as a method of lowering smog and protecting the environment. The different concepts of the solar passive residential dwellings are being discussed and evaluated from the perspective of lowering carbon emissions. Energy savings as a result of increasing energy efficiency are also being calculated. The chapter analyzes the procedure for selecting the photovoltaic (PV) system to power the passive house and charge an electric car. Authors calculate the environmental benefits. There were some suggestions and recommendations for industry.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8892
Author(s):  
Joohyun Lee ◽  
Mardelle McCuskey Shepley ◽  
Jungmann Choi

Despite the economic and environmental benefits of passive houses, their market penetration has been low, which is partially due to misperceptions regarding their cost. This study examined the perceptions of building-related professionals and the general public regarding Korean passive houses to explore strategies for spurring passive house concepts and practices. The participants took an online survey on their interest in and reasons to reside in passive houses and their expected construction costs. The results from two separate groups of participants, including 162 professionals and 130 members of the general public, were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Both the professional and general public groups expressed a strong interest in passive houses because of the comfortable and healthy indoor environment, energy efficiency, cost savings, and sustainability that they provide. However, the expected construction costs of passive houses were perceived differently by the two groups: They were believed to be less expensive by the professionals and more expensive by the public respondents. This difference seems to result from their prior knowledge or experience regarding passive houses. Both groups were willing to pay more and assumed that the high expected costs were related to the construction products, systems, and labor costs of passive houses. The results showed that the lack of information or education on passive houses could be a major barrier to accessing passive houses, especially with the general public, while the cost could pose less of a barrier to the overall growth of the Korean passive house market. Further efforts by the government and industry are needed in order to provide more educational programs and to identify and manufacture more reasonably priced construction materials.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika K. Jägerbrand

The aim of this review was to map synergies and trade-offs between sustainable development and energy efficiency and savings regarding exterior lighting. Exterior lighting, such as public road and street lighting, requires significant amounts of energy and hinders sustainable development through its increasing of light pollution, ecological impact, and global climate change. Interlinkages between indicators in sustainability and energy that have positive interactions will lead to a mutual reinforcement in the decision-making process, and vice versa, interlinkages between trade-offs may lead to unwanted and conflicting effects. Very few studies have presented a clear vision of how exterior lighting should be contributing to, and not counteracting, the sustainable development of our planet. This study was conducted through a theoretical and systematic analysis that examined the interactions between sustainable development and energy performance based on a framework using indicators and variables, and by reviewing the current literature. Additionally, 17 indicators of energy efficiency and energy savings were identified and used in the analysis. Most interactions between variables for sustainable development and energy performance (52%) were found to be synergistic. The synergistic interactions were mostly found (71%) in the ecological and environmental dimension showing that environmental and ecological sustainability goes hand in hand with energy efficiency and savings. Trade-offs were found only in the economic and social dimensions accounting for 18% of the interactions identified. This review shows that the interactions between sustainable development and energy performance can be used to establish more efficient policies for decision-making processes regarding exterior lighting.


Author(s):  
Begum Sertyesilisik

Green innovations are important in enhancing sustainability performance of the industries and of their outputs. They can influence the carbon emissions, energy efficiency of the industries affecting global green trade, and energy policies. Construction industry is one of the main industries contributing to the global economy and sustainable development. It has, however, bigger environmental footprint than majority of the other industries. Green innovations can contribute to the reduction in the environmental footprint of the construction industry. For this reason, green innovation in the construction industry needs to be supported by the effective policies. This chapter aims to introduce and investigate the political economy of the green innovations in the construction industry. This chapter emphasizes that the effectiveness of the green innovations in the construction industry can be fostered by effective political economy and strategies.


Author(s):  
Begum Sertyesilisik

Green innovations are important in enhancing sustainability performance of the industries and of their outputs. They can influence the carbon emissions, energy efficiency of the industries affecting global green trade, and energy policies. Construction industry is one of the main industries contributing to the global economy and sustainable development. It has, however, bigger environmental footprint than majority of the other industries. Green innovations can contribute to the reduction in the environmental footprint of the construction industry. For this reason, green innovation in the construction industry needs to be supported by the effective policies. This chapter aims to introduce and investigate the political economy of the green innovations in the construction industry. This chapter emphasizes that the effectiveness of the green innovations in the construction industry can be fostered by effective political economy and strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 875
Author(s):  
Eva Crespo Sánchez ◽  
Silvia Spairani Berrio ◽  
Belén Onecha Perez ◽  
Carlos Marmolejo-Duarte

Within the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive information symmetry regarding financial and environmental benefits, coming from real estate performance, is a key element in the promotion of efficient buildings. However, the link between energy efficiency and its perceived co-benefits is far from perfect in EU countries with a short trajectory in the promotion of such residential attributes, endangering the efficacy of information-symmetry policies. Using a large survey applied to sellers, buyers, lessors and tenants this paper explores, in Spain, the perceived co-benefits in terms of energy savings and thermal comfort of efficient homes and whether such perception correlates to current living conditions, housing tenure and sociodemographic profile of respondents. Results suggest that in general such co-benefits are present in the mind of the main agents of the housing market. However, their perception is far from being homogeneous, it is clearer in the case of households whose current home is poorly insulated or inadequately serviced in terms of thermal active systems. Sociodemographic conditions also play a role in co-benefits perceptions: Elder, wealthier and landlords, irrespective of whether they act as sellers, buyers or lessors, do perceive to a larger extent the co-benefits of efficient homes. Such findings signal clear paths for the improvement of energy and housing policy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 503
Author(s):  
Bianca Gasparetto Rebelatto ◽  
Amanda Lange Salvia ◽  
Giovana Reginatto ◽  
Luciana Londero Branldi ◽  
Marcos Antonio Leite Frandoloso

Energy efficiency has received increasing attention in sustainable development over the past years due to the attention of climate change mitigation. In this context, universities have the role of promoting sustainability through energy efficiency efforts, improving environmental, economic and social aspects and increasing energy savings and the use of renewable energy. The aim of this paper is to perform a systematic review of the literature on the topic energy efficiency initiatives/practices/actions at Universities and analyse how they are contributing to the four categories created by LiFE Index: facilities and operations; leadership and governance; learning, teaching and research; partnerships and engagement. The databases Web of Science and Scopus were used to the review and resulted in 100 articles published in the last 10 years. This research illustrates a comprehensive approach related to the panorama of initiatives, practices and actions that universities are developing in the energy efficiency topic. In addition, the literature review highlights examples and barriers between energy efficiency and sustainable development by comparing and analysing them, showing its relevant features.    


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Kozma ◽  
E. Molnár ◽  
K. Czimre ◽  
J. Pénzes

Abstract In our days, energy issues belong to the most important problems facing the Earth and the solution may be expected partly from decreasing the amount of the energy used and partly from the increased utilisation of renewable energy resources. A substantial part of energy consumption is related to buildings and includes, inter alia, the use for cooling/heating, lighting and cooking purposes. In the view of the above, special attention has been paid to minimising the energy consumption of buildings since the late 1980s. Within the framework of that, the passive house was created, a building in which the thermal comfort can be achieved solely by postheating or postcooling of the fresh air mass without a need for recirculated air. The aim of the paper is to study the changes in the construction of passive houses over time. In addition, the differences between the geographical locations and the observable peculiarities with regard to the individual building types are also presented.


Author(s):  
Vasyl Zelenko ◽  
Yaryna Ferenchak ◽  
Nataliya Zelenko

The paper outlines major preconditions of development of energy efficiency programs and the process of their introduction from the perspective of sustainable development concept. Energy saving measures of European Union are examined, its experience and results, like green books and Thermie programs, etc are analyzed. The paper also specifies relevant activities and responsibilities undertaken by Member States by 2030 and the rates planned to be achieved. The experience of neighboring Poland in energy efficiency promotion is analyzed, as far as the country most closely resembles Ukraine by the initial rates in 1990. We calculated conditional losses of Ukraine in 2017 as the gap between the rates of energy efficiency of Ukraine and Poland (similarity of climate conditions and the state of housing funds allowed us to assume that the comparison will be the most correct regarding Ukraine). The results of calculations make us conclude that the funds are used most efficiently if the money designated, for example, for subsidizing of population are directed at strengthening of energy efficiency (at least up to the level of neighboring country). It will result in saving of about 40 billion. This is the amount defined as Ukrainian capacity in terms of improvement of energy saving and possible results of its realization. The paper determines the stage Ukraine is at in introduction of energy efficiency measures and programs: “warm loans” program; conditions regarding energy saving in Ukraine enshrined in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement; creation of legal basis, namely the Law of Ukraine “On Energy Efficiency Fund” as of 8 June 2017. The role of newly created Energy Efficiency Fund is analyzed. Special attention is paid to the fact that energy efficient construction is one of international liabilities undertaken by Ukraine. The presence of The Active House Alliance at Ukrainian market is an important achievement in this sphere as it is the non-profit association aiming at creation of housing concept corresponding to the sustainable development principles.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 829-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Saidur ◽  
M. T. Sambandam ◽  
M. Hasanuzzaman ◽  
D. Devaraj ◽  
S. Rajakarunakaran

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 235
Author(s):  
Fernando Martín-Consuegra ◽  
Fernando de Frutos ◽  
Ignacio Oteiza ◽  
Carmen Alonso ◽  
Borja Frutos

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.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document