scholarly journals Comment on Pietrapertosa et al. How to Prioritize Energy Efficiency Intervention in Municipal Public Buildings to Decrease CO2 Emissions? A Case Study from Italy. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 4434

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 3961
Author(s):  
Miroslav Variny
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Public Building ◽  
Simplified Approach ◽  
Heated Area

This paper responds to the article by Pietrapertosa et al., doi:10.3390/ijerph17124434, published previously in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Its aim is to discuss the appropriateness of the studied method, to analyze its weak sides and to propose its robustness improvement. Thus, data presented in the above study were examined and recalculated, yielding, among others, indicators of annual energy savings (in kWh per m2 of total heated area) and specific proposals investment costs (in € per m2 of total heated area). By analyzing the obtained data for all public buildings, a significantly simplified approach to this problematic has been suggested while several other features of the research method and some presented results lack proper reasoning and discussion. Individual approach to each public building has been proposed and discussed point-by-point to enhance the method’s applicability. As a result, more realistic outcomes are obtained, and suitable investment actions can be proposed.

scholarly journals How to Prioritize Energy Efficiency Intervention in Municipal Public Buildings to Decrease CO2 Emissions? A Case Study from Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4434
Author(s):  
Filomena Pietrapertosa ◽  
Marco Tancredi ◽  
Michele Giordano ◽  
Carmelina Cosmi ◽  
Monica Salvia
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
End Use ◽  
Climate Crisis

The European Union 2050 climate neutrality goal and the climate crisis require coordinated efforts to reduce energy consumption in all sectors, and mainly in buildings greatly affected by the increasing temperature, with relevant CO2 emissions due to inefficient end-use technologies. Moreover, the old building stock of most countries requires suited policies to support renovation programs aimed at improving energy performances and optimize energy uses. A toolbox was developed in the framework of the PrioritEE project to provide policy makers and technicians with a wide set of tools to support energy efficiency in Municipal Public Buildings. The toolbox, available for free, was tested in the partners’ communities, proving its effectiveness. The paper illustrates its application to the Potenza Municipality case study in which the online calculator DSTool (the core instrument of the toolbox) was utilized to select and prioritize the energy efficiency interventions in public buildings implementable in a three-year action plan in terms of costs, energy savings, CO2 emissions’ reduction and return on investments. The results highlight that improvements in the building envelopes (walls and roofs), heating and lighting and photovoltaic systems allow reducing CO2 emission approximately 644 t/year and saving about 2050 MWh/year with a total three-year investment of 1,728,823 EUR.

scholarly journals Improving energy efficiency of kindergartens in Serbia: Challenges and potentials

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (6 Part A) ◽  
pp. 3521-3532
Author(s):  
Natasa Cukovic-Ignjatovic ◽  
Dusan Ignjatovic ◽  
Bojana Zekovic
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
National Level ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Energy Efficient Buildings ◽  
Heated Area ◽  
Primary Focus

Kindergartens are probably the very first public buildings we actively use in our lives. Therefore, they can be considered as the physical structures that are providing for the very important educational and social function. Additionally, they can also be considered as the specific learning tool for future generations where they can encounter the ideas of green and energy-efficient buildings. One of the results of the research project ?Energy efficiency in public buildings? has been formulated through the development of Serbian National Typology of Kindergartens which was conceived as a specific tool that can be used for improving this portion of building stock. The paper presents the methodology for identification of typical kindergarten buildings, covering various construction periods, building sizes and illustrates the type of analysis performed for model representatives. The potential for energy upgrades covering physical structure, installed technological systems, as well as expected impact on energy performance, has been estimated. The study presents results based on the analysis of the data derived from the National Typology, stressing out that energy retrofits of large and medium-sized kindergartens built during the 1970s and 1980s should be the primary focus of refurbishment activities. Accounting for almost 60% of total buildings and 69.59% of heated area, they are responsible for 75.97% of energy demands. Estimated energy savings of more than 60% indicate the effectiveness of their retrofit. The paper also presents the potential uses of National Typology as a retrofit tool on various scales, from single-building considerations to a strategic approach at the national level.

Application of Green Lighting Technology in Highway Service – A Case Study of Mt. Lushan West Sea Tourism Highway Service

2014 ◽  
Vol 548-549 ◽  
pp. 1815-1819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Chun Qin ◽  
She Gang Shao ◽  
Yi Shen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Light Guide ◽  
Operating Costs ◽  
Natural Light ◽  
Lighting Technology ◽  
Lighting Systems ◽  
Service Application

Green lighting technology has the advantages of energy efficiency, friendly environment, safety and comfort. Based on the introduction of green lighting technology, taken the Mt. Lushan West Sea tourist highway service as the case study, we analyzed light guide illumination, the optimum use of natural light and energy efficient lighting respectively from the aspects of technical characteristics and the specific highway service application. We finally made the economic analysis in the energy savings of green lights in the highway service, and the result showed that through the use of green lighting systems Mt. Lushan West Sea tourist highway service could save electricity and reduce operating costs 134,700 Yuan per year.

scholarly journals Personalized medicine in Brazil: a new paradigm, old problems

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Pavani ◽  
Guilherme Ary Plonski
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Personalized Medicine ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Research Method ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
High Income ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Personalized medicine (PM) encompasses a set of procedures, technologies and medications; the term became more prominent from the 2000s onwards and stems from the mapping of the human genome. The purposes of this study were to analyse the development stage of the process of technological innovation for PM and the obstacles that prevent PM from being adopted in the public health system in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach As a research method, this paper opts for a case study carried out at the Hospital das Clínicas, which belongs to São Paulo Medical School. In total, 22 in-depth interviews were carried out at the hospital to identify current practices in PM, future prospects and barriers imposed to the adoption of PM technologies in public health. Findings Personalized or precision medicine is already a reality for a small portion of the Brazilian population and is gradually gaining ground in public health care. One finding is that such changes are occurring in a disjointed manner in an incomplete and under development health innovation system. The analysis pointed out that the obstacles identified in Brazil are the same as those faced by high-income countries such as regulation, lack of clinical studies and need to adapt clinical studies to PM. They appear in all stages of the innovation cycle, from research to widespread use. Research limitations/implications The research method was a case study, so the findings cannot be extrapolated to other contexts. A limited number of professionals were interviewed, their opinions may not reflect those of their organizations. Originality/value There are several studies that discuss how health-care systems in high-income countries could incorporate these new technologies, but only a few focuses on low or middle-income countries such as Brazil.

scholarly journals Towards Convergence: How to Do Transdisciplinary Environmental Health Disparities Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2303
Author(s):  
Clare E.B. Cannon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Central Valley ◽  
Transdisciplinary Research ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Biological Engineering ◽  
Participatory Action

Increasingly, funders (i.e., national, public funders, such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation in the U.S.) and scholars agree that single disciplines are ill equipped to study the pressing social, health, and environmental problems we face alone, particularly environmental exposures, increasing health disparities, and climate change. To better understand these pressing social problems, funders and scholars have advocated for transdisciplinary approaches in order to harness the analytical power of diverse and multiple disciplines to tackle these problems and improve our understanding. However, few studies look into how to conduct such research. To this end, this article provides a review of transdisciplinary science, particularly as it relates to environmental research and public health. To further the field, this article provides in-depth information on how to conduct transdisciplinary research. Using the case of a transdisciplinary, community-based, participatory action, environmental health disparities study in California’s Central Valley provides an in-depth look at how to do transdisciplinary research. Working with researchers from the fields of social sciences, public health, biological engineering, and land, air, and water resources, this study aims to answer community residents’ questions related to the health disparities they face due to environmental exposure. Through this case study, I articulate not only the logistics of how to conduct transdisciplinary research but also the logics. The implications for transdisciplinary methodologies in health disparity research are further discussed, particularly in the context of team science and convergence science.

ANALYSIS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGY SAVING MEASURES

2019 ◽  
pp. 314-320
Author(s):  
Ivan Binev
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
The Relationship

The report analyzes energy efficiency in public buildings. A mathematical model was developed describing the relationship between energy savings and heated space in buildings with energy saving measures implemented. The resulting model can be used to predict energy savings of buildings with an accuracy of 82%. The results facilitate the process of determining the energy savings of buildings in which energy-saving measures are to be implemented.

scholarly journals RETROFIT MEASURES IN OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS TOWARDS ENERGY EFFICIENCY

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge S. Carlos ◽  
Helena Corvacho
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
Heating Energy Consumption ◽  
Type Of School

A study on thermal retrofit of Portuguese elementary school buildings is presented. The type of school under analysis is one adopted by a large construction campaign that began in the 1940's. This building stock has a very poor thermal performance and their retrofit was evaluated starting with a case study of a school in the central region of Portugal, where some experimental measures were performed and a calculation method was applied for the heating energy consumption estimation. A solution for the thermal retrofit of the school building external envelope was optimized and the effect on heating energy consumption was evaluated, using ECOTECT, resulting in a reduction of 52% of heating energy needs. The national impact of the thermal retrofit of the whole building stock was characterised in terms of energy savings. Finally, the pre‐heating of the ventilation air was also tested as a complementary measure and its effect evaluated. The solution tested may provide up to 1000 kWh/year of extra heat gains by pre‐heating the ventilation air. It must be underlined though that the performance of these systems is dependent on the thermal properties of their components so higher reductions can be achieved with the improvement of these properties. Santrauka Straipsnyje pateikiami Portugalijos pradines mokyklos šiluminio atnaujinimo tyrimai. Analizuojamos mokyklos tipas yra vienas iš taikytu po 1940 metu prasidejusioje plačioje statybos kampanijoje. Šios pastatu grupes šilumines charakteristikos yra labai prastos. Ju atnaujinimo vertinimas buvo pradetas nuo centrineje Portugalijoje esančios mokyklos, kurioje buvo igyvendintos kai kurios eksperimentines priemones, ir energijos sanaudoms nustatyti pritaikytas skaičiavimo metodas. Pastato išoriniu atitvaru šiluminio atnaujinimo sprendimas buvo optimizuotas ir jo itaka šilumines energijos sanaudoms nustatyta naudojant ECOTECT. Šilumines energijos poreikis sumažejo 52 %. Iš viso pastatu fondo šiluminio atnaujinimo itaka nacionaliniu mastu vertinta sutaupytos energijos kiekiu. Pabaigoje kaip papildoma priemone buvo išbandytas pirminis vedinamo oro pašildymas, nustatytas jo naudingumas. Išbandytasis pirminis vedinamo oro pašildymas gali suteikti iki 1000 kWh/metus papildomo išsiskiriančio šilumos kiekio. Pabrežtina, kad nors šiu sistemu veikimo charakteristikos priklauso nuo ju komponentu šiluminiu savybiu, gerinant šias savybes galima daugiau sumažinti energijos sanaudu.

scholarly journals Balancing User Comfort and Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings through Social Interaction by ICT Systems

Systems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Franco
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Great Part ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Air Cooling ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
User Comfort

Energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and comfort in public buildings has received increasing attention in recent years as it can contribute to maintaining safety conditions and to the reduction of conventional fuels consumption, energy costs for building owners, and greenhouse gas emissions. People are an integral part of any building energetic ecosystem as, according to some estimates, they spend a great part of their life in indoor spaces. On one side, occupants are responsible for the energy consumption of the building and for this reason the “psychology of energy saving” has received attention since the 70s up to recent results. On the other hand, strategies for energy efficiency should not jeopardize occupants’ health and quality of life. While general awareness of the value of environmental variables has increased in the last few years, this interest has recently been further exacerbated by the spreading of the well-known COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, as most countries have started planning post-lock-down activities, there is a growing concern regarding how social distancing measures can be enforced in shared buildings and strict indoor air quality control can prevent airborne virus transmission in crowded spaces. The paper discusses the perspectives of increasing the level of social interaction of building users through the systematic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and in particular, some specific platforms. The ICT system, taking information from the occupants in a concerted way, can be an important instrument to collect data, coming both from physical sensors and from people to develop a multi-objective control strategy for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Cooling (HVAC) systems in order to obtain energy savings whilst balancing user comfort and healthy conditions.

Targeting Residential Energy Assistance

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Raffio ◽  
Ovelio Isambert ◽  
George Mertz ◽  
Charlie Schreier ◽  
Kelly Kissock
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Specific Energy ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Fuel Type ◽  
Step Method

This paper describes a four-step method to analyze the utility bills and weather data from multiple residences to target buildings for specific energy conservation retrofits. The method is also useful for focusing energy assessments on the most promising opportunities. The first step of the method is to create a three-parameter changepoint regression model of energy use versus weather for each building and fuel type. The three model parameters represent weather independent energy use, the building heating or cooling coefficient and the building balance-point temperature. The second step is to drive the models using typical TMY2 weather data to determine Normalized Annual Consumption (NAC) for each fuel type. The third step is to create a sliding NAC with each set of 12 sequential months of utility data. The final step is to benchmark the NACs and coefficients of multiple buildings to identify average, best and worst energy performers, and how the performance of each building has changed over time. The method identifies billing errors, normalizes energy use for changing weather, prioritizes sites for specific energy-efficiency retrofits and tracks weather-normalized changes in energy use. The principle differences between this method and previously defined ones are that this method seeks to use inverse modeling proactively to identify energy saving opportunities rather than retroactively to measure energy savings, it tracks changes in building performance using sliding analysis, and it uses comparisons between multiple buildings to extract additional information. This paper describes the method, then demonstrates the method through a case study of about 300 low-income residences. After applying the method, targeted buildings were visited to determine the accuracy of the method at identifying energy efficiency opportunities. The case study shows that over 80% of the targeted buildings presented at least one of the expected problems from each type of retrofit.

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