scholarly journals Improving Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability of Commercial Insulation

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Celine Manoosingh ◽  
James Mihelcic ◽  
Manjriker Gunaratne
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Sustainability

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 BUILDING ENERGY AND ARCHITECTURAL FORM RELATIONSHIPS / PASTATO ENERGIJOS IR ARCHITEKTŪRINĖS FORMOS RYŠIAI

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberts Riekstiņš
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Building Energy Efficiency ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Architectural Form ◽  
Energy Efficient Building

Energy efficiency of buildings, of course, is now a major issue in the construction industry. It is being widely examined both among construction professionals and amateurs. There is no doubt that energy efficiency as a key factor in ensuring environmental sustainability will become the main driving force of the construction in the future. Buildings have to become more energy-efficient. This opinion is supported by the existing energy-use balance in Europe, indicating that the housing sector spends almost half of total energy consumption and building sector forms more than a third of total CO2 emissions (Bradley 2010). While discussing the subject of building energy efficiency, mostly different technical characteristics of buildings and engineering solutions are talked over. However, it has been relatively little examined how energy-efficient design affects the building’s architecturally-aesthetic side, styles of expression and trends in the architect’s profession. We learn that the essence for an energy-efficient building lies in smart modesty (Bokalders, Block 2010) and the rational utilization of materials (aim high – go low). And still – can energy efficient building be expressive, extravagant, and perhaps – even ambitious? There are many ideas implemented in projects which show that energy efficiency is not an obstacle to large scale architectural ideas. However, in order to combine architectural and artistic ambitions with the principles of sustainability, architects should search for an entirely new approach to architectural expression based on a detailed assessment of solutions applied from environmental point of view. It requires a complex understanding of building shape, applied technologies, energetic benefits and cost parameters. This article identifies the realised and experimental projects of the world and presents an analysis of classification of buildings according to typology. This publication gives general impression of the amplitude and topicality of the study issue, as well as the diversity applied to the architectural techniques. The article concludes that even creating a building’s shape in a smart way makes it possible to use substantial part of the renewable energy offered by nature.

scholarly journals Environmentally data-driven smart sustainable cities: applied innovative solutions for energy efficiency, pollution reduction, and urban metabolism

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Elias Bibri ◽  
John Krogstie
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Urban Metabolism ◽  
Pollution Reduction ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Sustainable Cities

AbstractThe IoT and big data technologies have become essential to the functioning of both smart cities and sustainable cities, and thus, urban operational functioning and planning are becoming highly responsive to a form of data-driven urbanism. This offers the prospect of building models of smart sustainable cities functioning in real time from routinely sensed data. This in turn allows to monitor, understand, analyze, and plan such cities to improve their energy efficiency and environmental health in real time thanks to new urban intelligence functions as an advanced form of decision support. However, prior studies tend to deal largely with data-driven technologies and solutions in the realm of smart cities, mostly in relation to economic and social aspects, leaving important questions involving the underlying substantive and synergistic effects on environmental sustainability barely explored to date. These issues also apply to sustainable cities, especially eco-cities. Therefore, this paper investigates the potential and role of data-driven smart solutions in improving and advancing environmental sustainability in the context of smart cities as well as sustainable cities, under what can be labeled “environmentally data-driven smart sustainable cities.” To illuminate this emerging urban phenomenon, a descriptive/illustrative case study is adopted as a qualitative research methodology§ to examine and compare Stockholm and Barcelona as the ecologically and technologically leading cities in Europe respectively. The results show that smart grids, smart meters, smart buildings, smart environmental monitoring, and smart urban metabolism are the main data-driven smart solutions applied for improving and advancing environmental sustainability in both eco-cities and smart cities. There is a clear synergy between such solutions in terms of their interaction or cooperation to produce combined effects greater than the sum of their separate effects—with respect to the environment. This involves energy efficiency improvement, environmental pollution reduction, renewable energy adoption, and real-time feedback on energy flows, with high temporal and spatial resolutions. Stockholm takes the lead over Barcelona as regards the best practices for environmental sustainability given its long history of environmental work, strong environmental policy, progressive environmental performance, high environmental standards, and ambitious goals. It also has, like Barcelona, a high level of the implementation of applied data-driven technology solutions in the areas of energy and environment. However, the two cities differ in the nature of such implementation. We conclude that city governments do not have a unified agenda as a form of strategic planning, and data-driven decisions are unique to each city, so are environmental challenges. Big data are the answer, but each city sets its own questions based on what characterize it in terms of visions, policies, strategies, pathways, and priorities.

scholarly journals Glass Curtain Wall Technology and Sustainability in Commercial Buildings in Auckland, New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-65
Author(s):  
Yi Wu ◽  
Claire Flemmer
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Continuous Heating ◽  
Curtain Wall ◽  
Glass Curtain Wall

Glass curtain wall provides an attractive building envelope, but it is generally regarded as unsustainable because of the high energy needed to maintain thermal comfort. This research explores the advances in the technology of glass cladding and the complex issues associated with judging its sustainability. It assesses the technology and sustainability of glass curtain wall on a sample of thirty commercial buildings in Auckland, New Zealand. Field observations of the glass-clad buildings, coupled with surveys of the building occupants and of glass cladding professionals are used to investigate the cladding characteristics, operational performance, sustainability aspects and future trends. The majority of the sample buildings are low-rise office buildings. The occupants like the aesthetics and indoor environment quality of their glass-clad buildings. However, continuous heating, ventilation and air conditioning are needed in order to maintain thermal comfort within the buildings and this has high energy consumption. The increasing use of unitized systems with double glazing instead of stick-built systems with single glazing improves the sustainability of the cladding through less material wastage and better energy efficiency. Inclusion of photovoltaic modules in the curtain wall also improves energy efficiency but it is currently too expensive for use in New Zealand. Environmental sustainability is also improved when factors such as climate, the orientation of glazed façades, solar control, ventilation and the interior building layout are considered. Any assessment of glass curtain wall sustainability needs to consider the economic and social aspects as well as the environmental aspects such as energy use

scholarly journals Energy Efficiency and Green Innovation and Its Asymmetric Impact on CO2 Emission in China: A New Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Li ◽  
Chuan Zhangchuan ◽  
ShiXiang Li ◽  
Ahmed Usman
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Green Innovation ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Asymmetric Impact ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
New Perspective

Abstract Green innovation undoubtedly plays a significant role in creating employment opportunities, boosting green economic activity, and improving environmental sustainability. This study scrutinizes the effect of energy efficiency and green innovation on CO2 emissions in China over the 1992–2014 period using NARDL. Findings show that energy efficiency and green innovation contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in China. Energy efficiency and green innovation are also important asymmetric determinants of CO2 emissions. An increase in energy efficiency and green innovation lowers CO2 emissions, while a decrease in energy efficiency and green innovation increases CO2 emissions in China in the long run. Some policy measures are suggested to attain carbon neutrality.

scholarly journals PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY: EVIDENCE FROM INDONESIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 314-320
Author(s):  
Rita Helbra Tenrini ◽  
Sofia Arie Damayanty ◽  
Dhani Setyawan ◽  
Hadi Setiawan ◽  
Rakhmindyarto Rakhmindyarto
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Sustainability

scholarly journals Performance Analysis of a Stirling Engine Hybrid Power System

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Jimenez Zabalaga ◽  
Evelyn Cardozo ◽  
Luis A. Choque Campero ◽  
Joseph Adhemar Araoz Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Software Tool ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Battery System ◽  
Economic Criterion ◽  
Hybrid Power

The Bolivian government’s concerns that are related to reducing the consumption of diesel fuel, which is imported, subsidized, and provided to isolated electric plants in rural communities, have led to the implementation of hybrid power systems. Therefore, this article presents the performance analysis in terms of energy efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental sustainability of a photovoltaic (PV)/Stirling battery system. The analysis includes the dynamic start-up and cooling phases of the system, and then compares its performance with a hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/diesel/battery system, whose configuration is usually more common. Both systems were initially optimized in size using the well-known energy optimization software tool, HOMER. An estimated demand for a hypothetical case study of electrification for a rural village of 102 households, called “Tacuaral de Mattos”, was also considered. However, since the characteristics of the proposed systems required a detailed analysis of its dynamics, a dynamic model that complemented the HOMER analysis was developed using MATLAB Simulink TM 8.9. The results showed that the PV/Stirling battery system represented a higher performance option to implement in the electrification project, due to its good environmental sustainability (69% savings in CO2 emissions), economic criterion (11% savings in annualized total cost), and energy efficiency (5% savings in fuel energy conversion).

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