Tag Archives: energy efficiency

smart buildings

Why smart buildings are beneficial?

Smart, or smartly designed buildings are not only a trend but a real need to use all available resources at hand to improve the living standards and contribute to create and maintain a sustainable place to live in, that is, in a smart living city.

Buildings in different countries must be designed according to the local climate in order to obtain the maximum of benefits for energy saving. For example, Punjab, India, proposed a practical approach for the new buildings’ design to use all the possible daylight for energy balance both in summer and winter.

What started with a declaration in 2001 known as Energy Conservation Act in Punjab, has turned recently into a law obliging all new buildings with a connected load of 100 kilowatt and more to follow a power-saving code through which it will be possible to reduce energy consumption by up to 40%. The code applies to all buildings with an air-conditioned area of 500 square meters, besides to complexes, group houses, offices, hotels, shopping zones, and private hospitals. According to Punjab Energy Development Agency (Peda), the code covers the following aspects: building aesthetics, envelope, mechanical system, the equipments for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning, interior and exterior lighting, and hot-water service, besides electrical power and motors for thermal comfort in non-central-AC buildings.

These actions pretend to involve different professionals related to construction and urban management, for instance, chief architects, chief town planners, local bodies, and agencies involved in clearing construction projects in urban centers. Of course, modern technologies are needed to drive towards sustainable urban energy systems.

This is also a valuable contribution to the environment protection since this practice allows to reduce notoriously greenhouse gases emissions. Actually, energy inefficient constructions are highly responsible for such emissions, according to IEA. Between now and 2050 a large portion of new buildings – equivalent to 40% of the world’s current building stock – will be built in cities in emerging and developing economies. The situation regarding inefficient buildings already constructed and the projection of new ones must be checked urgently if we want to prioritize the climate change – a hard but possible task, although many governments must cooperate and unite their efforts to promote serious regulations regarding new constructions and maintenance of old ones. This will revert positively in living conditions, safety, economic growth, just naming a few.

Sources:

New building code to save ‘40% power’ coming up in Punjab.

Make building standards top priority for tackling climate change.

Energy Technology Perspectives 2016.

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energy-consumption

Projection of World Energy Generation and Consumption till 2040

The question of energy efficiency is more than important nowadays, it is an urgent issue which needs real solutions.

What is the current scenario and the forecast regarding power consumption worldwide? Power consumption is always growing due to the strong development and leadership of emerging economies, such as Asian ones. The projection for 2040 is that this consumption will grow at a spectacular rate of 48%. The International Energy Outlook 2016 presented by EIA says that the renewables, hydro and wind power mainly, is the fastest growing energy which will rise 2,6% by 2040, while natural gas will do it slower reaching 1,9% more than now. Oil and other liquids will decrease their position on the energy consumption market from 33% in 2012 to 30% in 2040. Another important energy source is the nuclear power generation which will show an incredible growth from 2,3 trillion kWh registered in 2012 to 4,5 trillion kWh by 2040.

The similar trend projected till 2020, is supported by another review presented by World Energy Council (Figure 1)comsumption1

The current energy consumption demand is applied for different purposes, the main applications are motors, lighting and home appliances and consumer electronics (Figure 2).energy-comsumption

It is difficult to reduce this consumption, especially in industrialized and developing countries, moreover, demand for energy will continue to grow. So, another way to treat this sensitive question is through improved practices of energy efficiency which are based on accumulated knowledge and experience and proper application of modern technologies. This enables the user to track and measure the energy use, analyze the efficient and inefficient areas and reviewer the energy reduction strategies. Specific technological solutions capable to deliver the accurate information in real time, process and analyze data is of enormous help. They provide valuable insights, identify cost-effective procedures and help in developing systematic programs focused on energy efficiency.

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Torre-Sevilla

Energy Efficiency Management in Smart Buildings, Example of Torre Sevilla in Spain

Torre Sevilla, a real estate property owned by Caixabank in Seville, South of Spain, is a good example of smart building management which impacts positively on the energy efficiency making it possible to reduce 30% of energy waste and optimize preventive maintenance.

The central management system measures and controls all the parameters and actions, such as air conditioning, ventilation, lightning, stair pressurization, energy meters reading and fire detection, among other things. Besides having information in real time on the electric consumption per user and floor, the system adjusts the demand to the needs of each consumer. Through more than 60.000 sensors installed in Torre Sevilla it is possible to collect the relevant information on the functioning of the skyscraper in real time as well as control the building.

The tower also uses the renewable energy, to be more exact, solar energy which is totally beneficial in the South of Spain. Power generation through solar panels installed on the top of the building (100 kWh/day) covers the needs of daily consumption of light contributing this way to reach energy efficiency in the operation of the building.

Currently there are several offices with approximately 2.000 people registered as users of the building. In the near future it is foreseen to increase the number of sensors up to 100.000 covering all the points of data collecting in regard with power consumption. Torre Sevilla is scheduled to operate at full capacity by 2017 with incorporation of a shopping center and a luxurious hotel on the upper floors.

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energy-efficiency

Energy efficiency is cheaper than the construction of power stations.

Energy efficiency is even cheaper than the construction of a new power plant. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has reached this conclusion, and will launch the results that it obtained through 14 energy-saving programs.

This report has found evidence that the average cost of energy efficiency programs is around 3.5 cents per kWh saved, which is a more favorable data and significantly lower than the 7.5 cents/kWh initially calculated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

This difference is due to the fact that the APA wanted to show that even with high energy efficiency costs, it is still worthwhile from an economic point of view. But the truth is that the costs are, as has already been mentioned, much lower.

This report serves as an evidence to administrators and legislators that they must be less reluctant to dedicate financial and technical resources to achieve energy efficiency programs in buildings.

More information. 

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