Energy efficiency in the built environment

Physics Today ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon R. Glicksman
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment

scholarly journals Energy efficiency behaviour in the built environment—an assessment of current evaluation practices in the Nordic countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Johansson ◽  
Niko Gentile ◽  
Lena Neij
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Environmental Psychology ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Evaluation Practices ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
Behavioural Aspects

AbstractBehavioural change is expected to play a significant role in the transformation to a more energy efficient built environment. Despite this, current evaluation practice of interventions often overlook behavioural aspects in their ambition of advancing our knowledge on transformative change. Moreover, little attention is paid to how different research perspectives on human behaviour can complement each other in providing a broader scope and deeper understanding of behavioural change. In this study, we acknowledge this gap, and assess the current evaluation practices on behaviour. The focus is on energy efficiency in the built environment in the Nordic countries, and evaluations undertaken by researchers. The assessment shows that the Nordic evaluations apply a variety of disciplinary approaches, but have only to a limited extent addressed a psychological understanding of individual behaviour and behavioural change. We analyse and discuss the potential contribution of environmental psychology in strengthening a cross disciplinary evaluation approach. In all, the results indicate the value of also adding environmental psychology, to provide a stronger cross disciplinary understanding of behavioural change, and the need to coordinate and combine evaluations departing from different disciplinary approaches, to improve understanding of the transformational process.

Role of BIM and energy simulation tools in designing zero-net energy homes

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahryar Habibi
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Energy Simulation ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Zero Net Energy

Purpose The purpose of this study is to design a zero-energy home, which is known to be capable of balancing its own energy production and consumption close to zero. Development of low-energy homes and zero-net energy houses (ZEHs) is vital to move toward energy efficiency and sustainability in the built environment. To achieve zero or low energy targets in homes, it is essential to use the design process that minimizes the need for active mechanical systems. Design/methodology/approach The methodology discussed in this paper consists of an interfacing building information modeling (BIM) tool and a simulation software to determine the potential influence of phase change materials on designing zero-net energy homes. Findings BIM plays a key role in advancing methods for architects and designers to communicate through a common software platform, analyze energy performance through all stages of the design and construction process and make decisions for improving energy efficiency in the built environment. Originality/value This paper reviews the literature relevant to the role of BIM in helping energy simulation for the performance of residential homes to more advanced levels and in modeling the integrated design process of ZEHs.

Electrochromics for energy efficiency and indoor comfort

2008 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 2489-2498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claes G. Granqvist
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Radiant Energy ◽  
Reactive Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Nanoporous Structure ◽  
Reactive Magnetron ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Indoor Comfort ◽  
Device Technology

Electrochromic (EC) oxide films with nanocrystalline and nanoporous structure constitute the basis of a number of devices for modulating the throughput of radiant energy. One example is in architectural windows capable of providing energy efficiency and indoor comfort simultaneously. This paper introduces EC technology with particular attention to applications to the built environment. The nanostructural features of the EC films are emphasized, and it is pointed out that reactive magnetron sputtering can be used for large area manufacturing. Electrochromics is discussed from the viewpoints of materials, device technology, and applications.

Energy, energy efficiency, and the built environment

The Lancet ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 370 (9593) ◽  
pp. 1175-1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Wilkinson ◽  
Kirk R Smith ◽  
Sean Beevers ◽  
Cathryn Tonne ◽  
Tadj Oreszczyn
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment

scholarly journals Energy efficiency, resilience to future climates and long-term sustainability: the role of the built environment

2010 ◽  
Vol 368 (1914) ◽  
pp. 1083-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
The Uk

Just under half of all energy consumption in the UK today takes place indoors, and over a quarter within our homes. The challenges associated with energy security, climate change and sustainable consumption will be overcome or lost in our existing buildings. A background analysis, and the scale of the engineering challenge for the next three to four decades, is described in this paper.

scholarly journals Climate repair through built environment: Decarbonising UK’s building sector through energy efficiency and natural materials

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramit Debnath ◽  
Ronita Bardhan ◽  
Darshil U. Shah ◽  
Antiopi Koronaki ◽  
Aurimas Bukauskas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Insulating Materials ◽  
Working Paper ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Royal Institution ◽  
The Uk

This working paper is an evidence submitted to the Royal Institution for British Architects that makes the case that the built environment must drastically reduce its carbon emissions to work towards net zero. Here we advocate for climate repair through the built environment by decarbonising UK’s building sector through both improved energy efficiency of buildings and the use of nature‐based solutions, such as engineered timber and natural insulating materials. The UK has the opportunity to lead by example at the upcoming United Nations COP‐26 conference and beyond, as we implement the solutions in the coming years.

Context-Aware Plug-Load Identification Toward Enhanced Energy Efficiency in the Built Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 6781-6791
Author(s):  
Krishnanand Kaippilly Radhakrishnan ◽  
Hoang Duc Chinh ◽  
Manish Gupta ◽  
Sanjib Kumar Panda ◽  
Costas J. Spanos
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Context Aware ◽  
Load Identification
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