Comparison of U.S. and Swiss Homes and Lifestyles

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Hutzel ◽  
Daphene C. Koch ◽  
Jason M. Kutch ◽  
Rudolf Furter
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Home Ownership ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
High Level

This case study compared U.S. and Swiss homes with the goal of identifying construction practices that are most beneficial in terms of energy efficiency and life cycle costs. The research was a collaboration between the Departments of Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) and Building Construction Management (BCM) at Purdue University and The Lucerne University of Applied Arts and Sciences (HTA Lucerne) in Switzerland. The first phase of this project compared U.S. and Swiss approaches to low energy residential buildings. Construction costs and annual energy consumption were estimated using homes with a similar size and layout, but with specific changes to one or more features that affect overall energy use. The results show that a Swiss-style low-energy home is not cost-effective for Indiana in the short term, but could become attractive after a relatively long (40+ year) period of home ownership. Recognizing that technology by itself will not minimize energy consumption, a second part of the project explored cultural norms that influence energy use. A survey of U.S. and Swiss college students was used to compare lifestyles and energy habits. It was found with a high level of confidence that Swiss students are more energy conscious than their U.S. counterparts.

scholarly journals Factors Driving Consumer Involvement in Energy Consumption and Energy-Efficient Purchasing Behavior: Evidence from Korean Residential Buildings

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 5573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soyoung Yoo ◽  
Jiyong Eom ◽  
Ingoo Han
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Green Technology ◽  
Consumer Involvement ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Technological Advances

The recent rapid transition in energy markets and technological advances in demand-side interventions has renewed attention on consumer behavior. A rich literature on potential factors affecting residential energy use or green technology adoption has highlighted the need to better understand the fundamental causes of consumer heterogeneity in buildings’ energy-related behavior. Unresolved questions such as which consumers are most likely to opt into demand-side management programs and what factors might explain the wide variation in behavioral responses to such programs make it difficult for policy-makers to develop cost-effective energy efficiency or demand response programs for residential buildings. This study extends the literature on involvement theory and energy-related behavior by proposing a holistic construct of household energy involvement (HEI) to represent consumers’ personal level of interest in energy services. Based on a survey of 5487 Korean households, it finds that HEI has a stronger association with consumer values, such as preferences for indoor thermal comfort and automation, than with socioeconomic or housing characteristics and demonstrates HEI’s potential as a reliable, integrated predictor of both energy consumption and energy-efficient purchases. The study illuminates the multifaceted influences that shape energy-related behavior in residential buildings and offers new tools to help utility regulators identify and profile viable market segments, improve the cost-effectiveness of their programs, and eventually promote urban sustainability.

scholarly journals Towards Sustainable Energy Retrofitting, a Simulation for Potential Energy Use Reduction in Residential Buildings in Palestine

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3876
Author(s):  
Sameh Monna ◽  
Adel Juaidi ◽  
Ramez Abdallah ◽  
Aiman Albatayneh ◽  
Patrick Dutournie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Space Cooling ◽  
Cooling Loads

Since buildings are one of the major contributors to global warming, efforts should be intensified to make them more energy-efficient, particularly existing buildings. This research intends to analyze the energy savings from a suggested retrofitting program using energy simulation for typical existing residential buildings. For the assessment of the energy retrofitting program using computer simulation, the most commonly utilized residential building types were selected. The energy consumption of those selected residential buildings was assessed, and a baseline for evaluating energy retrofitting was established. Three levels of retrofitting programs were implemented. These levels were ordered by cost, with the first level being the least costly and the third level is the most expensive. The simulation models were created for two different types of buildings in three different climatic zones in Palestine. The findings suggest that water heating, space heating, space cooling, and electric lighting are the highest energy consumers in ordinary houses. Level one measures resulted in a 19–24 percent decrease in energy consumption due to reduced heating and cooling loads. The use of a combination of levels one and two resulted in a decrease of energy consumption for heating, cooling, and lighting by 50–57%. The use of the three levels resulted in a decrease of 71–80% in total energy usage for heating, cooling, lighting, water heating, and air conditioning.

scholarly journals Investigating Primary Factors Affecting Electricity Consumption in Non-Residential Buildings Using a Data-Driven Approach

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 4046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sooyoun Cho ◽  
Jeehang Lee ◽  
Jumi Baek ◽  
Gi-Seok Kim ◽  
Seung-Bok Leigh
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Simulation Analysis ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Measuring Instruments ◽  
Building Energy Consumption

Although the latest energy-efficient buildings use a large number of sensors and measuring instruments to predict consumption more accurately, it is generally not possible to identify which data are the most valuable or key for analysis among the tens of thousands of data points. This study selected the electric energy as a subset of total building energy consumption because it accounts for more than 65% of the total building energy consumption, and identified the variables that contribute to electric energy use. However, this study aimed to confirm data from a building using clustering in machine learning, instead of a calculation method from engineering simulation, to examine the variables that were identified and determine whether these variables had a strong correlation with energy consumption. Three different methods confirmed that the major variables related to electric energy consumption were significant. This research has significance because it was able to identify the factors in electric energy, accounting for more than half of the total building energy consumption, that had a major effect on energy consumption and revealed that these key variables alone, not the default values of many different items in simulation analysis, can ensure the reliable prediction of energy consumption.

scholarly journals Humidity-Sensitive Demand-Controlled Ventilation Applied to Multi-Unit Residential Building – Performance and Energy Consumption in Dfb Continental Climate

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Sowa ◽  
Maciej Mijakowski
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Ventilation System ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Controlled Ventilation ◽  
Demand Controlled Ventilation ◽  
Continental Climate

A humidity-sensitive demand-controlled ventilation system is known for many years. It has been developed and commonly applied in regions with an oceanic climate. Some attempts were made to introduce this solution in Poland in a much severe continental climate. The article evaluates this system's performance and energy consumption applied in an 8-floor multi-unit residential building, virtual reference building described by the National Energy Conservation Agency NAPE, Poland. The simulations using the computer program CONTAM were performed for the whole hating season for Warsaw's climate. Besides passive stack ventilation that worked as a reference, two versions of humidity-sensitive demand-controlled ventilation were checked. The difference between them lies in applying the additional roof fans that convert the system to hybrid. The study confirmed that the application of demand-controlled ventilation in multi-unit residential buildings in a continental climate with warm summer (Dfb) leads to significant energy savings. However, the efforts to ensure acceptable indoor air quality require hybrid ventilation, which reduces the energy benefits. It is especially visible when primary energy use is analyzed.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Energy Consumption between Green Building Certified and Non-Certified Buildings in Korea

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangtae No ◽  
Chungyeon Won
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Seed Certification ◽  
Portal Site ◽  
Energy Evaluation ◽  
Public Data ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Energy Use Intensity

Although interest in and the importance of green building certification have increased, it is difficult to determine how much less energy the buildings actually consume after obtaining sustainability related certification, such as LEED in the USA, and G-SEED in Korea. Focusing on building energy evaluation, we compared and analyzed the energy evaluation items of LEED and G-SEED. In addition, from the Korean public data portal site, this study investigated the annual site energy consumption (electricity and gas) per floor area of non-residential buildings that obtained G-SEED certification in Korea. The energy consumption of non-certified general buildings was compared with the energy consumption of certified buildings. As a result of examining 84 samples of this study, non-residential buildings with G-SEED certification showed energy use intensity that was at least (35.5 to 48.9)% lower than that of uncertified buildings.

scholarly journals Dynamic thermal response of low-energy residential buildings based on in-wall measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 04002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyriaki Foteinaki ◽  
Rongling Li ◽  
Alfred Heller ◽  
Morten Herget Christensen ◽  
Carsten Rode
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Thermal Response ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Space Heating ◽  
Internal Wall ◽  
Load Bearing ◽  
Concrete Elements

This study analysed the dynamic thermal response of a low-energy building using measurement data from an apartment block in Copenhagen, Denmark. Measurements were collected during February and July 2018 on space heating energy use, set-points, room air temperature and temperature from sensors integrated inside concrete elements, i.e. internal walls and ceiling, at different heights and depths. The heating system was controlled by the occupants. During February, there were unusually high set-points for some days and a regular heating pattern for some other days. Overheating was observed during July. A considerable effect of solar gain was observed both during winter and summer months. The room air temperature fluctuations were observed at a certain extent inside the concrete elements; higher in the non-load-bearing internal wall, followed by the load-bearing internal wall and lastly by the ceiling. The phenomenon of delayed thermal response of the concrete elements was observed. All internal concrete masses examined may be regarded as active elements and can contribute to the physically available heat storage potential of the building. The study provides deep insight into the thermal response of concrete elements in low-energy residential buildings, which should be considered when planning a flexible space heating energy use.

The Investigation of Residential Energy Consumption in Rural Areas Surrounding the Xi'an City

2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 316-321
Author(s):  
Mei He ◽  
Hua Guo ◽  
Jin Wu ◽  
Xin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Space Heating ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Xi’An City

The main purpose that should be put in the first place on residential constructions in the rural areas is how to guide the consumers to build residential buildings that are energy effective, comfortable, cost effective, and with construction techniques that are appropriate for the local conditions. Before investigating residential buildings that are suitable for local conditions, we have to discover the local economic status and their living habit in depth. This article puts emphasis on to survey the relationship between dwelling habits and energy consumption in the rural areas, also, space heating and cooling method, the use of solar energy, marsh gas and any other renewable sources of energy, as well as the thermal environment of residential buildings are investigated and analyzed. we conclude that, in the rim of Xi'an city, most of the fuel sources for space heating in winter used in the rural areas are fireweed and cornstock. Most of the energy sources are crops waste materials that are not environmental friendly, thus, it's necessary to popularize the use of solar energy and marsh gas.

Role of Indoor Air Distribution in Performance of Heat Pump Systems in Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali A. Jal-Alzadeh-Azar ◽  
Ren Anderson ◽  
Keith Gawlik
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Heat Pump ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Air Distribution ◽  
Air Mixing ◽  
Heating Mode

This paper demonstrates the potential impact of indoor air distribution on the energy consumption of central HVAC systems with cognizance of human thermal comfort. The study focuses on a hypothetical high-performance house incorporating a split heat pump system. The air distribution of this building incorporates high sidewall supply-air registers and near-floor, wall-mounted return-air grilles. Heating-mode stratification resulting from this prevalent configuration is a prime example of situations in which challenges regarding energy efficiency, comfort, and ventilation effectiveness emerge. These challenges underline the importance of adopting a comprehensive design strategy for high-performance buildings. Two indoor air distribution scenarios were analyzed: (1) theoretically well mixed and (2) poorly mixed, representing a realistic case. The former scenario was evaluated using an analytical approach, whereas the latter was investigated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. For heating mode, the results indicated the presence of a pronounced thermal stratification resulting from poor air mixing. At 50% of the design heating load, for the well-mixed case, the HVAC system energy consumption was significantly higher. Considerably better air distribution performance was observed with cooling mode, in which the relative energy penalty for the well-mixed scenario was noticeably less. In real-world applications where measures must be taken to achieve near perfectly mixed indoor conditions for better comfort, the energy use is expected to be even higher. However, in the absence of such measures, the thermostat setpoint is likely to be readjusted, leading to a higher energy use without necessarily improving the overall comfort level, as demonstrated in this paper. The limitation of increasing the supply-air flow rate to enhance air mixing and diffusion is also discussed in terms of the system moisture removal capability.

scholarly journals Application of Life Cycle Energy Assessment in Residential Buildings: A Critical Review of Recent Trends

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Omrany ◽  
Veronica Soebarto ◽  
Ehsan Sharifi ◽  
Ali Soltani
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
System Boundary ◽  
Energy Assessment ◽  
Boundary Definition

Residential buildings are responsible for a considerable portion of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Correspondingly, many attempts have been made across the world to minimize energy consumption in this sector via regulations and building codes. The focus of these regulations has mainly been on reducing operational energy use, whereas the impacts of buildings’ embodied energy are frequently excluded. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in analyzing the energy performance of buildings via a life cycle energy assessment (LCEA) approach. The increasing amount of research has however caused the issue of a variation in results presented by LCEA studies, in which apparently similar case studies exhibited different results. This paper aims to identify the main sources of variation in LCEA studies by critically analyzing 26 studies representing 86 cases in 12 countries. The findings indicate that the current trend of LCEA application in residential buildings suffers from significant inaccuracy accruing from incomplete definitions of the system boundary, in tandem with the lack of consensus on measurements of operational and embodied energies. The findings call for a comprehensive framework through which system boundary definition for calculations of embodied and operational energies can be standardized.

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