Download or read book Real Prospects for Energy Efficiency in the United States written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-06-10 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: America's economy and lifestyles have been shaped by the low prices and availability of energy. In the last decade, however, the prices of oil, natural gas, and coal have increased dramatically, leaving consumers and the industrial and service sectors looking for ways to reduce energy use. To achieve greater energy efficiency, we need technology, more informed consumers and producers, and investments in more energy-efficient industrial processes, businesses, residences, and transportation. As part of the America's Energy Future project, Real Prospects for Energy Efficiency in the United States examines the potential for reducing energy demand through improving efficiency by using existing technologies, technologies developed but not yet utilized widely, and prospective technologies. The book evaluates technologies based on their estimated times to initial commercial deployment, and provides an analysis of costs, barriers, and research needs. This quantitative characterization of technologies will guide policy makers toward planning the future of energy use in America. This book will also have much to offer to industry leaders, investors, environmentalists, and others looking for a practical diagnosis of energy efficiency possibilities.
Download or read book Adaptive Thermal Comfort Principles and Practice written by Fergus Nicol and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fundamental function of buildings is to provide safe and healthy shelter. For the fortunate they also provide comfort and delight. In the twentieth century comfort became a 'product' produced by machines and run on cheap energy. In a world where fossil fuels are becoming ever scarcer and more expensive, and the climate more extreme, the challenge of designing comfortable buildings today requires a new approach. This timely book is the first in a trilogy from leaders in the field which will provide just that. It explains, in a clear and comprehensible manner, how we stay comfortable by using our bodies, minds, buildings and their systems to adapt to indoor and outdoor conditions which change with the weather and the climate. The book is in two sections. The first introduces the principles on which the theory of adaptive thermal comfort is based. The second explains how to use field studies to measure thermal comfort in practice and to analyze the data gathered. Architects have gradually passed responsibility for building performance to service engineers who are largely trained to see comfort as the ‘product’, designed using simplistic comfort models. The result has contributed to a shift to buildings that use ever more energy. A growing international consensus now calls for low-energy buildings. This means designers must first produce robust, passive structures that provide occupants with many opportunities to make changes to suit their environmental needs. Ventilation using free, natural energy should be preferred and mechanical conditioning only used when the climate demands it. This book outlines the theory of adaptive thermal comfort that is essential to understand and inform such building designs. This book should be required reading for all students, teachers and practitioners of architecture, building engineering and management – for all who have a role in producing, and occupying, twenty-first century adaptive, low-carbon, comfortable buildings.
Download or read book Distributed Energy Resources Management 2018 written by Pedro Faria and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2020-01-21 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Special Issue Distributed Energy Resources Management 2018 includes 13 papers, and is a continuation of the Special Issue Distributed Energy Resources Management. The success of the previous edition shows the unquestionable relevance of distributed energy resources in the operation of power and energy systems at both the distribution level and at the wider power system level. Improving the management of distributed energy resources makes it possible to accommodate the higher penetration of intermittent distributed generation and electric vehicle charging. Demand response programs, namely the ones with a distributed nature, allow the consumers to contribute to the increased system efficiency while receiving benefits. This book addresses the management of distributed energy resources, with a focus on methods and techniques to achieve an optimized operation, in order to aggregate the resources namely in the scope of virtual power players and other types of aggregators, and to remunerate them. The integration of distributed resources in electricity markets is also addressed as an enabler for their increased and efficient use.
Download or read book Sustainable Housing for Sustainable Cities written by Oleg Golubchikov and published by Un-Habitat. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Human Thermal Environments written by Ken Parsons and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2007-03-22 with total page 560 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our responses to our thermal environment have a considerable effect on our performance and behavior, not least in the realm of work. There has been considerable scientific investigation of these responses and formal methods have been developed for environmental evaluation and design. In recent years these have been developed to the extent that detailed national and international standards of practice have now become feasible. This new edition of Ken Parson's definitive text brings us back up to date. He covers hot, moderate and cold environments, and defines these in terms of six basic parameters: air temperature, radiate temperature, humidity, air velocity, clothing worn, and the person's activity. There is a focus on the principles and practice of human response, which incorporates psychology, physiology and environmental physics with applied ergonomics. Water requirements, computer modeling and computer-aided design are brought in, as are current standards. Special populations, such as the aged or disabled and specialist environments such as those found in vehicles are also considered. This book continues to be the standard text for the design of environments for humans to live and work safely, comfortably and effectively, and for the design of materials which help the same people cope with their environments.
Download or read book Housing and Welfare in Southern Europe written by Judith Allen and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The growing literature on comparative European housing policy has played a major part in developing our understanding of the way housing in provided in different countries, and in the way the interaction between the stat, market and civil society is conceptualized. However, much of this analysis is rooted without question in the welfare states of northern Europe – there has been almost no research published in English on the provision of housing in southern Europe. Such research as exists deals with specific feature of housing policy, invariably in a single country. There is probably a better understanding of the housing systems of the former communist countries than those of southern Europe.
Download or read book Energy and Climate in the Urban Built Environment written by M. Santamouris and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-06-17 with total page 627 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Both the number and percentage of people living in urban areas is growing rapidly. Up to half of the world's population is expected to be living in a city by the end of the century and there are over 170 cities in the world with populations over a million. Cities have a huge impact on the local climate and require vast quantities of energy to keep them functioning. The urban environment in turn has a big impact on the performance and needs of buildings. The size, scale and mechanism of these interactions is poorly understood and strategies to mitigate them are rarely implemented. This is the first comprehensive book to address these questions. It arises out of a programme of work (POLISTUDIES) carried out for the Save programme of the European Commission. Chapters describe not only the main problems encountered such as the heat island and canyon effects, but also a range of design solutions that can be adopted both to improve the energy performance and indoor air quality of individual buildings and to look at aspects of urban design that can reduce these climatic effects. The book concludes with some examples of innovative urban bioclimatic buildings. The project was co-ordinated by Professor Mat Santamouris from the University of Athens who is also the editor of the book. Other contributions are from the University of Thessaloniki, Greece, ENTPE, Lyons, France and the University of Stuttgart, Germany.
Download or read book Bioclimatic Architecture in Warm Climates written by Manuel Correia Guedes and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-04-30 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive, hands-on approach to bioclimatic building design in Africa. Bioclimatic design is at the core of urban sustainability, and is a critical issue in Africa, where “imported” building typologies are being used at an increasing pace, disregarding the local context and consequently causing damage to the environment, to the economy, and to the culture itself. This book provides a concise set of sustainable design guidelines to be applied in both new buildings and the refurbishment of old buildings, and integrates bioclimatic design strategies with other sustainability issues such as: cultural aspects, affordability, and urban planning. Chapters are fully illustrated with photographs and drawings and include best-practice examples and strategies making it accessible to engineers, architects, students and a broad range of professionals in the building industry. Encompasses all climatic regions in Africa; Integrates bioclimatic design strategies with other sustainability issues; Discusses new design to refurbishment, from urban to rural, including office buildings, residential, tourism, social housing and self building.
Download or read book Measured Home Performance written by Lew Harriman and published by . This book was released on 2011-11-01 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report to the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research Program (PIER) helps Home Performance Contractors train their crews to achieve superior results in home energy retrofits. The book was updated and expanded in December of 2012 to include the impressive measured results from 15 home energy retrofits in Redding, California that were accomplished using the principles and practices outlined in this report. Homeowners may also find this information useful, when they want to understand the techniques that regularly achieve utility bill savings of 40 to 70% on an annual basis. This approach-called Measured Home Performance-is different from other means of saving energy. Most importantly, all of the home's energy features are redesigned and improved at the same time, so the synergies take effect immediately. Next, measurements are taken all the way through the process, to ensure that both the redesign and the installation are excellent. Improved comfort and energy savings are assured by high-tech field measurements, taken by the craftspeople themselves rather than by 3rd-party auditors. This process provides real-time feedback to the real decision makers-the technicians who do the work. Measurements of critical parameters like duct air leakage, while-house air leakage, supply air flow at each grill, CO concentration & draft pressure of combustion appliances and superheat and subcooling of the AC equipment make the installation quality-good or poor-are instantly clear to the crews. They can fix any shortcomings on the spot, rather than waiting days or weeks for 3rd-party testing results. Craftspeople measuring key parameters as they work transforms the workplace. Measured quality not only ensures successful results for the homeowners, it self-trains crew members in the field, where they learn more quickly than in the classroom. At the end of every day, workers know when they have achieved excellent results-a powerful motivator that works to everybody's benefit.
Download or read book Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting written by Alper Erturk and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-04-04 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The transformation of vibrations into electric energy through the use of piezoelectric devices is an exciting and rapidly developing area of research with a widening range of applications constantly materialising. With Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting, world-leading researchers provide a timely and comprehensive coverage of the electromechanical modelling and applications of piezoelectric energy harvesters. They present principal modelling approaches, synthesizing fundamental material related to mechanical, aerospace, civil, electrical and materials engineering disciplines for vibration-based energy harvesting using piezoelectric transduction. Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting provides the first comprehensive treatment of distributed-parameter electromechanical modelling for piezoelectric energy harvesting with extensive case studies including experimental validations, and is the first book to address modelling of various forms of excitation in piezoelectric energy harvesting, ranging from airflow excitation to moving loads, thus ensuring its relevance to engineers in fields as disparate as aerospace engineering and civil engineering. Coverage includes: Analytical and approximate analytical distributed-parameter electromechanical models with illustrative theoretical case studies as well as extensive experimental validations Several problems of piezoelectric energy harvesting ranging from simple harmonic excitation to random vibrations Details of introducing and modelling piezoelectric coupling for various problems Modelling and exploiting nonlinear dynamics for performance enhancement, supported with experimental verifications Applications ranging from moving load excitation of slender bridges to airflow excitation of aeroelastic sections A review of standard nonlinear energy harvesting circuits with modelling aspects.
Download or read book Building Performance Simulation for Design and Operation written by Jan L.M. Hensen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-09-10 with total page 538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Effective building performance simulation can reduce the environmental impact of the built environment, improve indoor quality and productivity, and facilitate future innovation and technological progress in construction. It draws on many disciplines, including physics, mathematics, material science, biophysics and human behavioural, environmental and computational sciences. The discipline itself is continuously evolving and maturing, and improvements in model robustness and fidelity are constantly being made. This has sparked a new agenda focusing on the effectiveness of simulation in building life-cycle processes. Building Performance Simulation for Design and Operation begins with an introduction to the concepts of performance indicators and targets, followed by a discussion on the role of building simulation in performance-based building design and operation. This sets the ground for in-depth discussion of performance prediction for energy demand, indoor environmental quality (including thermal, visual, indoor air quality and moisture phenomena), HVAC and renewable system performance, urban level modelling, building operational optimization and automation. Produced in cooperation with the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA), and featuring contributions from fourteen internationally recognised experts in this field, this book provides a unique and comprehensive overview of building performance simulation for the complete building life-cycle from conception to demolition. It is primarily intended for advanced students in building services engineering, and in architectural, environmental or mechanical engineering; and will be useful for building and systems designers and operators.
Download or read book Energy Smart Housing Manual written by Sustainability Victoria and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Global Energy Assessment written by GEA Writing Team and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-08-27 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Global Energy Assessment (GEA) brings together over 300 international researchers to provide an independent, scientifically based, integrated and policy-relevant analysis of current and emerging energy issues and options. It has been peer-reviewed anonymously by an additional 200 international experts. The GEA assesses the major global challenges for sustainable development and their linkages to energy; the technologies and resources available for providing energy services; future energy systems that address the major challenges; and the policies and other measures that are needed to realize transformational change toward sustainable energy futures. The GEA goes beyond existing studies on energy issues by presenting a comprehensive and integrated analysis of energy challenges, opportunities and strategies, for developing, industrialized and emerging economies. This volume is an invaluable resource for energy specialists and technologists in all sectors (academia, industry and government) as well as policymakers, development economists and practitioners in international organizations and national governments.
Download or read book Energy Project Financing written by Albert Thumann and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This practical application reference provides a resource for those seeking to utilize the innovative methods now available to finance energy projects. The full scope of current project financing practices are fully examined and assessed, including coverage of energy service performance contracting, rate of return analysis, measurement and verification of energy savings, and more. Readers will receive the facts they need to assess a project's payback in advance, anticipate and avoid potential risks and/or hidden costs, and assure that your energy project is an overall economic success. Other topics covered include financing international projects and ESCO’s (Energy Service Company’s) financing.
Download or read book Sustainable Building Design for Tropical Climates written by Federico Butera and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book District Energy in Cities written by United Nations Publications and published by UN. This book was released on 2017-03-29 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report identifies modern district energy as the most effective approach for many cities to transition to sustainable heating and cooling, by improving energy efficiency and enabling higher shares of renewables. This publication is one of the first reports to provide concrete policy, finance and technology best-practice recommendations on addressing the heating and cooling sectors in cities through energy efficiency improvements and the integration of renewables, both of which are central to the energy transition. These recommendations have been developed in collaboration with 45 champion cities, all of which use district energy, with 11 of them using it to achieve 100 per cent renewables or carbon-neutral targets.
Download or read book Transition to Sustainable Buildings written by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and published by Organization for Economic Co-Operation & Developme. This book was released on 2013 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buildings are the largest energy consuming sector in the world, and account for over one-third of total final energy consumption and an equally important source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Achieving significant energy and emissions reduction in the buildings sector is a challenging but achievable policy goal. Transition to Sustainable Buildings presents detailed scenarios and strategies to 2050, and demonstrates how to reach deep energy and emissions reduction through a combination of best available technologies and intelligent public policy. This IEA study is an indispensible guide for decision makers, providing informative insights on: cost-effective options, key technologies and opportunities in the buildings sector; solutions for reducing electricity demand growth and flattening peak demand; effective energy efficiency policies and lessons learned from different countries; future trends and priorities for ASEAN, Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and the United States; implementing a systems approach using innovative products in a cost effective manner; and pursuing whole-building (e.g. zero energy buildings) and advanced-component policies to initiate a fundamental shift in the way energy is consumed.
