Prediction of greenhouse gas reduction potential in Japanese residential sector by residential energy end-use model

A model is developed that simulates nationwide energy consumption of the residential sector by considering the diversity of household and building types. Since this model can simulate the energy consumption for each household and building category by dynamic energy use based on the schedule of the occupants’ activities and a heating and cooling load calculation model, various kinds of energy-saving policies can be evaluated with considerable accuracy. In addition, the average energy efficiency of major electric appliances used in the residential sector and the percentages of housing insulation levels of existing houses is predicted by the “stock transition model.” In this paper, energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in the Japanese residential sector until 2025 are predicted. For example, as a business – as-usual (BAU) case, CO₂ emissions will be reduced by 7% from the 1990 level. Also evaluated are mitigation measures such as the energy efficiency standard for home electric appliances, thermal insulation code, reduction of standby power, high-efficiency water heaters, energy-efficient behavior of occupants, and dissemination of photovoltaic panels.     

City-level energy and CO2 reduction effect by introducing new residential water heaters

Simulation models for a variety of new water heater systems were developed and the models were integrated into a city-level residential energy end-use model for Osaka City. Using the model, the potential of energy conservation and CO₂ emission-reduction by introducing new residential water heaters was evaluated at the city-level. Optimal water-heating systems for each household category for primary energy reduction, CO₂ emission-reduction, or cost reduction were identified by applying the end-use demand model. The effect of subsidies for installing more efficient systems and the influence of diffusion of these systems on electricity load curves were also discussed.     

Transient and persistent energy efficiency in the US residential sector: evidence from household-level data

In this paper, we measure the energy efficiency implicit in residential energy consumption using a panel dataset comprised of 40,246 observations from US households observed over 1997–2009. We fit a stochastic frontier model of the minimum input of energy needed to meet the level of energy services demanded by the household. This benchmarking exercise produces a transient and a persistent efficiency index for each household and each time period. We estimate that the US residential sector could save approximately 10% of its total energy consumption if it reduced persistent inefficiencies and 17% if it were possible to eliminate transient inefficiencies. These figures are in line with recent economy-wide assessments for the USA. Our results suggest that savings in energy use and associated emissions of greenhouse gases may benefit from both policy measures that attain short-run behavioral changes (e.g., nudges, social norms, display of real-time information about usage, and real-time pricing) as well measures aimed at the long run, such as energy-efficiency regulations, incentives on the purchase of high-efficiency equipment, and incentives towards a change of habits in the use of the equipment.     

Evaluation on energy and thermal performance for residential envelopes in hot summer and cold winter zone of China

As a result of rapid economic growth in the last several decades, energy issue is becoming more and more important in today’s world because of a possible energy shortage in the future; the usage of residential electricity has increased rapidly in China and building energy efficiency is included as one of the 10 key programs targeting energy efficiency improvement in the 11th Five-Year Plan. In response to the growing concerns about energy conservation in residential buildings and its implications for the environment, systematic evaluation on energy and thermal Performance for residential envelops (EETP) is put forward to assess the energy efficiency of envelop designs and to calculate the energy consumption of cooling and heating systems. Hot summer and cold winter zone of China was selected for EETP analysis because of its rigorous climatic and huge energy consumption. The correlations between EETPs and electricity consumptions in cooling season, heating season, and the whole year were built in Shanghai, Changsha, Shaoguan and Chengdu, which represent A, B, C and D subzone of hot summer and cold winter zone in China, respectively. Illustrations indicate that the algorithm is simple and effective, energy and thermal performance of residential envelopes can be evaluated easily. The maximum allowable values of EETPs were determined when just meeting the compulsory indices of Standard JGJ134-2001, the corresponding allowable EETPs were also gained when achieving different energy-saving degrees on basis of it. EETP method can suggest possible ways to improve the energy efficiency for envelope designs of new building and retrofits of existing buildings and provide governments some useful information for the establishment of new policy on energy efficiency buildings. It has important meanings to carry out sustainable residential building designs with high thermal comfort and low energy consumption.     

Lifestyle change and energy use in Japan: Household equipment and energy consumption

Energy use in the Japanese residential sector has more than doubled (on a per-household basis) during the post-war period. Important factors contributing to the increase include changes in the types of housing built, heating, cooling, water-heating equipment, and other appliances. In this paper, the developments of household equipment and living conditions in Japan are described, from their 1950s state to the present. Trends in energy consumption by fuel types and end uses are reviewed over the same period. The past trends are combined with expectations for future developments in household equipment and quality, as well as with international comparisons of household-energy use, to predict further increases in household-energy consumption. The results indicate the importance of a renewed emphasis on energy efficiency in the residential sector.     

Evaluating the effectiveness of urban energy conservation and GHG mitigation measures: The case of Xiamen city,China

To assess the effectiveness of urban energy conservation and GHG mitigation measures, a detailed Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) model is developed and applied to analyze the future trends of energy demand and GHG emissions in Xiamen city. Two scenarios have been designed to describe the future energy strategies in relation to the development of Xiamen city. The ‘Business as Usual’ scenario assumes that the government will do nothing to influence the long-term trends of urban energy demand. An ‘Integrated’ scenario, on the other hand, is generated to assess the cumulative impact of a series of available reduction measures: clean energy substitution, industrial energy conservation, combined heat and power generation, energy conservation in building, motor vehicle control, and new and renewable energy development and utilization. The reduction potentials in energy consumption and GHG emissions are estimated for a time span of 2007–2020 under these different scenarios. The calculation results in Xiamen show that the clean energy substitution measure is the most effective in terms of energy saving and GHG emissions mitigation, while the industrial sector has the largest abatement potential.     

严寒地区节能建筑采暖能耗实测结果分析

实测的节能建筑采暖能耗数据对建筑节能的研究是必不可少的。本文介绍了长春市某节能建筑住宅楼的建筑围护结构及其低温辐射电热膜供热系统,对该建筑采暖能耗进行了采暖期的逐日实测与计算分析,提出降低节能建筑采暖能耗的几点新思路与实际作法。     

实现“十一五”节能目标的建筑节能措施分析(2)

为促进我国经济社会的可持续发展,党中央、国务院提出了“十一五”期间单位GDP能耗下降20%左右的宏伟节能目标。但是,该目标如何分解到各部门、各行业,应该分别采取什么措施,目前正处于研究过程中。针对三大终端用能领域之一的建筑用能领域,本文从我国的建筑节能现状、建筑能耗的影响因素、“十一五”期间的建筑节能潜力及实现途径、面临的挑战以及“十一五”期间推动建筑节能工作应该采取的关键政策措施等方面进行了探讨分析。     

Effectiveness of an energy-consumption information system on energy savings in residential houses based on monitored data

Reducing energy demand in the residential sector is an important problem worldwide. This study focused on the awareness of residents to energy conservation and on the potential of reducing energy demand through energy-saving activities. To carry out quantitative analysis, an on-line interactive “energy consumption information system” for motivating energy-saving activities is constructed, and it was installed in nine residential houses. By utilizing data of measured power consumption, ambient and room temperatures before and after installation of the system, and the responses of the residents to the system, its effectiveness was evaluated. Major findings were as follows: (1) installation of the system led to a 9% reduction in power consumption, (2) comparisons of daily-load curves and load-duration curves for each appliance, before and after installation, revealed various energy-saving behaviors of the household members such as the reduction of standby power and better control of appliance operation, and (3) energy-conservation awareness affected not only the power consumption of the appliances explicitly shown on the display monitor, but also other household appliances.     

Factors influencing willingness-to-pay for the ENERGY STAR label

In the United States, nearly 17% of greenhouse gas emissions come from residential energy use. Increases in energy efficiency for the residential sector can generate significant energy savings and emissions reductions. Consumer labels, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR, promote conservation by providing consumers with information on energy usage for household appliances. This study examines how the ENERGY STAR label affects consumer preferences for refrigerators. The results of an online survey of a national sample of adults suggest that consumers are, on average, willing to pay an extra $249.82–$349.30 for a refrigerator that has been awarded the ENERGY STAR label. Furthermore, the results provide evidence that respondent willingness-to-pay was motivated by both private (energy cost savings) and public (environmental) benefits.     

实现“十一五”节能目标的建筑节能措施分析(1)

为促进我国经济社会的可持续发展,党中央、国务院提出了“十一五”期间单位GDP能耗下降20%左右的宏伟节能目标。但是,该目标如何分解到各部门、各行业,应该分别采取什么措施,目前正处于研究过程中。针对三大终端用能领域之一的建筑用能领域,本文从我国的建筑节能现状、建筑能耗的影响因素、“十一五”期间的建筑节能潜力及实现途径、面临的挑战以及“十一五”期间推动建筑节能工作应该采取的关键政策措施等方面进行了探讨分析。     

Representing in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior in Beijing

It is expected that in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior in a household might be correlated with each other, probably due to the existence of household budget constraints. Ownership and usage of energy-saving technologies for in-home appliances (or vehicles) might lead to the increase in out-of-home (or in-home) energy consumption. It is therefore necessary to jointly represent in-home and out-of-home energy consumption in the same modeling framework. With this consideration, we first build a new type of energy consumption model based on the Multiple Discrete–Continuous Extreme Value (MDCEV) modeling framework. Next, we conducted a questionnaire survey in Beijing in 2009 and successfully collected the information about households’ energy consumption, ownership/usage of in-home appliances and vehicles, and households’ and their members’ attributes from 1014 households. Throughout an empirical analysis, it is confirmed that the MDCEV model is effective to simultaneously describe the in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior. In addition, it is revealed that a set of household and personal attributes affect the ownership and usage of in-home appliances and vehicles. Furthermore, it is shown that the unobserved factors play a much more important role in explaining energy consumption behavior than the observed attributes of households and their members.     

A residential end-use energy consumption model for Canada

The residential sector is the third largest end-use energy consumer in Canada. With the increasing pressure on Canada to reduce its energy consumption and the associated carbon dioxide emissions, reducing energy consumption in the residential sector is very important. To quantitatively assess the impact of the large number of measures that can be adopted to reduce the residential energy consumption, a residential energy model for Canada (Canadian Residential Energy End-use Model—CREEM) was developed. This paper presents the model, the characteristics of the residential energy consumption in Canada, and impact of various energy consumption reduction scenarios. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deconstructing the Rosenfeld curve: Making sense of California's low electricity intensity

Regulatory regimes that have increased household energy efficiency are of widespread interest to policymakers today. A prominent example is the state of California where electricity intensities in the residential sector have stayed near constant since the 1970s in sharp contrast to nationwide trends in the United States. A structural model of residential energy consumption is used to show that the use of energy intensities alone to evaluate the success of California efficiency programs is misleading and glosses over important policy independent factors. We quantify important effects of price, climate conditions and demographic characteristics on energy consumption in California. We also provide evidence of split incentive considerations in residential energy consumption patterns. We conclude that while state policy may have had some effect on efficiency, caution needs to be exercised in using the California example to inform expectations from similar measures in other regions.     

Integrated evaluation of radiative heating systems for residential buildings

Based on the need to reduce CO₂ emissions and minimize energy dependency, the EU Member States have set ambitious energy policies goals and have developed respective, specific regulations, in order to improve the energy performance of the building sector. Thus, specific measures regarding the buildings’ envelope, the use of efficient HVAC technologies and the integration of renewable energy systems are being constantly studied and promoted. The effective combination of these three main aspects will consequently result in maximum energy efficiency. Germany has played a key role in this development, with intensive work focusing in the improvement of the energy behaviour of the residential building stock. In this paper, the use of radiative heating systems placing special emphasis on infrared is being studied as part of the energy renovation of residential buildings from the 1970’s. This is done by applying an integrated assessment model to evaluate specific interventions regarding the improvement of the energy behaviour of the buildings’ envelope and the use of radiative heating systems, based on a thorough Life Cycle Analysis according to criteria of energy, economic and environmental performance, as well as thermal comfort.     

Household energy consumption in the UK: A highly geographically and socio-economically disaggregated model

Devising policies for a low carbon society requires a careful understanding of energy consumption in different types of households. In this paper, we explore patterns of UK household energy use and associated carbon emissions at national level and also at high levels of socio-economic and geographical disaggregation. In particular, we examine specific neighbourhoods with contrasting levels of deprivation, and typical ‘types’ (segments) of UK households based on socio-economic characteristics. Results support the hypothesis that different segments have widely differing patterns of consumption. We show that household energy use and associated carbon emissions are both strongly, but not solely, related to income levels. Other factors, such as the type of dwelling, tenure, household composition and rural/urban location are also extremely important. The methodology described in this paper can be used in various ways to inform policy-making. For example, results can help in targeting energy efficiency measures; trends from time series results will form a useful basis for scenario building; and the methodology may be used to model expected outcomes of possible policy options, such as personal carbon trading or a progressive tax regime on household energy consumption.     

Residential past and future energy consumption: Potential savings and environmental impact

In order to identify main drivers behind changes in electricity and fuel consumptions in the household sector in Jordan, two empirical models are developed based on multivariate linear regression analysis. In addition, this paper analyzes and evaluates impacts of introducing some efficient measures, such as high efficiency lightings and solar water heating systems, in the housing stock, on the future fuel and electricity demands and associated reduction in GHG emissions. It was found that fuel unit price, income level, and population are the most important variables that affect demand on electrical power, while population is the most important variable in the case of fuel consumption. Obtained results proved that the multivariate linear regression models can be used adequately to simulate residential electricity and fuel consumptions with very high coefficient of determination. Without employing most effective energy conservation measures, electricity and fuel demands are expected to rise by approximately 100% and 23%, respectively within 10 years time. Consequently, associated GHG emissions resulting from activities within the residential sector are predicted to rise by 59% for the same period. However, if recommended energy management measures are implemented on a gradual basis, electricity and fuel consumptions as well as GHG emissions are forecasted to increase at a lower rate.     

Changes in energy requirements of the residential sector in India between 1993–94 and 2006–07

A substantial amount of primary and secondary energy is consumed by the residential sector. Residential energy consumption includes energy required for construction activity and household consumption. Hence there is a need to quantify energy consumption, its significance and causes. Calculating energy intensity of goods and services is the first step towards quantifying the causes. This research is based on the 115 sector classification input–output tables for India, for 1993–94, 1998–99 and 130 sector classification input–output tables for 2003–04 and 2006–07. Energy intensity of sectors related to household consumption has been calculated to analyze the trend between 1993–94 and 2006–07. Indirect energy requirements of Indian households have been assessed in this study from calculations of total primary energy intensity along with private final consumption expenditure. Results indicate that energy consumption has increased for all categories except “medical care and hygiene”. Percentage increase in indirect primary energy consumed by households is maximum for “house building” and “recreation” categories. Finally a complete decomposition analysis of indirect primary energy consumed by households has been carried out based on changing structural composition of the private final consumption expenditure, energy intensity patterns, per capita expenditures on energy and population.     

Energy efficient design of building: A review

Energy saving is a high-priority in developed countries. For this reason, energy-efficient measures are being increasingly implemented in all sectors. The residential sector is responsible for an important part of the energy consumption in the world. Most of this energy is used in heating, cooling, and artificial ventilation systems.With a view to developing energy-efficient structures, this article provides an overview of building design criteria that can reduce the energy demand for the heating and cooling of residential buildings. These criteria are based on the adoption of suitable parameters for building orientation, shape, envelope system, passive heating and cooling mechanisms, shading, and glazing. An analysis was made of previous studies that evaluated the influence of these parameters on the total energy demand and suggested the best design options. This study is useful for professionals who are responsible for decision-making during the design phase of energy-efficient residential buildings.