Effects of energy performance certificates on investment: A quasi-natural experiment approach

Incomplete information may be one reason why some households do not invest in energy efficiency even though it would benefit them to do so. Energy performance certificates (EPCs) have been promoted to overcome such information shortages. In this paper, we investigate whether EPCs together with mandatory home energy audits make households more likely to invest in energy efficiency. Our study takes advantage of the mandatory nature of the EPCs to avoid the potential selection bias problem that typically applies to studies using voluntary energy audits as the treatment. Our treatment group consists of single-household houses in Sweden sold from 2008, i.e., when EPCs became legally required in connection with sales of residential buildings, to 2015; while the control group consists of houses sold between 2002 and 2008, i.e., without an EPC. The results show that there is no statistically significant treatment effect for most of the measures that a household can take to improve the energy performance of their house. The significant treatment effect that we do find concerns a few heating system-related measures.     

Success factors of energy performance contracting (EPC) for sustainable building energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) of hotel buildings in China

Hotel building is a type of high-energy-consuming building and most existing hotel buildings need energy efficiency improvement in China. Energy performance contracting (EPC) is considered a win−win mechanism to organize building energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) project. However, EPC mechanism has been introduced into China relatively recently and many EPCs have not been successful in building energy efficiency retrofit projects. This research aims to develop a set of critical success factors (CSFs) of EPC for sustainable energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) of hotel buildings in China. Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey with practitioners and other professionals were conducted. The findings reveal the relative importance of the 21 number of identified success factors. In order to explore the underlying relationship among the identified critical success factors (CSFs), factor analysis method was adopted for further investigation, which leads to grouping the 21 identified CSFs into six clusters. These are (1) project organization process, (2) EPC project financing for hotel retrofit, (3) knowledge and innovation of EPC, sustainable development (SD), and M&V, (4) implementation of sustainable development strategy, (5) contractual arrangement, and (6) external economic environment. Finally, several relevant policies were proposed to implement EPC successfully in sustainable BEER in hotel buildings.     

A snapshot of the European energy service market in 2010 and policy recommendations to foster a further market development

As of 2010, the energy service market in Europe is still far from utilising its full potential. Wide-scale peer-reviewed studies investigating the development and up-to-date status of the European ESCo market are scarce. This article presents a comprehensive insight of the European ESCo industry based on the results from a large-scale survey carried out 2009–2010 in 39 European countries. The observed market development during the period 2007–2010, trends in business practices, and factors influencing the ESCo industry evolution are described. Finally, having considered the remaining barriers and the supporting factors as well as the successful experiences in Europe, policy measures that could further promote ESCo activities are proposed.     

宝钢合同能源管理的应用潜力与实践

宝钢作为大型高耗能国有企业,肩负着节能减排的重任。自建厂30多年来,通过技改、科研、维修工程等多种渠道在节能减排方面取得了显著成效。合同能源管理这一新的节能机制,作为公司现有节能项目实施渠道的扩展,为节能减排工作注入新的活力与潜力。文章在概述宝钢合同能源管理工作基础上,重点对宝钢开展过程中遇到的问题进行分析总结,并对其它钢铁企业合同能源管理工作提出建议。     

The impact of EU policies on energy use in and the evolution of the UK built environment

Energy use in buildings is influenced by a variety of factors in complex ways. Historically, in the UK the efficiency of energy use in buildings has not been a major consideration in their design. Now policy concern with climate change is changing this, because buildings have come to be perceived as the locus of energy use with the highest cost-effective energy savings potential. In the UK, the energy efficiency of the building stock is rather low. The paper focuses largely on energy use in the UK's existing building stock and the two main European Union Directives which affect it: the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive and the Energy Services Directive. The Directives are complex, and there are a number of supporting programmes set up by the European Commission to aid their implementation. Even so, they have been implemented in differing ways in different European countries, and implementation remains patchy. The Directives have the potential to be a major influence on the evolution of the UK's built environment, but their effect will depend on the details of the Directives’ implementation and enforcement, many of which are not yet clear.     

Actual heating energy savings in thermally renovated Dutch dwellings

The register of the Dutch social housing stock was analysed, containing 300.000 dwellings, renovated between 2010 and 2013. The main objective was twofold: to evaluate the performance gap in these dwellings before and after the renovation and to establish what renovation measures achieve the highest reduction of consumption, particularly in practice (actual savings). The results showed large performance gaps in dwellings with low R and high U values, local heating systems, changes from a non-condensing into a condensing boiler and upgrades to a natural ventilation system. Regarding the actual effectiveness of renovation measures, replacement of old gas boilers with more efficient ones yields the highest energy reduction, followed by deep improvements of windows. Installing mechanical ventilation yields a small reduction compared to other measures, but still much larger than theoretically expected. The paper shows once more that the calculation method currently in use cannot be considered accurate if compared to actual consumption. The study demonstrated that unrealistic theoretical efficiencies of heating systems and insulation values are causing a part of the performance gap. Nowadays, large datasets of buildings thermal performance and actual consumption offer an opportunity to improve these misconceptions.     

Perspectives of energy efficient technologies penetration in the Greek domestic sector,through the analysis of Energy Performance Certificates

The building sector in Greece presents a huge energy saving potential, the largest part of which is remaining unexploited. The recently enacted legislation for the energy performance of buildings, in combination with the financial support provided by funding programmes to low income families is expected to significantly boost the deployment of energy efficient technologies in the Greek domestic sector. The exploitation of these legal and financial instruments follows a formalised process of energy audits, resulting in buildings classification and in the submission of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) including suggestions to improve the dwellings' energy performance. The paper aims at an ex-ante evaluation of the market trends revealed by EPCs in Greece, in order to identify the perspectives of individual technologies and to assess the degree to which the certification procedure helps in improving the energy performance of buildings. The results indicate a strong trend towards less cost-effective technologies, revealing a sub-optimal allocation of financial resources and putting into risk the path towards the achievement of EU targets for 2020.     

Energy saving instrument - ESCerts in India

There exists a large potential in India as far as achievement of energy efficiency is concerned and it is up to the Indian policy-makers, regulators and obligated entities to ensure that India realizes this potential to the fullest. A deep commitment towards this effect is not only beneficial for the country as a whole through reduction in its carbon foot print and reduced dependence on fuel imports but will also increase the competitive edge of our industries vis-à-vis other countries. One of the instruments for improving the overall energy efficiency that has emerged in recent times is energy saving certificates (ESCerts). The staying power of European examples in Italy, UK and France has demonstrated that ESCerts can help initiate more efficiency projects. This paper discusses ESCerts as an instrument for reducing the energy intensity of the high energy intensive Indian industries under the light of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 and Perform Achieve and Trade scheme (under NMEEE) and suggests a way forward for the ESCerts market in India.     

Policy analysis for energy efficiency in the built environment in Spain

Energy efficiency is considered one of the most cost effective ways to enhance security of energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to Europe's Energy Efficiency Plan, the biggest energy savings potential in the EU lies in the built environment. However, the many barriers to energy efficiency have prevented the implementation of the existing potential so far. This paper evaluates the existing policy instruments aimed at energy efficiency in buildings in Spain as laid down in the 2nd National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP). The results show that the current policy package is insufficient to yield the existing energy savings potential in this sector. As much of the savings potential can be found in existing buildings and realization of this potential very much relies on voluntary action, the renovation sector is in need of an appropriate financial framework that mobilizes sufficient public and private financial resources, and transparent and efficient mechanisms to ensure the return on investment and payments from those who benefit from the renovation. Such financial framework needs to be supported by a regulatory framework that is tuned to existing buildings and an organizational framework that effectively connects the different policy layers in Spain.     

A two-factor method for appraising building renovation and energy efficiency improvement projects

The renovation of residential buildings usually involves a variety of measures aiming at reducing energy and building maintenance bills, increasing safety and market value, and improving comfort and aesthetics. A significant number of project appraisal methods in current use—such as calculations of payback time, net present value, internal rate of return or cost of conserved energy (CCE)—only quantify energy efficiency gains. These approaches are relatively easy to use, but offer a distorted view of complex modernization projects. On the other hand, various methods using multiple criteria take a much wider perspective but are usually time-consuming, based on sometimes uncertain assumptions and require sophisticated tools. A ‘two-factor’ appraisal method offers a compromise between these two approaches. The main idea of the method is to separate investments into those related to energy efficiency improvements, and those related to building renovation. Costs and benefits of complex measures, which both influence energy consumption and improve building constructions, are separated by using a building rehabilitation coefficient. The CCE is used for the appraisal of energy efficiency investments, while investments in building renovation are appraised using standard tools for the assessment of investments in maintenance, repair and rehabilitation.     

On the use of an energy certification database to create indicators for energy planning purposes: Application in northern Italy

Energy certification of buildings, mandatory under the European Directive EPBD provides interesting data on the thermo-physical properties and geometry of existing buildings. Although the energy certificate is intended to provide the characteristics of individual buildings, so stimulating the real estate market toward ever better energy performance, data management of the certificates issued over time, using a national or regional energy cadastre, makes available a data base which is useful for energy planning in the building sector.This paper provides the needed results of a benchmarking study on data from the energy cadastre of the Lombardy Region, northern Italy. By integrating data from the energy cadastre (175.778 energy certificates) with the statistical data obtained from the national census, indicators were obtained on the energy performance of existing buildings.The energy indicators obtained, characterised by building type and construction period, normalised as a function of Degree-Days, become an effective tool for energy planning at local and regional scales. In the specific case, the energy indicators have been used to estimate the potential for energy retrofit of existing buildings in the Lombardy Region. The same indicators can also be used by municipalities for energy planning at the municipal or district level.     

The influence of the Energy Performance Certificate: The Dutch case

All European Union Member States require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when buildings are constructed, sold and rented. At its introduction the EPC was considered a pioneering instrument, one that would help overcome an information deficit hindering consumer interest in energy efficient dwellings. Now that the EPC has been implemented for several years it is possible to examine its impact. This research draws on data from ex-ante and ex-post assessments of the EPC in a number of countries and presents the results of a survey of Dutch private dwelling purchasers. This survey was based on two sample populations, one received an EPC during property transaction and another did not. Differences were sought between the two samples in a number of areas relating to the adoption of energy efficiency measures. Results show that many projections about the impact of the EPC have fallen short. The EPC was found to have a weak influence, especially pre-purchase. The potential of the EPC in driving energy efficiency improvement in the existing stock is doubted especially if it continues to act independent from a mix of instruments designed to tackle multiple barriers. It is argued that the energy saving potential of existing dwellings, applauded in climate change policy, will remain unexploited if it continues to be assessed subjectively by householders.     

Method for a component-based economic optimisation in design of whole building renovation versus demolishing and rebuilding

AimThis paper presents a two-fold evaluation method determining whether to renovate an existing building or to demolish it and thereafter erect a new building.ScopeThe method determines a combination of energy saving measures that have been optimised in regards to the future cost for energy. Subsequently, the method evaluates the cost of undertaking the retrofit measures as compared to the cost of demolishing the existing building and thereafter erecting a new one. Several economically beneficial combinations of energy saving measures can be determined. All of them are a trade-off between investing in retrofit measures and buying renewable energy. The overall cost of the renovation considers the market value of the property, the investment in the renovation, the operational and maintenance costs. A multi-family building is used as an example to clearly illustrate the application of the method from macroeconomic and private financial perspectives.ConclusionThe example shows that the investment cost and future market value of the building are the dominant factors in deciding whether to renovate an existing building or to demolish it and thereafter erect a new building. Additionally, it is concluded in the example that multi-family buildings erected in the period 1850–1930 should be renovated.     

Towards the EU emissions targets of 2050: optimal energy renovation measures of Finnish apartment buildings

Member countries of the European Union have released targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by the year 2050. Energy use in buildings is a major source of these emissions, which is why this study focused on the cost-optimal renovation of Finnish apartment buildings. Apartment buildings from four different construction years (pre-1976, 1976–2002, 2003–2009 and post-2010) were modelled, using three different heating systems: district heating, ground-source heat pump and exhaust air heat pump. Multi-objective optimisation was utilised to find the most cost-effective energy renovation measures. Most cost-effective renovation measures were ground-source heat pumps, demand-based ventilation and solar electricity. Additional thermal insulation of walls was usually too expensive. By performing only the cost-effective renovations, the emissions could be reduced by 80%, 82%, 69% and 68%, from the oldest to the newest buildings, respectively. This could be done with the initial investment cost of 296, 235, 115 and 104?€/m², respectively.     

Public energy performance policy and the effect on diffusion of solar thermal systems in buildings: A Dutch experience

Energy performance policy is an important element in the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Directive 2002/91/EC—in short: EPBD, published 4 January 2003), which the European Commission is now urging all European member states to introduce for the building sector by 2006. One of the expected benefits of energy performance policy is that it can help to introduce innovations such as solar thermal systems. However, few studies have analysed this so far. This paper describes the extent to which the penetration of solar thermal systems in the residential building sector is directly related to energy performance policy in the Netherlands. The concept of energy performance policy is explained and the effects of using energy performance policy for several years in the Netherlands are described, through the results of an empirical study. Statistical analysis appears to show no association between Dutch energy performance policy and the application of solar thermal systems in the domestic sector.     

建筑节能诊断技术研究文献综述

随着社会的高速发展和城市化进程的加快,中国建筑业进入快速发展时期。由此带来的建筑能耗也在不断增长,对全社会的节能减排带来了巨大影响。目前我国面临着能源紧缺、建筑能耗过高、新能源利用率低、建筑节能技术落后等问题,建筑的节能改造已经是迫在眉睫。分析国内外相关研究成果,了解建筑节能改造的技术和原理以及最新的研究状况,并针对新晋兴起的计算机技术与建筑节能改造的可结合性作了详细分析。针对我国的既有建筑的改造提出了一些有用并且可行的改造方式,希望能够为我国综合能源利用效率的普遍提升提供新的思路,为行业的发展创设条件。     

上海市合同能源管理项目实施信息化管理的经验与启示

节能服务公司和合同能源管理项目近年来在我国发展迅速,为促进合同能源管理机制的进一步完善,建立一个科学、适用的管理平台,实现合同能源项目的报备、国家相关优惠补助政策和合同能源管理知识的宣传等等,都是很必要的。上海市合同能源指导委员会办公室通过管理信息系统,配合政府主管部门开展节能管理和监察工作,有效地促进了合同能源管理项目的信息共享,优化了资金审批流程,并为合同能源管理统计和分析工作提供了便利。     

Energy certification of buildings: A comparative analysis of progress towards implementation in European countries

The Energy Performance Building Directive (Directive 2002/91/EC) introduced the compulsory energy certification of buildings in the EU from 2006 and it has played a key role in the common policy to monitor and reduce energy consumption. In order to assess the experience gained in this field in Europe overall, and in particular against the highly diverse settings of the different European nations, this paper examines the extent to which the Directive has been implemented by the 27 EU Member States. This is done via a comparative analysis assisted by two different indicators: of uniformity and of excellence. The measure of uniformity makes it possible to assess the degree of harmony of the individual Member States with regard to the parameters laid down by the European Commission, while the measure of excellence allows the Member States to be appraised and the “best” performers to be identified, i.e. the leaders as regards energy certification of buildings. The analysis conducted reveals how varied the situation regarding energy certification in each country is in terms of implementation and scope of application and it also reveals that most countries are still at a halfway stage towards achieving excellence.     

The economic impact of energy saving retrofits of residential and public buildings in Croatia

The purpose of this paper is to estimunate the impact of energy saving investment in residential and public buildings in Croatia for the period 2015–2020. The aim is to assess the overall socio-economic impact of energy saving renovation measures defined in Croatian strategic documents in terms of the direct, indirect and induced growth of gross value added, employment and government revenues. An estimate of the avoided costs of air pollution is also included. The overall economic impact assessment is based on an input-output methodology. From the point of view of individual investors, the benefits in terms of reduced future expenses related to energy products are usually below energy efficient renovation investment costs, making an investment financially viable only if government support is provided. If the benefits for society as a whole are included, energy efficient renovation could be assessed as viable even in the short-run. Energy saving retrofits of residential and public buildings positively contribute to economic growth, employment and protection of the environment. Because of economic growth, the tax revenues induced by these investments could compensate for government expenditures, and the overall impact on the public deficit is expected to be neutral even in the short-run.     

Energy savings from housing: Ineffective renovation subsidies vs efficient demolition and reconstruction incentives

Energy savings in the housing sector are key to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Policies to incentivize energy savings are however disparate between countries. Taking into account environmental aspects and consumer surplus, the paper uses a stylized economic model to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of three economic instruments: subsidies for renovation, subsidies for demolition and reconstruction projects and subsidies for building new houses on virgin land. The assessment also relates to differentiated value added taxes and other financial incentives such as green loans. In a counter-intuitive way, the model highlights that subsidies for renovations with minor energy gains worsen the overall energy consumption of housing due to the inducement of lock-ins with energy inefficient houses. Structural changes are needed in the use of policy instruments. First, commonly applied support schemes for renovations with minor energy savings should be abolished. Second, scarce public resources should incentivize deep renovation and demolition and reconstruction. Finally, taxes should apply on the use of virgin land to persuade households with a high willingness to pay for a new house, to invest in demolition and reconstruction.