Energy Efficiency
In a Nutshell
"Energy Efficiency is the Key" - Amory Lovins(RMI). In looking at the complex issues of air pollution, water pollution, climate change, and national security, Amory Lovins posited many years ago that the cheapest, most efficient, and least risky solution to those and other problems was Energy Efficiency. A major amount of energy is wasted by our society, and that can be addessed directly.
Investing in improved energy efficiency is a good way for local governments to save money.
Practical Solution
The “How To”
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Buildings constitute approximately 50% of all energy expended in the US. Homes by themselves are a major portion of that, and according to the US DOE, over 30% of all energy entering homes is wasted. Drafty buildings, poor heating and air conditioning systems, old wasteful hot water heaters, little or no insulation, and "phantom" or "vampire" energy are typical in almost all homes.
Most commercial spaces waste massive amounts of energy as well. Old lighting systems, poorly maintained mechanical systems, little or no insulation, and other big items rob the buildings of energy, money, and comfort and personal safety. The US Department of Energy has a number of good sites to visit and learn from. A major one is the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) website - www.eere.energy.gov/
Planning & Zoning
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Energy Efficiency is a matter that has been moving slowly from a codes standpoint, but now is gaining momentum. While Missouri is one of the few states that do not have a state building code, most communities have adopted the commercial and residential codes from the International Code Council, and specifically IECC 2009 or IECC 2012.
These have specific language concerning what is considered minimum for various climate zones. These include insulation levels, fenestration(windows and other glass), mechanical systems (HVAC and ventilation), ducting, air tightness, lighting, and other items. They are in general aimed at new construction, where the best combination of energy efficiency and cost can be achieved, but also address rehab work. When properly implemented by local code officials, these building codes can significantly contribute to the improvement of energy efficiency both in individual buildings and in the community.
Dollars & Cents
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See the Case Histories for several actual examples. In all cases, just trying to do something because you read it or saw it on TV is the wrong thing to do, and could easily not only cost too much but may be the wrong way to go. One good example is exterior windows. While we like the idea of replacing old leaky bad windows with new good ones, that is almost always the least valuable from a cost to value ratio, and in many cases is actually NOT justified. Old windows with good seals and tight fitting storm windows have close to the energy value of new windows at a fraction of the cost.
In both commercial and home spaces, the most cost effective item is usually a combination of insulation and building sealing. The return on investment for insulation is usually less than 2 years and many times less than one year. Where else do you find a legitimate investment with 50 to 100% ROI?
Many consulting firms will provide an audit to identify priorities for investment. The audit will usually provide an estimated payback time. Some companies will provide the necessary improvements, and guarantee results by enabling local governments to pay for the work through the savings in their energy bills.
Measuring Success
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Individual buildings can and should be audited, analyzed, improved, and tested to ensure that the recommendations were both installed properly and that they achieved the expected result, When executed over a community, major results can occur quickly.
According to the US Energy Information Agency (USEIA), there were NO fossil fuel additions to the national power grid in January of this year. 1.2GW of renewable energy was brought online, but much of that was replacement for old fossil plants.
Formal energy reduction programs can show significant results. New York City is the most energy efficient city in the US as a result of strong energy building codes.
Case Studies
Discover More
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There are many places to look for valuable information. As noted above, the US Department of Energy has many good sites, including EERE and the Energy Star website. Many excellent books also exist, and the Rocky Mountain Institute has a lot of good information and pointers to other sources of information.
Finally, get in contact with local green building organizations. Here in St Louis, they include the local chapter of the US Green Builders Council and the local chapter of the Passive House Alliance US - they can be reached via the national website - www.phaus.org.