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Energy efficiency is considered critical towards sustainability for all businesses, given that traditional energy intensification is not only an expenditure but also a proportional source of carbon emissions. However, it is unclear how investors consider a firm's energy efficiency while deciding on its cost of debt. This study aims to analyse the relationship between firms' energy efficiency and the cost of debt using panel data regression with a fixed effect on 17,175 firm-year observations of 2284 companies. The endogeneity effects of variables have been controlled using instrumental variables. The study found evidence that energy efficiency leads to a reduction in the cost of debt. This study also analyses the impact of energy efficiency on investments made in research and development. The findings suggest that efficient energy firms are technologically advanced through higher investments in research and development, effectively improving the firm's values and helping to reduce their cost of debt. The results support that energy-efficient firms are technologically advanced and better positioned regarding firm value. Thus, they are regarded as secure funding with reduced costs of debts. This research demonstrates that lenders must be responsive to modern-day cultures' social concerns through better social engagements in the context of global warming and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential energy policies for individual dwellings predominantly provide minimum design standards for thermal performance and energy efficiency on a square metre basis. This paper quantifies predicted dwelling energy use on a national scale to enable evaluation of the effectiveness of this policy model. Utilizing Australia as a case study, analysis of 580,956 thermal energy design certificates for new detached dwellings verifies that, although minimum energy efficiency design standards were achieved, predicted energy use for thermal comfort increased by 10.4% per dwelling and 5.6% nationally in 2022 compared to 2018. The study examines the impact of both the number and floor area of new dwellings on dwelling energy use and highlights the disparate jurisdictional outcomes resulting from inconsistent implementation of national policy across multi-state governance. To deliver reductions in household energy use it is imperative that residential energy policies target household energy use, rather than only energy efficiency, of new dwellings, of which floor area is a key determinant. Furthermore, to achieve global climate change objectives, there is a need for complementary policy mechanisms that consider the collective energy use of the residential dwelling sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is reasonable to expect that the energy needs of the top emerging economies will increase over the coming decades as their economies expand rapidly. There may be environmental costs to using conventional energy from fossil fuels to meet increased energy demand. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the link between energy efficiency and energy transition along with additional control variables like research and development expenditures, trade, and gross domestic product for the top 10 emerging countries between 1990 and 2021. To study the case of these targeted economies, the authors use panel data and novel panel data econometrics techniques for a long-run relationship like the MMQR to observe changes over time between the variables, which is useful in the empirical evidence. The models' primary findings are as follows: The panel cointegration tests confirm log-run associations among the targeted variables. Energy efficiency has the largest influence on the energy transition. The control variables like RDR and TRA decrease renewable energy consumption in the targeted economies. The findings also support the notion that GDP drives renewable energy consumption in the leading emerging economies. Numerous important ecological sustainability-related plans are recommended to the concerned governments based on research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since energy efficiency provisions were introduced into the National Construction Code in 2003, there have been increased requirements for energy-efficient measures with each iteration of the code, particularly around insulation. This is based on the often-repeated objective of reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions in the light of climate change. However, there is limited evidence whether the code achieved its stated objectives and whether these will continue to be suited to a changing climate. In fact, there is evidence that the intended and achieved goals are substantially different. This paper is a critical essay, set in the context of the Australian Building Codes Board's scoping study into "Energy efficient measures for 2022 and beyond", and makes the case that current insulation requirements are already excessive against considerations that should be made, as a higher priority, for fire safety, thermal bridging, condensation, heat stress resilience and thermal comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the climate change background, green manufacturing is a critical path to realizing a low-carbon economy. The role of green products from manufacturing in economy-wide green transition has been discussed in the literature. In contrast, innovation in the industrial process, an important driver of climate change, has seldom been studied. This paper investigates the impact of green production process innovation on green manufacturing production using a fixed-effect SFA model. Furthermore, we discuss whether the impact of green production process innovation is conditioned on the economic development level, using a newly developed partial linear functional model. The results show that green production process innovation benefits green manufacturing, promoting sectoral carbon and energy efficiency. This paper further proposes policy implications, based on the findings that the green production process innovation's marginal effects vary with economic development level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the last four decades, energy demand has been reached to the utmost level, which also leads to emissions and causes environmental degradation, global warming and climate change all over the world. In this sense, policy makers have suggested various measures including renewable adoption and energy efficiency. Current study aims to investigate the influence of economic growth, energy consumption, renewable electricity output, and energy efficiency on the energy related emissions. A panel of 12 RCEP economies are examined covering the period 1990-2020. Since the data follows irregular path, therefore a novel method of moment panel quantile regression is employed along with the Granger causality test. The empirical results indicate that economic growth and energy consumption significantly enhances energy related emissions, where the magnitude and significance level is found strengthening from lower to upper quantiles (Q0.25, Q0.50, Q0.75 and Q0.90). Conversely, renewable electricity and energy efficiency are the significant tools for lowering energy related emissions in the region. Additionally, a unidirectional causality is found from energy consumption and renewable electricity output to energy related emissions. However, a feedback effect is validated between economic growth, energy efficiency, and energy related emissions. Based on the empirical findings, this study suggests enhancement of renewable electricity output and adoption of energy efficient technologies to reduce environmental degradation and emission level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy efficiency policies can help to reduce energy use and mitigate the effects of climate change. This paper examines the U.S. and Chinese economies by applying HEM to both. Key sectors absorbing more energy from other sectors by purchasing intermediate products from them and, simultaneously, transferring more energy by selling products to the rest of the sectors are identified. This provides insights for decision-making on appropriate energy efficiency policies. It appears that the U.S. economy should focus on the service sector, and the Chinese should focus on the industrial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of climate-change mitigation policy within the building sector is examined in terms of how fragmentation can limit the extent of mitigation actions that can be achieved in a timely manner. The policy and regulatory context for the building industry is examined in relation to the policy context for solutions and recommendations that will work for all parties. Based on this analysis, two substantive recommendations are made for improved policy design. Firstly, a decoupling of policy objectives and policy mechanisms is needed so that the policy-taking stakeholders (in design, development and construction) can reduce energy use in buildings more effectively. Secondly, policy-taking stakeholders need an explicit and diverse system in order to advocate for policy objectives. The major aspect of this work is the development of a new conceptual framework that ties together these recommendations into a continuous process of policy-making and policy-taking. This framework demonstrates an idealized system that operates simultaneously top down and bottom up, and the development of policy objectives is influenced by stakeholders of all kinds to further the goals of an energy-efficient, low-carbon built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to reduce operational energy use in non-domestic buildings and mitigate climate change, the UK government has introduced Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) legislation to motivate large organizations to implement energy-efficiency (EE) measures. However, evidence suggests that an organization’s behaviour with regard to EE measures does not follow rational cost minimization, demonstrating potential ESOS weakness. A case study is presented that assesses whether ESOS can lead to EE measures deployment despite different overarching agendas. A generic qualitative approach is used to assess the change within the organization; auto-ethnomethodology was used to assess the change within its facility management (FM). The results demonstrate that the energy audit delivered through an agenda of cost minimization was weak in creating organizational behaviour change. However, the ESOS audit along with the research process led to a mindset change of the FM, resetting an overarching agenda from cost minimization to co-evolution between a building and its occupants, further empowering the FM to facilitate behavioural change within the whole organization. These findings suggest that the success of EE policies can increase if policies shift from understanding end-users as passive to proactive and capable of shaping better outcomes for themselves and their organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the Tokyo Metropolitan Emissions Trading Scheme (Tokyo ETS), Japan’s first emissions trading scheme with mandatory cap initiated by the government of Tokyo. Unlike trading schemes in other countries, the Tokyo ETS covers indirect emissions from the commercial sector. It is well known that a variety of market barriers impede full realization of energy efficiency opportunities, especially in the commercial sector. Experiences with the Tokyo ETS should therefore provide important lessons for the design of climate change mitigation policies, especially when targeting the commercial sector. The emissions from covered entities have been drastically reduced from those at the scheme’s outset, with an average 14% reduction as of the end of the first commitment period of five years (2010-2014) compared with 2009 levels. This paper shows that the Tokyo ETS alone did not cause these reductions; there were other drivers. Among them, the energy savings triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 were crucial. The contribution of credit trading, in contrast, was limited since most of the covered entities reduced emissions by themselves. Through an investigation of official reports, an assessment of the emissions data from the covered entities compared to those of uncovered entities and in-depth interviews with firms covered by the scheme, this paper confirms that the main drivers of emissions reductions by covered entities were separate from the ETS. In fact, the advisory aspect of the scheme seems to be much more important in encouraging energy-saving actions. Key policy insights Most of the observed emission reductions were not caused by the Tokyo ETS alone. An advisory instrument was crucial to the effectiveness of the Tokyo ETS. The experience of the Tokyo ETS suggests that making full use of the advantages of emissions trading is difficult in the case of the commercial sector. Price signals have not provided a stimulus to climate change mitigation actions, which implies that establishing a cap to yield effective carbon prices poses a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refurbishment policies for the historic segment of the building stock must be carefully promoted in the process of addressing the transition to a low-emission society to avoid the loss of the values which make this heritage significant. This article presents and the results of a Norwegian life cycle assessment comparing the net climate benefits from the refurbishment of a residential building from the 1930s with the construction of a new building in accordance with modern building codes. The results show that a careful refurbishment of the historic building is favourable in a climate change mitigation perspective over a 60-year period of analysis. For the new building, it takes more than 50 years for the initial emissions from construction to be outweighed by the effects of lower in-use energy consumption. The results underline the significance of emissions from the use of materials in the refurbishment process and that residents play a critical part with respect to realising the expected energy savings. It is concluded that material use and user behaviour have a crucial impact on greenhouse gas emissions in a life cycle perspective and that the continued use of historic buildings should be advocated for in building codes and environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various macroeconomic models have been proposed to study the effects of climate policies. But from many corners now, it has been argued that these models are inadequate as tools for policy analysis. In particular, extreme impacts of climate change, inherent uncertainty, and discounting have been widely discussed as flaws of current models. Surprisingly, unrealistic assumptions about individual behaviour, which ignore well-documented behavioural ‘anomalies’ and social interactions, have attracted little attention so far in the economic analysis of climate change impacts and policies. This article begins to address this gap by providing an overview of formal macro-behavioural models, designed to incorporate a variety of realistic behaviours, such as present bias, habit formation, loss-aversion, and social status into economic theory. We show that ignoring behavioural anomalies may undermine the effectiveness of climate policies, which we illustrate with examples of optimal pollution tax and the social cost of carbon. In addition, we study the probability of the rebound effect in each behavioural model. The rebound effect describes a situation where improvements in energy efficiency render a reduction in energy consumption less than proportional. We show that status concerns make the economy more conducive to the rebound effect compared to a model with fully rational agents. Models of habit formation and loss aversion can have the opposite effect. POLICY RELEVANCE Current models to assess climate policies may deliver biased insights owing to the omission of essential aspects of bounded rationality. The discounted utility framework, which describes how consumers trade current versus future consumption, is typically used to evaluate climate policies. Climate change economists have largely ignored alternative behavioural models, which integrate into economic theory realistic behaviours, such as: present bias, habit formation, loss-aversion, and social status. This is surprising in the light of evidence that virtually every assumption underlying the discounted utility model has been tested and found to be an invalid description of how people actually behave. We show with examples how well-established anomalies can undermine the effectiveness of climate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about municipal planning for energy reduction and climate change in conservative areas of the United States, where opposition to environmentalism is often vocal and persistent. This paper analyzes the experience of 31 municipalities in the Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas implementing the federal energy efficiency and conservation block grant. A qualitative case study approach and extensive interviews with municipal staff yield a detailed description of the political discourse of energy issues and climate change planning. Many municipalities used the grant funds for necessary maintenance projects and had little impact on long-term energy independence or climate change leadership. A subset of municipalities expressed fear of citizen disapproval and some experienced significant opposition that changed or halted their efforts. Based on effective initiatives and common challenges, recommendations are made to foster energy and climate planning in conservative regions and improve implementation of national policies on the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The light bulb ban introduced by the EU is used as an example to illustrate how to assess the climate impact of a policy that overlaps with a cap-and-trade scheme. The European Commission estimates that by 2020 the reduction in GHG emissions induced by banning incandescent light bulbs will reach 15 million tons annually. The number is a conservative estimate for the reduction in emissions from lighting if the total residential stock of incandescent light bulbs in 2008 is replaced by more efficient lighting sources. However, it ignores that use-phase and some non-use-phase emissions are covered by the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This drastically reduces the amount of GHG emissions saved. Policy relevance Several policies such as the EU-wide ban on incandescent light bulbs, energy efficiency mandates and support mechanisms for renewable energy overlap with the EU ETS. While there are typically several justifications for these policies, a chief reason is the reduction of GHG emissions. However, given that the aggregate emissions of the industries covered are fixed by the EU ETS, the climate change mitigation aspect of these policies is not obvious. Using the light bulb ban as an example, this article illustrates how a focus on non-EU ETS emissions changes the assessment of an intervention in terms of GHG reductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods for the environmental assessment and certification of ‘green’ buildings are increasingly being adopted by local governments and other entities as a means of meeting environmental, and often energy-related, goals. Literature on building environmental assessment has examined how these tools are interpreted by stakeholders in design and construction, but less attention has been paid to their interpretation and usage as objects of policy – despite this being a channel through which they have a potentially huge impact. Based on a case study of the emergence of green building in Israel, and drawing on socio-technical literatures, this paper explores the meanings attributed to building environmental assessment in the policy context. It finds that these meanings include a platform for divergent environmental goals and a proxy measure for greenhouse gas abatement. The analysis suggests that for policy-makers, the significance of green building lies not in its constituting a set of environmental benchmarks but as a standard that gains currency as a black-boxed policy object. An open discussion is needed on the various logics driving the use of green building tools in public policy, and what they hope to achieve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the role of measures oriented to energy savings in residential buildings in the economic development at the regional level. The aim of the paper is to estimate overall socio-economic impact of energy saving renovation measures in the Croatian urban areas. Impact assessment is based on input–output methodology which is able to quantify direct and indirect effects of investment in the energy saving projects on the economic activity and employment. Gross output, gross value added and employment multipliers for building renovation projects are estimated to be in the range 2.5–2.9. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The research and evaluation needs to support radical decarbonisation in the built environment are examined for the UK. Since buildings account for approximately 40% of UK energy demand, energy use in buildings will need to be transformed if ambitious climate policy objectives are to be met. In the context of wider energy system change, the needs are for greater efficiency, greater use of electric technologies such as heat pumps as electricity become cleaner, and the use of renewable heat such as biomass. At the same time, the introduction of smart technology offers new opportunities to measure and evaluate changes in demand patterns and the impact of policy interventions. The paper notes that the technical and social dimensions of radical decarbonisation are intimately intertwined. Therefore, social and economic research has a vital role to play in supporting the design and implementation of effective policy, taking advantage of new data-collection opportunities. Drawing on lessons from other policy domains, the paper explores the role that rigorous policy evaluation techniques, little used in the energy domain, could play. It identifies a range of concerns, relating to the political sphere, policy delivery and consumer acceptance, that would need to be addressed. Il est procédé à l'examen pour le Royaume-Uni des besoins en matière de recherche et d'évaluation pour appuyer une décarbonisation radicale dans le cadre bâti. Etant donné que les bâtiments représentent 40 % environ de la demande énergétique britannique, la consommation d'énergie dans les bâtiments devra être transformée si l'on veut atteindre des objectifs ambitieux en matière de politique climatique. Dans le contexte d'une évolution plus large du système énergétique, les besoins portent sur une efficacité accrue, une plus grande utilisation de technologies électriques telles que les pompes à chaleur au fur et à mesure que l'électricité devient plus propre, et l'utilisation d'une source de chaleur renouvelable telle que la biomasse. Dans le même temps, l'introduction des technologies intelligentes offre de nouvelles possibilités de mesurer et d'évaluer les changements intervenant dans les schémas de la demande et l'impact des interventions de politique. L'article note que les aspects techniques et sociaux d'une décarbonisation radicale sont intimement liés. En conséquence, les travaux de recherche dans le domaine social et économique ont un rôle essentiel à jouer dans l'appui à apporter à la conception et à la mise en oeuvre d'une politique efficace, en tirant parti des nouvelles possibilités de collecte de données. Tirant les enseignements des autres domaines d'intervention politique, l'article examine le rôle que pourraient jouer les techniques rigoureuses d'évaluation des politiques, peu utilisées dans le domaine de l'énergie. Il identifie un éventail de préoccupations, en rapport avec la sphère politique, la mise en oeuvre des politiques et leur acceptation par les consommateurs, auxquelles il conviendrait d'apporter des réponses. Mots clés: bâtiments, changement climatique, efficacité énergétique, énergie, mesures politiques, chaleur renouvelable, recherche et évaluation, programme de recherche [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of the Florida Energy and Climate Change Action Plan on the state's economy are analysed. The plan contains 50 policy recommendations developed through a stakeholder-driven, consensus-based process. The analysis carefully links each greenhouse gas mitigation/sequestration option to the workings of the Florida economy with the use of the Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) Policy Insight model. The results indicate that most of the recommended options individually have positive impacts on the state's economy. When combined, the plan's recommendations would, on a net present value basis, increase the gross state product (GSP) by about $37.9 billion and increase employment by 148,000 full-time equivalent jobs by 2025. The Florida Renewable Portfolio Standard contributes the highest GSP gains, or nearly 50% of the total. The economic gains arise primarily from the ability of mitigation options to both lower the cost of production and increase consumer purchasing power. The results also stem from the stimulus of increased investment in plant and equipment. Sensitivity analyses of key assumptions and parameters indicate that the results are robust. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper addresses the influence of the climate change scenarios predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) for Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region on the energy efficiency of light-weight steel residential buildings. A performance-based approach is adopted to carry out this assessment using advanced dynamic simulation of the operational energy performance. Based on a typical Portuguese cold-formed steel residential building, a representative numerical model is calibrated against normative requirements for dynamic simulation of thermal behaviour and sophisticated computational fluid dynamics models. Considering climate change scenarios predicted by the IPCC, a parametric study is carried out to assess the influence of climate change on the energy efficiency of light-weight steel residential buildings representative of a warm temperate summer dry climatic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues raised by the papers in the Building Research & Information special issue titled 'Climate Change: National Building Stocks' (2007) include the need for an explicitly engineering vision of low-energy and low-carbon futures, the need to develop detailed, dynamic models of the interactions between building stocks and energy supply systems, the importance of data in supporting both the development and the implementation of roadmaps to low-carbon futures, the likely role of micro-generation in low-carbon futures, and the phenomenon of rebound and its implications for energy-efficiency technologies. There appears to be consensus on all but the last two. This paper proposes three alternatives to Saunders' formulation of the Khazzoom-Brookes postulate, based on the view that rebound is only likely to be a problem if energy-efficiency improvements are implemented in the absence of a carbon cap. The paper ends by reviewing the interactions between regulatory and economic environment, culture and technology, and their potential impacts on energy use and carbon emissions. Les questions soulevees par les articles du numero special de Building Research & Information intitule « Changement Climatique: le Parc Bati National » (2007) comprennent la necessite d'une vision permettant de concevoir explicitement un avenir a faible consommation d'energie et a faible emission de carbone, la necessite de developper des modeles dynamiques detailles des interactions entre le parc bati et les systemes d'approvisionnement en energie, l'importance de donnees permettant d'appuyer a la fois le developpement et la mise en œuvre de feuilles de route conduisant a un avenir a faible emission de carbone, le role probable de la micro-generation dans un avenir a faible emission de carbone, ainsi que le phenomene de rebond et ses implications pour les technologies a haut rendement energetique. Un consensus semble exister sur toutes ces questions, sauf les deux dernieres. Cet article propose trois alternatives a la formulation par Saunders du postulat de Khazzoom-Brookes, basees sur le point de vue selon lequel ce rebond n'est susceptible de poser probleme que si les ameliorations en matiere de rendement energetique sont mises en œuvre en l'absence d'un plafonnement du carbone. L'article se termine par l'examen des interactions entre l'environnement reglementaire et economique, la culture et la technologie, et leurs impacts potentiels sur l'utilisation d'energie et les emissions de carbone. Mots cles: parc bati, changement climatique, demolitions, consommation d'energie, rendement energetique, faible emission de carbone, mesures politiques, effet de rebond [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Building Research & Information special issue titled 'Climate Change: National Building Stocks' (2007) focused attention on the potential that the national building stock has in reducing CO2 emissions. However, can this potential be realized? To do so requires faith in energy models that suggest that demolition, new build, and the refurbishing of existing homes with insulation measures can deliver massive energy savings by 2050. But why, in the future, can there be increased efficiency and reduced consumption, when this has never occurred in the past? It is argued that the central weakness in the special issue papers is the neglect of the relationship between energy consumption and energy efficiency, and of the 'rebound effect'. The primary goal, should after all, be to reduce carbon emissions rather than energy use. Hence, emphasis should be placed on decarbonizing the centralized energy-supply systems. However, there will be a role here for micro-generation, building on the favourable image that energy efficiency has amongst the public. In 2050, we may be a low-carbon society, but I doubt we will be a low-energy one. Le numero special de Building Research & Information intitule « Changement Climatique: le Parc Bati National » (2007) a attire l'attention sur le potentiel de reduction des emissions de CO2 que possede le parc bati national. Cependant, ce potentiel peut-il etre realise? Pour y parvenir, il faut se fier a des modeles energetiques qui suggerent que les demolitions, les constructions neuves et une renovation des logements existants s'accompagnant de mesures d'isolation peuvent assurer des economies d'energie massives d'ici a 2050. Mais pourquoi y aurait-il a l'avenir un accroissement du rendement energetique et une reduction de la consommation, alors que cela ne s'est jamais produit par le passe? Il est argumente que le point faible central des articles de ce numero special reside dans le fait qu'il n'est tenu compte ni de la relation entre consommation d'energie et rendement energetique, ni de « l'effet de rebond». Le but premier devrait etre, apres tout, de reduire les emissions de carbone plutot que d'utiliser de l'energie. De sorte que l'accent devrait etre mis sur la decarbonisation des systemes centralises d'approvisionnement energetique. Neanmoins, il y aura la un role a jouer pour la micro-generation, en tirant parti de l'image favorable que possede le rendement energetique aupres du public. En 2050, nous serons peut-etre une societe a faible emission de carbone, mais je doute que nous devenions une societe a faible consommation d'energie. Mots cles: parc bati, changement climatique, demolitions, consommation d'energie, rendement energetique, faible emission de carbone, mesures politiques, effet de rebond [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent growth in European use of mobile air-conditioning (MAC) in transport is examined with reference to the experience of the longer-established trend in the buildings sector and to experience in the US. Air-conditioning is identified as significantly undermining improvements in energy efficiency, whilst the penetration of MAC is observed as having been particularly rapid and deep compared with static air-conditioning (SAC). A conceptual framework for the adoption of MAC is then proposed, which draws on sociological and psychological concepts as well as technical considerations in characterizing the processes influencing the adoption and use of MAC. The availability of empirical evidence to validate this model is then considered, with the finding that significant gaps in knowledge exist about why MAC is adopted, who benefits from its adoption, how the systems are used in practice, and the extent of satisfaction of travellers with the comfort of the environments of 'mobile buildings'. Although social norms and behaviour with respect to MAC are flexible, and hence subject to influence by climate change policy, significant further research is required to inform the specification of that policy. L'auteur examine l'augmentation de l'utilisation des climatiseurs mobiles recemment observee en Europe par rapport a la tendance etablie de plus longue date dans le secteur de la construction et aux Etats-Unis. On estime que la climatisation sape gravement les ameliorations apportees a l'efficacite energetique alors que la penetration des climatiseurs mobiles a ete particulierement rapide et intense par rapport aux climatiseurs statiques. L'auteur propose ensuite un cadre conceptuel pour l'adoption des climatiseurs mobiles qui s'appuie sur des concepts sociologiques et psychologiques ainsi que sur des considerations techniques en caracterisant les processus qui ont une influence sur l'adoption et l'utilisation des climatiseurs mobiles. Puis, il analyse la disponibilite de preuves empiriques pour valider ce modele; il en ressort qu'il existe des lacunes significatives dans les connaissances pour expliquer pourquoi la climatisation mobile est adoptee, qui beneficie de son adoption, comment les systemes sont utilises dans la pratique et quelle est l'importance de la satisfaction des utilisateurs mobiles en termes de confort interieur des constructions mobiles. Bien que le comportement et les normes sociales par rapport a la climatisation mobile soient flexibles et donc sujets a l'influence de la politique du changement climatique, il faut mener d'autres recherches approfondies pour que les specifications tiennent compte de cette politique. climatisation, changement climatique, confort, comportement du consommateur, efficacite energetique, climatisation mobile, transport, comportement de l'utilisateur [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvement of the energy efficiency of waste to energy (WtE) plants demands closer attention to detail in order plant integrity is not compromised. Availability for operation of WtE plants of >90% is a basic requirement to ensure the continuous supply of waste can be managed without the need for excessive storage or unnecessary transport. The drive to increase energy efficiency comes from the need of plant operators to maximise economic income, but also from European targets to meet the challenges of climate change and security of energy supply. Energy efficiency in WtE plants is reviewed based on experiences in Europe. While in the 1990s the emphasis for WtE operators was reducing emissions, more recently major efforts have been made to increase the export of energy. In the main, this has been approached by increasing steam temperature. However, the subsequent rate of corrosion can be catastrophically high and there is thus a need to improve corrosion resistance of heat exchange components to achieve acceptable service lifetimes. Trials have been conducted using more corrosion resistant boiler steels, but the preference is now for use of corrosion resistant coatings and claddings (e.g. alloy 625) to ensure plant reliability. Spray coating and weld cladding techniques are described. Other energy efficiency improvement methods described include online boiler cleaning, inhibiting fouling, achieving complete combustion and optimising flue gas cleaning (to reduce plant internal energy consumption). From what was until recently considered a good net efficiency of electricity production of 18%, measures being taken aim to achieve 30% in the most optimistic case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Building Research & Information is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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China is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world, with potentially about two thirds of total Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) for Asia on the world carbon market (Gruetter, 2002). Since 68% of its primary energy is from coal, China's average energy intensity is 7.5 times higher than the EU and 4.3 times higher than the US (EU, 2003). Therefore, introducing advanced clean technologies and management to China represents opportunities for Annex I countries to obtain low-cost CERs through CDM projects, and access to one of the largest potential energy conservation markets in the world. CDM can provide a win-win solution for both China and Annex I countries, and the Chinese government considers that the introduction of CDM projects can bring advanced energy technologies and foreign investment to China, thereby helping China's sustainable economy and generating CERs. As energy efficiency is generally low and carbon intensity is high in both China's energy supply and demand sectors, numerous options exist for cost-effective energy conservation and GHG mitigation with CDM. This paper reviews current Chinese policies and administrative and institutional settings for CDM cooperation, and discusses existing policy, institutional and other barriers in the energy market by drawing on observations and experience from previous initiatives such as Cleaner Production and energy efficiency. Some options to remove these barriers are addressed. In order to make CDM projects feasible, China's government needs to promote awareness, streamline administrative systems, and be more active in building a competitive edge in the world carbon market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of growth in UK commercial energy consumption since the early 1970s has been approximately three times greater than in the domestic sector. Consumption is projected to continue growing faster than in all other sectors except transport. Increasing floor space has been accompanied by rising energy intensity in many commercial buildings. In the office sector, demand for air conditioning has grown rapidly, and this is associated with a dramatic increase in CO[sub 2] emissions. Significant cost-effective CO[sub 2] savings have been identified in the sector, using readily available technologies. The Climate Change Levy, and questions of comfort, health and productivity among workers, are pushing energy issues up the agenda for many businesses. However positive action is impeded by barriers in the commercial property sector, such as conflicts of interest between landlords and tenants, poor information and professional conservatism. These barriers act to limit energy efficiency investment, to the detriment of building occupants and wider society for generations to come. These problems will limit the efficacy of existing initiatives that aim to curb commercial sector energy use. The Association for the Conservation of Energy considers that new legislation is needed. This would require freeholders to improve the energy efficiency of their new and existing buildings, in consultation with occupiers and/or unions. Further research is needed on options for sharing the costs and benefits with occupiers and/or energy service companies. Depuis le début des années 1970, le taux de croissance de la consommation énergétique commerciale au Royaume-Uni a étéprès de trois fois supérieure àcelui de la consommation du secteur domestique. Il devrait continuer à crôitre plus vite que dans tous les autres secteurs, à l'exception des transports. L'augmentation de la surface utile par personne s'est accompagnée d'un accroissement de l'intensité énergétique dans de nombreux bâtiments commerciaux. Dans le secteur des immeubles de bureaux, la demande en climatisation s'est accélérée et s'est donc traduite par une augmentation spectaculaire des émissions de CO[sub 2]. Les technologies existantes permettent de lutter avec efficacité et à moindre coût contre ces émissions. Le problème des changements climatiques, ainsi que les questions de confort, d'hygiène et de productivité chez les travailleurs, mettent en avant les questions d'énergie dans de nombreuses entreprises. Or, des actions positives sont confrontées à des obstacles dans le secteur de la propriété commerciale; c'est le cas des conflits d'intérêts entre propriétaires et locataires, de la médiocrité de l'information et du conservatisme professionnel. Ces obstacles gênent les investissements axés sur une amélioration du rendement énergétique, au détriment des occupants des bâtiments et d'une plus grande sociétépour les générations àvenir. Ils iront àl'encontre des initiatives existantes dont l'objectif est de freiner la consommation de l'énergie dans le secteur commercial. L'Association pour la Conservation de l'Énergie estime que cette nouvelle législation est nécessaire. Il faudrait pour cela que les propriétaires fonciers améliorent l'efficacité énergétique de leurs bâtiments, anciens et nouveaux, en concertation avec les occupants et/ou leurs syndicats. Il faut conduire d'autres recherches sur les options concernant le partage des coûts et des bénéfices avec les occupants et (ou) avec les entreprises de services énergétiques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]