Employing energy efficient design

Energy efficient design optimizes energy consumption/benefit ratios. In the construction or retrofitting of energy efficient housing (and equipment), energy efficient design principles take account of human, environmental and economic factors, architecture and building elements, use of solar energy and other renewable energy applications, monitoring systems and computer software.

According the the Enquête-Kommission of the German Bundestag, it is technically possible to build houses which use 70-90% less energy for heating needs, to heat existing houses by using 70-80% less energy, to manufacture electrical appliances which use 30-60% less energy and to produce automobiles which use 50-60% less energy.

An 18-watt fluorescent bulb gives as much light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb but uses 75% less electricity. Some new refrigerators and air conditioners are 60% more efficient than earlier models.

1. Often law and habits inhibit implementing efficiency measure. It is common practice that an architect receives a percentage of the building material expenses as a fee. On this basis, an architect will be little interested in using less resources for the building and has no incentive to install systems which will save the owner money and energy during the life of the building. Similarly tenants would be reluctant to purchase expensive equipment which saves water over a long-term because they will not feel confident that the investment will have been paid back by the time they leave.

1. Integrating energy management
2. Increasing productivity of material resources
3. Increasing eco-efficiency in business
4. Designing sustainable urban settlements
5. Constructing sustainably
6. Conserving energy
7. Building for functionality
8. Advancing energy efficiency
9. Advancing building technology

1. Retrofitting energy efficient systems
2. Reducing heat loss in buildings
3. Insulating buildings
4. Designing more fuel efficient engines
5. Designing energy storage unit
6. Coordinating energy expenditure in transferring goods and services
7. Constructing low energy buildings

1. Reducing product weight
2. Reducing energy consumption
3. Recycling materials
4. Recycling industrial wastes
5. Increasing energy intensity

1. Researching energy efficiency
2. Networking on sustainable energy
3. Financing energy efficiency
4. Extending producer responsibility

1. Using energy

1. Designing for accessibility

1. Waste of electricity
2. Unsustainable energy consumption
3. Unexplored energy alternatives
4. Long-term shortage of mineral energy resources
5. Lack of conservation of energy by the private sector
6. Insufficient energy equipment
7. Insufficient diversification in energy research
8. Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide
9. Inadequate governmental energy conservation policies
10. Inadequate facilities for the transport of electrical energy
11. Energy leaks
12. Energy crisis

1. Overefficient
2. Inefficiency
3. Energy
4. Efficiency