Buildings make a large contribution to the energy consumption of a country. It is estimated that, of the total energy generated in the industrialised world, 40% is used in the construction and operation of residential, public and commercial buildings. Approximately one third of primary energy worldwide is consumed in non-industrial buildings such as dwellings, offices, hospitals and schools; it is utilised for space heating and cooling, lighting and the operation of appliances. In the European Union (EU), energy consumption for buildings-related services accounts for between 33% and 40% of total energy consumption. Energy used for heating, lighting and powering of buildings accounts for around half of the UK’s total energy consumption. In an industrial economy, domestic water heating accounts for over 5% of total energy use, domestic space heating up to 20%, and appliances and lighting up to 30%. Total consumption of energy in the building sector is comparable to that used in the entire transport sector.
Shrinking reserves of natural gas and oil, insecurity of energy supply, and the fear that climate change is being caused by the burning of fossil fuels, are forcing governments around the world to consider ways in which the growth of building related energy use can be curtailed. For householders and businesses there are financial benefits, primarily smaller energy bills, associated with energy-efficient dwellings and workplaces.
The creation of an energy-efficient building starts with the design process itself. There are software packages on the market that not only assist in solving particular problems related to the building envelope, orientation, materials, and the design of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, etc., but also use artificial intelligence (AI) in helping the designer to reduce the energy consumption of a building.
Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal, can be used to reduce the carbon footprint of a building. Solar energy can be captured using hot water solar collectors, photovoltaic panels, or designing the building so that its structure acts as a solar collector. In some cases medium-scale wind turbines can be used to generate electricity for large buildings or groups of residential properties.
However perhaps the largest contribution that architects and builders can make to carbon emission reductions is to reduce a building’s energy demand by increasing the efficiency of heating and cooling systems, lighting systems and appliances, and ensuring the building itself does not ‘leak’ energy.
This report examines a range of technologies and building techniques that could revolutionise the building industry worldwide and provide both architects and builders with a competitive edge as governments put in place legislation to reduce carbon emissions and energy dependency.
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