Meeting the low-carbon challenge means spending as much time thinking about how we use less energy as we do about generating energy, according to the Carbon Trust.
The organisation argues the case for focusing on buildings, not just power plants and turbines, in its recent Viewpoint article, Building for the Future.
The article says: “Buildings represent a significant opportunity for carbon abatement in the UK – the energy we use in them is responsible for almost half of the country’s CO2 emissions.”
Non-domestic properties have an important role to play, given that they make up 18% of the UK’s CO2 emissions and use 300TWh of energy per year, which is equivalent to the primary energy supply of Switzerland.
The Carbon Trust says that savings can be realised economically, using options that exist today.
“Improvements are necessary in both the ‘kit’ in buildings and in how they are used. Not only will the properties themselves need to perform better, they also need to be used more efficiently – as the average Display Energy Certificate (DEC) rating needs to improve by about four grades, from an average of E in 2009 to A in 2050, if the UK is to meet its carbon targets – which will require significant behavioural changes.
“The most common areas of excessive energy consumption, where savings can be made, include heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation and office equipment. Cost-effective measures involve reducing ambient room temperatures, improving building controls and monitors, replacing boilers and air conditioners with more efficient units, and installing additional insulation.”
Read the full article here.
