Link to the compiled by the

Conference on
Energy Efficiency Reduces Energy Losses - the Passive House
Passive Houses Energy Demand Approaches Zero
Institute .

Energy efficiency does not require a compromise in

comfort - not at all. Using higher efficiency makes it
possible to increase comfort while reducing
energy consumption.

The passive house is a paradigm for this approach

in the building sector. And the same principles can
be utilised in other sectors as well: A car using just
1 or 2-Litre-gasoline per 100 km reduces
consumption by 75 % (without loss in rider comfort),
an LCD-monitor saves some 70 % of the electricity
demand of CRT-monitors (electronic ink will do
even better) and compact fluorescent bulbs save 75
to 80% of the electric power needed by
incandescent bulbs (LED is already even better).

Energy efficiency: Energy consumption is reduced

by more innovative and intelligent products and by
intelligent process integration.
In most cases this needs some additional
investment, but these are cost-effective as a rule.
The products needed can be produced near the
customer. This gives rise to employment and
innovation.

The Passive House is a perfect example for what

can be done with really energy efficient concepts:
The energy consumption of Passive Houses is just
some 10% compared to the average of the building
stock, but the comfort in the buildings is even better.

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 This has been proven by monitoring of Hundreds of
built Passive Houses.

Is efficiency just the same as the technical

"efficiency factor"? Not at all, efficiency is a far
wider concept - read more in the next chapter.

The figure illustrates the basic principles of increased energy efficiency. It shows why
energy efficiency can substitute energy:
The service needed here is to keep coffee hot. That can be done by consuming
energy (right hand, hot plate), or by not allowing for heat losses from the beginning
(left hand, thermos flask). A very small heat loss is still there, of course - but it is
negligible. Therefore the hot plate can be left out completely.

The state of the art in marketable products for energy efficiency is underestimated
regularly: A window used in passive houses saves some 70% of the heat loss of Author: Dr. Wolfgang Feist
existing double pane glazings; a good additional insulation of an exterior wall can
updated: 2010-01-17 WF - thanks to Peter Cox for proof reading the
save almost 90%, and an efficient heat recovery unit 75 to 90% of the ventilation
first edition © Passive House Institute; unchanged copy is
losses. Through such measures, the major part of the former energy consumption is permitted, please give reference to the page http://www.
no longer required. What small amount remains can be covered by several options. passivhaustagung.de/Passive_House_E/energyefficiency.html
Even if conventional energy sources will be used, the situation will be fairly improved,
because resources will last longer and environmental pollution is reduced.

Each year in another town: The International Passive House

Conference.

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 Another example: Old CRT-monitor (left hand side) and energy efficient monitor
(TFT); the electricity demand is reduced by 70% - while user comfort is increased.

The computer sector could do much more on an energy efficinet design of their
products. It is possible to have the full service of a PC incl. monitor and peripherials
using only 5 to10 Watts continuous power. This is shown by the project "One Laptop
Per Child".

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 It is often mistakenly thought that "efficiency" is the
synonomous with the efficiency factor. That is only
true, if both quantities on the right hand side of the
definition

efficiency = benefit / effort

have the dimension of "energy" or "power". But very

often the benefit has nothing to do with energy. For
example, the benefit can be a mileage (unit "miles").
The effort e.g. is the fuel needed (unit "gallons") and
the efficiency of this service will be given by

mileage / (fuel consumption)

with the unit "miles/gallon". In Europe the inverse

value

effort coefficient = 1/efficiency

is established: the specific fuel requirement in (liter

fuel)/(100 km). Such values characterising the
efficiency are not "efficiency factors" - they are
The figure illustrates that increased efficiency is more than just increasing the
values with a dimension. It is not possible to
efficiency factor. The efficiency factor of the compressor (right hand side) is
introduce an efficiency factor instead of these
increased. However - far more important is the increased efficiency by the better
quantities. Looking at most services produced by
insulation of the cabinet. That significantly changes the quotient
the use of energy you will find, that they do not have
the dimension of energy. And, there is no "minimum
(cooled space)/"cooling energy".
energy demanded" for those services on physical
reasons. The belief in the contrary is widely spread,
"Cooling energy" is not a physical quantity in a strict sense: it is thermal energy to be too - but not valid. The "minimum energy" in most
removed. cases is zero (or, in same cases, an extremely
small value near to zero).

That sound like an academic question? No, not at

all. This is a key insight.
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 Let us look at an example:
The efficiency factors of heating boilers can not be
increased to more than 100% (law of energy
conservation) and contemporary values already are
in the range of 90%. But: the efficiency of the total
service "heating" (to be measured by the area
heated with a given amount of fuel) can be
increased almost without any limit - by better
insulation and heat recovery. If you only look at the
efficiency factor, there will not be a noteworthy
potential for energy saving for heating. But if we
have a broader look at the service and realise, that
the so called "heating demand" can be reduced to
values near to zero (by insulation and heat
recovery), we will understand that there is a huge
potential for better efficiency. This has been
Another example: Efficiency in transportation. There are vehicles, consuming demonstrated by the multitude of Passive Houses
different amounts of fuel for the same service (carrying 1 person for a distance of 100 which have already been built and are occupied.
km):
But it is not only true for heating, it is quite similar
12 Ltrs/100 pers.km (an old car) with many other applications of energy: At the end
(in the US maybe even a new one, sorry fellows: of the supply chain, the final use is made out of the
you should really go do something to change that) energy supplied. At this end there are the major
7 Ltrs/100 pers.km (an average new car in Germany; not very good as well) potentials for an increased efficiency: And it is not a
3 Ltrs/100 pers.km (a quite efficient new car; really, one shouldn't build less few percents which can be saved; it is the major
efficient ones for everyday use) part - in most cases.
1 Liter/100 pers.km (prototype-VW-car or "hypercar" or "loremo")
0 Liter/100 pers.km (a vehicle moving frictionsless using a path on a Examples:
brachistochrone)
● Heat storage can have an increased
Path on a brachistochron? See the figure. That was already known by Galilei: It is the insulation; this will reduce the energy needed
fastest path from A to B without energy requirement in a homogeneous gravitational to hold the temperature level (the principle of
field. Want to know more about this? Download the article "Science, culture, the thermos-flask).
passive house". Not only brachistochron paths are explained there, but the meaning ● The same holds for heat distribution pipes
of "exergy" and "anergy" and why in daily life Galilei is still not established againts (especially domestic hot water and circulation
Aristotle completely. pipes).
● Heat can be recovered from hot waste water.
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 Conclusion: To guaranty the most services, one does not need any energy; or, ● Insulation, efficient against heat losses, is
at least, it will be sufficient to use an extremely small amount - if only losses efficient against "cold losses" as well (see the
are reduced consequently. example on left hand side).
● Even looking at industrial processes energy
Increased energy efficiency therefore can substitute energy, which is required can be used far more efficiently, e.g. by heat
up to now, almost completely. "Energy efficiency" is almost like a new energy regeneration. An example is a "counter
source - but only almost, because using energy efficiency is far better. Energy direction production line": finished baked
efficiency is clean, inexhaustible and free of costs during use. Energy goods (hot!) are transported on a production
efficiency can be made available everywhere. And: Energy efficiency can be line, while the cold, unbaked parts come
produced by ourselves in Europe (and at any other place, too), it is integrated along in counterflow at another line.
in smart products from the beginning - for the advantage of the users (lower ● Increased efficiency in the use of materials
running costs and increased comfort), for the advantage of the manufacturers and recycling of energy intensive materials
(higher quality and therefore higher added value), for the advantage of the will reduce the energy requirement, too.
national economy (employment) and for the advantage of the of the
environment (mitigation of global warming).

There are only winners - even the suppliers of conventional energy are
winners, looking at an adequate time horizon: E.g. the supply of oil will last for
more decades and with lower risks, if the efficiency of using energy is
increased.

A thorough analysis of all services produced with the input of energy reveals: From a
physical point of view energy is used predominantly to maintain an unstable situation.
But these can be regularly transformed by smart measures into near equilibrium
conditions. To realise this, only a very small amount of energy is required. Examples:

● Comfortable "heated" living space:

unstable situation: "higher indoor temperature" compared to "cold outdoor
environment".
Smart measure: reduction of heat losses.
Practise: Passive House.
● Comfortable "air conditioned" living space:
unstable situation: "cool indoor temperature / lower humidity" compared to "hot Author: Dr. Wolfgang Feist
environment / high humidity".
Smart measure: reduction of heat gains, heat recovery and humidity recovery. updated: 2010-01-17 WF - thanks to Dylan Lamar for proof reading
Practise: Passive House with a compact ventilation system. © Passive House Institute; unchanged copy is permitted, please
● Cooling chain: give reference to http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passive_House_E/
energyefficiency.html
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 unstable situation: "cool temperature in the cooling chamber" compared to the
"hot environment".
Smart measure: insulation.
Practise: vacuum insulated cooling chambers.
● Transportation:
unstable situation: "not frictionless movement".
Smart measure: reduction of friction; recovery of braking energy.
Practise: Hypercar.

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