MSC SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

Course: Ecological Building Design and Materials (3673) Semester: Spring, 2020

ASSIGNMENT – 1
STUDENT NAME: ADEEL HAIDER RAZI
ROLL NO: CA565459
Q.1 Define the factors which contribute towards designing a low energy house. Discuss
the importance of house site selection with reference to developing a low energy house in
your city / context.

1. Introduction
Most people view low-energy houses as good things yet differ greatly in their definitions of
what exactly a low energy house is. Traditionally, a low-energy house implied a home with
low space heating. However, as building practices have improved, space heating energy use
has dropped—sometimes to as low as the third largest end use—in new homes located in cold
climates. At the same time, energy use for cooling has increased as more homes have become
air conditioned and more homes are built in the warmer climates. Clearly, equating low-energy
with low-space heating will not apply to a home in Miami or San Diego just as equating low-
energy with low-cooling will not apply in Manitoba. Other end uses, such as water heating, can
be the largest regardless of the climate.
The absence of a consistent definition of “low energy” is an important issue because policies,
at many different levels, have been created to encourage construction of low-energy houses.
Some of these policies include:
• Building energy efficiency standards
• Appliance efficiency standards
• Home energy rating systems
• Utility DSM programs
• Single-technology tax credits, subsidies, or incentives
• Utility bill leveling options
• Rate structures that increase above a baseline usage
Without a consistent understanding of what a low-energy house is the combination of these
policies may be unsuccessful or, worse, even counter-productive.
Why Low Energy?
A surprisingly large number of actors are involved in increasing residential energy efficiency.
Most (but by no means all) have similar objectives, but they differ on the methods to achieve
them or the constraints put upon their methods. For example, the objective of building
standards is to create a low-energy house through prescriptive insulation levels, because this is
often the only energy aspect addressed by them. Similarly, the federal appliance standards seek
to improve the air conditioner’s efficiency but not the level of insulation or the thermostat.
Thus, from their perspective, the low-energy house is one with high-efficiency appliances. A
home energy rating system focuses on the low-energy features that can be easily recognized by
even a poorly trained auditor. Thus, some energy-rated low-energy houses are those containing
items that fit on a checklist. But home energy rating systems are evolving and the National
Energy Policy Act of 1992 requirements for them apparently would not allow a checklist
system.
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Factors Affecting Design of Low Energy House

When planning the design process, it is important that it supports the entire design team and
that it provides an overview and clarity about which problems should be treated in which order.
The three basic elements in this process is:
• Programming
• The passive qualities of the building
• The active qualities of the building
The focus areas concerning environmental sustainability are all about
• Creating high thermal comfort (experienced temperature, heating and cooling) visual
comfort (light and shading)
• High air quality (fresh air, removal of pollution, surplus heat etc.)
• Architectural quality.
All these circumstances are affected by the passive qualities of the building, which deals with
qualities regarding geometry, design and choice of materials and affect the light, temperature
and air in the building.
The active qualities deal with the technical installations (lighting, heating, ventilation and
cooling) which supplement the passive qualities of the building in order to create a comfortable
indoor climate.
Factors for Design
Important factors to keep in mind during the design of low energy buildings are following:
• Day Light
• Fire
• Cooling
• Ventilation
• Thermal indoor climate
• Air quality

Figure 1: Low Energy Building Design Concept

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Figure 2: Low Energy Basic Design Concept

ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGS IN PAKISTAN

Energy usage and demand is increasing globally at a high rate with the rapidly growing urban
population, use of latest devices and technologies and expansion of users’ net. Several countries
around the globe are facing problems of energy shortage and increasing energy demand.
Pakistan is also facing a serious energy crisis since last many years, where initially there was
high rate of energy shortage; and now there are problems of energy supply and distribution and
line losses. The country’s population is growing at a rate of 2% per annum while the urban
population is growing at 3% per annum which is highest in South Asia. United Nations
Population Division estimated that by 2025, nearly half of the country’s population will live in
urban areas.
In Pakistan, household sector became a major consumer of electricity by consuming 51% of
the total national consumption between July’17 - Feb’18. In such a situation where there is
energy shortage, problems of supply and demand, and household sector consumes the major
part of the total electricity produced, there is a strong need to reduce the residential energy
consumption by introducing energy conservation techniques and practices. Even there is
awareness regarding energy consumption and climatic design yet a critical evaluation of the
building stock in Pakistan would reveal that most of the current buildings are not designed by
considering the climate conditions. The use of concrete and glass is common, and buildings do
not provide required thermal comfort. Use of conditioning equipment is common feature in
many of the buildings. It was found in recent studies that most of the houses in Quetta, Pakistan
were constructed of concrete structure and single glazed glass was mainly used for glazing of
windows and ventilators.
Key issues regarding housing, comfort and energy
Considering the existing policies, plans and the institutional framework regarding housing and
energy conservation sector, key problem of housing shortage in Pakistan is highlighted in this
section. Moreover, significance of comfort, energy efficiency and conservation, and renewable
energy is discussed. Other related issues which had impact on the overall situation are also
mentioned in this section.

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• Housing shortage
Housing has great economic and social impact on human lives. It effects our lifestyle, health,
environment, education and social life. A faulty and defective house does not fulfil the demands
and needs of the residents while a good house creates good living and working environment
for the residents. Housing became a rapid growing industry due to technological advancement,
increasing population and professional and skilled labour. Yet, housing sector is facing several
challenges and problems including housing shortage, poor planning and design, improper
services and facilities, unaffordability, housing finance, etc. Several countries including
Pakistan are facing the problem of housing shortage which is increasing with the over growing
population of the country. The estimated housing shortage in Pakistan is up to 10 million units
about 40 percent of which is in urban areas. As per 1998 census the housing shortage was 4.3
million units, annual additional requirement was 0.57 million unit while the annual estimated
production was 0.3 million units which was creating a recurring annual backlog of 0.27 million
housing units. In another study it was mentioned that annual housing demand in Pakistan was
0.6 million units while only 0.37 million units were being built annually and mostly in urban
areas. 6th Population and Housing Census was conducted in 2017, however, the housing
indicators and complete results of the census are not yet available.
• Thermal comfort
The indoor climate effects the human life, well-being and physical health. During the
evaluation of indoor environments, human health and comfort are perceived as the most
important parameters. A building must provide comfortable indoor environment and must be
energy efficient. Occupants take alternative measures in uncomfortable situation to get comfort
which involves active systems. Use of those active system increases the energy cost and
household expenses. The indoor design temperatures mentioned in Building Energy Code of
Pakistan (BECP) are 21 ̊C in summer and 26 ̊C in winter, irrespective of the location of the
building across the country. In Building Code of Pakistan (Energy Provisions-2011) these
limits are not less than 25 ̊C in summer and not more than 22 ̊C in winter for a building with
HVAC system. Achieving optimal thermal comfort is a big challenge as it depends on several
factors including air temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, air velocity, metabolic rate,
clothing and the psychology and the condition of an individual. Thermal comfort studies in
Pakistan are not very common and were mostly conducted on a small scale or in limited cities.
However, in most of the studies it was found that a huge number of the residential buildings in
Pakistan do not provided required comfort temperatures to the residents. Using active systems
to achieve comfort is very common and people prefer to live in controlled or conditioned
spaces.
• Energy efficiency and conservation
ENERCON identified several potential areas for energy efficiency and conservation in
buildings. The most important is building envelope, with 40 percent energy conservation
potential. In his regard the building envelope consist building type, location, geometry, roofs,
walls and windows.
The HVAC systems in the housing consumes more energy specially in the extreme weather,
and then the lighting, refrigeration and water heating. The amount of energy used for laundry,
cooking or running several electronic items is comparatively low. Energy consumption of a
building not only depends on its design, geometry, materials and specification but also depends
on climate, location as well as the behavior and lifestyle of the users. For example, buildings
located in the Southern Pakistan, such as Multan, Sukkur and Benazirabad might need more
cooling whereas buildings located in Northern Pakistan might need more heating. However,
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there are cities where both heating and cooling is required due to the high seasonal variations
and extreme temperatures such as in Quetta, Baluchistan.
• Renewable Energy
The use of renewable energy in Pakistan is very low compared to the existing potential for the
renewable energy in Pakistan. The total energy produced on renewables sources during Jul’17
- Feb’18 was only 2 percent while it was zero percent during the same period in 2012 - 13. In
last five years, eighteen wind power projects which the overall capacity of 937.27 MW became
operational and started supplying electricity to national grid, whereas six solar power projects
of 418 MW capacity also became operational. Six sugar mills installed biogas power generation
projects having the cumulative capacity of 201.1 MW which are operational. The Alternative
Energy Development Board (AEDB), Energy Ministries at national and provincial level and
private sector organizations started projects in rural areas of Sindh, Baluchistan and in some
other areas of country, providing solar PV to fulfill the energy demands of rural houses. In
many areas, tube wells used for irrigation are converted on solar system and several water
filtration plants are also being operated on solar energy.
Conclusion
Pakistan produces a major part of its energy from fossil fuels which are imported from other
countries. With energy efficiency and conservation, a good sum of energy can be saved which
will bring long term economic and environmental benefits. Since the independence of Pakistan,
the country went through several changes. Many elected governments failed to complete their
period and the nation witnessed long rule of dictators. Political instability created several
problems and discontinuity of the policies. Bad governance, corruption and mismanagement
made the situation worst in many sectors and profitable government entities went under the
debt or crippled. Elected governments also discontinued projects and plans of their
predecessors which resulted the wastage of a huge amount of public money without transferring
results or benefits to the public

Reference:
1. https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/1994/data/papers/SS94_Panel9_Paper24.pdf
2. http://www.integrateddesign.eu/downloads/Some_principles_revised_NormalQuality.pdf
3. 2018 Building energy efficiency policies and practices in Pakistan A literature review_v2

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Q.2 What are the main principles of design and building development? Which
materials and construction techniques / process would you recommend with reference to
your context for building an energy efficient house?

1. Introduction
general design principles that should be considered in the design of all development. Certain
guidelines may only apply to non-residential projects depending on whether a proposed project
includes specific features.
2. Site Design Principles
A. Fit the site. Each development project should be designed to respect site character and
constraints, and minimize changes to natural conditions, rather than altering a site to
accommodate a stock building plan.
B. Think about function. A site’s various activities and elements should be logically located
so the project operates efficiently and considers the needs of pedestrians and other users.
C. Provide a pleasing transition. Attention should be given to the transition between the street
and the project through definition of the building entry, walkways and landscaping.
D. Coordinate site elements with the buildings. The design and placement of fences,
retaining walls, gates, arbors, and other site features should relate to building architecture
and site topography. The Planning Commission is especially concerned that these elements
be of the same quality, in design and materials, as the buildings.
3. Building Design Principles
A. Keep building elements in proportion. Proportion, continuity, harmony, simplicity,
rhythm and balance should prevail in building design. Building elements should be
balanced and in proportion to one another.
B. Strive for interest, not clutter. The City encourages well-articulated, but not cluttered
building elevations. Large roof and wall plan unrelieved by shadow or textural interest are
generally not acceptable. However, too many elevation details can overwhelm the senses
and appear awkward, gaudy, and/or chaotic.
C. Pay attention to details. Attention to detailing, and emphasis on vertical and horizontal
articulation, are encouraged as tools to visually reduce the apparent mass of a building.
D. Select materials carefully. Exterior treatment should be restrained, not harsh or garish, and
should be selected for durability, weathering characteristics, and authenticity, as well as for
beauty.
E. Think about maintenance. Ease of maintenance should be considered in selecting forms,
fixtures, materials and finishes.
F. Coordinate the new with the old. When new construction is proposed on a site with
existing structures that are to be retained, the new work should be designed to coordinate
with the old.

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Figure 3: Holistic Approach of Energy Efficient Building Design

Figure 4: Technologies used for Energy Efficient Building

4. Commercial and Industrial Project Design

The following design guidelines apply to all commercial projects.
A. Overall design objectives for commercial projects. The design of each project should
work toward achieving the following objectives.
1. Consider Patterson’s small-town scale and demonstrate sensitivity to the design context
of the surrounding area.
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2. Avoid “boxy” structures with large, flat wall planes by articulating building forms and
elevations to create interesting roof lines, building shapes, and patterns of shade and
shadow.
3. Preserve the design integrity of historic structures and neighborhoods adjacent to the
commercial area.
4. Provide landscaping as a project amenity, and to help screen parking, equipment and
storage areas.
5. Provide site access, parking and circulation that is planned in a logical, safe manner that
avoids awkward or cramped turning movements.
6. Consider the need for signs and their appropriate scale and locations early in the design
process, so that they are not an afterthought.
7. Design spaces for outside equipment, trash receptacles, storage, and loading areas in the
least conspicuous part of the site.

Figure 5: Commercial Building Design

B. General architectural design guidelines.

1. Architectural style. No architectural style or design theme is required in the City nor
can Patterson be defined by any one architectural style. A wide range of architectural
characteristics adds to the City’s overall image. While variety in design is generally
encouraged, the compatibility of new projects with the existing built environment
should be a priority. The goal is to preserve not only the historic flavor of the
community but, equally important, its scale and ambience.
2. Neighborhood compatibility. In designing a building, it is important to analyze the
areas surrounding the building site to find elements of compatibility that can be used in
a new design. Simply duplicating the character of surrounding buildings, however,
should not be a design goal. It is important for each site to both maintain its own
identity and be complementary to its surroundings. Thus, a new building can be unique
and interesting and still show respect for and compatibility with the architectural styles
and scale of other buildings in its vicinity.
3. Design consistency. Designs should demonstrate a consistent use of colors, materials,
and detailing throughout all elevations of the building. Elevations which do not directly
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face a street should not be ignored or receive only minimal architectural treatment.
Each building should look like the same building from all sides.
4. Parapets. Parapet walls should be treated as an integral part of the building design.
They should receive architectural detailing consistent with the rest of the facade and
should not appear as unrelated elements intended only to screen the roof behind them.
C. Site planning. Project site planning should comply with the following guidelines.
1. Consider neighboring development. Each development proposal should demonstrate
consideration for the existing conditions on and off the site including the following.
• The uses on, and site layout of neighboring properties;
• The architectural style, and the shape and massing of neighboring structures.
• Existing natural features (i.e., mature trees, landforms, etc).
• Opportunities to preserve or enhance views of the foothills west of the City.
• Privacy and solar access of the site and neighboring properties.
• Opportunities for new projects to provide physical links to adjacent
development using sidewalks, and shared access drives and parking, whenever
possible.

Figure 6: Commercial or Industrial Building Design

2. Building and parking location.

• Buildings should generally be oriented parallel to streets and should be placed
as close to the street as required setbacks and consistent building placement
permit. Buildings may be angled to create interesting juxtapositions if there is a
clear and desirable design goal to be achieved. However, the definition of the
street edge is an important role for buildings and should be considered in project
design. Exceptions may occur for wider setbacks from the street if a compatible
use is proposed (for example, outdoor dining or pedestrian rest area) or to
maintain continuity with landscaped areas on adjacent properties.

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• Parking areas on adjoining parcels should be connected to allow continuous

vehicle and pedestrian access. Pedestrian linkages between parcels should be
located separately from vehicle connections where possible, and clearly
differentiated from vehicle ways in all cases.
3. Landscaping.
• Landscaped areas should be planned as an integral part of the overall project
and not simply located in "left over" areas of the site.
• Trees shall be used in parking lots to help visually break up large expanses of
paving and to provide some shading. Some trees within parking areas should
be deciduous, to provide pavement surface shading during the warmer months,
and to allow for solar gain during the winter. Tree species should be selected
with rooting and canopy patterns to fit the spaces provided them. In general,
species with messy fruits, pods, and seeds that will drop on the surfaces below
are not good choices.
4. On-site lighting.
• Exterior lighting should be designed to be compatible with the architectural and
landscape design of the project.
• An appropriate hierarchy of lighting fixtures/structures and intensity should be
considered when designing the lighting for the various elements of a project
(i.e., building and site entrances, walkways, parking areas, or other areas of the
site).
Reference:
1. chapter-2-general-design-principles_compress. Pdf

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Q.3 Define the following terms:

a) Life Cycle Analysis.

b) Resource wastage.
c) Resource consumption.

1. Life Cycle Analysis

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) aims to quantify the environmental impacts that arise from
material inputs and outputs, such as energy use or air emissions, over a product’s entire life
cycle to assist consumers in making decisions that will benefit the environment. LCA is
typically a "cradle-to-grave" approach, which begins with the gathering of raw materials from
the earth to create the product and ends at the point when all materials are returned to the earth.
The goal of LCA is to:
• Quantify or otherwise characterize all the inputs and outputs over a product’s life cycle
• Specify the potential environmental impacts of these material flows
• Consider alternative approaches that change those impacts for the better

Figure 7: Inputs and outputs over a product’s life cycle

It is important to take into consideration the entire life cycle of materials, systems, and the
whole building when making design or purchasing decisions.
Benefits of Life Cycle Analysis
➢ It provides comprehensive view of environmental impacts
➢ It quantifies the environmental effects such as energy consumptions or air emissions.
➢ It allows the comparison of alternative means of sustainability
➢ It reduces overall environmental impacts and costs

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Once you have your LCA report you can immediately see which are the hotspots of your
building when it comes to carbon footprint and intervene to fix those issues.
You will then be able to track the progress of your building and immediately check which
design options would help to reduce your building’s environmental impact.

Figure 8: Life Cycle Assessment of a Building

Non-automated LCA is a process that takes weeks or even months, but with One Click
LCA you can generate your ready to use LCA report in just a few minutes. Since it is cloud-
based, your whole team can check the results and intervene on the hotspots, and you can update
your data simply by logging in online.
In short, Life-Cycle Assessment doesn’t need to be complicated, time-consuming, or
inefficient. It is the easy, fast, reliable, and cost-efficient answer to build greener buildings and
that´s why it has become so relevant in the industry and why you need to know about it too.
2. Resource Wastage
It is the non-efficient use of your lights, heat and power. This waste is a common waste in many
organizations with employees often doing at work what they would never do at home. Would
you leave lights on all day and night in unoccupied rooms at home or leave windows open in
heated areas, you probably would not at home, but many do at work; because they don’t pay
the bills.

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Figure 9: Resources Waste Management

Causes of the Resources Wastage

Education and awareness are a major cause of this waste, people just do not always consider
how much electricity / gas / water is wasted by their actions. Thus, doors are left open, lights
switched on, and taps are left running, things that many people now would not do at home,
after all they must pay the bills. Policies for purchasing drive the company towards choosing
the cheapest product rather than the most efficient.
How to eliminate or reduce resources
➢ Educate your workforce to turn off lights and taps and keep doors and windows shut to
retain hot or cold air.
➢ Install timers and sensors on lights so that they are switched automatically.
➢ Install taps that turn themselves off after a few seconds.
➢ Use automatic doors to ensure only open when people/vehicles passing.
➢ Review thermostat settings to ensure that rooms are not overheated or cooled.
➢ Review purchasing policies to consider life cycle costs of equipment not just the initial
purchase price of the item.
➢ Review the efficiencies of current equipment and see if replacement with more efficient
equipment is justified.
Increase Profit through waste reduction.
For every penny you save in conserving your resources you can add one back to your profit,
eliminating the causes of muda, mura and muri using lean principles can help you realise
the benefits of lean manufacturing. By the implementation of lean manufacturing you can

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prevent the seven wastes of lean and increase your profits allowing you to compete successfully
in this global market;
• The waste of inventory is the failure to reduce the raw materials, work in progress and
finished stock that you hold.
• The waste of waiting is not ensuring that materials, instructions, and information arrive in a
timely manner.
• The waste of Motion is the failure to ensure an efficient and ergonomic workspace.
• The waste of Overproduction is the production of product in either greater quantities than
the customer needs or in advance of need.
• The waste of Over processing is adding more value to a product than is required.
• The waste of Defects is the occurrence of errors in your products or service.
• The waste of creativity is the failure to respect and involve your employees.
• The waste of Transport is the transportation of product from one location to another.
3. Resource Consumption.
Resource consumption is about the consumption of non-renewable, or less often, renewable
resources. Specifically, it may refer to:
• water consumption
• energy consumption
o electric energy consumption
o world energy consumption
• natural gas consumption/gas depletion
• oil consumption/oil depletion
• logging/deforestation
• fishing/overfishing
• land use/land loss or
• resource depletion and
• general exploitation and associated environmental degradation
Measures of resource consumption are resource intensity and resource efficiency.
Industrialization and globalized markets have increased the tendency for overconsumption of
resources. The resource consumption rate of a nation does not usually correspond with the
primary resource availability, this is called resource curse.
Unsustainable consumption by the steadily growing human population may lead to resource
depletion and a shrinking of the earth's carrying capacity.

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Figure 10: Changing trends in Resources Consumption

The role that resources play in the economic development of a nation is evident in our own
country. The U.S. consumes vast quantities of fossil fuels to supply the energy needed to run
cars, produce electricity, and heat buildings. In addition, various minerals and metals are
needed to build the structures and machines used in everyday life. The extent of development
of a nation is therefore directly tied to the rate of consumption of these resources. Since these
resources are unevenly distributed throughout the world, countries that consume more than
they can produce domestically must rely on foreign nations that have a rich stock of the needed
resource. This means that much of the economic development of nations such as the U.S. is
dependent on the availability and set prices of resources from foreign countries.
With the consumption of resources come undesired byproducts that pollute the
environment. In particular, the combustion of fossil fuels releases large quantities of carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere. This gas in the atmosphere allows sunlight to pass through it but
acts as an insulator as the heat tries to escape. The increased level of this gas in the atmosphere
leads to the greenhouse effect, where the average temperature of the world increases. This may
have devastating consequences such as melting of the polar ice caps and rising of the ocean
levels. Other byproducts of combustion cause smog in urban areas, and lead to acid rain that
can affect plant life thousands of miles away. Alternative forms of energy must therefore be
found that have less impact on the environment. Pollution is seen by many as one of the biggest
threats that large consumption of natural resources poses to our society.

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Reference:
1. https://sftool.gov/learn/about/400/life-cycle-assessment
2. https://www.oneclicklca.com/life-cycle-assessment-explained/
3. https://leanmanufacturingtools.org/136/waste-of-resources-causes-symptoms-examples-
solutions/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_consumption
5. http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/Notes/Notes_Exam1/WorldResources.htm

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Q.4 Why should we prefer the renewable resources including energy resources for
our built environment?

1. Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are an energy source that cannot be depleted and are able to supply a
continuous source of clean energy. These can also be defined as elements that can be
replenished over time through natural processes such as farming. We tend to envision those
little blue bins with the recycle symbol on them, but renewable resources span far beyond what
we toss in the recycling bin.
Renewable resources afford us the opportunity to be self-sustaining through our own efforts.
Perhaps, one day, we won't need to rely on major oil companies to propel our cars down to the
grocery store. Until then, read on to enjoy several notable examples of renewable resources.
Prominent Renewable Resources
Renewable resources can be used repeatedly and replaced naturally. This type of
energy theoretically never runs out. Perhaps the most popular example of that is solar power.
Unless the sun ceases to rise in the east, we'll always have solar energy. Oxygen and water are
two more examples.
2. Energy Resources
Primary energy sources take many forms, including nuclear energy, fossil energy
like oil, coal and natural gas and renewable sources
like wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower. These primary sources are converted
to electricity, a secondary energy source, which flows through power lines and other
transmission infrastructure to your home and business.
3. Preference of Renewable Energy Use
Renewable energy resources play vital role in conservation of energy, sustainability of
structure & environment, cost efficiency, environment aesthetics, architectural glowing
beauty and durability to structure. Some important aspects are detailed here:
➢ Less Global Warming
Human activity is overloading our atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other global warming
emissions. These gases act like a blanket, trapping heat. The result is a web of significant and
harmful impacts, from stronger, more frequent storms, to drought, sea level rise, and extinction.
In the United States, about 29 percent of global warming emissions come from our electricity
sector. Most of those emissions come from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.
In contrast, most renewable energy sources produce little to no global warming emissions. Even
when including “life cycle” emissions of clean energy (ie, the emissions from each stage of a
technology’s life—manufacturing, installation, operation, decommissioning), the global
warming emissions associated with renewable energy are minimal.
Burning natural gas for electricity releases between 0.6 and 2 pounds of carbon dioxide
equivalent per kilowatt-hour (CO2E/kWh); coal emits between 1.4 and 3.6 pounds of
CO2E/kWh. Wind, on the other hand, is responsible for only 0.02 to 0.04 pounds of CO2E/kWh
on a life-cycle basis; solar 0.07 to 0.2; geothermal 0.1 to 0.2; and hydroelectric between 0.1
and 0.5.

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Renewable electricity generation from biomass can have a wide range of global warming
emissions depending on the resource and whether or not it is sustainably sourced and harvested.

Figure 11: Comparison between Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Resources

Increasing the supply of renewable energy would allow us to replace carbon-intensive energy
sources and significantly reduce US global warming emissions.
➢ Improved public health
The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked with breathing
problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, cancer, premature death, and a host of other
serious problems. The pollution affects everyone: one Harvard University study estimated the
life cycle costs and public health effects of coal to be an estimated $74.6 billion every year.
That’s equivalent to 4.36 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced—about one-third of
the average electricity rate for a typical US home.
Most of these negative health impacts come from air and water pollution that clean energy
technologies simply don’t produce. Wind, solar, and hydroelectric systems generate electricity
with no associated air pollution emissions. Geothermal and biomass systems emit some air
pollutants, though total air emissions are generally much lower than those of coal- and natural
gas-fired power plants.
In addition, wind and solar energy require essentially no water to operate and thus do not
pollute water resources or strain supplies by competing with agriculture, drinking water, or
other important water needs. In contrast, fossil fuels can have a significant impact on water
resources: both coal mining and natural gas drilling can pollute sources of drinking water, and
all thermal power plants, including those powered by coal, gas, and oil, withdraw and consume
water for cooling.

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Biomass and geothermal power plants, like coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, may
require water for cooling. Hydroelectric power plants can disrupt river ecosystems both
upstream and downstream from the dam. However, NREL's 80-percent-by-2050 renewable
energy study, which included biomass and geothermal, found that total water consumption and
withdrawal would decrease significantly in a future with high renewables

Figure 12: Wind Energy Resources somewhere in Pakistan

Figure 13: Solar Energy Resources

➢ Inexhaustible energy
Strong winds, sunny skies, abundant plant matter, heat from the earth, and fast-moving water
can each provide a vast and constantly replenished supply of energy. A relatively small fraction
of US electricity currently comes from these sources, but that could change studies have
repeatedly shown that renewable energy can provide a significant share of future electricity
needs, even after accounting for potential constraints.

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In fact, a major government-sponsored study found that clean energy could contribute
somewhere between three and 80 times its 2013 levels, depending on assumptions. And the
previously mentioned NREL study found that renewable energy could comfortably provide up
to 80 percent of US electricity by 2050.
➢ Stable energy prices
Renewable energy is providing affordable electricity across the country right now and can help
stabilize energy prices in the future.
Although renewable facilities require upfront investments to build, they can then operate at
very low cost (for most clean energy technologies, the “fuel” is free). As a result, renewable
energy prices can be very stable over time.
Moreover, the costs of renewable energy technologies have declined steadily, and are projected
to drop even more. For example, the average price to install solar dropped more than 70 percent
between 2010 and 2017. The cost of generating electricity from wind dropped 66 percent
between 2009 and 2016. Costs will likely decline even further as markets mature and
companies increasingly take advantage of economies of scale.
➢ Reliability and resilience
Wind and solar are less prone to large-scale failure because they are distributed and
modular. Distributed systems are spread out over a large geographical area, so a severe
weather event in one location will not cut off power to an entire region. Modular systems are
composed of numerous individual wind turbines or solar arrays. Even if some of the equipment
in the system is damaged, the rest can typically continue to operate.
For example, Hurricane Sandy damaged fossil fuel-dominated electric generation and
distribution systems in New York and New Jersey and left millions of people without power.
In contrast, renewable energy projects in the Northeast weathered Hurricane Sandy with
minimal damage or disruption.
Water scarcity is another risk for non-renewable power plants. Coal, nuclear, and many natural
gas plants depend on having enough water for cooling, which means that severe droughts and
heat waves can put electricity generation at risk. Wind and solar photovoltaic systems do not
require water to generate electricity and can operate reliably in conditions that may otherwise
require closing a fossil fuel-powered plant. (For more information, see How it Works: Water
for Electricity.)
The risk of disruptive events will also increase in the future as droughts, heat waves, more
intense storms, and increasingly severe wildfires become more frequent due to global
warming—increasing the need for resilient, clean technologies.

Reference:
1. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/benefits-renewable-energy-use.

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Q.5 With reference to the issues and problems arising with the phenomena of Climate
Change, how can we improve our systems for Heating, Ventilation and Human comfort?

1. Renewable Resources
Climate change includes both the global warming driven by human emissions of greenhouse
gases, and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous
periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century the amount of change and the rate of
change have been unprecedented.
Because land surfaces heat faster than ocean surfaces, deserts are expanding and heat
waves and wildfires are more common. Surface temperature rise is greatest in the Arctic,
where it has contributed to melting permafrost, and the retreat of glaciers and sea ice.
Increasing atmospheric energy and rates of evaporation cause more intense storms and weather
extremes, which damage infrastructure and agriculture. Rising temperatures are limiting ocean
productivity and harming fish stocks in most parts of the globe. Current and anticipated effects
from undernutrition, heat stress and disease have led the World Health Organization to declare
climate change the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century.
Environmental effects include the extinction or relocation of many species as
their ecosystems change, most immediately in coral reefs, mountains, and the Arctic. Even if
efforts to minimize future warming are successful, some effects will continue for centuries,
including rising sea levels, rising ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification from elevated
levels of CO2.
2. Climate Change Impacts
Impacts from climate change are happening now. These impacts extend well beyond
an increase in temperature, affecting ecosystems and communities in the United States
and around the world. Things that we depend upon and value — water, energy,
transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health — are experiencing
the effects of a changing climate.
➢ Water
Changes to water resources can have a big impact on people's lives. In some regions,
particularly in the western United States, drought is an important factor affecting
communities. Less snow accumulation in the mountains is important in the West and
Alaska, where the snowpack stores water for later use. In the Midwest and north-
eastern states, the frequency of heavy downpours has increased. In many regions,
floods and water quality problems are likely to be worse because of climate change.
➢ Food
Our food supply depends on climate and weather conditions. Although agricultural
practices may be adaptable, changes like increased temperatures, water stress, diseases,
and weather extremes create challenges for the farmers and ranchers who put food on
our tables.
➢ Health
Human health is vulnerable to climate change. The changing environment is expected
to cause more heat stress, an increase in waterborne diseases, poor air quality, and
diseases transmitted by insects and rodents. Extreme weather event s can compound
many of these health threats.

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➢ The Environment
Ecosystems are also affected by climate change. Habitats are being modified, the
timing of events such as flowering and egg laying are shifting, and species are altering
their home ranges.
Changes are also occurring to the ocean. The ocean absorbs about 30% of the carbon
dioxide that is released into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. As a result,
the ocean is becoming more acidic, affecting marine life. Rising sea levels due to
thermal expansion and melting land ice sheets and glaciers put coastal areas at greater
risk of erosion and storm surge.
3. Solutions to Global Warming
There is no single solution to global warming, which is primarily a problem of too much heat-
trapping carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. (Learn more
about the causes of global warming.) The technologies and approaches outlined below are all
needed to bring down the emissions of these gases by at least 80 percent by mid-century. To
see how they are best deployed in each region of the world, use the menu at left.
• Boosting energy efficiency: The energy used to power, heat, and cool our homes,
businesses, and industries is the single largest contributor to global warming. Energy
efficiency technologies allow us to use less energy to get the same—or higher—level of
production, service, and comfort. This approach has vast potential to save both energy and
money and can be deployed quickly.

Figure 14: Boosting Energy Efficiency

• Greening transportation: The transportation sector's emissions have increased at a faster

rate than any other energy-using sector over the past decade. A variety of solutions are at
hand, including improving efficiency (miles per gallon) in all modes of transport, switching
to low-carbon fuels, and reducing vehicle miles traveled through smart growth and more
efficient mass transportation systems.

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Figure 15: Greening Transportation

• Revving up renewables: Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and
bioenergy are available around the world. Multiple studies have shown that renewable
energy has the technical potential to meet the vast majority of our energy needs. Renewable
technologies can be deployed quickly, are increasingly cost-effective, and create jobs while
reducing pollution.

Figure 16: Revival of Renewable Resources

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• Phasing out fossil fuel electricity: Dramatically reducing our use of fossil fuels—
especially carbon-intensive coal—is essential to tackle climate change. There are many
ways to begin this process. Key action steps include not building any new coal-burning
power plants, initiating a phased shutdown of coal plants starting with the oldest and dirtiest,
and capturing and storing carbon emissions from power plants. While it may sound like
science fiction, the technology exists to store carbon emissions underground. The
technology has not been deployed on a large scale or proven to be safe and permanent, but
it has been demonstrated in other contexts such as oil and natural gas recovery.
Demonstration projects to test the viability and costs of this technology for power plant
emissions are worth pursuing.

Figure 17: Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Electricity

• Managing forests and agriculture: Taken together, tropical deforestation and emissions
from agriculture represent nearly 30 percent of the world's heat-trapping emissions. We can
fight global warming by reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and
by making our food production practices more sustainable.

Figure 18: Managing Forests & Agriculture

• Exploring nuclear: Because nuclear power results in few global warming emissions, an
increased share of nuclear power in the energy mix could help reduce global warming but
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nuclear technology poses serious threats to our security and, as the accident at the
Fukushima Diaichi plant in Japan illustrates to our health and the environment as well. The
question remains: can the safety, proliferation, waste disposal, and cost barriers of nuclear
power be overcome?

Figure 19: Exploring Nuclear

• Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies: Research into
and development of the next generation of low-carbon technologies will be critical to deep
mid-century reductions in global emissions. Current research on battery technology, new
materials for solar cells, harnessing energy from novel sources like bacteria and algae, and
other innovative areas could provide important breakthroughs.

Figure 20: Zero Carbon Technology

• Ensuring sustainable development: The countries of the world—from the most to the least
developed—vary dramatically in their contributions to the problem of climate change and
in their responsibilities and capacities to confront it. A successful global compact on climate

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change must include financial assistance from richer countries to poorer countries to help
make the transition to low-carbon development pathways and to help adapt to the impacts
of climate change.

Figure 21: Ensuring Sustainable Development

Adapting to changes already underway: As the Climate Hot Map demonstrates, the impacts
of a warming world are already being felt by people around the globe. If climate change
continues unchecked, these impacts are almost certain to get worse. From sea level rise to heat
waves, from extreme weather to disease outbreaks, each unique challenge requires locally
suitable solutions to prepare for and respond to the impacts of global warming. Unfortunately,
those who will be hit hardest and first by the impacts of a changing climate are likely to be the
poor and vulnerable, especially those in the least developed countries. Developed countries
must take a leadership role in providing financial and technical help for adaptation.
Reference:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change
2. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate/climate-change-impacts
3. https://www.climatehotmap.org/global-warming-solutions/

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Q.6 Discuss the following two concepts with reference to the recommended course book:
a) Condensation and Breathable Construction
b) Ventilation & Infiltration losses.

1. Condensation and Breathable Construction

When we talk about “breathability” in buildings, we aren’t referring to the movement of air
within a building, rather the movement of water.
Water moves in and out of buildings constantly as both a liquid and as a gas, and is practically
everywhere; inside the building, outside, in the walls, floors and roofs. Breathability is one of
the most important relationships between the building and the world and it affects almost
everything to do with the building health and performance.
WHY IS BREATHABILITY SO IMPORTANT?
Water moves through structures as part of water vapour permeability, but the types of materials
used in the building can vary how water is released. The hygroscopicity of a material describes
its ability to absorb and release water as vapour while capillarity refers to movement of water
as a liquid.

Figure 22: View of a Building to check Breathing Concept

Water affects everything in a building from the health or decay of building fabric, through to
the thermal performance of the building and to the health of occupants. As we try to increase
the airtightness, thermal performance and indoor air quality of our buildings, breathability has
become a critical issue. All areas of new build and retrofit are affected by it, so it is crucial that
we get it right. Our strategy for dealing with water in the air and in the fabric is central to the
success or failure of the building as a structure that endures, performs, nurtures and protects
(the main functions of buildings).
WHY MOISTURE IS HARMFUL
Damp external walls can have considerably lowered thermal resistance, while surface
condensation on the inside of houses causes moulds which are harmful to our health. We
therefore have 4 basic areas where the effect of water on building performance is considerable:
1. On the outer surface: Rain penetration and other external conditions

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2. In the middle: building thermal performance and interstitial conditions

3. On the inner surface: surface condensation
4. Inside the building: indoor air quality

Figure 23: View of a Building

WHY AIRTIGHTNESS MATTERS

For many of us, as users of buildings, the area where breathability matters most is Indoor Air
Quality (IAQ) and the effect on human health. This issue becomes critical as we strive to make
our buildings more energy efficient by airtight design. Airtight design is not about unventilated
design. It is about ensuring no unplanned air leakage occurs through the fabric. Without a
degree of airtightness, the insulation of most buildings is pointless.
As we try to reduce heat loss through buildings to a greater extent, the issue of airtightness
becomes more and more important, however it is not only about heat loss. It is also about the
migration of moisture into the fabric of buildings, and potentially about loss of thermal
performance and interstitial condensation.

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Figure 24: Comparison of Both Techniques

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Until we integrate this biological and physical understanding of water in buildings and its
effects on performance and health, we are in danger of designing, constructing and repairing
buildings which are going to fail in some, if not many, ways. New buildings and renovated
buildings need to be built from low energy, minimally processed bulk natural materials.
Materials such as timber, earth, stone, straw and other natural fibres are not only the best
materials from an environmental point of view. They are also the best materials from a
performance point of view. They provide us with houses which are simple to design, build,
maintain, and which give health and satisfaction to those who live in them.
2. Ventilation & Infiltration Losses
Buildings also lose heat by ventilation, i.e., the passage of air through them. In houses this
normally means the controllable air movement through openable windows, extractor fans, or,
in the case of larger buildings, a mechanical ventilation system. However there is also an
uncontrolled component called infiltration. This is the air flow through gaps in the fabric of
the building – cracks around windows, doors and electrical or plumbing outlets, or between
skirting boards and floors. In common use, the term infiltration is used as a component of
ventilation rather than something completely different.
Some form of ventilation in a building is essential. For example, in a house it is needed in living
spaces:
• to provide combustion air in winter for boilers, fires and gas cookers, although it is not
necessary for heating systems with balanced flues or for electric fires

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• to remove moisture from kitchens, toilets and bathrooms, which should be equipped with
controllable ventilation openings and/or their own extractor fans
• to provide fresh air for occupants and to keep them cool in summer.

Figure 25: Air leakage paths through a normal house

Ventilation is also needed in other areas of the house, to remove moisture in the roof space or
loft above the insulation, or under suspended ground floors (which are usually of wood, but in
more recent construction can be made of concrete). Figure 17 illustrates the ventilation and
infiltration air paths through a normal house and also where it is important to maintain essential
ventilation. Note that an air flow must be maintained through the loft space and not be blocked
by insulation pushed into the eaves of the roof.
The main driving forces for this air movement are the buoyancy (or stack) effect of warm air
and the wind pressure on a building. Warm air inside a building in winter is less dense than
cold air outside and, like a hot air balloon, will tend to rise. This has the effect of sucking in
cold air from outside into the rooms on the ground floor. Wind pressure will attempt to force
air through gaps in the walls on the windward side of the building and out again on the leeward
side. Wind speeds increase with height above the ground, so wind-driven infiltration in high-
rise buildings can be a major problem.
Houses are normally naturally ventilated, i.e. they are dependent mainly on the stack effect to
provide adequate air movement.
In larger buildings mechanical ventilation is often used. This is often also the means of space
heating, with air being centrally preheated (or cooled in summer) before being distributed
throughout the building and extracted again through more ductwork. The term ‘air
conditioning’ normally implies the use of mechanical ventilation with central air cooling.
The key factor in determining the ventilation heat loss in a building is the ventilation rate, i.e.
the average rate at which air flows through it. Any warm air that escapes through the windows,
doors and various gaps in the outer fabric is immediately replaced by a new supply of fresh

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cold air from outside. We may be unaware of how substantial this ‘invisible’ air really is – an
average house contains about a quarter of a tonne of it!
The ventilation rate is normally specified as the number of complete air changes that take place
per hour (ACH). Measuring this scientifically is a fairly complex process. Typically, in a new,
well-built, naturally ventilated house where windows are closed, and with few gaps in the
building fabric, it might take two hours for the air to be completely replaced by new, incoming
air. We would say that the ventilation rate of this house was 0.5 ACH.
If the volume of a house is V m3, and the air change rate is n ACH, then the total amount of air
passing through it per hour will be n × V m3. This air needs to be heated up through the
temperature difference ΔT between the external temperature and the internal temperature. The
energy required to raise one cubic metre of air through one kelvin is 0.33 watt-hours, i.e. its
heat capacity per cubic metre is 0.33 Wh m–3 K−1. Thus, the total ventilation heat loss, Qv, will
be:
• Qv = 0.33 × n × V × ΔT watts
For any given building, the actual ventilation rate will depend on its age and location. Many
buildings built before 1918 had an open coal fire and chimney for almost every room. They are
also likely to have been designed for gas lighting, with high ceilings and air bricks in the walls
to remove the combustion fumes. Draughty wooden ground floors are also common. Since the
pressure of the wind on a house has a great influence, buildings in sheltered locations are likely
to have a lower air change rate than those in exposed positions. For example, a house built
before 1918 might have an average ventilation rate of over 2 ACH in an exposed location.
After 1920, houses and offices were designed for electric lighting and had lower ceilings. It
was only in the 1970s, with the advent of cheaper electricity and gas central heating, that houses
began to be built without open fireplaces. They could then (theoretically at least) be designed
to be reasonably airtight. Section 2.3.1 looks at how to reduce heat loss by improving the
airtightness of buildings.
Heat loss can also be reduced by recovering some of the heat from ventilation air before it is
released.
➢ Airtightness
Proper airtightness is the key to minimising air infiltration. In existing housing this means using
draught-proof strips, replacing leaky windows and blocking unused chimneys. The latter may
be difficult since it is often necessary to maintain a small airflow through them to remove any
moisture penetrating into them. It means paying careful attention to blocking all the unwanted
air leakage paths shown in Figure 17, while maintaining the essential ones.
In new construction attention to detail is important. It is easy to leave air gaps around windows
and where pipes penetrate walls. Sheet plastic vapour barriers are often built into walls,
especially in timber-framed construction. For good airtightness these vapour barriers must be
taped together where they join, so that they cover the whole building envelope. This is a highly
skilled job.
The overall airtightness of a building can be assessed with a pressure test. Usually one of the
external doors is replaced with a frame carrying a calibrated electric fan (see Figure 18). This
blows a large amount of air into the building at a known rate, in order to set up a standard
pressure difference between the inside and outside of 50 Pascals. This is roughly equivalent to
the effects of a gale-force wind. The overall air leakage rate of the building at this pressure
difference can be worked out and is usually expressed in cubic metres per hour per square metre
of building envelope area (i.e. area of walls, roof, etc.). The lower the figure, the more airtight
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the construction. Problem areas can be identified and investigated using a small smoke
generator allowing the air leakage to be clearly seen.

Figure 26: A blower door being used to pressurize a house to test its airtightness (courtesy Leeds Metropolitan University)

➢ Ventilation heat recovery

Many office buildings use mechanical ventilation driven by electric fans. One way of reducing
ventilation heat loss is to use mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), which
involves allowing warm outgoing air to preheat cold incoming air. This can be done by passing
both air streams through a heat exchanger, consisting of multiple layers of thin, flat, metal or
plastic plates with incoming and outgoing air passing through alternate layers. This gives a
large area through which heat can flow. Obviously, such a system can be used only if the inlet
and outlet ducts are adjacent to each other.

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Figure 27: Flat plate heat exchanger

MVHR is a mixed blessing. On the one hand it gives controllable ventilation adjustable to
almost every room. On the other it requires complex ductwork and air pumping, which can
consume considerable amounts of electricity.
MVHR systems are available for domestic applications (see Figure 20) but it is essential that
they are installed in buildings that are airtight to start with, otherwise any attempt to pump air
around the system may just increase the flow of air through unwanted air infiltration paths.
However, once the fabric heat losses of a building have been tackled with thick insulation and
high-performance windows, this may be the only satisfactory way to deal with the remaining
major heat loss, that from ventilation.

Figure 28: Whole-house mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (Source: Nicholls, 2002)

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Reference:
1. https://www.natural-building.co.uk/news/timber-frame-construction-and-breathable-
materials/
2. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/nature-environment/energy-buildings/content-section-2.3
3. No Books received in hard copy

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Q.7 How can we optimize the usage of solar energy for energy efficiency and lighting?
Explain with case studies.

1. Solar Energy
Solar energy, radiation from the Sun capable of producing heat, causing chemical reactions,
or generating electricity. The total amount of solar energy incident on Earth is vastly in excess
of the world’s current and anticipated energy requirements. If suitably harnessed, this highly
diffused source has the potential to satisfy all future energy needs. In the 21st century solar
energy is expected to become increasingly attractive as a renewable energy source because of
its inexhaustible supply and its nonpolluting character, in stark contrast to the finite fossil
fuels coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

Figure 29: Solar Panel Array on a Rooftop

The Sun is an extremely powerful energy source, and sunlight is by far the largest source of
energy received by Earth, but its intensity at Earth’s surface is actually quite low. This is
essentially because of the enormous radial spreading of radiation from the distant Sun. A
relatively minor additional loss is due to Earth’s atmosphere and clouds, which absorb or
scatter as much as 54 percent of the incoming sunlight. The sunlight that reaches the ground
consists of nearly 50 percent visible light, 45 percent infrared radiation, and smaller amounts
of ultraviolet and other forms of electromagnetic radiation.

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Figure 30: Solar heating: A building roof with solar energy plates

2. Case Study: Orange Jordan

➢ Solar Farms in the Desert
As part of the Future Networks Program, Network Economics workstream, a series of case
studies have been developed, exploring areas where Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) can
potentially reduce their Operational Expenditure (OpEX) through the application of innovative
energy solutions. This case study focuses on Orange’s launch of an RFP to establish Solar
Farms for electricity generation based on a design, build, finance, and operate (DBFO) model
wherein, they can save costs with no capitalized expenditure and to significantly reduce their
CO2 emissions.
Solar power is set to play a pivotal role in helping achieve Jordan’s goal of having renewables
meet 20% of its energy needs by 2020. Regional volatility and a lack of hydrocarbon reserves
spurred the government to develop one of the most comprehensive policy frameworks for
renewable energy projects in the Middle East.
With 80 per cent of the power produced in Jordan coming from diesel and other fossil fuels,
almost all of which is imported results in added taxes and costs that could be removed if energy
is sourced from ‘greener’ avenues. Jordan is now seeking to beat its 2020 targets, aiming to
produce 25 per cent of its electricity from renewables.
To evaluate the potential impact, the Network Economics Model baselines a hypothetical tier
1 operator’s cost structures, model’s innovation scenarios to identify the delta in terms of
operational expenditure (OpEX) and capital expenditure (CapEX) these can deliver.
Introduction
Orange is one of the largest operators of mobile and internet services in Europe and Africa and
a global leader in corporate telecommunication services. Their mission is always to be there to

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meet their customers’ essential needs by providing them with a unique experience every day,
through digital services that allow them to focus, in full confidence, on what matters most to
them. They believe in starting with their customers, their expectations and their aspirations,
which involves acting so that together they can come up with made to measure solutions that
genuinely meet the needs of their customers.
Orange Jordan is one of the 29 subsidiaries of the Orange Group. The company was first
registered in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in September 1999, launching a full public
service across the Kingdom the following year. In March 2010, Orange Jordan launched its 3G
network – The first 3G network in Jordan. By summer 2010 the network coverage included
most urban locations, delivering services to approximately 70% of populated areas, equivalent
to around two million people. In line with Orange Jordan’s strategy to make 2011 the ‘Year of
Broadband’, the company unveiled its new ADSL2+ and 3G+ package, offering unprecedented
broadband speeds of up to 24Mbps and 21Mbps respectively. It has an expanding customer
base of more than five million, a network of around 1,800 dedicated employees, and more than
55 branches.
The solar energy potential in Jordan is enormous as it lies within the solar belt of the world
with average solar radiation ranging between 5 and 7 KWh/m2, which implies a potential of at
least 1000GWh per year annually.

Figure 31: Three Solar Farm Sites in Jordan

Business Imperative
In May 2012, faced with disruption of cheap LNG supplies from Egypt, Jordan’s government
raised the electricity rates on banks and telecom companies by 150% overnight. The new rate
of 0.265 JODs (0.37 USD) per kWh was close to 200% above the cost of generation at the
time. The rate hike increased the 3 MNOs electricity cost by around 40 million JODs (56.3
million USD) per year. The hike, which did not have an expiry date, nor any condition related
to the actual cost of generation, allowed the government to subsidise electricity costs for other
sectors at the expense of the telecom sector.
Mobile operators chose to absorb costs rather than passing onto their customers, and the
combined effects of high electricity costs, spectrum costs, high special taxes, relatively high-

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income taxes and high price competition resulted in a massive drop in the sector’s profitability.
By early 2019, at least one of the three MNOs in Jordan were operating at a loss while the
others registered continued profit declines. To mitigate the pressures of electricity costs,
operators studied moving towards solar farms to offset their very high energy costs resulting
in two key changes; Jordan’s Government decided to reduce the costs of electricity for mobile
operators progressively starting from July 2018 through 2020; and the Electricity Regulations
Commission introduced the wheeling regime, where it allows large enterprises like Orange to
generate electricity via renewable energy sources for their use.
A wheeling agreement or regime allows solar electricity to be generated in one location and
consumed by a company or institution in another. Where regulation allows, such as in Jordan,
Orange Jordan purchased, and rents land, while Kawar Energy builds the solar power
generating assets directly associated with electricity accounts in urban environments. This
allows companies or institutions that may not have appropriate land or roof space, to enjoy the
cost savings of solar energy.
By early 2017, all of Jordan’s Mobile Operators had conducted feasibility studies, and Orange
launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) to establish Solar Farms for electricity generation based
on a design, build, finance, and operate (DBFO) model wherein, they are able to save costs
with no capitalised expenditure and to significantly reduce their CO2 emissions, and
subsequently contracted a massive solar farm project.
In partnership with E-Dimension, a member of The Jordan Telecom Group, Orange Jordan has
engaged with Kawar Energy to construct the infrastructure for three solar farms, located in the
mid-region the TC Farm, the northern region MDC Farm in Mafraq development zone, and the
Khaldieh Farm in the south of the Northern region

Figure 32: Location of Solar farms

Orange and the Solution

While the government has agreed to reduces the current rate of electricity by 35 – 41%
(depending on the bracket of consumption) by the start of 2020, the current cost of generating
electricity in Jordan is around 0.16 USD per kWh so the MNOs will still be paying an effective
“electricity tax” even after the reduction. Nevertheless, operators will get a much-needed cost
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reduction and will still be contributing to the overall health of the electricity sector in the
country, including through their investment in solar farms.
The Orange Jordan Project solar farms use the Photo-voltaic panels to produce energy from
sunlight and will generate approximately 75-80% (70GWh) of Orange Jordan’s energy
consumption. Jordan has an average of 330 days of sunshine per year, one of the world’s
highest annual daily averages of solar irradiance.
Through a 20-year wheeling agreement, this project anticipates savings of 75 – 80% of the
current energy bill. This percentage is less the cost of generation, wheeling operations,
maintenance, and government taxes, and meters monthly subscription.
The main criteria to adopt this solution is adequate to finance, coordination with government
entitles and departments for the necessary licenses and permits and other legal formalities. To
secure the needed permits and licenses from related authorities as the project will be connected
through national electricity grid (Electricity Distribution Companies, Electricity Transmission
Company ”NEPCO”, Energy ministry/commission etc.,) permits are obtained from the
government, outlines the deadlines for the progress of development. Once all the permits and
studies have been obtained, the civil works begin. For telecommunication operators, a special
purpose vehicle (SPV) is needed to be able to work in the energy investment field.
Economic Benefits
Solar energy has now become cheaper than traditional fossil fuels and is now either the same
price or less expensive than new fossil fuel capacity in more than 30 countries according to a
report by the World Economic Forum. The low cost of solar is encouraging companies to build
more plants to harvest energy and pass on those savings to their customers. Achieving this
relatively lower consumption price is mainly due to advances in technological improvements
and the economics of scale. Renewable energy is cheaper in developing countries that are
looking to add more electricity to their national grids, however nations where new renewable
energy generators must compete with existing fossil fuel power stations, the cost of carbon-
free electricity can still be high.
Orange Jordan is setting a new standard for sustainable corporate social responsibility (CSR).
In line with its role as an international company with a local spirit, Orange Jordan is committed
to continuing its CSR strategy, inspired by one of the key pillars of its five-year corporate
strategy Essentials 2020. Throughout the years, Orange has continued to elevate our
commitment to society across all sectors, by forming strategic partnerships with civil society
organisations, in addition to offering quality products and services.
The factors that can be highlighted that help in operational efficiencies and reduced costs can
be attributed to reduced cost of installation and operation. This is almost 35% lower than
standard gas-based power generation.
The cost of renewables is getting cheaper than the cost of grid available power. As is the case
in Jordan, wheeling agreements benefit from no or low upfront capital expenditure. Kawar
Energy has been fully contracted to provide a full turnkey solar PV system solution excluding
the cost of land, any rental expenses, and cost of licenses and interconnection work to operate.
Orange can adopt solar and begin saving money as soon as the system becomes operational.
Kawar is also fully responsible for system performance and operating risk, significantly
limiting risk for the mobile operator.
A vital benefit of a wheeling regime is in the predictable, fixed cost of electricity for the term
of the agreement which may be structured in one of two ways. Under the fixed escalator plan,
the price the customer pays rises at a predetermined rate, typically between 2 – 5%. This is

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often lower than the projected utility price increases. The fixed price plan, on the other hand,
maintains a constant price throughout the term of the agreement saving the customer more as
utility prices rise over time.
Most benefits are articulated in terms of improvements or cost savings. According to Orange,
the way this solution will be measured will be evident in the operational cost savings, i.e. in
terms of saving on electricity bills. Orange believe if their solution is adopted, they expect to
see a return on investment of 75-80% coverage of the electricity bills.
Implementing the Solution
This project is a first of its kind for Jordan with Orange being the first operator to launch the
Solar Farms project. They are putting every effort to ensure the project is completed as per the
given deadline.
Due to the nature and profile of the project, Orange was thorough in their due diligence and
approach to achieving a relatively short turnaround of approximately 30 months. Within the
planning and development phase’s contract preparation, initial permit approvals, land
selection, technical studies of the selected site, and the implementation of the solution was
achieved. Orange confirmed the timeline for the physical implementation is seven months from
the implementation stage to completion.
Challenges
The main challenges for this project have been in terms of laws and regulations when dealing
with changes in governmental instructions, the availability of network and grid capacities, the
complication of licenses and land approvals, and funding for the project.
➢ Law and Regulations
In terms of size, scale and maturity, this project faces a few challenges. Not only it is it a very,
large scale project. It is also considered to the first of its type for the region, and this brings
about a set of new related laws and regulations applicable to renewable energy projects.
Therefore, the challenges in regard to the application of laws and regulations at present are
slower; however, they are likely to improve and become more streamline as related bodies
become more accustomed to the necessary procedures.
➢ Network and Grid Capacity
At present, the electricity network availability and ability to handle the extra energy coming
from non-conventional sources such as renewable energy has reached its maximum capacity,
particularly in the southern region of Jordan, and grid has no more capacity to take in any more
power.
The governmental solution is to increase the reliability of renewable energy resources for
Jordan to produce its energy instead of relying on the importation of energy. This is to be
achieved by developing and upgrading the electricity network infrastructure. This is likely to
take two to three years before the pressure on the grid is alleviated.
➢ Funding
Financial commitment has been challenging to secure due to the uniqueness of this type of
project for the region and Jordan, the structure of the project being a wheeling project, and its
duration of approximately 20 years. The laws and regulation associated were also a challenge
as lenders were hesitant to enter such projects where laws and regulations could change,
affecting the profitability or the stability of the project. However, based on Oranges’ positive

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business reputation, Kawa Energy are having been able to confidently secure the necessary
funds.

Figure 33: Three Concepts for Solar Energy

Conclusion
Solar energy has now become cheaper than traditional fossil fuels and is now either the same
price or cheaper than new fossil fuel capacity in more than 30 countries, the low price of solar
is encouraging companies to build more plants to harvest energy and pass on those savings to
their customers. The solar energy potential in Jordan with average solar radiation ranging
between 5 and 7 KWh/m2, which implies a possibility of at least 1000GWh per year annually
or 330 days of sunshine each year.
The Orange Jordan solar farm project will use Photo-voltaic panels to produce energy and will
generate approximately 70GWh or 75-80% of Orange Jordan’s energy consumption.
Through a wheeling agreement, this project anticipates savings of 75 – 80% of the current
energy bill (less the cost of generation, wheeling operations, maintenance, and government
taxes, and meters monthly subscription).
To evaluate the potential impact, the Network Economics Model baselines a hypothetical tier
1 operator’s cost structures, model’s innovation scenarios to identify the delta in terms of
operational expenditure (OpEX) and capital expenditure (CapEX) these can deliver.

Reference:
1. https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy/Electricity-generation
2. https://www.gsma.com/futurenetworks/wiki/case-study-orange-jordan/

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