Energy conservation 1

Energy conservation
Sustainable energy

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Energy conservation 2

Energy conservation refers to reducing energy through using less of an energy service. Energy conservation differs
from efficient energy use, which refers to using less energy for a constant service. For example, driving less is an
example of energy conservation. Driving the same amount with a higher mileage vehicle is an example of energy
efficiency. Energy conservation and efficiency are both energy reduction techniques.
Even though energy conservation reduces energy services, it can result in increased financial capital, environmental
quality, national security, and personal financial security.[] It is at the top of the sustainable energy hierarchy.[citation
needed]

Energy taxes
Some countries employ energy or carbon taxes to motivate energy users to reduce their consumption. As detailed in
the book, Green Illusions [1], carbon taxes can allow consumption to shift to nuclear power and other alternatives that
carry a different set of environmental side effects and limitations. Meanwhile, taxes on all energy consumption stand
to reduce energy use across the board, while reducing a broader array of environmental consequences arising from
energy production. The State of California employs a tiered energy tax whereby every consumer receives a baseline
energy allowance that carries a low tax. As usage increases above that baseline, the tax increases dramatically. Such
programs aim to protect poorer households while creating a larger tax burden for high energy consumers.[2]

Building Design
One of the primary ways to improve energy conservation in buildings is to use an energy audit. An energy audit is an
inspection and analysis of energy use and flows for energy conservation in a building, process or system to reduce
the amount of energy input into the system without negatively affecting the output(s). This is normally accomplished
by trained professionals and can be part of some of the national programs discussed above. In addition, recent
development of smartphone apps enable homeowners to complete relativily sophisticated energy audits
themselves.[3]
Building technologies and smart meters can allow energy users, business and residential, to see graphically the
impact their energy use can have in their workplace or homes. Advanced real-time energy metering is able to help
people save energy by their actions.[4]
In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are
made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of
heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This is
called passive solar design or climatic design because, unlike
active solar heating systems, it doesn't involve the use of
mechanical and electrical devices.

The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take

advantage of the local climate. Elements to be considered include
window placement and glazing type, thermal insulation, thermal Elements of passive solar design, shown in a direct
mass, and shading. Passive solar design techniques can be applied gain application
most easily to new buildings, but existing buildings can be
retrofitted.
Energy conservation 3

Transportation
In the United States, suburban infrastructure evolved during an age of relatively easy access to fossil fuels, which has
led to transportation-dependent systems of living. Zoning reforms that allow greater urban density as well as designs
for walking and bicycling can greatly reduce energy consumed for transportation. The use of telecommuting by
major corporations is a significant opportunity to conserve energy, as many Americans now work in service jobs that
enable them to work from home instead of commuting to work each day.[5]

Consumer products
Consumers are often poorly informed of the savings of energy efficient products. The research one must put into
conserving energy often is too time consuming and costly when there are cheaper products and technology available
using today's fossil fuels.[6] Some governments and NGOs are attempting to reduce this complexity with ecolabels
that make differences in energy efficiency easy to research while shopping.[7]
To provide the kind of information and support people need to invest money, time and effort in energy conservation,
it is important to understand and link to people's topical concerns.[8] For instance, some retailers argue that bright
lighting stimulates purchasing. However, health studies have demonstrated that headache, stress, blood pressure,
fatigue and worker error all generally increase with the common over-illumination present in many workplace and
retail settings.[][] It has been shown that natural daylighting increases productivity levels of workers, while reducing
energy consumption.[9]

Energy conservation by country

European Union
At the end of 2006, the European Union-EU pledged to cut its annual consumption of primary energy by 20% by
2020.[10] The 'European Union Energy Efficiency Action Plan' is long awaited. As part of the EU's SAVE
Programme [11],[12] aimed at promoting energy efficiency and encouraging energy-saving behaviour, the Boiler
Efficiency Directive[13] specifies minimum levels of efficiency for boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fuels. The
European Commission is funding large-scale research projects to learn about success factors for effective energy
conservation programmes.[14]

United Kingdom
Energy conservation in the United Kingdom has been receiving increased attention over recent years. Key factors
behind this are the Government's commitment to reducing carbon emissions, the projected 'energy gap' in UK
electricity generation, and the increasing reliance on imports to meet national energy needs. Domestic housing and
road transport are currently the two biggest problem areas.[citation needed]
Responsibility for energy conservation falls between three Government departments although is led by the
Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The Department for Communities and Local Government
(CLG) is still responsible for energy standards in buildings, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra) retains a residual interest in energy insofar as it leads to emissions of CO2, the main greenhouse gas.
The Department for Transport retains many responsibilities for energy conservation in transport. At an operational
level, there are two main non-departmental governmental bodies ("quangoes") - the Energy Saving Trust, working
mainly in the domestic sector with some interest in transport, and the Carbon Trust, working with industry and
innovative energy technologies. In addition there are many independent NGOs working in the sector such as the
Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bristol or the National Energy Foundation in Milton Keynes, and directly helping
consumers make informed choices on energy efficiency sust-it [15]
Energy conservation 4

India
Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) www.pcra.org [16] is an Indian government body created in
1977 and engaged in promoting energy efficiency and conservation in every walk of life. In the recent past PCRA
has done mass media campaigns in television, radio & print media. An impact assessment survey by a third party
revealed that due to these mega campaigns by PCRA, overall awareness level have gone up leading to saving of
fossil fuels worth crores of rupees besides reducing pollution.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency is an Indian governmental organization created in 2001 responsible for promoting
energy efficiency and conservation.

Iran
In Iran the Iranian Fuel Conservation Company is responsible for promoting energy efficiency and conservation for
Fossil fuels. Ahmadinejad's administration launched the 'Tergeted Subsidies' initiative primarily to reduce the energy
intensity of the nation's economy.

Japan
Since the 1973 oil crisis, energy conservation has been an issue in
Japan. All oil based fuel is imported, so indigenous sustainable
energy is being developed.
The Energy Conservation Center [17] promotes energy efficiency
in every aspect of Japan. Public entities are implementing the
efficient use of energy for industries and research.

Lebanon
In Lebanon and since 2002 The Lebanese Center for Energy
Conservation (LCEC) has been promoting the development of
efficient and rational uses of energy and the use of renewable
energy at the consumer level. It was created as a project financed
by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Ministry of
Energy Water (MEW) under the management of the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and gradually
established itself as an independent technical national center
Advertising with high energy in Shinjuku, Japan.
although it continues to be supported by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) as indicated in the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between MEW and UNDP in June 18, 2007.

New Zealand
In New Zealand the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is responsible for promoting energy efficiency
and conservation

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka currently consumes fossil fuels, hydro power, wind power, solar power and dendro power for their day to
day power generation. The Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority is playing a major role regarding energy
management and energy conservation. Today, most of the industries are requested to reduce their energy
consumption by using renewable energy sources and optimizing their energy usage.
Energy conservation 5

Asia Pacific
Despite the vital role energy efficiency is envisaged to play in cost-effectively cutting energy demand, only a small
part of its economic potential is exploited in the Asia Pacific. Governments have implemented a range of subsidies
such as cash grants, cheap credit, tax exemptions, and co-financing with public-sector funds to encourage a range of
energy-efficiency initiatives across several sectors. Governments in the Asia-Pacific region have implemented a
range of information provision and labeling programs for buildings, appliances, and the transportation and industrial
sectors. Information programs can simply provide data, such as fuel-economy labels, or actively seek to encourage
behavioral changes, such as Japan’s Cool Biz program that encourages setting air conditioners at 28-degrees Celsius
and allowing employees to dress casually in the summer.[18]More in Pacific Energy Summit [19].

United States
The United States is currently the second largest single consumer of energy, following China. The U.S. Department
of Energy categorizes national energy use in four broad sectors: transportation, residential, commercial, and
industrial.[20]
Energy usage in transportation and residential sectors, about half of U.S. energy consumption, is largely controlled
by individual consumers. Commercial and industrial energy expenditures are determined by businesses entities and
other facility managers. National energy policy has a significant effect on energy usage across all four sectors.

References
• Gary Steffy, Architectural Lighting Design, John Wiley and Sons (2001) ISBN 0-471-38638-3
• Lumina Technologies, Analysis of energy consumption in a San Francisco Bay Area research office complex, for
(confidential) owner, Santa Rosa, Ca. May 17, 1996
• GSA paves way for IT-based buildings [21]
• The official homepage for the European Intelligent Metering project. [22]

Notes
[1] http:/ / greenillusions. org
[3] Patrick Leslie, Joshua Pearce, Rob Harrap, Sylvie Daniel, “ The application of smartphone technology to economic and environmental
analysis of building energy conservation strategies (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1080/ 1478646X. 2011. 578746)”, International Journal of
Sustainable Energy 31(5), pp. 295-311 (2012). open access (http:/ / www. academia. edu/ 2101401/
The_application_of_smartphone_technology_to_economic_and_environmental_analysis_of_building_energy_conservation_strategies)
[4] July 2009 European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy and Transport initiative, "Energy Savings from Intelligent Metering and
Behavioural Change (INTELLIGENT METERING) http:/ / www. managenergy. net/ products/ R1951. htm", 2009
[5] Best Buy Optimas Award Winner for 2007 (http:/ / www. workforce. com/ section/ 09/ feature/ 24/ 82/ 47/ index. html)
[6] The Difficulties of Energy Efficiency. "The Elusive Negawatt (http:/ / www. economist. com/ displaystory. cfm?story_id=11326549)", 2008
[7] Breukers, Heiskanen, et al. (2009). Interaction schemes for successful demand-side management. Deliverable 5 of the CHANGING
BEHAVIOUR (http:/ / www. energychange. info/ deliverables) project. Funded by the EC (#213217)
[8] Toolkit (http:/ / mechanisms. energychange. info/ step-by-step/ 2) for managers of energy conservation projects: How to learn about people's
topical concerns
[9] Lumina Technologies Inc., Santa Rosa, Ca., Survey of 156 California commercial buildings energy use, August, 1996
[11] http:/ / www. ademe. fr/ partenaires/ odyssee/ pdf/ save2000. pdf
[12] For an Energy-Efficient Millennium: SAVE 2000 (http:/ / www. ademe. fr/ partenaires/ odyssee/ pdf/ save2000. pdf), Directorate-General
for Energy
[13] Council Directive 92/42/EEC of 21 May 1992 on efficiency requirements for new hot-water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fuels (http:/
/ europa. eu/ eur-lex/ en/ consleg/ main/ 1992/ en_1992L0042_index. html)
[14] see for example CHANGING BEHAVIOUR (http:/ / cordis. europa. eu/ fetch?CALLER=FP7_PROJ_EN& ACTION=D& DOC=5&
CAT=PROJ& QUERY=012d08fdbaab:1c17:629f98d3& RCN=85758)
[15] http:/ / www. sust-it. net/
[16] http:/ / www. pcra. org
[17] http:/ / www. asiaeec-col. eccj. or. jp/ index. html
[18] http:/ / nbr. org/ research/ activity. aspx?id=305#. UZEBZytARpE
Energy conservation 6

[19] http:/ / nbr. org/ research/ activity. aspx?id=305#. UZEBZytARpE

[20] US Dept. of Energy, " Annual Energy Report (http:/ / www. eia. doe. gov/ emeu/ aer/ pdf/ pages/ sec1_3. pdf)" (July 2006), Energy Flow
diagram
[22] http:/ / www. intelmeter. com/

External links
• Web site(Iranian Fuel Conservation Company) (http://www.ifco.ir/english/IFCO)
• David Suzuki Foundation: Energy Conservation and Efficiency (http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/
climate-change/science/energy/energy-conservation-and-efficiency/index.php)
• Energy saving advice and grants for UK consumers (http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/)
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy (http://www.energysavers.gov/) at the U.S. Department of Energy
• EnergyStar (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.bus_index) - for commercial buildings and
plants
• The State of Energy Efficiency Policies in Middle East (http://www.carboun.com/sustainable-development/
sustainable-design/the-state-of-energy-conservation-policies-in-middle-east-buildings/) via Carboun (http://
www.carboun.com/)
• Ulrich Hottelet: Want to Save the Earth? Pick a Clothesline (http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.
php?recordID=1075), Atlantic Times (http://www.the-atlantic-times.com/), November 2007
Article Sources and Contributors 7

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