Lesson 12

Read the text: Energy conservation and audits.

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.

Some countries employ energy or carbon taxes to motivate energy users to reduce their consumption. As detailed in the book, Green Illusions, 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.

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 smart phone apps enable homeowners to complete relatively sophisticated energy audits themselves.

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. 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 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 mass, and shading. Passive solar design techniques can be applied most easily to new buildings, but existing buildings can be retrofitted.

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.

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. Some governments and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) are attempting to reduce this complexity with eco labels that make differences in energy efficiency easy to research while shopping.

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. For instance, some retailers argue that bright lighting stimulates purchasing. However, health studies have demonstrated that headache, stress, blood pressure, fatigueand worker error all generally increase with the common over-illumination present in many workplace and retail settings. It has been shown that natural delighting increases productivity levels of workers, while reducing energy consumption.

An energy audit is an inspection, survey and analysis of energy 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).

When the object of study is an occupied building then reducing energy consumption while maintaining or improving human comfort, health and safety are of primary concern. Beyond simply identifying the sources of energy use, an energy audit seeks to prioritize the energy uses according to the greatest to least cost effective opportunities for energy savings.

A home energy audit is a service where the energy efficiency of a house is evaluated by a person using professional equipment (such as blower doors and infrared cameras), with the aim to suggest the best ways to improve energy efficiency in heating and cooling the house.

An energy audit of a home may involve recording various characteristics of the building envelope including the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and skylights. For each of these components the area and resistance to heat flow (R-value) is measured or estimated. The leakage rate or infiltration of air through the building envelope is of concern, both of which are strongly affected by window construction and quality of door seals such as weather stripping. The goal of this exercise is to quantify the building's overall thermal performance. The audit may also assess the efficiency, physical condition, and programming of mechanical systems such as the heating, ventilation, air conditioning equipment, and thermostat.

A home energy audit may include a written report estimating energy use given local climate criteria, thermostat settings, roof overhang, and solar orientation. This could show energy use for a given time period, say a year, and the impact of any suggested improvements per year. The accuracy of energy estimates are greatly improved when the homeowner's billing history is available showing the quantities of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, or other energy sources consumed over a one or two-year period.

Some of the greatest effects on energy use are user behavior, climate, and age of the home. An energy audit may therefore include an interview of the homeowners to understand their patterns of use over time. The energy billing history from the local utility company can be calibrated using heating degree day and cooling degree day data obtained from recent, local weather data in combination with the thermal energy model of the building. Advances in computer-based thermal modeling can take into account many variables affecting energy use.

A home energy audit is often used to identify cost effective ways to improve the comfort and efficiency of buildings. In addition, homes may qualify for energy efficiency grants from central government.

Recently, the improvement of smart phone technology has enabled homeowners to perform relatively sophisticated energy audits of their own homes. This technique has been identified as a method to accelerate energy efficiency improvements.

Reading Exercises:

Exercise 1. Read and memorize using a dictionary:

Mileage; national security; sustainable; carbon taxes; tiered energy tax; baseline energy allowance;tax burden; smart phone apps; retrofit; NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations); eco labels; fatigue;retail settings; prioritize; skylights; weather stripping; roof overhang; calibrate.

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1) Why do some countries employ energy or carbon taxes?

2) What is one of the primary ways to improve energy conservation in buildings?

3) What have health studies demonstrated?

4) When is the accuracy of energy estimates greatly improved?

Exercise 3. Match the left part with the right:

1. Energy conservation refers to reducing energy	a) efficient energy use.
2. Energy conservation differs from	b) through using less of an energy service.
3. One of the primary ways to improve energy conservation in buildings is	c) user behavior, climate, and age of the home.
4. Some of the greatest effects on energy use are	d) to use an energy audit.

Exercise 4. Open brackets choosing the right words:

An energy audit is an (inspection /examination) and analysis of energy(use/waste)and flows for energy conservation in a building, process or system to (reduce/ enlarge) the amount of energy input into the system without negatively affecting the output(s).

I. Speaking Exercises:

Exercise 1. Learn the definitions: conservation of energy; carbon tax; energy audit.

conservation of energy   The principle that the total energy of any isolated system is constant and independent of any changes occurring within the system  

carbon tax   A tax on the emissions caused by the burning of coal, gas, and oil, aimed at reducing the production of greenhouse gases.  

energy audit   An evaluation of energy consumption, as in a home or business, to determine ways in which energy can be conserved.  

Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:

1) Question: ___________________________________________?

Answer: The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the local climate.

2) Question: ___________________________________________?

Answer: A home energy audit is often used to identify cost effective ways to improve the comfort and efficiency of buildings.

3) Question: ___________________________________________?

Answer: 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.

III. Writing exercises:

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: to; from; of; with.

Energy conservation refers 1 reducing energy through using less of an energy service. Energy conservation differs 2 efficient energy use, which refers to using less energy for a constant service. For example, driving less is an example 3 energy conservation. Driving the same amount 4 a higher mileage vehicle is an example of energy efficiency. Energy conservation and efficiency are both energy reduction techniques.

Exercise 2. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):

“Energy conservation”

“Energy audit”

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