This was the week that was

Everyone thinks the last week of May in Paris is all about tennis – Roland Garros, the French Open. Far from it for those working on sustainable energy issues! For two days, there was the 2nd building sector symposium organised by the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN). The main objective of the meeting was to … Continue reading This was the week that was →

Pot pourri

There are many items of interest this week: The Official Journal published the Implementing Decision establishing a template for National Energy Efficiency Action Plans under Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Implementing Decision is available here. EiD will be a co-organiser together with EEIP (Energy Efficiency in Industrial Processes) at EU … Continue reading Pot pourri →

Assessing how consumers understand the EU energy label – new report

CLASP, the Collaborative Labeling & Appliance Standards Program, has published a report that gives us insight into how consumers are understanding the newly designed energy labels In 2010, the original Energy Labelling Directive was recast. Its scope of applicability was broadened, and many existing labels – specifically those applying to refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, … Continue reading Assessing how consumers understand the EU energy label – new report →

New report on cities and the contribution green policies can make to growth

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has recently published report on the benefits that can be achieved by cities taking a “green” approach. Cities can generate growth and jobs while becoming greener – this is the message of the OECD’s new Green Growth in Cities report. Drawing on case studies of Paris, Chicago, … Continue reading New report on cities and the contribution green policies can make to growth →

Will energy labels work for vacuum cleaners

James Dyson, the inventor of the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner technology and founder of the Dyson Company, provides his views on the proposed energy labels for vacuum cleaners in an article for EurActiv. Energy labels for vacuum cleaners won’t do the job Like legislation on light bulbs, the EU’s bright environmental goals for vacuum … Continue reading Will energy labels work for vacuum cleaners →

Renewables in a smart world

Christine Hertzog, managing director of Smart Grid Library, recently wrote in The Energy Collective about the full range of issues that has to be explored in considering the future electricity fuel mix in the US. As natural gas and renewables become headline policy themes, it is useful do some comparisons. Renewable Energy and the … Continue reading Renewables in a smart world →

The role of insurance in climate change strategies will only grow.

Eduardo Porter wrote recently in the New York Times about the role of insurers in natural disasters which are increasingly being attributed in part to climate change. For Insurers, No Doubts on Climate Change Damage in Mantoloking, N.J., after Hurricane Sandy. Natural disasters caused $35 billion in private property losses last year. If there were … Continue reading The role of insurance in climate change strategies will only grow. →

Quote of the week

“Sometimes politicians are looking for simple quick fixes and, when they say ‘natural gas is half the price in the US, why can’t we do that in Europe?’ the rational response would be that in that case, we should use less gas,” Hans Nilsson, board member of eceee (European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) … Continue reading Quote of the week →

The idea of a value-based economic structure

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, a Sufi teacher and author, writes in the Guardian about an alternative view of economic growth and sustainability. The author argues that corporate visions of sustainability focus on material prosperity – but leaders must respect the soul as well as the soil. Eco-spirituality: towards a values-based economic structure As our world stumbles … Continue reading The idea of a value-based economic structure →

Benefits of energy efficient homes

Andy Warren, President of Maracay Homes in Arizona, writes for the Explorer news about a new study that quantified the link between energy-efficient homes and mortgage risks. Separately, NV Energy in Nevada spent $267 million on energy efficiency programmes during 2007-12. This led to savings of 1.9 billion kilowatt-hours per year, the amount of savings … Continue reading Benefits of energy efficient homes →