With India doubling its building stock within the next two decades, emphasis must be on better performing buildings

Much of the climate change discussion about India recently has concerned coal or renewable energy, but the NewsX website provides a good article about the need to deal with the demand side of the equation, and that needs to start with buildings. India needs to create energy efficient buildings, says expert There is an … Continue reading With India doubling its building stock within the next two decades, emphasis must be on better performing buildings →

Energy efficiency and better ventilation can go hand and hand

Elisa Wood writes a good article on the Energy Efficiency Markets website about a new study that shows it is now possible to double ventilation rates in commercial buildings at a very affordable cost. Breathe Easier and Work Better in Today’s Energy Efficient Buildings Remember when energy efficient buildings were too tight and caused … Continue reading Energy efficiency and better ventilation can go hand and hand →

Energy efficiency not at the top of the list of things building managers feel is important

How do we change priorities to get building managers to take energy efficiency more seriously? Carl Weinschenk raises important issues on the Energy Manager Today website. What are your views? Energy Efficiency Efforts Face Obstacles in New Buildings and Retrofits Research shows that energy efficiency is important – but not paramount – to building … Continue reading Energy efficiency not at the top of the list of things building managers feel is important →

Developments in improving the energy performance of commercial buildings

Rob Matheson from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology News Office provides a good post on how an automated energy analytics platform collects data on commercial buildings to improve energy efficiency. Let us know what you think. Scaling commercial energy efficiency Big data may soon make buildings greener. With a recent major acquisition, MIT alumni-founded … Continue reading Developments in improving the energy performance of commercial buildings →

Reflecting on the slow death of Britain’s Green Deal

Many posts have been written in recent years about the rise and then demise of the Green Deal. Andrew Warren, a regular contributor to EiD and undoubtedly our most prolific commenter, writes an important post in the November/December issue of the magazine Energy in Buildings and Industry, questioning who is responsible for its slow death. … Continue reading Reflecting on the slow death of Britain’s Green Deal →

A surprising idea about the future of large building construction

Chris Mooney writes in the Washington Post about the US Department of Agriculture’s plans to demonstrate the feasibility of building tall buildings out of wood. Interestingly, the article states that In the last five years, 17 tall wood buildings have been built around the world that are over seven stories in height. What do you … Continue reading A surprising idea about the future of large building construction →

Now Japan is look at net-zero energy houses

While much of the focus on net-zero energy buildings has been on Europe and North America, the Nikkei Asian Review website provides a good post on recent developments in Japan that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. For Japan homebuilders zero is magic number Major homebuilders in Japan are hoping to sell many more net-zero energy … Continue reading Now Japan is look at net-zero energy houses →

Are we valuing energy-efficient buildings correctly?

There has always been a concern that we are not adequately valuing our investments in energy efficiency. James Phillips writes on the BusinessGreen website about a new report that claims mortgage lenders are using inaccurate models to estimate energy bills and mortgage affordability Energy efficient homes 'undervalued by almost £50,000' Banks could be undervaluing … Continue reading Are we valuing energy-efficient buildings correctly? →

Positive developments in getting property owners to appreciate benefits of energy efficiency

The buildings sector is reputed to have the highest potential for energy efficiency improvements but everyone realises the problems to get owners and occupiers to improve energy performance. Merrill Kramer and Joshua Sturtevant from Sullivan & Worcester LLP in the US write on the lexology website about how attitudes of owners are changing. Property … Continue reading Positive developments in getting property owners to appreciate benefits of energy efficiency →

Some British social landlords learning lessons from the Netherlands on energy efficiency

Inside Housing reports on a new technique borrowed from the Dutch to retrofit a house in 10 days to a ‘zero-energy’ standard. Does anyone have more information on this? Landlords pilot Dutch energy efficiency model A consortium of social landlords has formed a company to pilot a new construction technique that pays for itself … Continue reading Some British social landlords learning lessons from the Netherlands on energy efficiency →