Lessons from retrofitting an historic home

Stephen Hanley writes a good article on the PlanetSave website about the experience a couple in Switzerland had in trying to retrofit their historic home. There are important lessons for all of us. Making An Energy Efficient Historic Home A Swiss couple has had first hand experience with making an energy efficient historic home. … Continue reading Lessons from retrofitting an historic home →

The distributed future is getting closer

Chris Mooney writes a good article in the Washington Post about the transition underway in our homes to change the way we get our power. Increasingly, power is coming from our rooftops. While this article is primarily about the US, just think what will happen in a few years in Europe when all new buildings … Continue reading The distributed future is getting closer →

Los Angeles promoting energy efficiency in buildings

Linda Hardesty writes on the Energymanagertoday website about the new sustainable city plan that has been published in Los Angeles and the importance the plan is giving to energy efficiency in buildings. Los Angeles - LA Sets Building Energy Efficiency Goal Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled the Los Angeles Sustainable City Plan, a … Continue reading Los Angeles promoting energy efficiency in buildings →

Investments in residential sector energy efficiency in Turkey

Olga Rosca writes on the Financial website from Georgia about a major bank in Turkey joining an important financing facility to invest in residential energy retrofits. Işbank joins EBRD’s home energy efficiency programme in Turkey Türkiye İş Bankası AŞ (İşbank) has joined the US$ 350 million financing facility launched by the European Bank for … Continue reading Investments in residential sector energy efficiency in Turkey →

Call for an EU buildings energy renovation strategy

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission this week launched a new report Energy Renovation: The Trump Card for the New Start for Europe. The report highlights that a more comprehensive approach to energy renovation is instrumental for reaching the EU 2020 goals for energy savings. Furthermore there are important implications for growth and … Continue reading Call for an EU buildings energy renovation strategy →

Nationally recognised standards for competency-based certification programs important for improving energy performance of buildings

Lauren Zullo, a staff member of the US Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) writes an important article on the NRDC staff blog website about the importance of better training and certification of building energy professionals. Hopefully we are seeing the same attention to workforce guidelines in Europe. New Workforce Guidelines Will Promote Energy Efficiency … Continue reading Nationally recognised standards for competency-based certification programs important for improving energy performance of buildings →

France taking new approach to promote renewable energy

In a few years from now France will have to ensure that all new buildings are nearly zero energy buildings under the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. That will definitely require the deployment of renewable energy technologies. As explained by Agence France Press in The Guardian, in some first steps, France has now decreed … Continue reading France taking new approach to promote renewable energy →

Energy Performance Certificates in the Netherlands heavily criticised

Peter Teffer writes on the EUObserver website about the growing concerns about the effectiveness of the Energy Performance Certificate that is required for buildings. There are concerns about fraud, being too abstract, and playing only a small role in a buyer’s decision. What are your views? Energy savings label under fire in the Netherlands … Continue reading Energy Performance Certificates in the Netherlands heavily criticised →

Display energy certificates on trial

The EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive gives considerable importance to consumers and the general public in knowing and understanding the energy performance of buildings. For public buildings, the idea was to have Display Energy Certificates (DECs) that would allow the public know the performance of buildings that were deemed part of the public space. … Continue reading Display energy certificates on trial →

Buildings coming up to measure . . .

George Putic writes a very interesting article on the Voice of America website about how new technology is dealing with energy simulation, thermo-modeling or architectural design. He argues that what is needed in designing many retrofits is precise configuration of buildings, something that has been very difficult to obtain without great expense. Now a new … Continue reading Buildings coming up to measure . . . →