New tool for improving building energy management

An EU funded project, launched in 2013, is designed to take a holistic approach to energy monitoring methodology. This will surely help in the EU achieving its energy efficiency targets for buildings. Better monitoring energy efficiency in buildings By developing new tools and methodologies, the PERFORMER project aims to improve building energy management and … Continue reading New tool for improving building energy management →

Is efficient sufficient?

A few years ago, the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee) organised a workshop in Brussels on shifting our emphasis in energy specifications to progressive efficiency and sufficiency. This is a topic that will come up more and more as we see far too many trends towards increased size in buildings, appliances, vehicles, … Continue reading Is efficient sufficient? →

Making hotels more energy efficient

Mark Sait, CEO of SaveMoneyCutCarbon, writes on the GreenWise website, about how much energy can be saved by hotels in Britain to benefit both the bottom line and cut carbon emissions. How SME hotels can make big energy efficiency savings fast It’s a shocking fact that in 2015 UK companies of all sizes continue … Continue reading Making hotels more energy efficient →

Progressive utilities in US grasp the value of LEED

Derek Handova writes on the Intelligentutility website about the role utilities are playing to promote more advanced LEED buildings in the US. Handover admits that In spite of the efforts of some very progressive utilities, overall, utility LEED programmes still need more outreach because of their lack of uptake. Utilities LEED us into energy … Continue reading Progressive utilities in US grasp the value of LEED →

He huffed and he puffed . .

As our childhood fairy tales explained, the wolf huffed and puffed and blew the straw house down. Well, no more. This is apparently becoming state of the art. Victoria Gill reports on the BBC News website about very energy-efficient straw houses now being offered on the open market. Now how do we revise these bedtime … Continue reading He huffed and he puffed . . →

New report on the costs and benefits of low energy building pathway

The Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) has published an important new report. The report states that mainstreaming high-performance buildings could deliver a 124% return on investment globally through building-related energy cost savings by 2050 says a new comprehensive assessment study of the costs and benefits of low energy building pathways published by the GBPN. The … Continue reading New report on the costs and benefits of low energy building pathway →

Educating people how to understand energy saving features in buildings increases the impact

The Green Building Elements website writes an important article on the importance of the behaviour of people in maximising energy savings. Those savings, however, come through good education. People Are the Key to Energy Efficiency Click Green reports that research conducted by Washington State University shows people are key to energy efficiency and that … Continue reading Educating people how to understand energy saving features in buildings increases the impact →

What needs to be considered in buying an energy efficient home

Suzanne Shelton writes in the builderonline website on how to market the benefits of a green home without talking about green features. Four Reasons Buyers Choose Energy-Efficient Homes In the advertising profession, there’s an old adage that nobody wants to buy a ¾-inch drill bit; they want to buy a ¾-inch hole. In other … Continue reading What needs to be considered in buying an energy efficient home →

Learning by doing

David Giambusso writes on the Capital New York website that even buildings can learn to improve how they use energy New System Lets Buildings Learn from Energy Use One of New York City's oldest real estate companies is implementing a program that allows buildings to learn how to cut their energy use, and emissions. … Continue reading Learning by doing →

Potential impact of new minimum performance standards for rental buildings in the UK

The UK is requiring landlords to have their buildings meet a minimum performance level as of 2018. While the initial reaction was muted, now the real estate industry is realising the implications. Aliya Ram and Kate Allen write a good article in the Financial Times about recent developments. Let’s hope the government is not pressured … Continue reading Potential impact of new minimum performance standards for rental buildings in the UK →