Britain’s homes under the microscope

John Kemp, a market analyst for the Reuters news service, provides an excellent article on the dynamics of energy consumption in the housing sector in Britain. It would be good to know how this compares with other European countries. Britain's quiet home energy revolution Britain's homes are in the midst of an energy-efficiency revolution, though … Continue reading Britain’s homes under the microscope →

The impact of the new generation of smart windows

RTCC (Responding to Climate Change) assesses the important energy savings that are available from new materials that are being developed to significantly increase the efficiency of windows. Smart windows could spark energy efficiency revolution Window coating can stop around 50% of heat and 70% of visible light, generating huge energy savings A window spray … Continue reading The impact of the new generation of smart windows →

Energy saving becomes a higher priority in China

Jennifer Duggan writes in the China Blog for the Guardian about the plans to make energy efficiency a higher priority. The main driver appears to be tackling the worsening pollution problems that are plaguing the country China to invest in energy saving industries to tackle pollution China's State Council announces plans to make green industries … Continue reading Energy saving becomes a higher priority in China →

Will new building standards make it harder for the small builder?

Louise Bateman writes in Green Building News about the problems small and medium-sized construction companies will face in the UK when new energy efficiency building standards come into force in 2014. Warning for construction SMEs over new energy efficiency building standards Small and medium-sized companies operating in the construction sector are being warned they could … Continue reading Will new building standards make it harder for the small builder? →

Jevons meets the Undercover Economist

The Undercover Economist, Tim Harford, writes an excellent piece in the Financial Times on the age old issue of the rebound effect from energy efficiency. Energy efficiency gives us money to burn Is it possible to enjoy the benefits of fuel-saving devices without using more energy? William Stanley Jevons was born in Liverpool in … Continue reading Jevons meets the Undercover Economist →

Looking to Europe and Algeria for inspiration and innovation

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Governor of California is fully committed to pushing for a clean energy future. While he knows innovation made the US great, he is worried that it is falling behind. He said he could not help but be jealous in Algiers and Brussels. As he said, “They have a vision, and they are … Continue reading Looking to Europe and Algeria for inspiration and innovation →

New report by GBPN on moving to more energy-efficient buildings in China

The Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) has published a new report on China. The report, prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Achieving scale in energy-efficient buildings in China: A view from the construction and real estate sectors, was commissioned by the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) in collaboration with the Energy Foundation’s China Sustainable Energy … Continue reading New report by GBPN on moving to more energy-efficient buildings in China →

Webinar on modernising building energy codes – save the date!

Yamina Saheb, Head of the Sustainable Building Centre at the International Energy Agency, has announced an invitation to participate at a webinar on August 20th for the launch of the IEA-UNDP publication: “Modernising Building Energy Codes to Secure our Global Energy Future”. With the substantial pressure the buildings sector is adding every year to global … Continue reading Webinar on modernising building energy codes – save the date! →

Re-thinking energy efficiency

Katherine Tweed writes in Greentechmedia about a new report written by Skip Laitner for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Skip is an old friend of EiD and well known in Europe, having most recently participated at the eceee Summer Study in June. Forget Energy Efficiency, Think Exergy Can a new definition … Continue reading Re-thinking energy efficiency →

Andrew Warren on EU energy savings targets

Andrew Warren, Director of the UK Association for the Conservation of Energy, wrote an excellent column that appears in the current issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry magazine. He looked at the way in which the absence of a legally binding Europe-wide target for energy efficiency improvement for 2020 is leading to the likelihood … Continue reading Andrew Warren on EU energy savings targets →