Building Energy Efficiency Handbook

Training Teachers

The sole responsibility for the content of this presentation lies with the authors. It does not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the European Communities. The European Commission is not responsible for any
use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Buildings Handbook
 Chapter 1 - Introduction to
energy

• What is energy and what does it mean?

• Which measuring Units are used?
• How do we depend on energy?

Buildings Handbook
 Chapter 1 - Background

• Students should get a general idea of “Energy”,

what it is and how they depend on it
• By considering examples they should experience
the amount of energy needed for different things
in everyday life
• By understanding the units of Energy
measurement, they should be able to understand
reported information on the energy demand of
different items of equipment

Buildings Handbook
 Efficiency, what’s it all about?

• Using less energy to provide the same

level of energy service
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Reducing costs
• Increasing security of supply

Buildings Handbook
 Main Fields of Energy use

Industry

Buildings
(Home) Transport

Buildings Handbook
 Buildings

• Most of our every day life is spent in

and around buildings
• Energy is needed for different reasons
to make a building habitable (heating,
cooling, lighting, etc.)
• We need energy to meet our basic
needs (cooking, washing, etc.)

Buildings Handbook
 Energy efficiency in buildings -
Approaches

• Thermal insulation of the building

• “Bioclimatic” building design
• Increase efficiency of room heating or cooling
• Increase efficiency of home electric
equipment
• Use of photovoltaic and solar devices to
provide energy

Buildings Handbook
Energy balance of a building

Buildings Handbook
Energy losses in a conventional
building

Buildings Handbook
Thermal insulation

Buildings Handbook
 Thermal Insulation material

• Vegetable: cork, wood fibre, flax, straw, etc.

• Mineral: fibreglass, mineral-wool, expanded
clay, metal carbides, foamed glass, etc.
• Synthetic materials: expanded polystyrene,
polyurethane and phenolic foams, etc.

Buildings Handbook
 “Bioclimatic” building design

Active
Solar collectors
systems
Photovoltaic pannels
Bioclimatic .....
elements
Thermal walls with air
Direct solar gain preheating
Passive
Indirect solar gain Trombe walls
systems
Isolated systems:
Mass walls
Sunspaces and Atria
Collectors and grave fills

Buildings Handbook
Bioclimatic Building design

Buildings Handbook
Photovoltaic potential

Buildings Handbook
Bioclimatic Building design

Buildings Handbook
 Home electricity consumption

• Refrigerator and freezers

• Washing machines and dryers
• Dishwashers
• Water heaters
• Hairdryers
• Room air conditioners
• Electric ovens
• …

Buildings Handbook
Home electricity consumption

Buildings Handbook
 Example – Refrigerator
energy losses

• Insulation: the heat transfer through the

material that makes up the walls of the
refrigerator.
• Food: the heat transfer from the food (as food
deposited initially has a greater temperature
than refrigerator).
• Door seals (gasket): the heat transfer through
the flexible seal which is responsible for
maintaining air-tightness.
• Door open: the heat transfer caused when
the door is opened.
Buildings Handbook
EU Energy Label

Buildings Handbook
 Energy saving tips (1)

• Look for the ENERGY LABEL when buying a

new refrigerator and select class A+ or A++.
• Select a new refrigerator that is the right size
for your household needs. The bigger it is,
the higher the energy consumption gets.
• Do not put in hot food.

Buildings Handbook
 Energy saving tips (2)

• Keep the doors open the shortest time

possible.
• Regularly defrost a manual-defrost
refrigerator and freezer; frost decreases the
energy efficiency of the unit. Don’t allow frost
to build up more than 3mm thick.

Buildings Handbook
 Questions?

• Any questions left…?

Buildings Handbook