Some Energy improvements may lack good payoff

A research report out this week casts doubt on the true payoff of some home energy improvements. Will the energy-saving investment provide a worthwhile return?

It can depend on which experts you talk to and exactly what improvements are made, under which conditions.

For starters, switching to LED lightbulbs or shutting off power strips are some easy ways to save money and energy.

To promote additional energy savings, utility companies and some government agencies offer incentives.

In 2007, Questar Gas began offering rebates for things such as upgrading furnaces, water heaters and driers.

As a result, 1 in 4 customers has taken measures to save natural gas, said Darren Shepherd, a spokesman for Questar.

Since implementing its measures in 2007, Questar customers have saved 5 million dekatherms of gas annually, which is enough to supply 65,000 homes a year.

“There’s significant savings that have occurred since 2007,” Shepherd said.

Shepherd said the gas that is saved means the company does not have to buy it on the open market.

“By reducing demand, it’s a benefit really for everyone across the board,” Shepherd said. “Because so many have taken advantage of the program, we haven’t had to buy as much gas as before.”

And technology is only getting better.

When Questar started its program in 2007, it was difficult to find high-efficiency water heaters. Today, such water heaters are the minimum standard.

To keep up with technology, Questar reevaluates its rebates every year.

Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Paul Murphy said to promote efficiency, the company has Utah Demand-Side Management, known as the Wattsmart program.

“Our program is working,” Murphy said, “It’s saving electricity and it’s saving money.”

Rocky Mountain Power applies 3.6 percent of bills directly to energy efficiency services. That money is used to give incentives and find ways for businesses and homes to be more energy efficient.

“Energy efficiency programs we find we are getting a lot more return than that 3.6 percent,” Murphy said.

The programs are evaluated by the Utah Department of Public Utilities.

However, a recent study called “Do Energy Efficiency Investments Deliver? Evidence from the Weatherization Assistance Program” questions if energy efficiency improvements provide a viable return on investment.

Meredith Fowlie and Catherine Wolfram of the University of California, Berkeley, as well as Michael Greenstone of the University of Chicago conducted the study. The University of Chicago’s Becker Friedman Institute, which does economic research, published the study this month.

The study says conventional wisdom suggests that energy efficiency policies are beneficial because they induce investments that pay for themselves and lead to emissions reductions.

However, this belief is primarily based on projections from engineering models.

The researchers conducted an experimental evaluation of the nation’s largest residential energy efficiency program using a sample of more than 30,000 households.

The study says many improvements, such as replacing windows, may not actually offer a good return on investment.

Mitch Richardson, a senior energy analyst for Survey and Testing Services Inc., said it depends what the money is spent on.

“Like a lot of things, it depends,” Richardson said. “Windows are kind of a tricky improvement to make.”

Savings depend on what the homeowner is starting with.

For those with single-pane, aluminum-framed windows, there will be a return on investment.

A lot of door-to-door salesmen will push windows, because they are the biggest, most expensive home improvement.

However, such an upgrade is not needed if the building already has double-paned and wooden- or vinyl-framed windows.

“Don’t upgrade them,” Richardson said, “you won’t get your money back in your lifetime.”

Dianna L. Gethers, Building Energy Efficiency Program Specialist for the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development, took issue with the study because the home improvements went beyond energy efficiency and most were for health and safety needs of the occupants.

“If you have no insulation,” Gethers said, “you have birds coming into your home.”

Most of these efforts work, such as Utah’s energy conservation plan, which Gov. Gary Herbert approved in 2014, she said.

“We’re one of the only states that have those in place,” Gethers said.

There are a number of low-money, high-value fixes Richardson recommended, such as making homes more airtight.

“For a few bucks of caulk and some labor, you will save a lot of money,” Richardson said.

He also suggested upgrading to compact fluorescent or LED lights.

Gethers said LED lighting is low-hanging fruit that provides inexpensive, almost immediate savings.

Along with such suggestions, Murphy recommends keeping air conditioners at 78 degrees in the summer.

For those putting money and effort toward energy efficiency, along with air sealing, Richardson recommends ensuring that there is 14 inches or more of blow-in insulation in the attic.

When installing a new furnace, look for one that is at least 95 percent efficient

When choosing an air conditioner, make sure it is the right size. Even getting an oversized air conditioner will waste energy.

“You are racing it all the way up to the top, and then it stops,” Richardson said. “If it is turning off and on all the time, then it’s not as efficient.”

For those looking to improve existing homes, people need to realize that efforts can only go so far.

“You can make old places more efficient, but on old houses, you get to the point of diminishing returns very quickly,” Richardson said.

The biggest savings can come in new construction.

“Building a new home from scratch,” Richardson said, “you can do a lot of things that way.”

The Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development is looking to add more efficiency efforts to the 2015 building code, which will require homebuilders to use more energy efficient materials in construction, which would add dramatic energy savings to consumers.

“I think it’s a cost-benefit not only for the homeowner,” Gethers said, “but you are saving energy, which is great for everybody.”

The new code would include 25 measures to improve efficiency, such as requiring homebuilders to implement more energy efficient materials and appliances into their projects.

However, in the past, homebuilders have fought energy improvement additions to the Utah building codet, Richardson said.

“New consumers don’t know better,” Richardson said, “so why put in something that makes a difference?”

For those looking at new homes, Richardson recommends looking for an Energy Star label.

There are benefits to buying the energy efficient homes, not just for savings, but for comfort and the structure will last longer.

“A lot of people have it in their head that an energy efficient home will be less comfortable,” Richardson said, “when it will just be the opposite.”

http://www.standard.net/Business/2015/06/26/Some-energy-improvements-may-lack-good-payoff.html

Plant a tree, and watch energy efficiency grow

The Kentucky coffee tree planted about 18 feet from the southwest corner of Kris Bachtell’s Naperville home blocks enough sun with its leafy canopy that the air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard, saving on the household’s electricity bill. In the winter, the tree loses its leaves, so the sun can pass through and help warm the house.

“It’s passive solar heating,” says Bachtell, who is vice president for collections at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. He knew just where to place the tree when he planted it as a sapling some 30 years ago. Although any large tree near a house will provide some cooling shade, trees planted on the south to southwest side make the most difference in terms of summer comfort.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, carefully positioned trees can save up to 25 percent of a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling; just three to four shade trees strategically located around a home can cut summer cooling costs by 30 to 50 percent. Trees that block wind in winter also can cut heating bills.

Exactly how much energy a tree will save depends on its location, size and species. Some trees, including many kinds of oaks, have a dense canopy of broad leaves that casts heavy shade. Others, such as honeylocust, have small leaves and more widely spaced branches, casting a filtered shade that can be lovely over the patio but won’t cut the cooling bill as much.

“You wouldn’t want to plant evergreens on the south side of a house,” says Melissa Custic, coordinator for the Chicago Region Trees Initiative. Tall ones will cast shade in summer, but also block the warming sun in winter. To block winter wind and save on heating bills, she says, plant evergreens or other trees on the north or west side.
It’s important to choose a tree that is suited to the conditions of your yard, such as the type of soil and the available light, Custic says. A tree that is near enough to the house to provide shade needs to be strong, so avoid fast-growing species. “Usually, fast-growing trees have weaker wood,” she says. You can find many good options in the Arboretum’s online Northern Illinois Tree Selector.

To make sure they stay sound, trees near the house should be professionally pruned when they’re young to make sure they develop a strong, well-balanced structure as they grow. Mature trees should be regularly checked by a professional arborist who can remove any weak or damaged limbs, Bachtell says.

Planting a young tree now will pay off down the line. But preserving a large tree, tall enough to shade the house, will keep you cooler right now. Mature, substantial trees also reduce the temperature of the air around them as water evaporates from their many leaves. They filter more air pollution and do more to help manage water from rainstorms than young trees. Their cool shade is one reason studies have shown that mature trees on the property add to a home’s value — as long as they are well cared for.

And then, of course, there’s the beauty. Bachtell’s Kentucky coffee tree sapling has grown into a handsome companion that not only cools the house but cloaks it in green.

“The most wonderful thing,” he says, “is that I can look out my upstairs window every day and that tree is right there.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/home/ct-sun-0712-garden-morton-20150706-story.html

Storage crucial for Renewable Energy deployment

An estimated 150GW (gigawatt) of battery storage and 325GW of pumped-storage hydroelectricity will be needed to double the share of renewable in the electricity sector by 2030, according to a new report published recently by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing.

Storage will be a vital element in the expansion of renewable energy, said the report that provides a clear direction on how to advance storage systems as part of the infrastructure for a sustainable energy future.

‘Renewable and Electricity Storage’ released on the sidelines of Irena’s ninth council meeting in Abu Dhabi held recently, prioritises 14 items for action across five priority areas where governments and industry can work together to facilitate the development of policies on electricity storage for renewables. The report is part of Irena’s REmap 2030 programme.

To avoid the worst effects of climate change and accelerate sustainable energy transformation and economic growth, Irena’s REmap 2030 report finds the share of renewables in the electricity sector must double to 45 per cent by 2030.

“Now is the time to think about integrating large-scale battery storage into the global energy system,” said Irena Director-General Adnan Z. Ameen. “This roadmap is a starting point for all policy makers seeking to integrate greater storage capabilities, which is necessary to ensure the world is ready for the next phase of growth for renewable power systems.”

The five priority areas identified include electricity storage to support renewables in islands and remote areas, consumer-located storage for self-consumption in countries with high shares of rooftop solar PV (photovoltaic) systems, generator and grid-located storage for countries with grid infrastructure constraints and system analysis tools for countries preparing to transition their power sector towards renewables.

The roadmap is the product of four stakeholder workshops involving more than 200 electricity storage experts from 50 countries.

Chairperson of the Global Energy Storage Alliance Janice Lin said: “The value of this roadmap is that it brought together policy makers from across the globe with the leading industry experts and academics. At every workshop, we were asked to prioritise and refine our assessments. The roadmap is truly a product of international cooperation.”

http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/environment/storage-crucial-for-renewable-energy-deployment-1.1542092

Solar energy to power Dubai bus stops

Solar energy will be used to power bus stops in areas where there is no direct access to electricity, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced.

As many as 400 new stops are being planned in the next phase, a significant portion of which will be air-conditioned.

However, the air-conditioners will still be elusive in around 150 of the existing bus shelters that haven’t had power connectivity for long.

Dubai became the first city in the world to have air-conditioned bus stops in 2008, converting 885 of its stops into sleek, aluminium-built shelters. However, at least 150 of these still don’t have electricity to power the air-conditioners. Once completed, the total number of air-conditioned bus shelters will be 1,285.

Looking for a solution, last year RTA began a trial on using solar power at two bus stops in Al Jafliya, but the project hasn’t provided satisfactory output as yet in terms of powering the air-conditioners.

According to a senior RTA official, the trial will continue until a solution is found and, hopefully, can be employed at stops that lack power connectivity.

However, in the new phase, RTA has redesigned the stops and will use solar energy only to power the lights and advertising billboards.

“The newly designed crescent-shaped shelters are made of high-quality materials, and using paints resistant to heat, humidity and dust. Some of them will also be fitted with modern air-conditioning systems,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.

The shelters will have seating capacity for eight, but and will accommodate 13 to 16 individuals.

He added that the shelters will have easy access for people with special needs and will be fitted with screens directly linked with the control room of the Public Transport Agency in order to transmit information about journeys and routes available.

“It is part of a master plan to leverage the public transport sector along with associated infrastructure in the emirate with the aim of bringing happiness and comfort to riders, especially during the blazing summer season,” he said.

Al Tayer hoped that the new shelters will prove an added attraction and encourage people to use public transport, helping push the share of public transport in Dubai to 20 per cent in 2020 and up to 30 per cent by 2030.

Last year, RTA succeeded in raising the share of public transport in the overall transportation use in the city to 14 per cent from six per cent in 2006.

“Providing electricity to power air-conditioned shelters in some remote areas was one of the key challenges confronting planners at the initial stage of the project. The RTA has therefore worked on solutions to overcome it by offering solar power technology,” he explained.

He stated that the Public Transport Agency embarked on the experimental use of solar panels to power these shelters, and the practice will be assessed.

The RTA is also considering the provision of ATMs and vending machines for soft drinks, newspapers etc at the stops.

For the convenience of commuters, he said, shelters will be made of a reinforced polyester-covered aluminium and the seats of low-heat absorption materials.

LED lights will be used to power billboards to economise the use of electric power.

Work on the new phase will begin from August, with the installation of 40 shelters in the new areas of Dubai.

The performance of the shelters will be studied until the end of this year and, depending on the result, further steps will be taken.

http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/transport/solar-energy-to-power-dubai-bus-stops-1.1541451

Zawya Projects Interviews CEO of EMS, Mr. Khaled Bushnaq, on his upcoming project to benefit the UAE

Zawya Projects conducted an interview with the CEO of EMS, Mr. Khaled Bushnaq, to reveal his plans for energy efficiency across the UAE and emphasize that ‘Green is not an option, it is a must’.

EMS will be in the spotlight this summer as they prepare to commence their Mabanina project to transform the UAE’s energy sector. In a joint initiative, EMS and Etisalat Facility Management (eFM) plan to reduce the utility bills and carbon footprint of existing buildings in the UAE by improving their energy efficiency. Building owners will be given the opportunity to upgrade their air-conditioning and lighting systems to become more economical and environmentally friendly. With full support from the government, annual building costs will experience savings of up to 25%.

Mr. Khaled Bushnaq, Chief Executive Officer of EMS, revealed that Mabanina offers ‘a win-win situation’, which will enable the UAE to achieve its green target. Mabanina offers a sustainable solution to the fluctuating energy costs and energy insecurity across the globe.

Read More

UAE rolls out biojet plan for green fuel movement

A joint industry roadmap for the sustainable production of aviation biofuels in the United Arab Emirates has been rolled out and culminates in a 20 point action plan covering four development areas: feedstock supply; biorefinery; distribution and overall supply chain.

‘The BIOjet Abu Dhabi: Flight Path to Sustainability’ is a collaborative roadmap by Etihad Airways together with Boeing, Total, the Abu Dhabi oil refining company Takreer and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. It’s aimed at creating the Middle East’s first commercially viable domestic aviation biofuel industry.

Among its 20 recommendations, the action plan calls for knowledge development through the creation of experimental farms; the mapping out of farm land to facility the growing of halophyte crops which can survive in arid climates and under sea water irrigation, development of a phased plan to blend aviation fuels into jet supplies and the exploration of partnerships with local and international stakeholders.

The project’s leader Linden Coppell, Head of Sustainability, Corporate Affairs, Etihad Airways said the upward momentum now required significant buy-in from government, the commercial sector and civil society. “We have started discussions with various stakeholders and will set up task forces to address the individual aspects of the action plan,” she explained.
The initial collaborative partners are bullish about Abu Dhabi’s prospects of becoming a bio fuels leader. The aviation industry, according to Dr. Alejandro Rios G. Director, Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, Masdar Institute, has “no alternative” but to back bio fuel development.

“The price of jet fuel has increased consistently from 2000-2012 by 260% and even though there has been some respite recently, increases are likely in the future meaning the airlines will be held hostage to this volatility and 40% of their costs go to this specific item,” he said. “It’s clear that we have to respond together to work and push for alternatives that are sustainable.”

The BioJet roadmap suggests Abu Dhabi has the potential to supply domestic alternative fuel feedstock from salt-tolerant halophyte plants that can be irrigated with seawater, inland planted forests and municipal and agricultural wastes. Dr. Alejandro says research into halophyte products has already begun at a collaborative farm at Sweihan outside of Abu Dhabi where plants are being irrigated by sea water and a newly inaugurated experimental farm pilot facility at Masdar City where eight fields of halophytes are being irrigated by sea water. The pilot facility – a kind of working laboratory – will double in size within three to five years, he said.

“The possibilities of making this happen in the UAE are enormous,” he added.

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/uae-rolls-out-biojet-plan-for-green-fuel-movement.html

What’s new in Green Building standards?

Green building programs and standards can impact the selection of wood products for residential and non-residential construction. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) recently approved LEED V4 and the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) has been adopted in 10 states. This recorded webinar addresses these two leading programs and the details about how they impact the use of wood and selection of building materials.

http://www.intelligentbuildingtoday.com/2015/06/17/whats-new-in-green-building-standards/

EMS Awarded Energy Audit Project for Al Rostamani Group

Energy Management Services (EMS) has revealed plans to work with Al Rostamani Group, a UAE-based business conglomerate, on their existing buildings. The reputable group is one of the fastest growing companies in the UAE construction sector.

EMS’ strong reputation in the region, allows them to be leading energy consultants in the Middle East. EMS will conduct an Energy Audit for the Al Rostamani Facilities in Dubai and Sharjah. Potential energy saving methods will be identified through an energy consumption analysis conducted by EMS experts for the four properties. EMS Smart Property Solutions facilitate the creation of smart facility through the optimization, integration, and automation of energy systems. As part of the project, EMS’ goal is to ensure that the proposed energy facilities will provide optimal energy at a reduced cost. Based on recent experience with similar projects, EMS identifies the potential Annual Energy Savings and aims to achieve energy savings within 1.5-4 years. The implementation of energy conservation measures and equipment in the Al Rostamani Facilities will both be financially and environmentally sustainable for Al Rostamani Group.

As Energy Partners for many clients in the Middle East over the past two decades, EMS has been actively involved in assisting its clients to strategically manage energy procurement by designing and implementing energy efficiency solutions, supplying reliable and cost-competitive energy services, and coordinating the installation of energy infrastructure and technologies.

Visit EMS website to learn more about our services at www.ems-int.com