BRE IP2/12 PDF

INTRODUCTION

The built environment is a major consumer of primary energy and source of carbon emissions. About 50% of primary energy is used in the built environment, including, for example, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, lighting and powering devices such as washing machines, fridges and TVs. The largest consumer of energy is transport, accounting for about 37% of primary energy consumption. Energy consumption by domestic dwellings is 27–29%, making this sector the largest energy consumer among the building stock. Energy consumption by the industrial sector is about 21%.

Urgent steps are needed to tackle the emerging energy and carbon emissions crisis, globally and nationally. Policy objectives have been set for the UK to reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050[2], and to identify methods of energy production that reduce or eliminate our dependency on fossil fuels, for example, by ‘decarbonising' the electricity supply, that is, minimising the carbon emissions associated with energy production.

A major increase in the use of renewable energy technologies is beginning – the UK has an obligatory target to increase its installed renewable energy load from about 1.5% now to 15% by 2020. There is likely to be a major programme to build more nuclear power stations, and the search continues for innovative and effective methods of energy production, eg fuel cells.

Other benefits of tackling energy and carbon emissions include:

• increasing our security of energy supply

• introducing innovative energy technologies will help create new energy industries, new economic opportunities and jobs.

The introduction of new energy generation, centralised or local, will take place over the mid to long term. However, some issues, particularly the need to reduce carbon emissions, require an immediate response. If we are to limit global temperature rise to less than 2°C, the threshold above which the effects of global warming are unpredictable, then some argue that the global carbon emissions curve needs to be turned from growth to reduction by 2015. This is a major challenge.

Improving the energy efficiency of the built environment is an immediate and cost-effective method for reducing primary energy consumption and carbon emissions.

A range of methods for improving energy efficiency in the built environment is available. For example, increasing the insulation value of the building fabric of existing stock reduces energy demand for space and water heating. Improving our understanding of where we use energy, and providing user friendly ways of controlling our energy use are equally important.