Clean energy is key to environmental sustainability. Reliable, affordable energy is fundamental to economic development. While dense megacities continue to emerge as the dominant population centers of the 21st century, over two billion of the world’s people still lack access to basic energy services. Affordable energy infrastructure and technology, coupled with the development of a...
As with all business decisions, the “build or not to build” decision depends on a cost-benefit analysis: a particular construction project or installation is executed if it is expected to generate monetary value that exceeds the price. If, on the other hand, perceived costs outweigh benefits, the project is shelved. The same basic rule applies to construction of green buildings.
While solar panels currently generate a small percentage of the electricity used globally, a growing number of organizations are turning to the sun to power their facilities by installing an on-site solar photovoltaic system. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), global photovoltaic (PV) market growth has averaged 25 percent annually over the last 10 years, with worldwide...
In 2010 during the lead up to the Copenhagen Conference of the Parties under the UNFCCC, major developing country economies advanced energy policy initiatives designed to meet national commitments to reduce their energy intensity. In essence the largest emerging economies agreed to slow the rate of growth of carbon emissions per unit of economic activity. A summary of these pledges can be found at...
Access to basic energy services is a fundamental requirement for sustainable economic and social development. The link between energy and human development is well known and emphasized by the UN Millennium Development Goals1. Energy services are critical for healthcare, sanitation, education, mobility, enterprise, and all of the elements that developing nations need to raise the standard of living...
Everyone knows that “green building” is not about the color of the paint, but no single definition exists to define exactly what makes a building green. Rather, there are multiple elements to consider, and ongoing debate about which should be given the most weight. There are, however, common themes to almost all definitions of green buildings, all of which relate to the...
In the past, energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy programs have often advanced along separate pathways. However, a 2007 study conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) concludes that investments in both energy efficiency and renewable energy are essential to creating a secure energy future for the U.S.
Al igual que con todas las decisiones comerciales, la decisión de “construir o no construir” depende de un análisis de la relación coste-beneficio: un proyecto de construcción o una instalación particular se ejecuta si se espera que genere un valor monetario superior a su precio. Si, por el contrario, los costes percibidos superan los beneficios, el proyecto se abandona.
We all know that the term "green building" does not refer to plants that decorate it , but there is no single definition to explain exactly what makes a building is environmentally friendly. Instead, they should be considered multiple elements, although currently being debated what are the most important.
For many building owners, the challenge is not just to dial down energy use in a single building, but to improve efficiency across an array of buildings.