February 24, 2014
by Wolfgang Mehl (Nenet)
0 comments

BELOK – the Swedish total project method for energy efficient and sustainable renovation of buildings

“Beställargruppen Lokaler”, called BELOK for short, is a co-operative project between the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish Construction Clients Forum and Sweden’s largest local property owners with an orientation towards commercial premises, for example premises for schools, medical services and … Continue reading

We need to focus more on the peak-effects!

February 18, 2014 by Minna G. Lundvall (AF Consult) | 0 comments

Vintersörskog litenWhen we talk about how energy-efficient a building is, it is often the annual energy use that is discussed, since it is directly related to a cost for the owner.

But if we put the energy use in the perspective of the society as a whole, we should rather focus on reducing the peak power needed!

Our production sites and distribution systems have to be sized to handle the maximum needs, even if it only occurs for a few days each year. That makes both systems and buildings more expensive than they would be if we could keep the peak need down.

It also makes us more dependent of non-renewable sources of energy, since a lot of the renewable energy sources are low-temperature and cannot always supply enough power when the need for peak-effects occurs.

The peak effects are an important issue as well for entire urban district heating systems as for the single homeowner with a heat pump.

So what I would like to see and hear more of ahead is Power-Efficient buildings!