• Energy Research
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Abstract Building energy demand for heating and cooling has a complicated relationship with different environmental conditions surrounding the building sector. Many projects aiming to improve thermal performance in existing buildings in Jordan suggest that roof insulation will improve thermal performance. In this study we try to prove that minimizing building infiltration is more effective and provides a lower cost solution in low-income houses in Jordan. This work introduces a comparative analysis of the infiltration rate and insulation techniques applied to standalone low-income houses in Jordan to identify the energy efficiency of those techniques for different climate zones in the country. A building simulation presenting the common building configuration used in was developed to test the effectiveness of various insulation scenarios (Roof, Wall, Roof and wall together) and infiltration rate scenarios. The results show that in different climates the reduction of infiltration to half (0.75 air changes per hour (ACH)) shows a similar potential to reduce energy demand as 10 or 12.5 cm roof or wall insulation. Also, the reduction of infiltration rate to a low level (0.25 ACH) can decrease energy demand more effectively than 12.5 cm insulation in the roof or walls.

The need for more efficient buildings to contribute to more sustainable development has led to the establishment of targets in different countries. European countries have presented energy plans to respond to the guidelines of achieving near-zero energy buildings (nZEB). The concept can be defined at the urban scale (nZED), being a delimited part of a city with high energy efficiency and using renewable energies within its boundaries. This research aims to carry out a numerical study in a residential development in Panama, based on a proposal to redesign it, but using bioclimatic strategies and implementing photovoltaic technology. Thus, to evaluate the feasibility of nZED in the region and to function as a preliminary study to implement regulations of this type in the country. The results indicate that the indoor comfort conditions of each residential building should be evaluated in greater depth, and energy savings of 40% were obtained by implementing the recommended bioclimatic strategies and becoming independent of air conditioning equipment. In addition, photovoltaic generation outstrips demand, making the development net energy positive.

Social houses built after the Second World War to accommodate workers and low-income families represent one of the major energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters in the residential sector. Plans for their renovation are underway in all European countries, and the process is more complicated for Italian cities due to the lack of space and the large number of historical buildings. This study addresses this challenge by proposing a methodology to renovate a low-income district in the city of Venice using CityBES to model and evaluate energy conservation measures. CityBES is a web-based tool that allows users to employ urban building energy modeling for large-scale energy and retrofit analyses of building stocks. In the case study conducted for Venice's Santa Marta district, due to the particular context, four common energy conservation measures covering both the building envelope and heat generation boilers have been applied. The evaluation of energy-saving performances at the district level showed that the four measures together achieved 67% energy savings, an abatement in energy cost equal to 67%, and annual carbon dioxide emissions reduction of 1.1 MtCO2. The case study demonstrates a method and workflow replicable for energy retrofit analysis of building stocks in other historical districts.

Dependence on air-conditioning (AC) for residential cooling and ventilation is a health and sustainability challenge. In hot temperatures, climate-sensitive buildings (CSB) can complement and/or substitute for AC usage in achieving thermal comfort. Many countries facing such conditions—particularly in tropical climates—are developing quickly, with rising populations and income creating demand for new housing and AC. This presents a window for adoption of CSB but could also result in long term lock-in of AC-dependent buildings. Here, a simple system dynamics model is used to explore the potential and limitations of subsidies to affect futures of housing stock and night-time AC usage in Malaysia. The effectiveness of subsidies in achieving high uptake of CSB and resulting health benefits is highly dependent on homebuyer willingness to pay (WTP). A detailed understanding of WTP in the Malaysian context and factors that can shift WTP is necessary to determine if CSB subsidies can be a good policy mechanism for achieving CSB uptake.

Under pressure from donor agencies and international financial institutions such as the World Bank, some developing countries have experimented with the privatization of water services. This article reviews the econometric evidence on the effects of water privatization in developing economies and presents new results using statistical data envelopment analysis and stochastic cost frontier techniques and data from Africa. The analysis fails to show evidence of better performance by private utilities than by state owned utilities. Among the reasons why water privatization could prove problematic in lower-income economies are the technology of water provision and the nature of the product, transaction costs, and regulatory weaknesses.