85 Energy Efficiency Measures
Insulation of roofs
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building envelope
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Installing roof insulation reduces the heat transfer from and to a building. Thus, it is possible to more easily maintain a constant temperature level within the building.
Replacement of old windows
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building envelope
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Insulating properties of windows are characterised by their heat transition coefficient. For old windows these heat transition coefficients are regularly quite poor. Replacing these windows along with the building shell with modern solutions with several layers of glass will improve the insulation quality and reduce heat loses.
Improvements of wall insulation
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building envelope
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Insufficiently insulated exterior walls are a cause for energy losses. By improving the insulation of these walls, heating or cooling requirements can be reduced in the long run. In addition, the building will maintain a more constant level of temperature.
Insulation of basement ceiling
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building envelope
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Heated buildings with unheated cellars can profit from insulating the basement ceiling. This reduces heat radiation from the heated ground floor towards the cold cellar area, reducing heat and therefore energy losses and resulting in less consumed energy.
Removal of thermal bridges
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building envelope
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Thermal bridges are areas where buildings components have a considerably higher heat transmission than their surrounding components. Thus, the necessary heating demand increases and also the risk for mould formation. By removing thermal bridges, less energy is required to maintain a constant temperature level.
Reduction of heating temperature
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building heating
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Excessive temperature levels in heating systems increase their energy demand. Adding temperature limitations or blocking to radiator thermostats is useful to reduce the room temperature. An installation of limitation and blocking mechanisms make sense within corridors and entrance areas. Otherwise radiators will be found heating above a require temperature resulting in unwanted energy consumption.
Use of smart heating systems
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building heating
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Intelligent heating control systems operating allow to automatically adapt heating levels to the specific situation. Using smart thermostats make it possible to adjust the heating setting to whether a room is empty or occupied with people, for example. Such systems can also draw on other data sources e.g. weather forecasts, to optimize heating planning. This helps to avoid unnecessary energy consumption due to excessive heating.
Use of solar-thermal energy
- Category: Cross-Cutting
- Area: Buildings
- Sub Area: Building heating
- Implementation Effort :
- Saving Potential :
Solar thermal collectors are usually installed upon rooftops and provide heat by using energy from sunlight for heating up water. Using this solar based heating system to support or replace conventional heating systems powered by fossil fuels reduces energy demand to traditional energy sources.