Many post-war residential buildings in the Netherlands have collective heating systems with poor energy efficiency. Also ventilation and DHW systems usually do not comply with current requirements. In Heerlen, the Netherlands, a demonstration was carried out in the framework of the EC-THERMIE programme in a residential building where the collective heating, DHW and ventilation systems are replaced by individual multi-functional appliances. These appliances are a recent development in the Netherlands, integrating different service functions.
In the framework of the Flemish Impulse Programme on Energy Technology (VLIET), the project called SENVIVV is running from January 1995 till September 1997. The major objective is to obtain a detailed picture of various characteristics of dwellings constructed during the period 1990-1995. To achieve this, a representative sample of 200 dwellings is analysed in detail. The final report of this project is expected to be available at the end of 1997.
A method for estimating the reliability of mechanical ventilation systems in dwellings hasbeen developed. The analysis is based on component level reliability models interconnectedby so called fault-tree schemes. A simplified model for maintenance is included. Theanalysis procedure is applied on an central exhaust ventilation system and on a central supplyand exhaust ventilation system with heat recovery. For each system, three different qualitystandards have been defined and combined with three levels of maintenance. Work has alsobeen done on collecting relevant input data, e.g.
There are many hurdles in the road to widespread adoption of energy-efficient heating and cooling (HVAC) equipment in homes. These hurdles include increased first cost, lack of sufficient financing, historic lack of aggressive marketing by HVAC equipment dealers, and lack of consumer awareness. This paper reports on the design and progress of the ENERGY STAR market-based approach to overcome these hurdles to encourage the widespread manufacture and purchase of highly efficient heating and cooling equipment.
A five-year initiative between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) demonstrated the feasibility of improving the energy efficiency of publicly assisted housing. Twenty-seven projects and activities undertaken during 1990-95 involved research and field demonstrations, institutional and administrative changes to HUD policies and procedures, innovative financing and leveraging of federal dollars with non-federal money, and education, training, and technical assistance.
Comparative energy information is one method energy policymakers have employed to motivate consumers to reduce their energy use. The US appliance labeling program, for example, has used graphical displays to illustrate the differences in energy consumption among home appliances. Little is known, however, about how consumers interpret various graphical displays and/or how they use the information. Additionally, subtleties in the accuracy with which these graphical displays convey the underlying data have yet to be addressed in the research literature.
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