CB08 (archived) Reducing emissions through energy efficiency (2003) (pdf)

This CIBSE Briefing has been archived, and should not be used on current projects.

The burning of fossil fuels has a major impact on the environment. The CO2 emitted from burning fossil fuels is widely acknowledged to be causing global climate change, and improving energy efficiency will help reduce global warming. Burning less fossil fuel also results in reduced emissions of the pollutants that contribute to acid rain.

Energy use in buildings is responsible for almost half the CO2 emissions in the UK. The energy bill for most existing commercial and public buildings could be reduced by at least 20% using cost effective measures. New buildings and major refurbishment represent even greater potential. New low-energy buildings consume 50% less energy than existing buildings and 20% less than typical new buildings.

Electricity use is a key issue, since its generation produces high levels of CO2 emissions, and electricity consumption is rising, often due to IT equipment and air conditioning. While electricity is efficient at the point of use, low efficiency at power stations means that it can produce 2 to 3 times the CO2 emissions per delivered unit of energy than the direct use of fossil fuels. Electricity is also more expensive per unit of delivered energy.

Under the Kyoto protocol, the UK government is committed to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases to 12.5% below 1990 levels by the year 2010, and has set a more stringent internal target to reduce it by 20% by 2010. The recently published Energy White Paper sets out even more challenging goals for further reductions by 2020, which it proposes to achieve in large measure through greater energy efficiency of both new and existing stock supported by the greater use of renewable energy (see CIBSE Briefing 9). The Royal Commission for Environmental Pollution has set a target for reducing emissions by 60% by the year 2050.

The government has also introduced a range of measures to deliver reductions in emissions, some of which have a direct impact on the building and property industries. These include the Climate Change Levy, Enhanced Capital Allowances (see CIBSE Briefing 4) and the 2002 Building Regulations Part L. Further measures will be required to implement the new EU Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings (see CIBSE Briefing 6).