Assignment One: Energy and Sustainability
Q.1) What is sustainability and how does it relate to your field and interests?
Sustainability is “the ability to provide for the needs of the world's current population without damaging the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried out over and over without negative environmental effects or impossibly high costs to anyone involved.”1 Sustainable energy is about using energy wisely, and using energy produced by clean technologies or from renewable sources. 2
Today, concern for the natural environment and high replacement costs of energy sources have shifted our attention to conservation and recycling on a global basis. How we obtain, use, and conserve energy today will have a direct impact on current and future generations. Design for energy conservation in buildings aims to minimize energy dependency and provide optimum comfort in interiors.
1www.sustainabletable.org/intro/dictionary/
2www.sustainable-energy.vic.gov.au/seinfo/glossary/r-z.asp
Q.2) What are the problems that need to be solved with my team topic and sustainability?
Cost for energy efficiency, in some circumstances, can be quite expensive. For example, “intelligent” appliances3 that receive information about the current price of power along with power itself, and choose alternate power sources accordingly is a credible approach to fluctuations in energy demand. Yet, convincing the common consumer that spending more on household appliances will out weight the eventual savings on energy costs has yet to catch on.
3www.homeownernet.com/articles/ intelligent_appliances.html - 15k –
Q.3) What solutions are currently out there?
GE, TMIO, and LG Electronics are creating energy efficient and intelligent appliances that are more user friendly and more equal in cost to regular/less energy efficient appliances. By adding special features that appeal to the general public, like a television in a refrigerator door, is making intelligent appliances more popular than ever.4
Currently there is also an interest in using more renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and wood, as opposed to nonrenewable ones, such as oil and coal which have fixed and limited reserves.
Various codes, standards, and federal laws continue to be created and passed in an effort to make buildings more energy efficient. Energy codes also provide allowances for renewable energy sources such as solar radiation, wind, plant byproducts and geothermal sources. 5
4http://design.hgtv.com/kitchen/Video_detail.aspx?id=20
http://www.shapetomorrow.com/
5http://resourcecenter.pnl.gov/cocoon/morf/ResourceCenter
Q.4) What areas need more exploration around energy?
Research needs to be done to define more creative ways to take advantage of natural resources. Currently, taking advantage of natural resources like the sun (large solar panels) and wind (large windmill farms) requires the use of a lot of space. Finding ways to collect natural energy in a smaller more concise way could spread the popularity of these sources.
Q.5) What conclusions have you found, specifically that you would like to take on personally?
I am most interested in finding a way to reach typical consumers and get them interested in more energy efficient resources. Helping the consumer understand the cost of energy, not only in terms on social economics but on the environment.
Q.1) What is sustainability and how does it relate to your field and interests?
Sustainability is “the ability to provide for the needs of the world's current population without damaging the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried out over and over without negative environmental effects or impossibly high costs to anyone involved.”1 Sustainable energy is about using energy wisely, and using energy produced by clean technologies or from renewable sources. 2
Today, concern for the natural environment and high replacement costs of energy sources have shifted our attention to conservation and recycling on a global basis. How we obtain, use, and conserve energy today will have a direct impact on current and future generations. Design for energy conservation in buildings aims to minimize energy dependency and provide optimum comfort in interiors.
1www.sustainabletable.org/intro/dictionary/
2www.sustainable-energy.vic.gov.au/seinfo/glossary/r-z.asp
Q.2) What are the problems that need to be solved with my team topic and sustainability?
Cost for energy efficiency, in some circumstances, can be quite expensive. For example, “intelligent” appliances3 that receive information about the current price of power along with power itself, and choose alternate power sources accordingly is a credible approach to fluctuations in energy demand. Yet, convincing the common consumer that spending more on household appliances will out weight the eventual savings on energy costs has yet to catch on.
3www.homeownernet.com/articles/ intelligent_appliances.html - 15k –
Q.3) What solutions are currently out there?
GE, TMIO, and LG Electronics are creating energy efficient and intelligent appliances that are more user friendly and more equal in cost to regular/less energy efficient appliances. By adding special features that appeal to the general public, like a television in a refrigerator door, is making intelligent appliances more popular than ever.4
Currently there is also an interest in using more renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and wood, as opposed to nonrenewable ones, such as oil and coal which have fixed and limited reserves.
Various codes, standards, and federal laws continue to be created and passed in an effort to make buildings more energy efficient. Energy codes also provide allowances for renewable energy sources such as solar radiation, wind, plant byproducts and geothermal sources. 5
4http://design.hgtv.com/kitchen/Video_detail.aspx?id=20
http://www.shapetomorrow.com/
5http://resourcecenter.pnl.gov/cocoon/morf/ResourceCenter
Q.4) What areas need more exploration around energy?
Research needs to be done to define more creative ways to take advantage of natural resources. Currently, taking advantage of natural resources like the sun (large solar panels) and wind (large windmill farms) requires the use of a lot of space. Finding ways to collect natural energy in a smaller more concise way could spread the popularity of these sources.
Q.5) What conclusions have you found, specifically that you would like to take on personally?
I am most interested in finding a way to reach typical consumers and get them interested in more energy efficient resources. Helping the consumer understand the cost of energy, not only in terms on social economics but on the environment.
posted by Susan at
9:44 PM
5 Comments:
Hi Susan,
Are you married yet? Hope your summer is going well. You mentioned that the federal government offers incentives on certain efficient products. I was aware of the incentives but always thought that it needed to be something big such as a hybrid cars or solar panels. I got curios, so I went to the IRS site. They offer a 10% credit of the total cost on “qualified” insulation systems, exterior windows, exterior doors and metal roofs. They also offer a $50 for each advanced main air circulating fan, $150 for each “qualified” natural gas, propane, or oil furnace or hot water heater and $300 for each item of “qualified” energy efficient property. They also offer 30% credit (up to $2,000) for “qualified” solar panels, solar water heating equipment, or a fuel cell power plant (converts fuel into electricity). That’s nice but what exactly are these “qualified” products? Unfortunately, I can’t answer that without referring, to the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code which costs $31 to download and $39 for a hard copy. Isn’t this sad? They make it really hard for people to do the right thing. Anyway, Good Job.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=154657,00.html
By
Kelly, at 7:06 PM
i just wanted to say... my wife is hot. that is all. love you. have a good day!
By
Tim, at 7:35 PM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Brighton, at 11:42 PM
I had never hear of "intelligent appliances" and I think that is a great solution. It is one that would appeal to people and would be energy efficient. (Except lowering the cost of something like that would be an issue also). Here is an interesting article on intelligent appliances.
It is crazy that the average American household spends more than $1,100 per year on appliances and heating and cooling equipment. Here's the link to the article.
http://www.gaiam.com/retail/gai_content/learn/gai_learnArticle.asp?article_id=1760
By
Brighton, at 12:01 AM
Susan,
I like how you brought up how some manufacturers are making 'intelligent' appliances more attractive by adding something like at television. Are there other appliances or other ways of making these appliances more attractive to the consumer that are also sustainable? Also consider your statement on ' Finding ways to collect natural energy in a smaller more concise way could spread the popularity of these sources.' Is there something out there that is doing it for the home in a small way that could be designed in a way to be more attractive as well? Great work. Have some ideas ready for when you are in London!
Corrine
By
Corrine, at 7:49 AM
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