International.
Heating and cooling systems currently account for around 40% of a building's energy consumption worldwide, a study presented by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has revealed.
The Agency says that because the standard of living is rising, it is expected that more than 80% of the growth in increasing cooling space will take place in emerging and developing economies, pushing up energy demand.
Much of that growth will take place in cities, which is also where the greatest potential for energy savings lies. Under the IEA scenario limiting global temperature growth to 2 degrees by 2050 (or 2DS), urban areas will be responsible for nearly 85% of the anticipated energy savings in cooling systems.
In OECD countries, a significant portion of space in today's cooling demand comes from the service sector. However, in countries outside the OECD, energy consumption from cooling systems in residential buildings is expected to increase dramatically as the demand for confotr in households in hot climates increases. This will be driven by an increase of more than 900 million new households expected by 2050 in urban areas in countries outside the OECD.
The IEA indicates that these new homes represent an opportunity to implement innovative technological solutions and policies that can limit the demand for energy for cooling, and keep the world under the 2-degree scenario. These include, for example, the application of energy building codes that reduce cooling demand through building efficiency and equipment technologies, including renovations of existing services in buildings. In new buildings, the first priority in building design and development policy should be to reduce the need for cooling altogether. For example, in hot climates, new construction and building renovations could incorporate reflective surfaces. In some cases, buildings can take advantage of natural ventilation and nighttime. These innovations can ultimately reduce energy investment needs while increasing residential comfort.
Source: www.iea.org
