Environmental and health related criteria for buildings - ANEC

IBO - Environmental and Health related Criteria for Buildings
energy saving measures are already implemented with respect to the useful and final energy
demand of buildings). Energy saving has always priority over the use of renewable energies,
as energy which need not be supplied is ranking higher than energy generated by
regenerative sources.
Limitation of primary energy has to be considered with respect to exhaustible resources and
the maintenance of non-renewable resources for future generations. Biomass-based energy
resources are considered as energy resources with low non-renewable, but high renewable
primary energy content. Therefore, it is insufficient to assess primary energy without a clear
division into renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
Low primary energy factors (e.g. heating oil) are the result of high energy intensity of the
considered energy carrier, high primary energy factors are caused by elaborate technological
upstream processes (e.g. electricity from coal-fired power plants).
The total primary energy factor for wood is similar to coal or heating oil. If only the nonrenewable
part is considered the primary energy factor decreases significantly to 0.2 taking
into account diesel use for wood processing, etc.
Primary energy factors vary depending on calculation methods and allocation models but the
ranking of energy carriers is similar as the comparison of two sources applicable for the
German market shows. 15
Table 11: Primary energy factors (cited in EN 15603, Source: Oekoinventare für
Energiesysteme – ETH Zürich):
Primary energy factors f p
Non renewable
Total
Heating oil 1.35 1.35
Natural gas 1.36 1.36
Anthracite coal 1.19 1.19
Brown coal 1.40 1.40
Coke 1.53 1.53
Wood chips 0.06 1.06
Wood 0.09 1.09
Beech wood 0.07 1.07
Fir wood 0.10 1.10
Electricity – hydropower plant 0.50 1.50
Primary energy factors f p
Non renewable
Total
Electricity – nuclear power plant 2.80 2.80
Electricity – coal-fired power plant 4.05 4.05
Electricity – UCTE mix 3.14 3.31
15 Conversion factors especially for electricity generation are controversially discussed as the production mix
varies substantially in different European countries and is highly dependent on the specific provider which can
easily be changed by consumers. Furthermore, on-going improvements in the energy sector lead to significant
changes in the mixture of energy supply which should be taken into account in the calculation of primary energy
factors. Consistent conversion factors can only refer to an average production mix of electricity (or even oil
extraction and production) within a region considered (e.g. EU or EU member state) being aware of the
inaccuracy of data collection and current changes in power supply. Using primary energy demand as one of the
main indicators for building assessment systems one must be aware that besides buildings’ specifications also
the quality of the whole energy sector is rated.
Final Report 51 31 03 2011