Building Services Engineering 5th Edition Handbook

2 Energy economics
Learning objectives
Study of this chapter will enable the reader to:
1. understand the basis of energy auditing and design an energy audit;
2. be able to calculate energy costs for all applications and different types of measuring
unit within SI (Système International);
3. use multiples and submultiples of SI units;
4. identify usefully employed energy;
5. evaluate energy costs in pounds per useful gigajoule;
6. understand degree days and their use;
7. compare the energy efficiency of different buildings;
8. calculate the economic thickness of thermal insulation for both hot surfaces and
building structures;
9. analyse financial return on investment in energy-saving measures;
10. calculate energy use targets for buildings;
11. calculate greenhouse gas carbon emission.
Key terms and concepts
annual energy 39; capital repayment period 49; carbon emission 42; cash flow 52; cost per
useful therm and gigajoule 37; degree day 44; economic thickness 49; electrical target 53;
energy audit 32; energy target 53; energy use performance factor 34; greenhouse gas 42;
gross calorific value 36; liquefied petroleum gas 40; load factor 46; multiples and submultiples
of units 35; overall efficiency 38; percentage return on investment 52; therm 35; thermal storage
of a building 38; thermal target 53; total energy demand target 53; useful energy 37;
use of gigajoules (GJ), kilowatts (kW), kilojoules (kJ), kilowatt-hours (kWh), megajoules
(MJ) 35.