Semester Paper 1

8/2/2019 Semester Paper 1

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Raechel Martin

4/19/2012

EGEE101H

Residential and Commercial Energy

When many think about energy consumption, they often think of large scale operations,

such as the industrial use of fossil fuels and its impact on the environment or maybe the

burning of fossil fuels in automobiles. The problem with this is that many see these energy

consuming acts as something distant—something out of their control. They assume the issues

surrounding these operations do not directly affect them, and there is nothing they can do to

improve them. And so, much of the public becomes detached from the energy scene in its

entirety. But this is wrong, and quite frankly unacceptable, as how we use energy in the future

depends on how we use energy today. It is important that people in today’s society are aware

of how they use energy. No, most people do not come into contact with a coal plant on a daily

basis, and maybe even some do not have a car themselves. But most do have a home, and most

do have a workplace or another commercial building the come into contact with frequently, if

not on a daily basis. Therefore, it is necessary that people know how energy is used in these

settings, and how they contribute to its use, in order to improve energy efficiency in the future.

The objective of my paper is to lay out the history of residential and commercial energy,

highlight the major factors that impact today’s energy use and efficiency, and address the

impact on future energy development.

The history of residential and commercial energy started off relatively simple. Wood

was the basic resource used for heating homes and businesses in 1860 and this continued until



about 1910 for most rural homes, even though coal was introduced in the 1800s as well (Shell).

This makes sense because wood was widely available at this times and there were not as many

concerns about preserving the natural environment (i.e., deforestation). Also, many rural

homes would most likely not be able to afford or would not have easy access to district heat

because of the distance between their homes and cities or towns. In 1870, kerosene was

introduced as an illuminating agent for oil lamps before light bulbs were invented (Shell). This

was a relatively simple way for residences to light their homes without relying on outside

sources, except to get fuel. In 1880, the incandescent light bulb was introduced (Shell). The

incandescent light bulb, containing a metal filament, nitrogen, argon, and a vacuum sealed bulb

improved efficiency from the previously invented carbon filament light bulbs (which only

converted about .15 percent of electricity to visible light) to about 1.8 percent (Smil).

Improvements on the light bulbs were yet to be made. Fluorescent lights contain low-pressure

mercury vapor and their inside shell is coated with phosphorous compounds, improving

electricity-radiation conversion to 15 percent (Smil). However, LED lights are the most efficient

with electricity-radiation conversions at about 80 percent (The Advantages of LED Lights). Two

years after the invention of the incandescent light bulb, Thomas Edison started the first coal

fired power plant used to light houses (Shell). This combination allowed residences to use

electricity to light their houses by way of the incandescent light bulb. But in 1984, nuclear

energy became the largest source for electricity, pushing coal to second place (Shell). On the

commercial end, the first commercial nuclear power plant started in Shippingport,

Pennsylvania; it created energy by splitting uranium atoms (Shell). As nuclear energy increased,

other sources of commercial energy were used less. In the 1970’s, both petroleum and coal use



for commercial energy went down (Shell). From 1993 on however, natural was the most

prevalent source for heating followed by electricity, then fuel oil, then propane (What’s New in

Our Home Energy Use). As far as energy efficiency methods go, before 1990 only 52 percent of

houses were built with triple pane energy-efficient windows, but after 2000, 80 percent of

houses were built with triple pane energy-efficient windows (Smil). Other improvements have

been made in regards to the overall building envelope and the other technologies used to make

energy more efficient (to be discussed later). In regards to heating and air, the whole-house

approach did not resonate in society until about the 1990s (Central HVAC). This would mean

that up until this point more concentrated methods of heating and air were used such as space

heating and window air conditioning units. Although the 1990’s was the major boom for

centralized heating and air, major improvements have still been made over the last decade

(Central HVAC). Overall, the history of residential and commercial energy has evolved from very

basic forms to more complex forms. From coal to nuclear energy supply on larger scale, to the

development of the light bulb, to the progression of heating homes starting with wood and

ending with centralized heating and air; residential and commercial energy has come a long

way.

Based on my findings and research, the most prevalent issues involving residential and

commercial energy revolves around methods to create more energy efficiency in homes and

commercial buildings. With the economy being in the current state it is in, it is important for

home owners and businesses alike to save energy and thus save money. First I will discuss more

current methods to energy saving, and then I will delve into future initiatives to conservation of

residential and commercial energy.



Currently, natural gas is the most prevalent source for residential energy and it provides

energy for over 55 million homes in the United States, or 49 percent of homes (What’s New in

Our Home Energy Use). This natural gas is largely used for heating. Natural gas is followed by

electricity, fuel oil, and kerosene as sources for residential energy (Electricity Use). From about

2001 to 2009, however, natural gas use decreased slightly while electricity use increased;

natural gas still holds first place (Residential Energy Consumption Survey). On the other hand,

commercial energy is largely supplied by electricity (accounts for 55 percent) followed by

natural gas, district heat, and fuel oil (Energy Use in Commercial Buildings). The flow chart

below highlights the different sources of energy used for commercial and residential energy in

Btu’s (British thermal unit).

(Energy Flow)



Of the energy supplied to residential buildings, most of it goes towards HVAC, or

heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Currently, the percentage of energy that goes

towards HVAC is around 42 percent (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions). The same goes

for commercial energy; HVAC also makes up the most energy consuming facet of commercial

buildings with consumption around 38 percent (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions). In

regards to cost, unless a residential or commercial building is situated in a temperate climate

that does not need to rely heavily on air adjustment, HVAC costs typically comprise around 44

percent of the utility bill for the building, especially for homes (Central HVAC). Given that HVAC

consumes so much energy for both residential and commercial establishments, it only makes

sense that efforts are made to use heating and cooling more efficiently and to create more

efficient systems.

Starting with consumer usage, not only is it wise for consumers to buy energy efficient

systems from the start, but it is also important for them to be used properly. Central air and

heating systems are more ideal for whole-home cooling or heating, as opposed to space

heaters or window air conditioning units which are more ideal for concentrated heating and

cooling; using these guidelines, costs can already be lowered for heating and air (Energy

Savers). On a larger scale, both centralized cooling and centralized heating systems are

regulated and consistently being improved to offer optimal efficiency for consumers. The

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio measures the of central air units, which according to

regulations cannot be lower than 13 (Energy Savers). Similarly, the Heating Seasonal

Performance Factor measures the energy efficiency of centralized heating systems, which

according to regulations cannot be lower than 6.8; if it is above 8.2 the system is consider to be



of “high-efficiency” (Energy Savers). These regulations show the effort on the manufacturing

level to create more energy efficient systems for consumers, which is vital to energy

conservation on an individual basis.

Heat pumps are another great way for consumers to save energy in both heating

and cooling. A heat pump works by transporting heat from an outdoor unit (called a

condenser) to an indoor unit (called an evaporator coil); in the winter hot air is transferred from

the outdoor system to the indoor system, but in the summer the process is reversed allowing

cool air to be circulated inside (Central HVAC). A heat pump can reduce the electricity used for

heating and air by about 30 to 40 percent (Central HVAC).

Another major use for residential and commercial energy is lighting. Lighting accounts

for approximately 11 percent of residential energy use and 22 percent of commercial energy

use (Residential and Commercial Overview). Given the amount of consumption use for lighting

(which is large compared to other components of the building), this should also be an area of

concern for conservation methods. The main method of conservation is using lights that

convert electricity to visible light in the most efficient manner (i.e., by using less energy). As

stated before in the history of light bulbs, fluorescents and LED light bulbs have the highest

ratings of electricity-radiation conversion with 15 percent and 80 percent respectively (Smil;

The Advantages of LED Lights). To put this into a cost perspective, if a 100 Watt incandescent

light bulb is used for 1 year at 10 cents per kilowatt hour, 88 dollars will be spent; if an LED light

is used for the same amount of time at the same rate, it will cost only 23 dollars (The



Advantages of LED Lights). Clearly, the use of LED lights over the traditional incandescent saves

not only energy because of the high rate of conversion, but also money for the consumer.

Future energy use depends not only on our current use, but how technology and

building techniques are improved. Technologies are constantly improving, and with labels like

ENERGY STAR, consumers can consistently keep up with and replace their existing technologies

with new, more efficient technologies if need be. However, this becomes more difficult when it

comes to the building itself. It is harder to improve upon the building and its envelope because

it is not feasible, in regards to time or cost, to renovate whole buildings at a time. Yes, this is

possible, but it is more logical and reasonable to integrate energy efficient methods from the

beginning so that fewer changes need to be made later on. This is especially important for

commercial buildings because they are usually much larger than residential buildings and thus

harder to renovate in the long run.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a United States Department of

Energy lab, works to improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings (Advanced

Commercial Buildings Research). Their efforts work to integrate both internal and external

systems of new and old buildings in order to provide the most energy efficiency possible

(Advanced Commercial Buildings Research). For new building construction, one of the most

important targets of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the building envelope. The

building envelope includes all external elements of the building such as the walls, roof, and

windows (Advanced Commercial Buildings Research). It is important to incorporate energy

efficient building envelope methods in order to prevent heat loss, a major effect on the cost of



heating and air. This can be done by using energy efficient windows and roofing. Typically 15 to

22 percent of heat loss is attributable to windows by way of conduction (the transfer of heat

from hotter areas to cooler areas) (Wasielewski). The amount of heat loss is essentially

measured by three factors: the U-factor: the rate of heat loss; the solar heat gain coefficient:

the rate of solar heat transmission; and air leakage: the amount of heat transferred by air flow

through cracks (Window Energy Efficiency Solutions for Public and Affordable Housing). Ideally,

the U-factor, solar gain coefficient, and the amount of air leakage should all be low on a scale of

0 to 1. A nearly perfect window made by the World’s Best Window Co. has a U-factor of .35, a

solar heat gain coefficient of .32, and an air leakage measurement of .2 (Window Energy

Efficiency Solutions for Public and Affordable Housing). In regards to roofing, radiant barriers

serve to reduce the amount of heat gain in a home which can also negatively affect heating and

air costs (Energy Savers). Typically made of a polished film of aluminum, radiant barriers are

capable of stopping 97 percent of the 93 percent of solar radiation that is transferred into attics

(Energy Savers). They are most effective when stapled under roofing rafters or trusses (Energy

Savers). Both windows and roofing methods and technologies are something the National

Renewable Energy Laboratory should take into consideration when developing a solid building

envelope for future building construction. In order to improve the energy efficiency of existing

buildings, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory typically focuses on bringing in more

energy efficient technologies for HVAC, lighting, electricity controls, and water and energy

connections (Advanced Commercial Buildings Research). All of the methods, used by the

aforementioned organization help to better the energy efficiency of both existing and future

buildings.



Another overseeing organization of commercial building is the Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design, or LEED. Established by the United States Green Building Council in

2000, LEED works to provide third-party certification for new and existing buildings that meet

their guidelines for green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance (USGBC).

LEED advocates for a whole-building approach to energy conservation and sustainability so

their requirements for certification covers several areas including: sustainable sites (site

selection and development), water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources,

indoor environmental quality, locations and linkages, awareness and education, innovation in

design, and regional priority (USGBC). Below is an optimal rating scale for two aspects of a

building:

Images from (USGBC)

These ratings cover a wide range of building components from start to finish, inside and

out. Perhaps the most influential rating on future energy use is the awareness and education



rating. This category advocates for home builders and real estate agents to educate buyers,

homeowners, and building managers with the knowledge they need to use their building in the

most efficient manner (USGBC). Only with awareness and education on how the technology

works can commercial building managers and workers use the building with optimal efficiency;

it is reasonable to assume that with education on energy efficiency comes future innovation

and increased use of energy efficient technologies.

In conclusion, current use of energy efficient technologies, such as lighting and HVAC

systems, and building methods, such as roofing techniques and windows, provide lower energy

costs and increased efficiency in the use of the energy sources prevalent in residential and

commercial buildings. Efforts made by third party organizations, like the National Renewable

Energy Laboratory and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, work to promote

energy efficiency for existing and future buildings by advocate for energy efficient building

techniques and energy efficient technologies. The combination of the use of energy efficient

technologies, and efforts made by these organizations collectively improve the overall use of

residential and commercial energy for our present and future.



References

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Department of Energy, n.d. Web. 17 Apr 2012. <http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/>.

"Advanced Commercial Buildings Research." Electricity, Resources, and Building Systems Integration.

U.S. Department of Energy, September 2009. Web. 18 Apr 2012. <www.nrel.gov>.

Shell, . "Shell." History of energy . N.p., 2012. Web. 18 Apr 2012.

<http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/environment_society/education/student/energy_tim

eline/>.

Smil, V. Energy, a beginner\'s guide. 2006. Oxford: Oneworld Pubns Ltd, 2008. Print.

"The advantages of led lights." Lc led corporation. LC LED Corporation, 2007. Web. 18 Apr 2012.

<http://www.lc-led.com/articles/ledlights.html>.

"What's New in Our Home Energy Use?." U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. Department of

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<http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/reports/2009overview.cfm>.

"Central HVAC." Consumer Energy Center . California Energy Commission, 2012. Web. 19 Apr

2012. <http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/heating_cooling.html>.

"Electricity Use." U.S. energy information administration. U.S. Department of Energy, 2011. Web. 17 Apr

2012. <http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=electricity_use>.

"Energy Use in Commercial Buildings." U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. Department of

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<http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=us_energy_commercial>.

"Energy Flow." Lawrence Livermore National Labratory . Department of Energy, 2010. Web. 19 Apr 2012.

<https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/>.



"RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL OVERVIEW." Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Center for Climate

and Energy Solutions, 2010. Web. 17 Apr 2012.<http://www.c2es.org/technology/overview/res-

comm>.

"Energy Savers." Air Sealing. U.S Department of Energy, 02 0. Web. 18 Apr 2012.

<http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11230>.

Wasielewski, Shanon Peterson. "Windows: Energy Efficiency Facts and Myths." . N.p., 2004. Web. 18 Apr

2012.

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Collaborative. N.p., January 2011. Web. 18 Apr 2012. <efficientwindows.org>.

USGBC, . "What LEED Is." United states green building council . U.S Green Building Council,

2012. Web. 19 Apr 2012.

<http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1988>.

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