IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v36y2011i11p2925-2931.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economic feasibility of energy efficiency measures in residential buildings

Author

Listed:
  • Sadineni, Suresh B.
  • France, Todd M.
  • Boehm, Robert F.

Abstract

A study has been performed to develop cost benefit data to be used by a local electric utility in defining a rebate program to encourage energy efficient construction in the Desert Southwest region of the USA. Several potential efficiency upgrades for production homes in the region were identified and an evaluation of each building component was performed using building energy simulation software. A model home developed in Las Vegas was used to calibrate the numerical model and was considered as a basis for further study. The validated building models were then used to predict the annual energy savings and payback periods for various upgrades. In all cases, comparisons were made to code-built houses with the same general overall characteristics. Useful life of most of these upgrades far exceeds their payback periods. It is found that a typical house, with the cost-effective upgrades installed, consumed 42.5% less annual energy compared to a home built to code. A 3.19 kWp PV system installed on the south-facing roof of the home can generate 5982 kWh annually, making it a net-zero (electrical) energy home. PV systems in Las Vegas have encouraging benefit cost ratios when federal and state rebates are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Sadineni, Suresh B. & France, Todd M. & Boehm, Robert F., 2011. "Economic feasibility of energy efficiency measures in residential buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 2925-2931.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:36:y:2011:i:11:p:2925-2931
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2011.04.006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148111001789
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2011.04.006?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lam, Joseph C. & Tsang, C.L. & Li, Danny H.W. & Cheung, S.O., 2005. "Residential building envelope heat gain and cooling energy requirements," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 30(7), pages 933-951.
    2. Florides, G. A. & Tassou, S. A. & Kalogirou, S. A. & Wrobel, L. C., 2002. "Measures used to lower building energy consumption and their cost effectiveness," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(3-4), pages 299-328, November.
    3. Gieseler, U.D.J. & Heidt, F.D. & Bier, W., 2004. "Evaluation of the cost efficiency of an energy efficient building," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 369-376.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Juan Aranda & Ignacio Zabalza & Andrea Conserva & Gema Millán, 2017. "Analysis of Energy Efficiency Measures and Retrofitting Solutions for Social Housing Buildings in Spain as a Way to Mitigate Energy Poverty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Zhang, Sheng & Liu, Jun & Wang, Fenghao & Chai, Jiale, 2023. "Design optimization of medium-deep borehole heat exchanger for building heating under climate change," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    3. Brelsford, Christa & Abbott, Joshua K., 2021. "How smart are ‘Water Smart Landscapes’?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    4. DeBlois, Justin C. & Bilec, Melissa M. & Schaefer, Laura A., 2013. "Design and zonal building energy modeling of a roof integrated solar chimney," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 241-250.
    5. Porse, Erik & Derenski, Joshua & Gustafson, Hannah & Elizabeth, Zoe & Pincetl, Stephanie, 2016. "Structural, geographic, and social factors in urban building energy use: Analysis of aggregated account-level consumption data in a megacity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 179-192.
    6. Ruhang, Xu, 2016. "The restriction research for urban area building integrated grid-connected PV power generation potential," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 124-143.
    7. Song, Xiangnan & Lu, Yujie & Shen, Liyin & Shi, Xunpeng, 2018. "Will China's building sector participate in emission trading system? Insights from modelling an owner's optimal carbon reduction strategies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 232-244.
    8. Byung Chang Kwag & Sanghee Han & Gil Tae Kim & Beobjeon Kim & Jong Yeob Kim, 2020. "Analysis of the Effects of Strengthening Building Energy Policy on Multifamily Residential Buildings in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, April.
    9. Copiello, Sergio, 2017. "Building energy efficiency: A research branch made of paradoxes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 1064-1076.
    10. Hong, Taehoon & Koo, Choongwan & Kim, Hyunjoong & Seon Park, Hyo, 2014. "Decision support model for establishing the optimal energy retrofit strategy for existing multi-family housing complexes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 157-169.
    11. Kapsalis, Vasileios & Maduta, Carmen & Skandalos, Nikolaos & Wang, Meng & Bhuvad, Sushant Suresh & D'Agostino, Delia & Ma, Tao & Raj, Uday & Parker, Danny & Peng, Jinqing & Karamanis, Dimitris, 2024. "Critical assessment of large-scale rooftop photovoltaics deployment in the global urban environment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    12. Sadineni, Suresh B. & Madala, Srikanth & Boehm, Robert F., 2011. "Passive building energy savings: A review of building envelope components," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(8), pages 3617-3631.
    13. Sadineni, Suresh B. & Atallah, Fady & Boehm, Robert F., 2012. "Impact of roof integrated PV orientation on the residential electricity peak demand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 204-210.
    14. De Luca, Giovanna & Ballarini, Ilaria & Lorenzati, Alice & Corrado, Vincenzo, 2020. "Renovation of a social house into a NZEB: Use of renewable energy sources and economic implications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 356-370.
    15. Vats, Kanchan & Tiwari, G.N., 2012. "Energy and exergy analysis of a building integrated semitransparent photovoltaic thermal (BISPVT) system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 409-416.
    16. Jam Shahzaib Khan & Rozana Zakaria & Siti Mazzuana Shamsudin & Nur Izie Adiana Abidin & Shaza Rina Sahamir & Darul Nafis Abbas & Eeydzah Aminudin, 2019. "Evolution to Emergence of Green Buildings: A Review," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-20, January.
    17. Sadineni, Suresh B. & Boehm, Robert F., 2012. "Measurements and simulations for peak electrical load reduction in cooling dominated climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 689-697.
    18. Zhang, Sheng & Liu, Jun & Zhang, Xia & Wang, Fenghao, 2024. "Properly shortening design time scale of medium-deep borehole heat exchanger for high building heating performances with high computational efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sadineni, Suresh B. & Madala, Srikanth & Boehm, Robert F., 2011. "Passive building energy savings: A review of building envelope components," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(8), pages 3617-3631.
    2. Sadineni, Suresh B. & Atallah, Fady & Boehm, Robert F., 2012. "Impact of roof integrated PV orientation on the residential electricity peak demand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 204-210.
    3. Sadineni, Suresh B. & Boehm, Robert F., 2012. "Measurements and simulations for peak electrical load reduction in cooling dominated climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 689-697.
    4. Villa-Arrieta, Manuel & Sumper, Andreas, 2018. "A model for an economic evaluation of energy systems using TRNSYS," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 765-777.
    5. Hu, Maomao & Xiao, Fu & Wang, Lingshi, 2017. "Investigation of demand response potentials of residential air conditioners in smart grids using grey-box room thermal model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 324-335.
    6. Jian Yao, 2014. "A Multi-Objective (Energy, Economic and Environmental Performance) Life Cycle Analysis for Better Building Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-13, January.
    7. Leccese, Francesco & Salvadori, Giacomo & Asdrubali, Francesco & Gori, Paola, 2018. "Passive thermal behaviour of buildings: Performance of external multi-layered walls and influence of internal walls," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 1078-1089.
    8. Mao, Ning & Pan, Dongmei & Li, Zhao & Xu, Yingjie & Song, Mengjie & Deng, Shiming, 2017. "A numerical study on influences of building envelope heat gain on operating performances of a bed-based task/ambient air conditioning (TAC) system in energy saving and thermal comfort," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 213-221.
    9. Bessa, Vanessa M.T. & Prado, Racine T.A., 2015. "Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by solar water heating systems and passive technologies in social housing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 138-150.
    10. Oropeza-Perez, Ivan & Østergaard, Poul Alberg, 2014. "Potential of natural ventilation in temperate countries – A case study of Denmark," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 520-530.
    11. He, Yueer & Liu, Meng & Kvan, Thomas & Peng, Shini, 2017. "An enthalpy-based energy savings estimation method targeting thermal comfort level in naturally ventilated buildings in hot-humid summer zones," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 717-731.
    12. De Boeck, L. & Verbeke, S. & Audenaert, A. & De Mesmaeker, L., 2015. "Improving the energy performance of residential buildings: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 960-975.
    13. Kharseh, Mohamad & Altorkmany, Lobna & Al-Khawaja, Mohammed & Hassani, Ferri, 2015. "Analysis of the effect of global climate change on ground source heat pump systems in different climate categories," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 219-225.
    14. Sheng, Weili & Zhang, Lin & Ridley, Ian, 2020. "The impact of minimum OTTV legislation on building energy consumption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    15. Halawa, Edward & Ghaffarianhoseini, Amirhosein & Ghaffarianhoseini, Ali & Trombley, Jeremy & Hassan, Norhaslina & Baig, Mirza & Yusoff, Safiah Yusmah & Azzam Ismail, Muhammad, 2018. "A review on energy conscious designs of building façades in hot and humid climates: Lessons for (and from) Kuala Lumpur and Darwin," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2147-2161.
    16. Jim, C.Y., 2014. "Air-conditioning energy consumption due to green roofs with different building thermal insulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 49-59.
    17. Chan, A.L.S., 2015. "Investigation on the appropriate floor level of residential building for installing balcony, from a view point of energy and environmental performance. A case study in subtropical Hong Kong," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 620-634.
    18. Ascione, Fabrizio & Bianco, Nicola & de’ Rossi, Filippo & Turni, Gianluca & Vanoli, Giuseppe Peter, 2013. "Green roofs in European climates. Are effective solutions for the energy savings in air-conditioning?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 845-859.
    19. Seo, Dong-yeon & Koo, Choongwan & Hong, Taehoon, 2015. "A Lagrangian finite element model for estimating the heating and cooling demand of a residential building with a different envelope design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 66-79.
    20. Ahmad, Irshad, 2010. "Performance of antisolar insulated roof system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 36-41.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:36:y:2011:i:11:p:2925-2931. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.