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A large number of residential buildings in hot summer and cold winter zone of China are non-energy efficient with poor indoor thermal conditions. Retrofitting residential buildings with energy efficiency measures is thus important for residents. However, this work progressed slowly because practically applicable measures that not only have high energy savings but also improve indoor thermal performance have not been studied. Thus, this paper carried out a simulation study on the selection of suitable energy saving measures for residential buildings in hot summer and cold winter zone of China. Five potential energy saving options are considered and the energy, indoor thermal comfort and economic performance are compared. The results show that adding movable solar shades is the optimum option with all performance indices ranking first. Meanwhile, this measure is also the only acceptable energy saving solution for residents since its payback period is less than the lifespan of a building. As a conclusion, it is recommended to use movable solar shades as a first priority when retrofitting residential buildings.

There is an unresolved paradox concerning electricity energy-saving behaviour. On one hand, there are many studies on energy-saving behaviours and on the other hand, recent research stresses that there exists large amount untapped potential in terms electricity energy-saving behaviours. Therefore, it becomes pertinent to revisit the construct of electricity energy-saving behaviours qualitatively to enlarge the spectrum of understanding. The purpose of this paper is to answer the research question why do not customers care about electricity energy-saving behaviours.

A qualitative study is undertaken in Western India using grounded theory methodology. The basic steps in the analysis of qualitative data consist of coding the data, combining the codes into broader categories and themes, and interpreting the results.

The study identifies seven categories of determinants of electricity energy-saving behaviours. Policy implications and limitations of the study are discussed along with areas of future research directions.

This is the first study to unearth the dimensions of electricity energy-saving behaviour.

Many studies on policy implementation have emphasized the difficulties of putting policies into practice. This paper presents several ways in which Dutch social landlords incorporate their energy saving policies in their “regular” housing management, such as planned preventive maintenance, renovations and other physical improvements.

Several housing associations were selected that have formulated an energy saving policy and that have at least some experience in implementing these policies into projects. Interviews were held with managers of asset and maintenance management and with policy staff of housing associations. The extent to which the policy ambitions, both at the portfolio level and at the project level are carried out, and in which way these ambitions are embedded in the organisations’ regular working processes are investigated. Also, the main stimuli and barriers for the implementation of the energy saving policies are identified. Special attention has been paid to the feasibility of combining of energy saving measures with other physical improvements in the housing stock.

Results show that the implementation of energy saving policies in annual improvement and maintenance plans is in most cases not problematic, and that the most significant problems arise during the realisation of the policies in the preparation of specific investment projects.

Energy saving policies are relatively new to the sector in The Netherlands. Therefore, the number of case studies is relatively low.

The paper offers case studies which illustrate and explain the gap between energy saving policies and realisation of these policies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine significant steps taken by the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) to account for both energy cost savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals through strategic investments in energy conservation measures (ECMs) in campus buildings. Through an analysis of multiple years of investment in facility upgrades across the university, the impacts of ECMs of various types are characterized by building type. The standards and criteria for ECMs investments are also evaluated with the goal to develop a predictive tool to support decision making pertaining to an annual investment in a portfolio of ECMs that will maintain a trajectory to achieve both financial return on investment as well as GHG reduction goals.

This study is comprised of three main parts: analyzing the energy costs saving and GHG emissions reduction contribution of various building types in which ECMs were conducted, analyzing costs saving and GHG emissions reduction contribution of each ECM while considering the average annual investments made in them and estimating the impact of upgrading Penn State’s steam plants from firing a mixture of coal and natural gas to natural gas only on the GHG emissions.

These analyses help identify which types of buildings and ECMs would have larger savings and emissions reduction contributions. A calculator is also created to enable forecasting of costs saving and GHG emissions reduction of investment distribution strategy among ECMs. This study demonstrates that the calculator based on data from previous years will benefit decision makers in more wisely configuring the investment portfolio.

This paper fulfills an identical need to couple energy efficiency strategies coupled with the environmental impacts associated with different fossil fuel energy sources.

The purpose of this paper is to promote energy saving measures concurrent with major planned renovation/refurbishment in residential buildings.

The methodology comprises of case studies, in which the influence of various factors is identified on the overall decision making related to building renovation/refurbishment.

The employed operational decision support process enables energy saving opportunities for residential buildings in conjunction with planned major renovations/refurbishments.

The research scope is confined to residential buildings in Sweden and cooperatives with tenants as the owners and governors.

A novel approach to synergistic energy saving and renovation in residential buildings is exhibited.

The paper presents an altered viewpoint of energy renovation means for residential buildings in the built environment.

The paper presents a novel approach for building owners to renovate a building in terms of improved performance, energy efficiency and indoor comfort in combination with planned renovations/refurbishments.

The purpose of this paper is to generate quantitative managerial insights for the improvement of the energy-saving potential and the coordinated development between economic growth and environmental protection.

A novel data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, based on the classical DEA theory, is developed from the perspective of emission reduction.

The empirical results indicate that China’s overall environmental efficiency is low and that there is huge improvement space for energy saving. Under the concerns of emission reduction, the energy-saving potential of the central region exceeds that of both the eastern and western regions. With regard to water, electricity and gas consumption, the electricity-saving potential exceeds the potential for both water saving and gas saving.

Previous studies rarely focused on the energy-saving potential, while considering environmental pollution. This paper applies a novel DEA method to evaluate the energy-saving potential of 30 Chinese provinces for 2015 with a focus on emission reduction concerns. Furthermore, both regional differences and energy type differences of the saving potential were analyzed.

Given the rapid increase in energy consumption in the residential sector in Jordan recently, the question of how to promote energy-saving behavior in Jordanian households is an emerging topic that is receiving increasing attention from scholars and academics. Generally, there is an unresolved paradox in the literature concerning electricity-saving behaviors. On one hand, numerous studies highlight energy-saving behaviors. On the other hand, recent research indicates the presence of significant untapped potential in electricity-saving behaviors. Therefore, it is useful to revisit the construct of these behaviors qualitatively to expand understanding. The study aimed to provide a better understanding of electricity energy-saving behaviors in terms of its motivations, barriers and support mechanisms from household heads' or household members' perspectives

Qualitative study in a sample of households in north Jordan was conducted in the Irbid province using grounded theory methodology. The analysis of qualitative data involved coding, followed by the integration of codes into more comprehensive categories and themes and interpreting the findings.

The results identify the motivations for households to save energy, the main barriers to indulging in electricity energy-saving behaviors, and the main support mechanisms and perceived support of electricity energy-saving behaviors

The findings bear significant implications for targeted interventions in the study area, improving motivations and addressing local barriers and can inform future policy issues by tailoring initiatives to the specific context.

This study is distinguished by being the first study that specializes in electricity energy-saving behavior of households in Jordan, using new methodology and techniques (qualitative survey).

The purpose of this paper is to outline the views of citizens on issues related to energy saving and the realization of bank products in buildings under renovation such as energy saving interventions in the building envelope, installment of maximum efficiency air-conditioning systems, etc.

The collection of data was done through a structured questionnaire. The data are important because they show the attitudes of citizens while they simultaneously assess the effectiveness of the program after the application for many years of the energy saving program by the state.

The results of the research show that with regard to responsible actions by citizens as far as impacts on climate change are concerned, cognitive factors are more important than behavioral factors. The most important reason with regard to citizens restricting the consumption of electrical energy is saving money. Finally, the vast majority of citizens declare that they know about the existence of “green” bank financial programs and claim that these contribute to environmental protection. Despite all this, a very small percentage of citizens have realized some sort of financial program in order to save energy claiming that the main reason for their choice was the country’s economic crisis.

This investigation of the views of citizens may constitute a tool both for designing of effective environmental policy but also for the assessment of energy saving programs such as the one discussed in this paper.

Under the dual pressure of resources and environment, many countries have focused on the role of railways in promoting low-carbon development of integrated transportation and of even the whole society. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive study on methods to improve railway energy efficiency in other national railways and achievements made by China’s railways in the past practice, and then to propose ways in which in the future China’s railways could rationally select the path of improving energy efficiency regarding the needs of the nation's ever-shifting development and carry out the re-engineering for mechanism innovation in energy conservation and emission reduction process.

This paper first studies other national railways that have tried to promote the improvement of railway energy efficiency by the ways of technology, management and structural reconstruction to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Among them, the effect of structural energy conservation and emission reduction has become more prominent. It has become the main energy conservation and emission reduction measure adopted by foreign railway sectors. The practice of energy conservation and emission reduction of railways in various countries has tended to shift from a technical level to a structural one.

Key aspects in improving energy efficiency include re-optimization of energy structure, re-innovation of energy-saving technologies and optimization of transportation organization. Path selection includes continuing to promote electrified railway construction, increasing the use of new and renewable energy sources, and promoting the reform of railway transportation organizations.

This paper provides further challenges and research directions in the proposed area and has referential value for the methodologies, approaches for practice in a Chinese context. To achieve the expected goals, relevant supporting policies and measures need to be formulated, including actively guiding integrated transportation toward railway-oriented development, promoting innovation in energy-saving and emission reduction mechanisms and strengthening policy incentives, focusing on improving the energy efficiency of railways through market behavior. At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to new phenomena in the railway industry for track and analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to achieve the national strategic agenda’s criteria that aim for accomplishing sustainable buildings by estimating the effects of energy efficiency measures in order to reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emission.

A design approach has been developed based on simulation software and a modeled building. Therefore, a typical office building is considered for testing five efficiency measures in three climatic conditions in Algeria. This approach is conducted in two phases: first, the analysis of each measure’s effect is independently carried out in terms of cooling energy and heating energy intensities. Then, a combination of optimal measures for each climate zone is measured in terms of three sustainable indicators: final energy consumption, energy cost saving and CO₂ emission.

The results reveal that a combination of optimal measures has a substantial impact on building energy saving and CO₂ emission. This saving can rise to 41 and 31 percent in a hot and cold climate, respectively. Furthermore, it is concluded that obtaining higher building performance, different design alternatives should be adapted to the climate proprieties and the local construction materials must be applied.

This study is considered as an opportunity for achieving the national strategy, as it may contribute in improving office building performance and demonstrating a suitable tool to assist stakeholders in the decision making of most important parameters in the design stage for new or retrofit buildings.