What is Energy Efficiency? What does the Regulation Cover?
What is Energy Efficiency?
Energy conservation refers to using less energy, while energy efficiency refers to using energy more smartly. Considering the danger bells ringing for the World’s energy resources, we can understand the importance of gaining detailed information about energy efficiency and putting it into practice. Energy efficiency is the goal of reducing the amount of energy needed to provide services and products.
We can explain this as ensuring that less heating and cooling energy is used after a building is insulated with insulation materials. Energy saving aims to use less energy.
For example; turning off the lights when leaving the room, and throwing cardboard and aluminum cans into recycling bins are energy-saving. However, using LED and fluorescent lighting for lighting and using skylights to make more use of natural light are energy-efficient behaviors.
To achieve energy efficiency, efficient technology, and production processes are usually adopted. This reduces energy losses. Developing countries often aim for energy security and thus economic growth and environmental protection through their energy policies.
Energy is the most indispensable basic input of production. It is an important requirement for both the existence and quality of life of people engaged in production. Intensive use of energy for production causes many problems. These problems can be listed as follows:
- Natural resources are being depleted at an alarming rate
- Pollution of the natural environment
- Climate is changing
- High costs are incurred to produce energy.
We know the earth is getting warmer yearly due to intensive energy consumption. While unconscious consumption of energy puts energy resources at risk, the wastes generated as a result of consumption cause significant environmental pollution. Environmental problems caused by the increase in energy consumption also bring economic problems. At this point, efficient use of energy is gaining importance all over the world.
Thanks to energy efficiency, it is possible to use energy most accurately without any loss in production, comfort, and labor force. Energy efficiency aims to reduce the energy consumed per product, not the amount of energy used.
With energy efficiency, we can reduce or even prevent the warming of the earth. Energy efficiency is one of the most ideal methods to increase the security of energy resources and reduce emissions of other pollutants and greenhouse gases. As it is known, greenhouse gas emissions are one of the most important factors in the warming of the earth.
Energy Efficiency Week
Nature is rich in resources. As a result of human activities, these resources are being damaged more and more every day and face the risk of depletion. For nature to renew itself, humans need to provide it with the opportunity to renew itself. For this reason, sustainability is becoming more and more important every day. Energy is an important element at the heart of sustainable development. Unfortunately, there are millions of people living in energy poverty today, and this number continues to grow exponentially every day.
Energy and the natural environment are important for sustaining human life. However, the energy produced from natural resources causes further pollution of the natural environment. This vicious cycle threatens living beings the most. Therefore, it is more important to use energy correctly and efficiently than expected. Energy efficiency is a concept that entered our lives with the concept of sustainability. Before that, there was more of an effort to raise awareness of energy conservation. However, when we look at the point we have reached nowadays, we can say that energy saving alone is not enough. Therefore, it is very important to raise awareness of energy efficiency.
To raise awareness and consciousness about energy efficiency, the 2nd week of January every year is designated as "Energy Efficiency Week". Events are organized every year by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources as well as the Energy Efficiency and Environment Department. In addition, activities are organized in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, Professional Chambers, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. Within the scope of National Energy Efficiency, 2008 has been declared as the Year of Energy Efficiency to create social awareness and consciousness.
What Does Energy Efficiency Regulation Cover?
Energy efficiency is on the agenda of all countries of the world today. For this reason, many countries have set targets for efficient consumption of energy, transition to renewable energy systems, reduction of carbon emissions in the World, and raising social awareness with their energy policies. Countries that want to grow and develop need more energy. Turkey is also among the countries that want to grow and develop. For this reason, legal arrangements have been made with the energy efficiency regulation the year of energy efficiency and important steps have started to be taken. However, energy efficiency requires the harmony and joint effort of many different variables.
In Turkey, the Energy Efficiency Law No. 5627 was adopted by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 18.04.2007 to use energy efficiently, alleviate the burden of energy costs on the economy, protect the environment, and prevent waste. It entered into force after being published in the Official Gazette dated 02.05.2007 and numbered 26510. This law has a transition period of 10 years. Various applications are required to be made in new buildings to be constructed after the publication of the law. In addition to buildings, various regulations have been made in the law in enterprises, the machinery industry, and transportation. Individual and social awareness is effective in solving problems for a better future.
Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings
The Regulation on Energy Performance in Buildings was prepared to ensure energy efficiency in buildings. This regulation was published in the Official Gazette dated 05.12.2008 and numbered 27075 by Law No. 5627. The objectives of the regulation on energy performance in buildings can be listed as follows;
- Determination of calculation rules that enable the evaluation of all energy use of buildings
- Classification in terms of carbon dioxide emissions and primary energy
- Determining the minimum energy performance required for new buildings and existing buildings planned for significant renovation
- Evaluation of the applicability of renewable energy sources
- Control of cooling and heating systems, determination of application principles and performance criteria in buildings
- Classification of greenhouse gas emissions
- Environmental protection
- Measures to be taken to ensure energy efficiency in residential buildings can be listed as follows:
- Using architectural approaches and insulation practices that support energy efficiency
- Prefer low-consumption light bulbs for lighting
- Preferring models with high energy efficiency class of appliances and machines used in homes.
Energy Efficiency in Business
To ensure energy efficiency in businesses, it is important to pay attention to the following details:
- Controlling base load consumption
- Determine the highest utilization range
- Periodic scheduled maintenance
- Use energy-efficient equipment.
Energy Efficiency in Industry
Industrial activities play a major role in damaging the natural environment and reducing energy resources. Therefore, energy efficiency is also important in the industry. To ensure energy efficiency in the industry;
- Isolation applications
- Use of treatment systems
- Utilization of solar energy
- Renovation of lighting systems is important.
What Should We Do to Ensure Energy Efficiency?
To save energy and minimize environmental impacts by increasing energy efficiency, a series of practices are required. Measures that can be taken to increase energy efficiency can be listed as follows:
- Prefer energy-efficient appliances and equipment to minimize energy consumption.
- Utilize renewable energy sources such as solar, water, wind, and geothermal energy.
- Optimize ventilation, heating, and cooling systems.
- Design environmentally friendly buildings.
- Raising individual and social awareness through energy efficiency activities and events.
Energy Classification
Energy rating is a form of scaling that categorizes and ranks an electronic device or appliance in terms of energy efficiency. Energy classification is the most valid method of measuring energy efficiency. Energy labels are used for energy classification. Devices with a high energy rating are particularly effective in saving electricity. The energy label is determined by the energy efficiency index and the lower the index value in the energy efficiency index, the less energy the device uses. Energy classes are ranked according to the reference value determined by European Union standards.
Electricity is the most necessary energy for every field today. Therefore, it is important to use electricity efficiently. What needs to be done for efficient use of electricity can be listed as follows:
- Replacing light bulbs used for lighting with energy-saving bulbs
- Turn off devices that cause loss of electricity and energy when not in use.
- Unplugging unused electronic devices
- Preferring vehicles and appliances with a high energy class.
- To save electricity, it is useful to consider the energy class, especially when buying white goods. Energy classes are expressed in letters and symbols.
Energy Class A
Energy class A is the energy class with the highest efficiency. High energy savings can be achieved by using appliances in this energy class at home and at work. The energy efficiency index is equal to or below 41.
Energy Class B
Energy class B is a less efficient energy class than class A. However, it is an energy efficiency class that includes efficient devices that save electricity. The index value is between 51 and 41.
Energy Class C
It is the 3rd energy class with a high potential to save energy. The index value of this energy class, which helps to save electricity at a moderate level, is 64.
Energy Class D
The index value of energy class D is 80 and below, indicating appliances with below-average energy efficiency. Using appliances in energy class D can increase monthly electricity
consumption.
Energy Class E
Energy class E, which provides low energy efficiency, has an index value of 100 and below.
Energy Class F
This energy label appears on appliances with low efficiency. It is not suitable for energy saving. The index value goes up to 125.
Energy Class G
Energy class G with an index value above 125 is the lowest energy class in terms of efficiency. It is important not to use appliances with this energy label, which negatively affects bills and energy consumption.
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