We
use energy to do just about everything in modern society: to go to
work and travel; to operate heavy machinery for industry; to heat
our homes and to power the increasing number of gadgets and
appliances that life seems to demand.
The European Union and USA account for 12% of
the world’s population, but together they consume 40% of the
world’s energy. A large amount of this energy is wasted because it
is not used efficiently. Of even greater significance is that some
developing countries are rapidly increasing their own energy
consumption at a time when the European Union is committed to
increasing both energy efficiency and the generation of renewable
energy.
This represents a real challenge because most
of our energy currently comes from burning fossil fuels like coal,
oil and gas. We’re already using oil and gas faster than new
reserves are being discovered, and these reserves are limited.
However, the main issue is the dramatic global
rise of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused by
our use of fossil fuels. Emissions of CO2 are widely
regarded as the cause of global warming and climate change. So not
only are conventional sources of fuel running out, but if we
continue to use them at the current level, we could cause
irreversible damage to our environment.
...so we need to make our energy consumption more
sustainable
Sustainability focuses on providing the best
outcomes for both the human and natural environments now, and into
the indefinite future. Greater energy efficiency is a big part of
sustainability, because it means we can reduce our dependence on
fossil fuels and therefore reduce CO2 emissions.
The European Union is committed to a reduction
in CO2 emissions of 20% by 2020 and the UK has an
extended target of a 60% reduction by 2050. Reducing energy
consumption in buildings is vital to achieving this target. There
are a number of solutions, but they involve many different
organisations and people working together – including Government,
industry, families and individuals.
We must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels
by generating electricity from renewable sources like solar and
wind power. We must use the available fossil fuels more efficiently
with cleaner technology like carbon capture.
However, our most important action must be to
reduce the amount of energy we personally use through greater
energy efficiency. Saving energy is the most sustainable way of
reducing our consumption because it reduces the amount of energy we
need to produce.
Buildings
Insulation in buildings is the easiest and most
cost effective way to save energy
Buildings account for 40% of our energy
consumption. A great deal of this energy is expended through
heating and cooling. All buildings can have their energy efficiency
significantly improved with insulation. It is fast to install and
performs for the life of a building without a requirement for
maintenance. Therefore, in the drive to reduce carbon emissions,
regulators and designers are increasingly turning to
insulation.
Some typical insulation products are shown below.
Glass mineral wool (glasswool)
The world’s most popular and widely used
energy saving and acoustic insulation. Being made using recycled
bottles, it’s highly sustainable.
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Rock mineral wool
Made from volcanic rock, Rock mineral wool has
excellent fire, thermal and acoustic properties, and is ideal for
specialist fire protection.
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Foam
Made from petroleum-based products that can be extruded into
rigid foam boards, this type of insulation is ideal in applications
where compressive strength is required.
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Find out more....