Buildings . Economics & Policy . Energy Efficiency . Heating
Green coalitions’ contradictions – why we need innovative policies for building stock decarbonization
On 05.01.2022 by Ivalin PetkovProminent policy initiatives all over the globe are polarizing society for how to govern an increasingly unaffordable building stock in the era of sustainability – even in the quaint city of Basel in traditionally neutral Switzerland. While our readership is primarily concerned with energy and CO₂, here I present an emerging conflict between social and environmental policies in the building sector – primarily due to the silo mentality of (green-leaning) politicians and policymakers. I argue why we need to break down these silos by innovating our current arsenal of policy tools to achieve the broader set of goals.
Buildings . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Energy Efficiency . Heating . Smart Energy
Why old buildings matter – The story of building refurbishments
On 10.06.2021 by Mario FreiIt is estimated that buildings are responsible for 36% of global final energy use and 40% of the energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Buildings are also complex machines with long life cycles, which include regular maintenance and updates. Thus, buildings and particularly building refurbishments provide manifold and exciting opportunities to address climate change issues at low cost and with (free) co-benefits.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Energy Efficiency . Smart Energy . Society . Transportation
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and car sharing: Joining forces to decarbonize electricity and transport?
On 25.01.2021 by Christine Johanna GschwendtnerHow can we couple future developments in the electricity and transport systems to support decarbonization? Combining Vehicle-to-Grid and car sharing could foster both innovations and achieve synergies in decarbonizing both sectors.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Energy Efficiency . Society . Transportation
Beyond more Chargers for Electric Vehicles in Zurich
On 10.11.2020 by Gracia BrückmannThe conventional wisdom is that to increase battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake, we need more charging points. However, when we spoke with citizens, car dealership representatives, representatives from car import companies, and local government about the challenges and opportunities for BEVs in Zurich, they mention different challenges, too, and present solutions to overcome them e.g., including BEVs in coherent sustainable transport systems and reducing political uncertainty.
Buildings . Consumer Behavior . Energy Efficiency . Energy Supply . Smart Energy . Society
Data exchange via virtual assistants is key to unlocking the full potential of the future energy system
On 01.10.2020 by Matthias SulzerConnecting buildings to a cross-sectoral, decentralized energy system is a proven means of integrating more renewable energy sources and further increasing energy efficiency. However, the operation of such highly interconnected energy systems is becoming painstaking. Data and algorithms will be the key to overcome these pains and to unlock the innovative systems’ full potential.