Energy Efficiency
There is an increasing need to encourage greater energy efficiency in order to conserve finite sources of energy and to reduce the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change. The UK’s energy requirements continue to rise, especially the demand for electricity, at a time when supplies of indigenous sources of fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) are depleting.
The provision of oil and natural gas from the North Sea is declining and the country is becoming increasingly dependent on imports, some from politically unstable parts of the world. This is particularly true for gas supplies that we use for heating, hot water and the generation of electricity. Already the impact of these imports has been a significant increase in the cost of energy in the UK since 2005.
Equally concerning is the ever increasing evidence that climate change is happening around the world at a much faster rate than previously anticipated. The burning of fossil fuels, releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere faster than plants and the oceans can absorb it. The build-up of CO2 enhances the greenhouse effect and is believed to be accelerating the rate of global warming and causing climate change which will affect the lives of millions of people around the world.
There is evidence that such change is already happening with extremes of weather, such as:
- Hurricane Katrina which destroyed New Orleans in 2005
- 2006 saw the worst droughts in the Horn of Africa for over 40 years, followed by widespread flooding when the rainy season arrived.
- Increasing heat waves in Australia and Europe leading to devastating forest fires
- The melting of ice caps, eventually leading to rising sea levels which could cause worldwide flooding.
- The deaths of thousands of people in Europe in 2003 and 2007 as the continent suffered severe and prolonged heat waves.
Even the UK has not escaped the effects of climate change. In 2005 violent storms led to extensive flooding and damage in Cornwall and Carlisle. July 2006 was the warmest July since records began, as was September. Floods returned in 2007 causing billions of pounds of damage in Yorkshire & Humberside and in the Seven and Thames valleys. June and July 2007 were the wettest ever recorded.
The depletion of fossil fuels and impact of climate change needs to be addressed by Governments and people worldwide. International protocols such as Kyoto have highlighted the need to:
- Reduce the amount of energy derived from fossil sources
- Increase the use of energy derived from renewable sources
- Curb the demand for energy
In the UK, Government and industry are working together on a range of initiatives to promote energy efficiency and increase the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar. Individual householders also have a major part to play in reducing their demand for energy. Nearly 30% of the UK’s energy is used in our homes, and as a result the domestic sector is responsible for a similar amount of the country’s CO2 emissions.
There are lots of things that we can all do at home, at school and at work to save energy. These simple measures do not require any major effort. We can:
- Turn appliances off properly instead of leaving them on standby
- During winter, close doors and windows to keep heat in instead of turning heating up
- Boil only as much water in the kettle as we need rather than fill the kettle up to the top
- Insulate our buildings e.g. walls, floor, roof, as well as hot water pipes and tanks (35% of our heat is lost through an un-insulated wall, 25% through an un-insulated roof)
- Use low energy light bulbs and appliances
- Have a shower instead of a bath to save on water and energy
- Fit draught proofing around windows and at the bottom of doors to keep the heat in
- Set room thermostats no higher than 18oC (except for babies, the old and the ill)
- Wear more warm clothes indoors during cold weather
- Install energy efficient heating systems and controls
Careers in energy efficiency may be broadly broken down into three categories:
- Developing or influencing policy
- Practical implementation of energy efficiency projects
- Areas that can encourage the uptake of energy efficiency.
Typical jobs include energy and facilities managers, energy surveyors and auditors, maintenance engineers, energy efficiency advisers and installers of energy saving equipment. Careers involving planning, architecture, energy monitoring and designing and manufacturing energy saving equipment are also relevant.
