Buildings Energy-efficiency Development in Rural Areas of China - Case Study Example

Buildings Energy-efficiency Development in Rural Areas of China Over the years, China continues to experience a buildingboom with recent growth rates reaching double figures. The increasing pace of building and construction completion is leading to forecasts that at least half of the country’s building stock will be complete by 2015. However, the country should be wary because the energy performance of the buildings does not match standards that guarantee efficiency and effectiveness of energy conservation and use. In an era of globalization and global warming, environmental conservation is part of the international debate, prompting countries to identify numerous ways of conserving and using energy. The threat of environmental pollution in China originates from rural China, where the majority of the population continuously uses forms of energy that are major causes of carbon emission and pollutions of the environment. It is not surprising that various researches are continuously conducted to identify alternative ways of reducing carbon emissions in rural Chinese homes. Also, it does not surprise that building energy-efficient development in rural areas of China is one effective solution to this problem of growing carbon emissions. The ability of rural buildings to maintain efficiency in energy conservation and use is determined by its design. As a result, this paper explores traditional hearth (thermal mass) design in rural Chinese homes. Moreover, it evaluates how design influences energy conservation and utilization. China began consuming high amounts of carbon in late 20th century influenced by the spread of the industrial revolution throughout the world (Stolten and V Scherer 895). In 1990, the country continued to experience increased in total carbon consumption, and total consumption reached 650Mtce in 1995 while per capita consumption was at 900kgce in the same year (Slide 1). In the era of the industrial revolution, the total consumption remained higher that per capita consumption. The factories and industries are producing commodities for the emerging opportunities in the global market consumed a high percentage of carbon. On the other hand, per capita income associated with household carbon consumption was increasing at a decreasing rate over the years and peaked in 2000. At a per capita consumption of 1300Kgce, the total consumption was at a high of 1450Mtce in 2007. Even though, China began consuming more carbon in the 1980s, the country experienced rapid growth in the 21st century seen a sharp increase in total consumption between 1999 and 2007. It corresponded with an increase in per capita consumption, which implies a large proportion of Chinese population continues to use inefficient energy practices. For instance, many rural homes in China continue to consume large proportions of energy because they are not built from energy efficient designs in response to the latest technology. From 1979 only, the total energy consumption increased from 307.19Mtce to 977.14Mtce in 2007 signifying a 4.35% increase in total consumption (Slide 1). According to total consumption statistics between 1979 and 2007, the consumption of carbon increased throughout the years, but the proportion of consumption utilized by households and consumption utilized in the production varied in subsequent years. The consumption of carbon used for livelihood decreased significantly from 83.13% in 1979 to 55.8% in 1990 (Slide 2). However, the proportion of consumption used in both production and livelihood varies insignificantly even in the 21st century where China continues to experience rapid building completion and increasing growth rates in many of its provinces. Even though, the proportion of consumption used by households reduced from 1979 to 1990, its inability to decline further in subsequent years is a serious gesture to China (Slide 2). Even though, the country rivals America to become an economic superpower, it is apparent the government is doing less to respond to the threats posed by environmental pollution resulting from increased carbon consumption by households and production. Many Chinese live in urban areas and cities in various provinces in the country, but many more Chinese constitute the country’s rural population. These households continue to live in energy inefficient homes in an era where many nations are concerned about energy conservation and utilization. Majority of Chinese provinces, especially Northern China is the coldest region in the country (Stolten and V Scherer 895). These rural areas continue to use energy, causing pollution and emission instead of designing their houses efficiently to conserve and maximize heat produced in the interior and exterior of the house. For instance, the rural population in China uses 37.01% of coke, as an alternative form of energy (Slide 2). It explains a constant variation in carbon consumption in households and consumption used in the production. Moreover, the rural population continues to prefer coal, as an alternative energy source. At least 18.30% of the rural Chinese population uses coal while at least 4.65% of the population uses oil (Slide 2). The government continues to neglect the rural population and focuses on urban and city development projects. However, they fail to recognize energy conservation and preservation is an important step in reducing its global environmental conservation goals and objectives. It is noticeable only 5.4% of the rural population has access to electricity, but appropriate policies can implement inexpensive initiatives in homes to reduce energy consumption and pollution to the environment. Today, it is apparent China cannot compare to other countries like America and Germany in terms of the energy performance of its construction completions, which are concentrated in urban areas only. It is because the policy makers are failing to integrate energy efficient designs and alternative energy sources integral in realizing sustainable social and economic growth and national energy approaches. The intention of rural homes energy efficiency is to coordinate environmental and resource development by encouraging people in rural areas to employ alternative energy sources or use advanced technology in relation to local environmental conditions. It will ensure efficiency in energy consumption and conservation, and the passive solar system is an alternative energy source that rural areas in China can employ to improve energy consumption and conservation in various regions. Active solar design is appropriate because at least 90% of the rural population in China has no access to electricity. A passive solar design is a home design where the sun’s energy is used to heat and cool the living spaces in a home. In this design, the doors, windows, walls, and floors of the house are designed to trap, store, and dispense solar energy during cold seasons and reject the sun’s heat during summer. A passive solar system does not use electrical energy, and the best design considers a region’s climate. However, Chinese rural areas may experience challenges in adapting and fitting this system in existing homes because little construction activities continue in rural China. Advantages of Passive Solar Design Passive solar design is building energy efficiency; alternative used in many parts of the world and is believed to offer users many advantages not limited to simplicity and flexibility. It is apparent passive solar design is economical compared to other alternative energy conservation systems, especially active solar system design (Slide 4). The system has few moving parts and does not require high maintenance costs. It is appropriate in rural areas where a majority the population does not prioritize energy consumption and conservation. It is related to little interest people in rural areas attach to global warming and climate changes compared to people in urban areas. Moreover, the passive solar design system is applicable in numerous homes and different home setups. The solar system design can be incorporated during the construction process and in already built homes (Slide 4). As a result, it is applicable because this design can be customized and fixed in various living spaces in a home or fixed in already existing living spaces. Finally, a passive solar design installed in rural areas is an indication of improved living standards of the people in such areas (Slide 4). It would reduce the proportion of Chinese using coke and coal, as alternative energy sources in energy efficient homes. A passive solar design has several components that facilitate energy trapping, storage, and distribution. Some of the key elements in a passive solar design include thermal mass, operable windows, and thermal chimneys. The operable windows can be opened and closed to control the amount of heat entering and leaving a living space. However, the thermal chimneys reinforce or create a hot air effect to induce air movements necessary in cooling purposes. A passive solar system for a north-south home, especially cold areas in rural China, prioritizes thermal mass in designing a passive solar system. The thermal mass embodies materials like water and masonry, which can retain the heat energy for prolonged periods. The manner a passive solar design is designed depends on the building’s orientation. Orientation ensures a home is positioned to increase energy efficiency leading to cheaper maintenance and increased comfort in the path of the sun and wind patterns. However, it is important to consider several factors for a north-south facing home because the home receives sunlight from both north and south. This consideration is important when designing the thermal mass. In the case of Chinese rural homes, the thermal mass (traditional hearth) orientation is important to consider in avoiding overheating during the summer and under heating during winter (Stolten and V Scherer 895). North-south facing homes exist in moderate climates, and the location and size of a traditional hearth influence its heat efficiency and effectiveness in conservation and consumption. In the north–south home, the floor plan for heating system should cover all areas of the home. However; the composition of the traditional hearth will differ depending on the position of the sun during winter and summer (Slide 9). In the summer when the sun is high above the house, the ventilated traditional hearth allows heat absorbed to pass through the oriented windows freely below the hearth. In the winter when the sun is lower in the North, it is important to close oriented windows to allow solar energy, heat absorbed to be trapped. Also, stored in the enclosed traditional hearth, and later, spread to the house through distribution mechanisms (Slide 10). For the windows, the north facing windows should be bigger and wider than windows facing south. In winter, the low sun provides vital energy whose penetration is encouraged by dark and wide windows. However, oriented windows remain open during the summer to facilitate airflow, and it is apparent a passive solar design is appropriate for the rural population in China. Work Cited Stolten, Detlef, and V Scherer. Transition to Renewable Energy Systems: Energy Process Engineering. , 2013. Internet resource. Read More