[Webinar series] Operationalising the Energy Efficiency First principle: insights into 3 modelling case studies

Efficiency First is the fundamental principle applied to policymaking, planning and investment in the energy sector, around which the EU’s energy system should be designedIt means considering the potential value of investing in efficiency (including energy savings and demand-response) in all decisions about energy system development – be that in homes, offices, industry or mobility.

Where efficiency improvements are shown to be most cost-effective or valuable, taking full account of their co-benefits, they should be prioritised over any investment in new power generation, grids or pipelines, and fuel supplies.

Do not miss out those 3 webinars offered by Enefirst about those concerns.

District heating and deep retrofits of buildings: competing or synergetic strategies for the implementation of the Efficiency First principle?

March 30th – 2:00 – 3:00pm CET

The current high energy costs will increase the number of people who cannot afford to heat their homes sufficiently and aggravate energy poverty in the EU. Predicting fuel prices poses a major problem due to their price volatility and the influence of many factors such as technological development, long-term strategies, policies, political conflicts, wars, and so on. Can investment in buildings’ envelope energy efficiency measures and connecting more buildings to district heating act as a safeguard against such high future prices and reduce the risk of energy poverty?

In this webinar we will discuss the compatibility of district heating networks with deep retrofits of buildings under various European climate conditions and city typologies. For the analysis we modelled three scenarios with varying buildings refurbishment rates for the cities of Karlsruhe (Germany), Milan (Italy), Budapest (Hungary), Warsaw (Poland), and Helsinki (Finland).

Speaker: Eftim Popovski, IREES

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Local energy planning for commercial areas: what role for the Energy Efficiency First principle?

April 13th – 2:00 – 3:00pm CET

The Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle aims to find a balance between saving energy and supplying energy. In this webinar we will investigate the possible scope for the EE1st principle in local energy planning for commercial areas that are characterized by offices, warehouses and other typical buildings. By modelling a set of three scenarios for commercial areas in Spain, Germany and Hungary, we show that saving energy through energy-efficient appliances and other measures can significantly reduce the system cost for generating and distributing energy in these areas. These insights are not only valuable for decision-makers involved in local energy planning in Europe, but also for researchers dealing with models of local energy systems.

Speaker: Tim Mandel, Fraunhofer ISI

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Energy Efficiency First: single stage vs stepwise renovation and the question of rapid energy saving actions

April 27th – 2:00 – 3:00pm CET

In this webinar we will discuss selected topics on what the energy efficiency first principle mean for the building sector. In particular, we will analyse opportunities and challenges of single-stage vs. step-wise renovation activities and what it can mean for achieving energy savings and GHG-emission reductions – and achieving them fast. Moreover, triggered by the current Ukraine-Russia crisis and the possible implications for gas and energy security, we will discuss different proposed measures to strongly increase the pace of energy saving activities and heating system replacement, while also focusing on the danger of lock-in effects and sunk costs.

Speaker: Lukas Kranzl and Iná Maia, TU Wien

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