Energy - solving the right problem

Published @ February 16, 2009 by Josefin Berg

Just back from Brussels and the European Sustainable Energy Week – an upbeat week about our energy. The “energy crowd” of Europe – from politicians to business to academia – comes together and the overall message is clear: “We can do it!” The EU targets are ambitious (20:20:20 by 2020) , the intensity of actions is increasing, and we are all aware of the urgency of matters. It is not only about climate change, but also about the energy security in a world beyond cheap oil. This winter we saw the consequences of one gas line being cut off – how entire countries were left without heating in the midst of an arctic cold. This should make a bell ring: how can our homes protect us if the energy supply is suddenly disrupted? At EUSEW I saw many pots cooking to stimulate the mass-uptake of energy efficient housing and renewable energy sources. Looking at all the activity going on across Europe, I am just left with one question: where is the energy issue in our daily lives?

While in Brussels, I met up with two friends who just bought houses that they are renovating. When asked, they admitted that energy efficiency is not a priority. Double-glazing and insulation of the attic – that’s it. Any wall insulation would decrease the living space. Solar installations is too complicated and expensive. Not even low-energy lighting is systematically applied in the home. Honestly speaking, the colour of the kitchen wall can be a hotter topic of family debate than the future energy bill.

Is it more about design than awareness?

Many projects financed in the Intelligent Energy Europe programme are targeting public awareness. However, I wonder if awareness is all we need; maybe we should target something else. Hans Nilsson of FourFact mentioned the importance of solving the “right problem”. If energy is not seen as the problem among consumers, then let’s instead promote concepts for housing that solve problems with comfort and makes the house attractive while saving energy. I would imagine insulation that gives your room a new aspect instead of stealing space; lights that adapt to the amount of daylight and the mood you want to create; or why not showers that let out water only at the perfect temperature… For a mass uptake by individual households, solutions must be affordable, widely available and able to include in the home without a massive renovation. Once you see what a great home your neighbour lives in, and how low the bills are, you will want the same. Like that, energy can be saved on a massive scale in all the individually owned homes across Europe. Technical solutions exist – now bring them to us, to the consumers, in an easy applicable package! While waiting, we can still make an impact, through some simple actions, as shown by this super hero family: