R. Katzenbach et al.
to the needs of tenants.
• Multi-energy sources possibility, which integrates other energy like renewable energy in the energy mix of
building, and adjust their performances separately according to the weather conditions.
3.4. Renewable Energy Initiative
Fuel switch from single fossil energy to multi sources of renewable energies contributes to not only reducing the
energy crisis, but also enhancing the energy security and protecting the climate and environment.
Distinct from normal residential buildings even passive houses, a typical building model with renewable
energy is Zero Carbon Building, which can get the necessary energy only from renewable energy sources in-
cluding solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy and geothermal energy etc. As a new energy saving alterna-
tive Zero Carbon Building do not use any energy that entails CO2 emissions and also have no requirement on the
connection to the energy grid as well have the capacity to store energy for night-time or wintertime use [8],
which is worth investigating by social housing providers in a wider extent.
3.5. Education and Training
The last not the least, lack of adequate information has become a general barrier to energy efficiency in social
housing groups, which consist of energy customers with different educational levels and age structures. Without
a proper understanding of the meaning and features of energy saving in the daily life, housing providers and lo-
cal government may not achieve a significant and long-term saving plan for tenants, for themselves and the en-
tire environment. The energy saving awareness of energy users is vital for the success of energy efficient use
and management, so that it has to be motivated by all possible supervision.
In general the most efficient solution for this barrier is to make frequent communication with tenants in social
housing, so that housing owners can provide an easy access to information on energy efficient tipps. This
process of information transmission can be carried out in different ways, such as:
• Online Service: tenants have access to checking and keeping a record of their energy consumption regularly
and comparing their consumptions (also bills) monthly or weekly, in order to assess the impact of their be-
havior on the energy costs;
• Energy Coach: housing companies provide their staff as energy coaches to teach tenants about how to reduce
their consumption and indoctrinate the energy saving consciousness.
4. Conclusion
Energy efficiency and social housing are linked and synthetically considered owing to helping the low-income
households reduce their energy costs and balance their expenditures between heating (and water) and others,
which would multiply a series of positive chain effects on reducing the pressure of energy overexploitation and
climate change, improving the habitation quality of residents. The further investigation and development of
energy conservation and social housing are related to energy policy and economic situation as well current tech-
nical standards. The reproductive application should be based on the local social, financial and technical condi-
tions. Energy efficiency in social housing ought to be taken in consideration of all the stakeholders which on the
one hand take the responsibilities to drive the development of efficient technologies and affordable housing, and
on the other hand benefit from the efficient energy use.
References
[1] United Nations. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, “Guidebook on Promotion of Sustainable
Energy Consumption: Consumer Organizations and Efficient Energy Use in the Residential Sector,” United Nations
2002, pp. 5.
[2] Lapillonne, B. and Pollier, K. (201 4) Energy Efficiency Trends for Households in the EU. Enerdata, 7.
[3] (2001) Retrocommissioning Handbook for Facility Managers. Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. (PECI), 1.
[4] Monel, T., Yaiche, C. an d Dictus, J. (2010) Energy Efficiency for Social Housing Baseline Study. Cities Action for
Sustainable Housing (CASH), January-April 2010, 14.
[5] http://megacity-energy.de
[6] “Einführung von Smart Meter in Deutschland—Analyse von Rolloutszenarien und ihrer regulatorischen Implikationen