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Energy conscious design considerations

Short answer

Energy Conscious Design reduces energy use through site, orientation, envelope, passive systems, efficient equipment, and renewables like solar, hydropower. Non-renewable sources include coal, petroleum, natural gas.

What do you understand by Energy Conscious Design? Describe briefly the design considerations of Energy Conscious Design. Also describe the renewable and non-renewable energy, their sources and their respective examples.

Energy Conscious Design (ECD) is the design of buildings that reduces the use of energy for heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation, while keeping comfort, by making good use of the site, climate, form, materials and efficient systems.

Design considerations

  1. Site and climate analysis: sun path, wind, temperature, rainfall, microclimate.
  2. Orientation and layout: Long axis east-west, main openings facing south; compact form; living areas on the sunny side and service areas on the cold side.
  3. Building envelope: insulated walls and roofs, double glazing, light roof colour in hot zones, thermal mass in places with a large day-night temperature swing.
  4. Passive solar heating: south windows, Trombe wall, sunspace, greenhouse.
  5. Passive cooling: shading, ventilation, courtyard, evaporative cooling, earth cooling.
  6. Daylighting: skylights and light shelves to reduce artificial lighting.
  7. Natural ventilation to avoid the need for fans and AC.
  8. Efficient equipment: LED lights, efficient appliances, solar water heaters, controls and sensors.
  9. Renewable energy: solar PV, solar thermal, biogas.
  10. Landscaping: trees for shade and wind control.
  11. Materials: local materials with low embodied energy (stone, mud, bamboo, stabilised earth blocks).

Renewable and non-renewable energy

TypeMeaningSources / examples
RenewableReplaced naturally in a short timeSolar (PV, solar heater), hydropower (Nepal's main source), wind, biomass and biogas, geothermal, tidal
Non-renewableFinite stock, used up faster than it formsCoal, petroleum (diesel, petrol, LPG, kerosene), natural gas, nuclear fuel (uranium)

Nepal has a large hydropower potential (about 83,000 MW, of which about 42,000 MW is economically feasible), but it imports all its petroleum products and most of its coal. An energy-conscious building therefore reduces national imports as well as the owner's bills.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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