**7. Barriers to energy efficiency**

Theoretically it is easy to define and put measures on energy efficiency parameter, although in practice, the same cannot be said, as there are quite a number of challenges to be faced. However for overall success, there is an urgent need to implement the solution of energy efficiency in a large scale in developing and developed countries [38]. Various barriers that may be giving hindrances to implementation of energy efficiency initiatives have been studied. For instance Reddy [39] has investigated a typology for energy efficiency barriers that related to consumers, manufactures, financial institutions and the government. While DeCanio [40] has investigated that there are a few problems regarding energy efficiency barriers in firms. Painuly and Reddly have identified 6 important factors that need to be addressed to effectively deal with those barriers.


ii. Improving your social and environmental reputation. iii. Minimizing traffic and parking problems where you work.

dioxide emissions and improve their working environment.

**7. Barriers to energy efficiency** 

addressed to effectively deal with those barriers.

*6.2.5. Community benefits* 

project [37].

*6.2.6. School benefits* 

programmers.

i. Reducing your maintenance, operation costs and cutting your vehicle emissions.

were said to be the equivalent of 50,000 family vehicles taken off British roads [36].

On average, every time you use up to a 400 liter tank of fuel, you produce: "1.04 tons of carbon dioxide, 1.38 kilos of carbon monoxide, 0.67 kilo of hydrocarbon, 6.15 kilo of nitrogen oxide and 0.14 kilo of particulates" (UK Road Transport Emission Projection 1997). Bio fuel use has cut carbon dioxide emissions by 40,000 tons in the first quarter of 2006. Independently evaluated by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, the reductions

Community Action for Energy is one of the energy efficiency programs that are designed to promote and facilitate local community-based energy projects. Community action for energy can help to improve the quality of life in community by providing new opportunities to improve the comfort, health and well-being of people in community, combat fuel poverty and help the local economy. Example of community activities are community heating or cooling, ground source pump, renewable energy, solar PV, wind, and community energy

Energy efficiency for schools promotes energy management and efficiency for the whole school community. It encourages schools to make links between the school curriculum and the management of energy efficiency and learn about how to make a difference to climate change. Schools can save themselves money on their energy bills, reduce their carbon

Theoretically it is easy to define and put measures on energy efficiency parameter, although in practice, the same cannot be said, as there are quite a number of challenges to be faced. However for overall success, there is an urgent need to implement the solution of energy efficiency in a large scale in developing and developed countries [38]. Various barriers that may be giving hindrances to implementation of energy efficiency initiatives have been studied. For instance Reddy [39] has investigated a typology for energy efficiency barriers that related to consumers, manufactures, financial institutions and the government. While DeCanio [40] has investigated that there are a few problems regarding energy efficiency barriers in firms. Painuly and Reddly have identified 6 important factors that need to be

i. Technical – availability of reliable knowledge of energy efficiency technology.

ii. Institutional – availability of right technical input and proper execution of


In Malaysia for example there are several barriers which could hamper the smooth implementation of Industrial energy efficiency improvement project [41]. These are as follows:


An energy gap is a term that points to a phenomenon where a firm is not utilizing the feasibility of technically and economically viable efficiency measures. Weber [43] pointed them to its institutional, market, organizational and behavioral barriers. While Sorrel, et.al [44] grouped the barriers of energy efficiency as neo-classical (economical), behavioral and organizational

The need for border framework to tackle barriers to energy efficiency for significant improvement has been intensified. But literature reviews reveal that there are qualitative issues on the barriers. And a creation of suitable topologies is a must to tackle them. There is currently not enough attention when considering relevant influential factors to the qualifications of the barriers levels, especially industry specific barriers related studies that are very scarcely found [44]. Various definitions of energy efficiency barriers that have been introduced by previous researchers include environmental, economical, and technology related aspects. This prevents a whole implementation of an energy efficient based practice blueprint. Governments as well as private sectors need to churn out more effort with the intention to practice energy efficient so that the longevity of a healthy world can be achieved for future generations [45]. A recent work by Escriva [46] could be an excellent approach to overcome part of the problem. This research work proposes the continuous assessment of energy efficiency in building using different energy rating factor for assessing energy performance and identifying wasted energy.

#### **8. Software tools**

For the last four decades there have been many energy software had been developed and most of the energy tools can be run using a simple text-based input. The simple algorithms that were used can calculate energy performance for the specific requirement. Such tools that have been developed are capable of predicting the daily, monthly and also annual energy performance of the proposed or existing building. The software had been tested and shows tolerable results compare to normal practical measurement. Most of the developed commercial software provides the users information of building performance such as energy demand, temperature, operating costs and humidity [47]. Additional information regarding energy analytics, policy management, billing system, meter data management, Green House Gas tracking, continuous benchmarking and commissioning also available. Some of the software currently available are Energy-10, EnergyPlus, Energy Manager AutoStartTM , IES VE, Ecotect, HAP, Trace, eQUEST, PowerDomus, eSight Energy and iEnergyIQ. The list of the software developed but not being commercialized was uncountable and normally they were being used for authorized personnel.

Tools and Solution for Energy Management 95

energy consumption, bills, temperature, humidity control and its operation hours. The built in intelligent enables the user to obtain analysis regarding energy related issue. The simple layout of the system is shown in Figure 6 and the manager window is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 8 shows the results of energy consumption in a particular seminar hall.

**Figure 7.** The manager window for Smart Energy Evaluation System

**Figure 8.** Energy consumption in a seminar room using Energy Evaluation System.

It is quite difficult to select the appropriate software for general purpose because each of them is set to a specific function. Energy software development normally depends on the user's requirements and demands, where the designer had to identify their energy analysis algorithm, model and results presentation. A few of these software solutions are consider expensive, costing more than US \$10,000/year for example, but the majority of the commercial product are offered either for a reasonable price or free. The requirement for

**Figure 6.** Layout for Smart Energy Evaluation System

One of the software developed at the School of Electrical Engineering, University Science Malaysia was the Smart Energy Evaluation System [48]. Based on Microsoft Visual Basic, a smart interface media is developed to give users ample opportunity to browse and observed energy consumption, bills, temperature, humidity control and its operation hours. The built in intelligent enables the user to obtain analysis regarding energy related issue. The simple layout of the system is shown in Figure 6 and the manager window is shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 shows the results of energy consumption in a particular seminar hall.


**Figure 7.** The manager window for Smart Energy Evaluation System

94 Energy Efficiency – The Innovative Ways for Smart Energy, the Future Towards Modern Utilities

uncountable and normally they were being used for authorized personnel.

**Figure 6.** Layout for Smart Energy Evaluation System

One of the software developed at the School of Electrical Engineering, University Science Malaysia was the Smart Energy Evaluation System [48]. Based on Microsoft Visual Basic, a smart interface media is developed to give users ample opportunity to browse and observed

that were used can calculate energy performance for the specific requirement. Such tools that have been developed are capable of predicting the daily, monthly and also annual energy performance of the proposed or existing building. The software had been tested and shows tolerable results compare to normal practical measurement. Most of the developed commercial software provides the users information of building performance such as energy demand, temperature, operating costs and humidity [47]. Additional information regarding energy analytics, policy management, billing system, meter data management, Green House Gas tracking, continuous benchmarking and commissioning also available. Some of the software currently available are Energy-10, EnergyPlus, Energy Manager AutoStartTM , IES VE, Ecotect, HAP, Trace, eQUEST, PowerDomus, eSight Energy and iEnergyIQ. The list of the software developed but not being commercialized was

**Figure 8.** Energy consumption in a seminar room using Energy Evaluation System.

It is quite difficult to select the appropriate software for general purpose because each of them is set to a specific function. Energy software development normally depends on the user's requirements and demands, where the designer had to identify their energy analysis algorithm, model and results presentation. A few of these software solutions are consider expensive, costing more than US \$10,000/year for example, but the majority of the commercial product are offered either for a reasonable price or free. The requirement for

the designers is to design the software using accurate measurement tools and a proper automated reporting system within an acceptable price. This should include the report of data either hourly or monthly basis so that the verification of the software could be check and in line with historical data. The other important feature that had to be considered in future is the data sharing within the software. Based on the experience it is worth to use the appropriate energy efficient tools as part of energy management for our future sustainability plan. Not only it preserves our environment by reducing the GHG emission but also save unnecessary funding for energy.

Tools and Solution for Energy Management 97

USD50,000 a year. The MIEEIP team discovered that most of the energy losses occurred because of uninsulated pipes in the boiler and leakage in the compressed air system and

The measures that were recommended involving no-cost and low cost investment included:

With an initial investment of only USD15,000 the company put in place a more efficient system that resulted in an annual energy saving of USD30,000. Table 3 shows the estimated

No Energy saving measure Invesment (USD) Annual Saving (USD)

TOTAL 14800 30000

It's total manufacturing capacity of oil refinery product and special product is about one million tones. The factory recorded an annual turnover of USD250 million in 2002. More than 550 tones of steam are generated daily for physical refining, making soap noodles, tank

During the audit, the team identified significant steam leakages and analyzed the respective losses. With an investment on USD343,000 on the steam optimization programmed, resulted in an annual energy saving of USD229,300. Modification to the factory's cooling towers, replacement of standard high efficient motor, steam conversation scheme, heat recovery scheme and monitoring, which produce another total energy saving

1 Fixing air compressor leaks 0 2000 2 Compressor and dyer Shut Off 0 1500 3 Boiler readjustment 0 1200 4 Reduce Boiler Breakdown 0 500 5 Repair Steam Leak 6500 14000 6 Replace Pneumatic Pumps 500 800 7 Insulate Boiler and Condensate 3700 3800 8 Relocat WTP Closer to Boiler 4000 1700 9 Pump Condensate from WTP 6000 4200

b. Repairing leaks in distribution pipes and consumption points

e. Using smaller compressor during low production period

annual savings from the measures implemented practices.

*Case Study 2: Pan Century Edible Oil (PCEO) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)* 

d. Shutting-off compressor and dryer during non-production hours

c. Recycling leakages in compressed air system

f. Switching off all nonessential equipment

main distribution loops [41].

a. Fine tuning boiler operations

**Table 2.** Estimated annual saving

farm heating and fractionation.

*Energy Efficiency Activities:* 
