Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Demand side management (DSM) has been a winner in
states that have implemented DSM programs. According
to the Department of Energy
'
s EIA,
in the year
DSM programs reduced electricity demand by more
than
billion (there
may be some double counting between the effect of appli-
ance standards and DSM). The potential saving is much
larger because only a few states have DSM programs.
They were much easier to design in the days when all
utilities were regulated, but that has changed with dereg-
ulations. Still, there are many states still regulated that
have not adopted such programs. They can be done in
deregulated states too, but are more complicated to design
because the price of electricity from the generator is not
controlled. I can only recommend to those wiser and
more experienced in regulation than I that these programs
be expanded.
Energy standards in the United States for buildings will
be hard to implement without getting full cooperation
from the states. It is hard to get Congress to take away
something that the states think is theirs. Additionally,
there are many climate zones in the country, and each
needs a somewhat different standard. The simplest thing
to do is to set the energy use per square foot for a building
and let the building industry decide how to meet the
standard in the most cost-effective way. The federal gov-
ernment will need to support additional R&D for build-
ings, and I hope that what comes out will do better than
California in practice and as well as California in spirit.
The APS has suggested that all buildings should have
an energy audit required before a residential building is
sold to a new owner. I had to have a termite inspection
billion kWh at a saving of around
$
