Energy Statistics – Why do modern buildings in Norway consume more energy than expected?

Frode Olav Gjerstad and Jan Peter Amundal, Enova SF, Trondheim, Norway
Aage Antonsen, Sletten-Finnmark AS, Kirkenes, Norway

Keywords

construction industry, Enova’s statistics of energy, building network, bench-marking, monitoring, energy consumption in office and other buildings, calculated versus actual

Abstract

Enova is a state body and uses funding as a policy instrument. Programmes for commercial and public buildings are fundamental for the achievement of specific energy saving goals set by the Government. The paper presents selected analyses of annual energy statistics for the building sector, in the context of a national energy saving programme aimed at market transformation. This programme has been operative since 2002, and in 2005 approximately 1 000 buildings started up, with an annual budget of € 15 million in that year.

The paper focuses on selected data obtained through a Buildings Network established in 1996 and continued pursued by Enova from 2002. The paper also highlights differences in energy consumption for offices and other building types and five categories of energy end use applications. Furthermore the paper presents energy analyses of two modern office buildings in order to compare calculated versus metered energy use in these buildings.