Page 24 - Solar Power in Building Design The Engineer's Complete Design Resource

xxii INTRODUCTION

When compounded with a general inflation rate of 3 percent, the average energy
cost increase, over the next decade, could be expected to rise at a rate of about 7 percent
per year. This cost increase does not take into account other inflation factors, such as
regional conflicts, embargoes, and natural catastrophes.
Solar power cogeneration systems require nearly zero maintenance and are more
reliable than any human-made power generation devices. The systems have an actual
life span of 35 to 40 years and are guaranteed by the manufacturers for a period of
25 years. It is my opinion that in a near-perfect geographic setting, the integration of
the systems into the mainstream of architectural design will not only enhance the
design aesthetics but also will generate considerable savings and mitigate adverse
effects on the ecology and global warming.

Social and Environmental Concerns

Nowadays, we do not think twice about leaving lights on or turning off the television or
computers, which run for hours. Most people believe that energy seems infinite, but in
fact, that is not the case. World consumption of fossil fuels, which supply us with most
of our energy, is steadily rising. In 1999, it was found that out of 97 quads of energy used
(a quad is 3 1011 kWh) 80 quads came from coal, oil, and natural gas. As we know,
sources of fossil fuels will undoubtedly run out within a few generations and the world
has to be ready with alternative and new sources of energy. In reality, as early as 2020,
we could be having some serious energy deficiencies. Therefore, interest in renewable
fuels such as wind, solar, hydropower, and others is a hot topic among many people.
Renewable fuels are not a new phenomenon, although they may seem so. In fact, the
industrial revolution was launched with renewable fuels. The United States and the world
has, for a long time, been using energy without serious concern, until the 1973 and 1974
energy conferences, when the energy conservation issues were brought to the attention of
the industrialized world. Ever since, we were forced to realize that the supply of fossil
fuels would one day run out, and we had to find alternate sources of energy.
In 1999, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a large report in which it
was disclosed that by the year 2020 there will be a 60 percent increase in carbon dioxide
emissions which will create a serious strain on the environment, as it will further
aggravate the dilemma with greenhouse gases. Figure I.2 shows the growth of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere.
A simple solution may seem to be to reduce energy consumption; however, it would
not be feasible. It has been found that there is a correlation between high electricity
consumption (4000 kWh per capita) and a high Human Development Index (HDI),
which measures quality of life.
In other words there is a direct correlation between quality of life and the amount
of energy used. This is one of the reasons that our standard of living in the industrialized
countries is better than in third-world countries, where there is very little access to
electricity. In 1999, the United States had 5 percent of the world’s population and pro-
duced 30 percent of the gross world product. We also consumed 25 percent of the
world’s energy and emitted 25 percent of the carbon dioxide.