WORKING GROUP G – URBAN SYSTEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the energy utilities, water supply, disposal of sewage and wastes, and urban transport with a view toward more efficient energy utilization and energy savings. Transport alone accounts for approximately one-quarter of all energy consumption. Sewage and solid waste are produced in considerable quantities, which could be recycled to reclaim energy and raw materials, instead of being dumped or burned. The recommendations in the field of sewage and waste cover the recovery of energy rather than the saving of energy and materials. The chapter discusses the methods of disposing of solid wastes. The methods include the conversion of solid wastes into methanol and/or ethanol, into methane, and directly into electricity. Total energy is a system in which only one form of energy is brought into a building and converted into heat and electricity. An advantage of the total energy system is its flexibility. It can be applied at different scales for individual buildings, neighborhood, or central systems. It can also be integrated into a utility grid system.