An energy efficient building is one that minimizes the use of conventional energy, particularly non-renewable energy, in order to save and make rational use of it. Energy efficiency or energy performance arises from the ratio between the useful energy or used by a system and the total energy consumed:.

It is necessary to establish a criterion to define the total energy. To the extent that energy consumption per unit of product produced or service provided is increasingly lower, energy efficiency increases. Both the available technology and responsible habits make lower energy consumption possible, improving the competitiveness of companies and the quality of life.

This is achieved through a series of strategies:

Contenido

En los años ´70 cuando ocurrió la primera gran crisis del petróleo la mayoría de los países desarrollados establecieron un control de la eficiencia energética edilicia, en particular Suecia, Alemania, Inglaterra y Francia. Estos además implementaron políticas activas para el ahorro de energía en edificios.

Otros países con clima más moderado y no tan energo-dependientes como España e Italia establecieron normas de calidad térmica edilicia con estándares bastante más bajos.

Entre los países de Latinoamérica la Argentina creó las primeras normas a principios de los ´70 y con bastante posterioridad siguieron Chile, México y Brasil.

Argentina

In 2009, IRAM's building energy efficiency subcommittee approved IRAM Standard 11900 "Heating energy efficiency label for buildings" in order to regulate the energy demand of all new buildings that request natural gas service through the network. This standard proposes a label and classifies buildings into eight efficiency levels. The indicator used is the weighted average tau (τ) which is defined as the weighted average interior surface temperature difference of ceilings, walls, floors in contact with the outside, doors and windows and the interior design temperature according to bioenvironmental zone (IRAM 11603).

The energy labeling management system is developed between INDEC and the National Energy Secretariat with the participation of the National Gas Regulatory Entity [1] (ENARGAS).