2.3

Question 1

What is embodied energy?

Answer 1

the total energy required to produce a product

Question 2

What are the components of embodied energy?

Answer 2

Materials: energy used to extract materials and process them into building products available at the factory gate (cradle to factory gate)
Transport: energy used to transport the building materials from the factory or the building site
Assembly: energy used to construct the product
Recurring: energy used to maintain and replace parts
Recycling: energy used to recycle the components at the end-of-life

Question 3

What is the energy grid system?

Answer 3

Materials: energy used to extract materials and process them into building products available at the factory gate (cradle to factory gate)
Transport: energy used to transport the building materials from the factory or the building site
Assembly: energy used to construct the product
Recurring: energy used to maintain and replace parts
Recycling:

Question 3

Why should designers be aware of the energy grid?

Answer 3

Because national and international grids are not designed for small-scale energy producers to feed electricity into–they are only efficient at a large scale

Question 4

What is local combined heat and power (CHP)?

Answer 4

an efficient and clean approach to generating thermal energy and electrical power simultaneously from a single fuel source (it is used to either replace or supplement separate heat and power)

Question 5

Advantages of local combined head and power (CHP) systems

Answer 5

reduced costs + reduced emissions (because heating and energy production are combined into one system)

Question 6

What are systems for individual energy generation?

Answer 6

the small-scale generation of energy by individuals. It is typically used for single households with the goal of a low-carbon footprint/ in situations where the grid power is unreliable or expensive to access

Question 6

What are the steps to minimizing carbon emissions?

Answer 6

Quantification: measuring the carbon emissions, how much, who, and where it is being produced
Mitigation: humans intervening in the reduction of carbon emissions by providing “sinks” (forests, vegetation, soils) that can reabsorb carbon emissions