MSGID: 1:317/3 641a8477   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Lower energy consumption thanks to daylight-saving time    
    Does daylight saving make sense from an energy point of view?    
      
     Date:   
         March 21, 2023   
     Source:   
         Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology   
         (EMPA)   
     Summary:   
         The elimination of daylight-saving time is a frequently -- and   
         heatedly - - discussed topic. Often, only the aspect of electricity   
         consumption due to artificial lighting is considered. In a new   
         study, researchers have now analyzed whether daylight saving also   
         has an impact on the heating and cooling energy required for office   
         buildings, and what role climate change might play in this. The   
         results should delight supporters of daylight-saving time.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   With the start of daylight-saving time, discussions break out -- as   
   they do every year -- about whether or not we should eliminate the time   
   change -- both in politics and in the wider society. Opponents argue   
   that the time change impacts our health, for instance through sleep   
   disturbances. Proponents, on the other hand, often bring forward the   
   argument of saving electricity because of longer days, which means that   
   less artificial light is needed. "That was the original intention behind   
   the introduction of daylight saving. From our point of view, however,   
   it makes sense to look not only at the impact on electricity savings   
   in lighting, but on the overall energy consumption of a building,"   
   explains Sven Eggimann. Together with his colleague Massimo Fiorentini   
   and other colleagues at Empa's Urban Energy Systems Lab, he has therefore   
   determined whether and how the time change affects heating and cooling   
   energy consumption.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Going home earlier saves energy The scientists' hypothesis was that   
   employees start their work an hour earlier in summer due to the time   
   change, and thus leave the office earlier in the afternoon. Since most of   
   the cooling happens later in the afternoon, this can save energy. The   
   assumption behind this is that in an empty office the cooling can   
   be reduced or even turned off completely. As buildings become more   
   intelligent, this would be relatively easy to accomplish in the future.   
      
   To test the hypothesis, the researchers simulated the heating and cooling   
   energy used with and without daylight-saving time for different climatic   
   regions based on data from various office buildings in 15 US cities. In   
   order to include the influence of climate change, they took into account   
   not only the current climate, but also future climate scenarios up to   
   the year 2050. This is crucial, as climate change has an enormous impact   
   on a building's energy consumption. In another study, for example, Empa   
   researchers found that in future Switzerland's demand for cooling could   
   match the one for heating due to climate change.   
      
   The results of the current study should delight the proponents of   
   daylight- saving time. "Switching to daylight-saving time can reduce   
   an office building's cooling energy by up to almost six percent. At   
   the same time, heating demand can increase by up to 4.4 percent due   
   to the earlier start of work in the morning. However, since much more   
   cooling than heating energy is needed in summer, the time change has a   
   positive overall effect on the energy balance of a building," summarizes   
   Massimo Fiorentini. Across the different climate zones and scenarios,   
   the overall energy savings varied -- peaking at around 3 percent -- but   
   they were evident everywhere. Although this result only relates to office   
   buildings in the US, it also provides valuable insights for Switzerland,   
   as the climatic conditions are comparable for several of the simulated   
   climate zones.   
      
   Contribution to climate protection "Our study shows that the time change   
   can contribute to climate protection. In the discussion about eliminating   
   daylight-saving time, policy makers should therefore not only consider   
   the electricity savings in artificial lighting, but also the impact on   
   the energy balance of office buildings as a whole," says Eggimann. At   
   the same time, the researchers emphasize that the time change is only   
   one of many ways to influence the energy consumption of a building.   
      
   Technical improvements of the buildings, behavioral changes and a general   
   adjustment of our working hours can also contribute to energy savings   
   and thus CO2 reduction -- regardless of whether or not we change the   
   time every six months.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Energy_and_the_Environment # Environmental_Awareness #   
                   Environmental_Science # Climate   
             o Science_&_Society   
                   # Energy_Issues # Environmental_Policies #   
                   Resource_Shortage # World_Development   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Radiant_energy o Climate o Climate_change_mitigation   
             o Solstice o Solar_power o Cave o Carbon_monoxide o   
             Antarctic_Circle   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Swiss_Federal_Laboratories_for_Materials_Science_and   
   Technology_(EMPA). Original written by Loris Pandiani. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Sven Eggimann, Robin Mutschler, Kristina Orehounig, Massimo   
      Fiorentini.   
      
         Climate change shifts the trade-off between lower cooling and   
         higher heating demand from daylight saving time in office buildings.   
      
         Environmental Research Letters, 2023; 18 (2): 024001 DOI:   
         10.1088/1748- 9326/acb0e3   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230321112635.htm   
      
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