An energy efficiency plan for the Iranian building sub-sector

The objective of this paper is to develop a 25-year least cost plan for energy management in the Iranian building sub-sector. For this purpose, an energy flow optimization from the point where the final energy is delivered to consumers, until the useful energy and energy services point is investigated. This will help to select the most economically feasible technologies as well as energy carriers considering all technical and social constraints. Based on the optimization results, absorption cooling for the regions where natural gas network is available, grades A and B evaporative coolers and air conditioners for those areas where there is no gas service, gas fired heating systems, wall insulation, double-glazed windows, equipments and appliances with highest energy labelling grade and compact and non-compact fluorescent lamps are among the selections. The results of the sensitivity analysis indicates that if the cost of natural gas network development to the regions where there is no gas will result in the tripling rate of the actual cost of the natural gas, in those areas, the priority should be still given to the consumption of gas. The proposed energy efficiency plan results in 27%, 54% and 10% saving in energy consumption, energy cost and investment cost, respectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.