Energy-Secure Basics

Energy-Secure Basics

Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to (relatively) cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant vulnerabilities. “Wikipedia”

Definition: “The energy performance of a building shall be determined based on the calculated or actual annual energy that is consumed in order to meet the different needs associated with its typical use and shall reflect the heating energy needs and cooling energy needs (energy needed to avoid overheating) to maintain the envisaged temperature conditions of the building, and domestic hot water needs.” (Source: Energy Performance of Buildings Directive of the European Union [EPBD 2010]).

There are five energy consuming sectors:

The industrial sector includes facilities and equipment used for manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction.

The transportation sector includes vehicles that transport people or goods, such as cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, trains, aircraft, boats, barges, and ships.

The residential sector consists of homes and apartments.

The commercial sector includes offices, malls, stores, schools, hospitals, hotels, warehouses, restaurants, and places of worship and public assembly.

The electric power sector consumes primary energy to generate most of the electricity consumed by the other four sectors.

Canadian society depends on its diverse energy inputs to function. Securing the processes through which that energy is produced, delivered and consumed is therefore of paramount importance. Many countries view the primary goal of energy security to be securing a reliable supply. In the case of Canada, a country rich in energy resources, energy security is a more complex concept.

esmsconsulting@naderawads.com