This document discusses energy and carbon in the context of green building. It begins with an introduction from Dr. Alexandra von Meier on the carbon imperative and sustainability. It then provides information on the natural carbon cycle and current CO2 emissions. Graphs show historical CO2 emissions and targets for reduction. Additional slides define energy, discuss the carbon cycle and combustion, energy resources and quality, energy units, electricity and gas rates, renewable energy challenges, and Chernobyl exclusion zone solar power potential. The document presents information on energy, carbon, and sustainability across multiple topics in a lecture format.

1. Energy in Green Building:
The Carbon Imperative and
the Ruby Slippers
Dr. Alexandra “Sascha” von Meier
Professor, Dept. of Environmental Studies & Planning
Sonoma State University
www.sonoma.edu/ensp

3. Natural carbon cycle
≈ 50 GtC/y
CO2 emissions
≈ 7 GtC/y
1 GtC/y = 1 billion tons of carbon per year,
which may be bound in CO2 or other compounds

4. CO2 removal from
atmosphere ≈ 3 GtC/y
CO2 emissions
≈ 7 GtC/y

6. 7 800
3

11. Burning fossil fuel means combustion of hydrocarbons:
CXHY + O2 → CO2 + H2O
hydrocarbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water
where the proportions of CO2 and H2O depend on X and Y

12. GISS analysis of global surface temperature; 2008 point is 11-month mean.
Source: Jim Hansen, 2008

15. Five Stages of Receiving
Catastrophic News
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

16. Source: Arctic Council and International Arctic Science Committee, www.acia.uaf.edu

19. Slide: John Holdren

20. Climate stabilization (at 450 ppm CO2) requires global emissions to peak by 2015
and to fall to ~80% below 2000 levels by 2050
Slide: Jim Williams
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report

21. California’s Big Step Forward:
Assembly Bill 32
600 Historical
Emissions
Inventory 2008 Estimate
500
2020 Goal under AB32
Million metric tonnes CO2e
400 Electricity
300
Transportation
200
2050 Target (EO 03-05)
100 Industry
2050 Goal
Executive order
Slide: 0
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
2008
2011
2014
2017
2020
2023
2026
2029
2032
2035
2038
2041
2044
2047
2050
Snuller Price

22. American Heritage Dictionary, 10th ed.

23. Physical Meaning of Energy:
Energy = the ability to do work
Force
distance
Work = Force · distance

24. Energy = the ability to do work
Potential energy = mgh
(mass, gravitational acceleration, height)
velocity
Kinetic energy = ½ mv2
(mass, velocity)

26. Examples of Energy
Natural gas in the pipeline (chemical)
Gas flame on my kitchen stove (chemical to thermal)
Hot water in the kettle (thermal)
Electricity in the wall outlet (electrical)
Spinning blade of the coffee grinder (mechanical kinetic)
Pancakes & maple syrup (chemical)
Vase sitting on top shelf (mechanical potential)
Vase falling down to floor (mechanical kinetic)
Radioactivity (nuclear to radiant)
Sunshine (radiant to thermal)
Wind (mechanical kinetic)

27. Because a measurable quantity of energy is conserved
during any conversion of one form to another,
it makes sense to give a single name to that quantity.

33. Matter and Energy Resources
“High Quality” means High quality energy:
concentrated mechanical, electrical, radiant
pure
easy to use
in an orderly state
Medium quality energy:
nuclear, chemical
“Low Quality” means
dispersed
impure
more difficult to use Low quality energy:
disordered thermal (heat)

41. 2nd Law requires:
Some of the chemical fuel energy will be degraded into heat.
The amount of mechanical work or electricity produced will be less
than the fuel input.

43. Basic lesson:
Use energy sources matched in quality with end use needs.

44. Units of energy: Units of power:
calories calories per hour
kilocalories
joules joules per second = watts
kilowatt-hours (kWh) kilowatts (kW)
British Thermal Units (BTU) BTU per hour
therms (105 BTU)
quads (1015 BTU)
Power = energy per unit time

47. Electric usage 232 kWh $0.11/kWh
Gas usage 52 therms $0.71/therm
Conversion factors: 1 therm = 100,000 Btu = 105 Btu
1 kWh = 3,413 Btu
Questions:
• Which is my greater energy consumption – electricity or gas?
• Which is more expensive per unit energy – electricity or gas?

48. Electric usage 232 kWh $0.11/kWh
Gas usage 52 therms $0.71/therm
Conversion factors: 1 therm = 100,000 Btu = 105 Btu
1 kWh = 3,413 Btu
Convert 232 kWh into therms by multiplying
by the conversion factors (3,413 Btu / kWh) and (1 therm / 105 Btu):
232 kWh x (3,413 Btu / kWh) x (1 therm / 105 Btu) = 7.9 therms
→ I use 7.9 therms worth of electricity

49. $ 0.115 / kWh
PG&E electric rates have stayed about the same
over the past five years

50. $ 1.04 / therm
$ 0.92 / therm
PG&E gas rates have gone up from $0.70 / therm

51. Electric rate $ 0.115 / kWh
Gas rate $ 0.92 – 1.04 / therm
Which is more expensive, gas or electricity?
Conversion factors: 1 therm = 100,000 Btu = 105 Btu
1 kWh = 3,412 Btu
$0.115/kWh x (1 kWh/3,412 Btu) x (105 Btu/therm)
= $3.37/therm
→ electricity is over three times as expensive as natural gas

53. Time for a break, maybe?

54. Portfolio of renewable energy resources
Problematic issues:
• spatial and temporal constraints on energy availability
• requires sophisticated, integrated planning
In my opinion, these are the most readily solvable problems.

55. Pacific Gas & Electric, 1989

56. Exclusion zone radius 18 km, area 109 m2
Incident solar radiation 1000 W/m2
at conversion efficiency 0.1
could generate 108 kW or 100 GW of solar power
at capacity factor 0.2 would produce 5% of U.S. electric energy