Air conditioning systems are currently one of the largest consumers of energy in Israel. 70% of the electricity consumption of a typical office building today is dedicated to air conditioning. The peak demand for electricity in Israel has shifted from winter to summer due to the demand for air conditioning. If it were possible to reduce the demand for electricity for air conditioning, it would be possible to postpone the construction of the next power plant in Israel by several years, reduce local and global air pollution reduce Israel’s dependence on imported fuel.
In 2004, the Samuel Neaman Institute was request the Ministry of Environmental Protection, conducted a survey of air conditioning in Israel, the potential for savings, and an implementation policy. The survey found that more than 80% of the dedicated air conditioning consumption during the morning hours (peak demand hours) is due to institutional and commercial consumption. The recommendations therefore focused on solutions for improving the efficiency of institutional air conditioning systems.
Although improving the efficiency of the air conditioning system brings direct and significant financial savings, there is an obstacle to implementing efficiency that stems from conflicting interests between two separate systems: that of developers and contractors who want to build quickly and cheaply, versus that of building users who have to pay the electricity bills. In addition, the air conditioning systems in existing buildings are often wasteful, designed according to outdated plans that are not suitable for the current reality, and building owners are not rushing to replace them due to the costs involved. The government can and should address these issues, which will not be resolved without institutional involvement.
The SNI Energy Forum has pointed to a series of steps that can be taken to rectify the situation. The team’s recommendations include a wide range of issues in which it is possible to influence and through which two goals can be achieved: saving energy consumption and shifting loads from peak hours. In light of this, the team recommends a comprehensive set of coordinated actions, as it is agreed that the more comprehensive the implementation, the more significant the effectiveness that will be achieved.
