An energy expert on construction affairs says inefficient construction methods that disregard regional characteristics in building homes has led to massive energy waste in Iran.
"Firstly, home designing has completely lost direction and past requirements that upheld and underpinned climatic conditions are ignored. As such, engineers show little, if any, commitment to crucial needs related to building homes in the hot southern regions and cold northern parts of the country," Farzad Kiasat told the Financial Tribune.
"Two centuries ago windcatchers in the central desert city of Yazd were distinct from the double-layered walls and vaults common in the northwestern city of Ardebil."
According to Kiasat, the abundance of cheap energy is a key factor that has exacerbated prohibitively high consumption and waste. "In developed countries there are 'zero-energy buildings' and the 'adiabatic process' , which has led energy use to drop to 30 kilowatt hour per square meter. The same figure in Iran on average is between 900-1,100 kilowatt hour/square meter.
Zero energy buildings combine energy efficiency and renewable energy generation to consume only as much energy as can be produced onsite through renewable resources over a specified period.
An adiabatic process is one that occurs without transfer of heat or mass of substances between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings.
To turn things around, Kiasat proposes three solutions:
-- ultimate care in the designing buildings so that they are compatible with the climatic conditions and nature
-- using construction material in line with modern technologies
-- focusing extra efforts on renewable energies.
He says these measures can and should pave the way for "the progress and prosperity of the 80 million people of Iran."
A report by the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture says that according to International Energy Agency Iran tops the global list when it comes to subsidizing energy. The government paid $45 billion in direct and indirect energy subsidies in 2017, it said.
Caption: Two centuries ago windcatchers in the central desert city of Yazd were distinct from the double-layered walls.
