Title: Energy demand of German households and saving potential

Authors: Anke Eber, Dominik Most, Otto Rentz, Thomas Lutzkendorf

Addresses: Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), Universitat Karlsruhe (TH), Kaiserstr. 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. ' Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), Universitat Karlsruhe (TH), Kaiserstr. 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. ' Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), Universitat Karlsruhe (TH), Kaiserstr. 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. ' Sustainable Management of Housing and Real Estate, Universitat Karlsruhe (TH), Kaiserstr.12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany

Abstract: The implementation of the principles of sustainable development requires both using potentialities in saving resources and cutting down emissions (efficiency strategies) as well as more conscious patterns of behaviour of the actors involved (sufficiency strategies). Starting from the current situation of annual CO₂ emissions of about 10 t and a sustainability goal of 1–2 t CO₂ emissions per inhabitant and year, the question arises in how far households can contribute to achieve this goal. Therefore, in this paper, the environmental impacts of the energy demand of German households will be evaluated by means of describing its status quo and there from deriving saving potentials.

Keywords: energy demand; power; electricity; energy consumption; carbon dioxide emissions; reduction; German households; energy savings; saving potential; scenario analysis; Germany; greenhouse gas emissions; sustainable development; sustainability; environmental impact.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2008.019459

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.9 No.4, pp.378 - 389

Published online: 12 Jul 2008 *

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