International
Electrotechnical
Commission
June 2011 edition
2.85 Mb
Managing Editor e-tech :
Editor in Chief:
Articles may be reproduced in whole or in part provided the source, "IEC e-tech" is mentioned in full.
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Editorial – offices and buildingsBuildings are huge end-users of energy. Isolated pilot projects have succeeded in demonstrating how smart buildings can contribute to the energy quest. An intelligent use of software in combination with sensors can help diminish not only energy consumption, but also emissions and costs.
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COPANT – the growing importance of Latin AmericaCOPANT held its annual General Assembly in May, 2011 in Santiago, Chile. Jim Matthews, IEC Vice-President and Chairman of SMB, gave an update on the IEC. Ronnie Amit, IEC General Secretary and CEO used the occasion to meet and talk with IEC stakeholders in this increasingly important region of the world.
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Focusing on efficiency – workshop in ChileEnabling efficient energy use was the theme of a workshop held by INN, the Chilean National Institute of Standardization, on 11 May, just prior to the COPANT, Pan American Standards Commission, General Assembly of 12 and 13 May. Jim Matthews, IEC Vice-President and Chairman of the SMB, presented the IEC's work on energy efficiency to a full room.
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How Hitachi drives business efficiency and sustainabilityIEC Global Visions recently interviewed Naoya Takahashi, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer of Hitachi Ltd., a leading global electronics company. Takahashi underlined the need to explore systems to create a more sustainable society. Hitachi has an ambitious environmental plan that will help it to reduce carbon emissions by 100 million tons of CO2 annually by 2025 in Japan alone
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European and Asian perspectives on standards for intelligent homesManufacturers have finally realized the importance of International Standards. Smart homes are now becoming better connected and offering many incentives to enable remote check-in and full control of energy and resources using dedicated programmable smart home data centres and systems. The modern smart home now embodies not only new outlooks for connectivity, but also a new philosophy that pays attention to global climate change and energy consumption patterns on a daily basis.
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IECEE to propose new Conformity Assessment service to certify energy efficiencyEquipment and appliances in commercial and office buildings are heavy consumers of energy, as are the heating and cooling systems. Improving energy efficiency in commercial and office buildings saves money, reduces emissions and can also improve productivity. Many countries have developed, or are developing, strategies for energy savings and emissions reduction from appliances and are passing legislation to that effect.
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Chinese Testing Laboratory promotes the IECEx System at major eventChina has seen huge economic changes in the past three decades. The state began to reform its economy at the end of the 1970s, shifting from a state-planned to a market economy. This move gave many industry sectors a free rein to develop and grow, locally and internationally. Chinese industry is now a major player in the global market. China is also the country that has the world’s largest population. Such rapid development has brought with it the necessity for increased energy resources.
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IECQ makes commercial and office environments saferElevators, escalators, automatic sliding doors or lighting all rely heavily on electronics nowadays. The same can be said of most of the smaller devices that equip stores and offices. While safety is an important issue for any electronic device, it becomes crucial for equipment that is used by hundreds, if not thousands, of people in commercial and office buildings every day.
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Energy-efficient commercial buildingsToday in industrialized economies the commercial sector is one of the main consumers of energy, particularly electric energy. As energy efficiency emerges as key to our use of electric power in the future, the design and construction of so-called zero-energy commercial buildings – that is, buildings that produce as much energy as they use – will be essential.
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Reducing energy use through smart technology in intelligent buildingsBuildings in OECD countries, even based on the most conservative of figures, account for at least one-quarter of all energy use. Often, that figure rises to 40 %, or in industry up to half the total energy consumption. Buildings therefore, whether residential or tertiary, can contribute meaningfully to electricity savings. New technologies are constantly being developed to deal with the metering requirements in buildings. Rather than simply measuring and transmitting information, they use smart systems to analyse data and determine the most efficient approach.
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Sensors and transducers track and transmit intelligenceThere is a wide variety of intelligent applications in buildings that often simply goes unnoticed. Smart buildings get much of their intelligence from the small sensors and transducers that are integrated in their devices or simply added to already installed systems to track and transmit information that is vital to managing power and energy and helping curb consumption.
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High-performance schools – a building philosophyTaking a systems approach to managing energy in buildings is not restricted only to devices and installations. The US has come up with the notion of High Performance Schools that improve the learning environment while saving energy, resources, and money in order to provide a well-designed facility that, it is said, can enhance performance and make education a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.
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Halt! Who goes there?Controlling access to buildings, particularly those open to the public, has become a major security challenge for any institution. The advent of the digital era has provided a myriad of solutions, often controlled remotely, that include smartcards and RFID, video camera control units, biometrics, PIN codes and the relevant software services.
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The importance of being involved in the IEC – a global success storyAs one of the three Young Professional Leaders, Stephanie McLarty has had the opportunity to talk with many other young delegates from around the world and get their feedback on their IEC participation to date. A constant theme she's heard is that while they feel participation in the IEC is valuable, many of their employers do not readily understand the importance of IEC involvement. Here, she talks of her own experience as a self-employed participant in IEC TC 111.
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IEC invited to talk at major standardization event in Central AsiaIn May, Immediate Past President Jacques Régis spoke at the 39th session of the EASC, the Euroasian Interstate Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification, in Avaza, Turkmenistan. The Caucasus and Central Asia regions are in the process of building up their industrial infrastructures and want to accelerate import and export. To do so they need to harmonize national standards with international ones.
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Appointment of new Affiliate LeaderThe IEC Affiliate Country Programme, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has a new Affiliate Leader. Phuntsho Wangdi, Director of Bhutan Standards Bureau, was appointed Affiliate Leader by Ronnie Amit, IEC General Secretary, on 1 June 2011.
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Korean maritime students confirm standardization knowledgeIn May, IEC Technical Officer, Charles Jacquemart was visiting Shanghai, China, for the plenary meeting of IEC TC 82: Solar photovoltaic energy systems. On the Saturday morning he stepped out of his hotel to visit the nearby park at the same time as a group of Korean maritime students freshly disembarked from their training ship. It transpired they were most familiar not only with the IEC, but also very knowledgeable about international maritime standardization.
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Helping harness solar powerAs solar power is set to occupy a growing share of the future global energy mix, PV (photovoltaic) energy generation has been expanding dramatically in recent years. IEC TC 82: Solar photovoltaic energy systems, prepares International Standards that play a central role in the development of PV technology and that contribute to cost reduction and innovation and to safer, better and more efficient PV systems.
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Moving people around while saving energy in commercial buildingsElevators and escalators belong to the daily lives of billions of people. The equivalent of the world's population travels in elevators, escalators and moving walkways at least every other day. It is passenger elevators too that made the construction of high-rise buildings and the emergence of modern cities possible.
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IEC Webstore adds new functionalityThe IEC Webstore has a useful preview function that allows everyone to see the content of IEC International Standards without having to make any payment. Now, there is a new purchase option accessible directly from each preview page.
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