An engineering model for heating energy and emission assessment - The caseof North Karelia, Finland

This paper presents a regional engineering model for assessing space heatin g energies and related greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of the model ing is to improve the quality and quantity of heating energy and emission d ata, especially for the benefit of local decision making. The model incorpo rates fuel and energy statistics, building register data, demographic param eters and technical characters of heating into a single framework, allowing explorations of fuel and heat source changes, heating electricity procurem ent and energy conservation. The case area of the study is the province of North Karelia in Eastern Finland. A model structure, with calibration and e valuation procedures is presented, and extensive municipal estimates of hea ting energy and related greenhouse gas emission are produced. New indicator s characterising the sustainability of heating energy use are introduced. T hese include municipal per capita estimates of heating energy and emissions as well as the determination of the shares of domestic and renewable energ ies in space heating. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.