Академический Документы
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Megan Dyer
Professor Padgett
English 102
3/14/17
Humans Reach for Net-Zero to Save the Earth Commented [PA1]: I like this title!
An Annotated Bibliography
Proposed Thesis: Despite controversies over global warming and reaching net-zero, advances are
already being made throughout the construction and engineering industries to attain net-zero
through various strategies, but there are still some setbacks. Commented [PA2]: Can you be more specific at
identifying these setbacks? So in other words, are they
largely political?
Intro
A current hot topic of debate is Global Warming. Although many people believe it is happening
and is creating harmful effects on the world, few are actually taking action to combat it, but
luckily advances to reach net-zero energy emissions are growing. Despite controversies over
global warming and reaching net-zero, advances are already being made throughout the
construction and engineering industries to attain net-zero through various strategies but there are
still some setbacks. Various advances are being made in homes and small building but high-rise,
Commented [PA3]: I like that I have a strong sense of
multi-unit residential building face harder complications. where you are coming from. In terms of stasis claims, Im
wonder, on what level, you are engaging with your
audience. So in other words, are you assuming that your
Cianfrone, Christian, et al. "Holistic Approach to Achieving Low-Energy, High-Rise Residential audience has already accepted that global warming is
happening? And are thus excluding those who arent on
Buildings." Journal of Building Physics, vol. 39, no. 6, May 2016, pp. 522-541. board? Totally fine if you are, but if this is the case, just
jump on it. So, one of those setbacks could be climate
deniers and part of your paper could (directly or indirectly)
EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/1744259115623262. be about how find solutions despite these people.
Dyer 2
The three authors of this piece work to explain the hardships of reaching net-zero in
construction, particularly in the case of high-rise, multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). For
every energy efficient requirement is a constraint caused by current building practices. The
article continues to outline the many common constraints faced and how they combine to cause
poor energy performance. Through modules and cost-benefit analysis, options to decrease energy
waste are discussed. In considering future steps, the article mentions that many advances made in Commented [PA4]: Okay, so could you offer some
specifics?
building codes over the past two decades have been slightly impractical and leave room for loose
interpretations. This allows for builders to take short cuts and avoid following the regulations. In
the future, more detailed regulations need to be made in order to achieve lower net energy in
MURBs. This article is biased towards improving energy efficiency, but it uses many facts and
modules to prove energy efficiency is feasible. This article is peer-reviewed and published by a
well-respected and credible journal. This article is new and therefore relates well to current
and this article addresses just that in terms of building practices and codes. It will be effective in
my article to describe the feasibility of construction to be energy efficient. Commented [PA5]: Okay, so you have a bit more analysis
here, but these seems to be nuts-and-bolts kind of analysis
rather than engagement. So what role, specifically, will this
John H. Cushman Jr., InsideClimate News, Phil McKenna, Sabrina Shankman, Nicholas article play, do you think, in your paper? In what way does
this article address your problem space?
Kusnetz, Zahra Hirji, and John H. Cushman Jr. "Is 'Net-Zero' Carbon Goal to Rescue the
Climate Plausible?" Inside Climate News. N.p., 20 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.
This article refers to, then current, UN climate negotiations. It brought up the varying
levels of climate change that scientists consider acceptable and the fact that to ensure these levels
are not surpassed, the world needs to act very quickly. Specifically, in terms of how quickly,
Climate hawks say it should be met as early as 2050. Others see a few more decades of wiggle
room, but they too emphasize the need for rapid action. After that, the effects of global warming
Dyer 3
may be catastrophic and unfixable. This article references various agencies that have supporting
evidence such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or the treaty talks in Lima,
Peru and Geneva. Ultimately most talks conclude that we need to reach net zero by 2050 and that
this goal is not too unreasonable. It references advisors for Shell and how even they agree the
Paris treaty should aim for net zero but that it may not actually be possible, and certainly not by
2050. Other similar studies are referenced throughout the rest of the article supporting that it can
be achieved and is necessary for the future of our world. The article is biased towards the need to
achieve net-zero energy efficiency but it is still relevant for my paper because it describes the
need for better practices in energy efficiency. The rest of my paper will describe the solutions for
this need. The timeliness is not ideal as it was written in reference to climate and treaty talks Commented [PA6]: Cool. Again, can you be more
specific?
from several years ago, but the information is still useful in describing the urgency to reach net-
zero. Inside Climate News is a highly-rewarded journal, even winning a Pulitzer prize, making
the source very credible. This article will serve as a building block for the rest of my paper as it
describes the problem and then I intend to describe possible solutions found in the rest of my
sources.
Conditioning Engineering, vol. 83, no. 9, Sept. 2011, pp. 10-13. EBSCOhost,
login.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db
=a9h&AN=66893138&site=ehost-live.
The author of this article discusses the effects of HVAC heating and air systems on energy
efficiency. HVAC systems account for eighty-five to ninety-five percent of the energy expended
in building and therefore is crucial in changing if net-zero is ever hoped to be reached. Lentz
mentions that all the technology is out there that is needed to make energy efficient progress, and
Dyer 4
instead the real barriers imposed on technological progress are those we impose on ourselves.
It is important to keep that in mind when thinking of solutions to achieve net-zero in structures
such as HVAC units. With new processes, Lentz believes most of that wasted energy can either
be eliminated or recycled. Studies involving West High School show a solution that can cut
energy usage by seventy percent. In order to achieve HVAC systems that are efficient like the
one at West High School, a whole new design process is needed. HVAC engineers currently
model and rate their system while comparing the results to the worst possible outcome, meaning
even poor performance can receive a good score. In the future, models need to be tested against
the best possible outcome so that as energy efficient practices better themselves, engineers are
always being challenged against a new and better best case scenario. Technology including Commented [PA7]: This is really interesting. But it seems
that we know that the technology already exists. What are
the challenges in implementing this widely? Does the article
evaporation/condensation/freezing/thawing, air-to-air heat-exchange, and thermal and electric
address this?
storage will all have to be considered in order to make advances. This is a credible, peer-
HVAC systems account for so much of the wasted energy in a building and therefore in order to
ever reach energy efficiency, these systems must be confronted. The article is slightly old but
HVAC systems are not something that change quickly and they can stay in place for decades
before being updated so the article is still relevant. It will serve my paper well as a solution to the
energy crises because it describes what we need to be doing from now on in order to help these
Norton, Paul, et al. "Evaluation of Model Results and Measured Performance of Net-Zero Commented [PA8]: Try to include everyones name in the
citation as oppose to writing the rest off as et al. Et al. is
okay for in-text citation.
Energy Homes in Hawaii." ASHRAE Transactions, vol. 119, no. 2, May 2013, pp. 1-8.
EBSCOhost,login.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?dir
ect=true&db=a9h&AN=96045853&site=ehost-live.
Dyer 5
Nineteen affordable net-zero energy homes were built in Hawaii in 2011. The project was
created to combat high energy prices in Hawaii. These homes were used building hourly energy
modeling software by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The homes are either one or
two stories and around fifteen hundred square feet. They are built in a hot area with low winds.
The exact equipment of the homes is discussed in the article. Each house has been monitored
since their construction to show how they perform. Within the first year the homes performed
within one percent of net-zero. Most of the homes exceeded net-zero and a few fell below. The
model for future construction and gives results on what needs to be changed if not performing
well enough. The article is a peer-reviewed and credible source. It comes from a journal that has
been around a long time and has published many volumes. It is relevant to my paper because it
proves that net-zero construction is possible, not just in theory but in reality. These are not just
parts of a home that can be energy efficient and it is not just a model that says it is possible, these
homes are real, solid proof. There is bias in the article because it indicates that all homes can
reach net-zero but that may not always be the case since it largely depends on climate and the
occupant. This is a relatively new article so most likely not much has changed in terms of net-
zero housing communities. In my paper, it would be good to use this piece at the end to tie
together all the other sources as proof that all the small parts in the other sources can come
Shen, Pengyuan and Noam Lior. "Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts of Present
doi:10.1016/j.energy.2016.07.078.
Dyer 6
A topic often forgotten is how all the renewable energy practices that the world is
currently striving to implement will hold up in future climates. Studies were done on how current
solar and wind energy systems will do in 10 different possible climate zones. These zones are
based on Global Climate Models predictions of future climate zones that will be caused by
ongoing environmental impacts. Results show that the renewable energy sources will lose their
capability to achieve net-zero in half of the climate zones. In order to avoid this, Photovoltaic
systems need to be used. These systems account for hourly building energy loads and therefore
are better predictors for future climates. Systems built with this show results of stability in future
climate zones. Otherwise, renewable energy systems will just have to be continuously updated.
This article is a peer-reviewed source and published by a credible and scholarly journal. This
advances in the field of alternative energy practices. It is bias because it indicates that solar and
wind energy systems are the only alternative energy sources that will be used, ignoring any
notion that other forms of alternative energy may become more prominent. It only mentions
wind and solar systems, but there could be a bigger focus on nuclear energy or other alternative
energy sources that would do just find in changing climates. This is relevant to my paper because
reaching net-zero is all about making the earth better for future generations and to do that we
need to know what is going to work in the future, which is what this article discusses. This will
benefit my paper because it recognizes a fault of energy efficiency but also acknowledges that
there are ways to combat it so that the systems we put in place to reach net-zero last a long time.
Thomas, Samantha. ""World's Greenest Office Building" Makes Net-Zero Look Easy." YES!
<http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/world-s-greenest-office-building-makes-net-zero-
look-easy>.
constructed in compliance with the Living Building Challenge, the toughest set of standards
regarding eco-friendly buildings. The founder of the Living Building Challenge even said on
behalf of the building, Washington is the least sunny state in the United States, and this building
is still able to obtain 100 percent solar which is very impressive. Its walls are made entirely of
glass in order to light even the center of the building so that no artificial lighting is needed, there
is no parking lot so tenants walk or ride bikes, there are showers fed by rain water on every floor,
and there is no hookup to the citys sewer thanks to composting toilets which compost waste to
produce agricultural grade compost. All of this only cost the developers one-fifth above average
costs of an office building of its class. This building wants to serve as a model for other future
buildings, but it is not always feasible. For instance, this type of construction is not possible for
really large building where the sun could not reach the middle or in rural areas where people
have to drive and need a parking lot. Despite this, the author writes praising this building and Commented [PA9]: Good. I like this level of specificity.
indicating all buildings should be like this and for that reason it is biased. It is a relatively new
article and is still a building at the top of its class, so there are lessons to be learned from it. The
article offers many details about the building that are also verified through other research and so
it is credible. In my paper, it would work well along with the neighborhood in Hawaii to show
Megan,
This annotation is working well for the what the assignment is meant to accomplish, which is to
sources and analyzing how these articles are functioning. Im still not seeing enough of how
these sources are intersecting with your specific thesis. Like I said before, think about your
problem space and how you and these sources are addressing that problem space.