Plug loads—the energy consumed by what building users plug into a socket rather than the energy it takes to heat or light a room—illustrates how much end-users impact overall building energy use. To be able to achieve a Net-Zero Energy Building, the ‘plug load problem’ should be incorporated into early energy modeling for the building. In addition, creating an education process whereby end-users (if known) understand the effects of their actions on overall building energy use is a key step towards achieving the highest level of green standards.
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