Chapter 10
Integrating Avoided Emissions in Climate
Change Evaluation Policies for LDC: The
Case of Passive Solar Houses in Afghanistan
Yann Franc ¸ois and Marina Gavald~ ao
Abstract In many Least Developed Countries, the minimum level for basic services like energy access is not reached. In the cases of long-term investment in
carbon intensive technologies, the expansion of basic services is likely to carry with
it a significant increase in GHG emissions. This chapter discuss the importance of
accounting for these avoided emissions through the case study of the Passive Solar
Houses (PSH) in Afghanistan.
In Kabul winters are cold and 48 % of households cannot afford enough fuel to
heat their house. To reduce fuels expenses and improve living conditions, the NGO
GERES is supporting local artisans to disseminate a PSH model made of a veranda
built on the south-facing part of the house to conserve the sun energy captured and
stored in the walls. During the 2013–2014 winter, the fuel consumption and indoor
temperature of PSH and control houses were monitored to assess the impact of the
technology.
The results show an energy saving of 23 % resulting in annual greenhouse gases
emission reduction of 0.37 tCO 2 e/year as well as an average indoor temperature
increase of 1.43
C to reach 18.22
C. Then, a regression model was developed to
estimate the emissions that would have occurred if the control group had reached
the same indoor temperature than the PSH and, in a second scenario, the minimum
indoor temperature of 18
C recommended by the WHO. For both scenario, the
avoided emission represent approximately half of the total climate change mitigation impact with 0.40 tCO 2 e/year and 0.34 tCO 2 e/year respectively.
Keywords Climate change mitigation • Suppressed demand • Avoided emission •
Passive solar houses • GERES • Afghanistan
Y. Franc ¸ois (*) • M. Gavald~ ao
GERES - Group for the Environment, Renewable Energy and Solidarity, Aubagne, France
e-mail: y.francois@geres.eu; m.gavaldao@geres.eu
© The Author(s) 2017
J.I. Uitto et al. (eds.), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable
Development, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43702-6_10
171
Integrating Avoided Emissions in Climate
Change Evaluation Policies for LDC: The
Case of Passive Solar Houses in Afghanistan
Yann Franc ¸ois and Marina Gavald~ ao
Abstract In many Least Developed Countries, the minimum level for basic services like energy access is not reached. In the cases of long-term investment in
carbon intensive technologies, the expansion of basic services is likely to carry with
it a significant increase in GHG emissions. This chapter discuss the importance of
accounting for these avoided emissions through the case study of the Passive Solar
Houses (PSH) in Afghanistan.
In Kabul winters are cold and 48 % of households cannot afford enough fuel to
heat their house. To reduce fuels expenses and improve living conditions, the NGO
GERES is supporting local artisans to disseminate a PSH model made of a veranda
built on the south-facing part of the house to conserve the sun energy captured and
stored in the walls. During the 2013–2014 winter, the fuel consumption and indoor
temperature of PSH and control houses were monitored to assess the impact of the
technology.
The results show an energy saving of 23 % resulting in annual greenhouse gases
emission reduction of 0.37 tCO 2 e/year as well as an average indoor temperature
increase of 1.43
C to reach 18.22
C. Then, a regression model was developed to
estimate the emissions that would have occurred if the control group had reached
the same indoor temperature than the PSH and, in a second scenario, the minimum
indoor temperature of 18
C recommended by the WHO. For both scenario, the
avoided emission represent approximately half of the total climate change mitigation impact with 0.40 tCO 2 e/year and 0.34 tCO 2 e/year respectively.
Keywords Climate change mitigation • Suppressed demand • Avoided emission •
Passive solar houses • GERES • Afghanistan
Y. Franc ¸ois (*) • M. Gavald~ ao
GERES - Group for the Environment, Renewable Energy and Solidarity, Aubagne, France
e-mail: y.francois@geres.eu; m.gavaldao@geres.eu
© The Author(s) 2017
J.I. Uitto et al. (eds.), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable
Development, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43702-6_10
171