ABSTRACT
There is no longer room for doubt that the greatest single threat to the ultimate security of the planet lies in the expanding use of fossil fuels for energy. There are the technological means available to counter this threat which fall into two main categories of the energy regime: supply and demand. Supply side measures focus on the extensive use of renewable resources; the main targets in curbing demand are buildings and transport. As a prelude to considering buildings in detail there is some advantage in looking at the prospects for renewable energy, not only as offering a snap shot of the energy future which will have an impact on all our lives but also because it will directly have an impact on buildings in the future. Many of the technologies are appropriate as so-called ‘embedded’ systems, that is, systems which may be independent of the grid and can be incorporated as standalone generators within buildings.
