Estimation of Energy Consumption and Environmental Load Using the Unit Value Method in Tsuciura City and its Vicinities, Central Japan

Abstract

In the general trend of intensified environmental pollution caused by human activity, it is necessary to grasp the actual state of energy consumption and environmental load. In this paper, energy is shown by the volume of crude oil, and environmental load by the mass of SO_x, NO_x and CO₂.
As for energy consumption and environmental load, it is possible to get correct values in micro-scales at every room and every building based on the researchers' observation and measurement. On the other hand, there are various kinds of statistical values on the whole country. But it is almost impossible to grasp and estimate the values of energy consumption and environmental loads in the cases of medium scales between the whole country and each building.
The authors developed a method of estimating these values by the combination with various kinds of statistical values, the unit values and land use classification in medium scale or any form of areas. Subsequently, the number of present land use classification units are reduced from 33 to only 9, because over-detailed classification is not useful for the estimation. The research area was Tsuchiura city and its vicinities. Here, the authors clarified the distribution of energy consumption and environmental load using a rank map which was compiled from the land use map.
Thus, the authors could estimate the values of energy consumption and environmental load quantitatively using land use types and relating factors in medium scale areas where reasonable values have not been got.
The accuracy of the estimation should be improved in future based on remote sensing technique and/or a present conventional mapping method. Depending on the case, the better way should be selected to clarify actual conditions of the environment.