The MURE Database is constructed in four, entirely separate, sections: Household, Transport, Industry, Tertiary; which contain the energy conservation measures, statistical data and simulation tool relevant to the four sectors; the software enables the simulation and comparison at a national level of the potential impact of such measures.
The data structure and operating functions of each sector are the same (although the simulation procedures differ). Three main types of data are provided for each of the EU countries, in each section of the database;
· Measures; accessed through the Query function.
· Statistical data relevant to the energy consumption of the sector; accessed through the Data Management function and the graphs function.
· Technical and cost data to enable the calculation of the energy saving potential and cost of measures; accessed through the Technical Parameters function.
The simulation tool allows you to calculate the potential impact of either measures or technologies. The definition of these and relationship between them is critical to understanding the database.
A measure is an intervention, generally enacted by the national or local government or an energy agency, the primary purpose of which is to promote energy saving.
A technology is the means by which energy savings are actually achieved. Technologies are predominantly physical (e.g. the installation of insulation or controls) but also include behavioural patterns, particularly for the transport sector (e.g. a shift from private to public transport).
The simulation tool only calculates the impact of technologies. It is therefore based on two assumptions;
· Each measure is associated to one or more technologies
· Its impact is therefore the result of the energy performance of the corresponding technologies and their penetration rate into the market.
Each measure may involve one or more technologies and a given technology may be implemented as a result of more than one measure.
The simulation process is fully interactive with default values available at all stages. The simulation is built in such a way that the cumulative effect of different technologies can be accounted for.