This paper focuses on the presentation of a new and modern technology, namely the Internet of Things (IoT). In addition to the definition and history of the IoT in this article we briefly present the architecture and its essential components as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this new technology. Energy experts have shown that the IoT offer a wide number of applications in the energy sector, For this reason in the last part of this paper we present some aspects regarding the application of IoT in the energy sector.

Saving energy is high on the agenda for consumers and businesses, but with most of the electrical devices today, it‘s difficult to know how much energy we are actually using at any given point in time [1]. Electrical energy meter is a meter which helps the consumers to know their day to day power consumption to better control their usage and producers to manage production, One of the main method of communication between utilities and customers is Internet of Things (IoT), which is a mobile technology, available all over the world. IoT technology is also ideally suitable for data transfer over an always on-line connection between a central location and mobile devices. Therefore in this paper we will present a short review about smart energy meters based on Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

The paper presents a simple way to study and numerically analyze the 2D temperature field in a square cross section of a beam. A new software tool was built and used for this study, using as the main calculation method the finite difference method (FDM). The steady state heat transfer through a body without internal heat sources was considered and the boundary conditions of the first kind (Dirichlet) were applied regarding the values of temperatures on the delimiting surfaces of the body. The solution of the linear equation system (LES) was obtained using the Solver tool from the Microsoft Excel® software application, finding the numerical image of the temperature distribution in the square cross section. Also, all the numerical results have been translated into a graphical form, for a more intuitive view.

For quality operation, an energy system (SE) maintains the frequency at a standard value, by continuously and in real time balancing the amount of power provided by manufacturers with the amount of power used, which varies according to user needs. For this purpose, pumped storage hydropower plants (HCAP) are also used, which, when the frequency is high, with energy taken from SE pumps water from low lakes to lakes located above, and when the frequency is low they return SE energy, tubing water from the upper lakes in the lower ones. The realization of HCAP is expensive, and their use has high energy losses annually, the magnitude of which is suggestively illustrated in this paper by the percentage ratio to the entire electricity used by Romania in one year. These shortcomings (high costs and high energy losses) require the search for new methods, without HCAP, to balance the powers of the SE.

In this connected world, the development and widespread use of smart devices has led to a new beginning for machine-to-machine communication anytime and anywhere. As artificial intelligence spreads, this connectivity has created a completely different vision of the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT has led to the emergence of a virtual network between man and the physical world of various things, thus drastically changing the way various businesses operate. In this context, the paper below describes a system of reading electricity meters based on the IoT and integrated circuits containing microcontrollers known commercially as Arduino. In this paper we also present a remote electricity billing system. This billing process is faster and more efficient, enabling customers to pay their bills earlier.

In the current context of increasing energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the serious consequences for the environment, society and the economy, at global, European and national level, the countries of the world are taking measures to fight the effects of climate change by establishing energy and environmental strategies and policies. Starting from the commitment established at European level to neutralize net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the paper presents the energy and ecological framework of Romania in 2020, the energy and ecological objectives for 2030 and the measures proposed to achieve the targets on reducing GHG emissions, improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy sources.

In the current context in which heating and cooling accounts for half of the EU’s energy consumption and is responsible for 27% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing the energy demand for heating and cooling and increasing the share of renewable energy represents key elements to fulfill the EU’s climate and energy goals. The paper presents the potential of the heating and cooling sector to improve energy efficiency and increase the share of energy from renewable sources, focusing on promoting energy efficient buildings and heat pumps. Using Casanova software, the authors have proposed for analysis a passive-green building designed according to passive standard and using environmentally friendly materials, simulating heating and cooling demand in different climate zone in the context of achieving passive house heating and cooling requirements. By comparing different heating systems, for Bucharest city, the simulations highlighted the potential of heat pumps in reducing the final and primary energy consumption.

Fluorescent tubes as well as LEDs have advantages and disadvantages, but it seems that the LED is starting to come out a winner in the attention of consumers. In this paper we present the advantages that are offered to us by using LED luminaires. WE do this by comparison between, three types of luminaire, 2xT8 36W fluorescent luminaire, 2xT5 28W electronic ballast luminaire and 36W LED luminaire. The measurements were made with new fluorescent lamps but also with fluorecent lamps that have already been used for a period (approx. 4800 hours). The LED luminaire used for the measurements were used for almost 1300 hours. We compared the measurements made with LED luminaire with the results obtained from measurements of the fluorescent lamps.In both cases even if I used old or new fluorescent luminaires, the results were in favor of LEDs, with a much higher energy efficency.

The purpose of this article is to better comprehend the impact of industrial waste waters discharges on the water cycle, in order to better understand current trends and the magnitude of the environmental strain posed by industrial wastewaters. It also examines the various regulatory frameworks that restrict and influence industrial wastewater discharges. An assessment of industrial wastewater discharges in Cluj-Napoca, Romania is carried out, taking into account the types of monitored industrial units, the monitored quality indicators, and their compliance with the EU and Romanian environmental regulations.

Lighting levels for educational buildings in Romania has evolved in time due to the development of various lighting technologies, from the incandescent to light emitting diodes. The measuring campaign found that the majority of the educational buildings are using fluorescent and LED light sources. Results showed that the majority of the college classrooms have a lower mean illuminance value (119 lx – 243 lx) than the recommended level of the SR-EN 12464-1 of 300 lx. In case of classrooms for adult education (208.88 lx – 413.45 lx), the illuminance levels are below the 500 lx recommendation. The highest mean illuminance level was calculated at Onisifor Ghibu College – 625 lx, which is the result of implementing new state of the art LED technology. Uniformity in all educational buildings is below the 0.6 ratio, revealing uneven light distribution. The colour correlated temperature of the light sources has a wide variation, from 3000 K – 10000 K, indicating that there are no clear instructions on how to choose this light source feature. Colour rendering index of the luminaires is mostly below the 80 Ra values recommended by the norm. This campaign’s audit can be useful for the public authorities in order to have a clear situation of the existing lighting systems and about improvement possibilities in future refurbishment projects.

Root intrusions in sewer pipes buried in the subsoil of urban areas represent a common fault found during CCTV inspection of sewer mains. It is considered a serious fault which must be addressed in a short period of time, or else it can lead even to the collapse of the pipe. Manifestations of this type of fault are presented, with examples, along with the means of remediation.

Through the present paper it is analysed the use of different types of plastic materials in the process of wastewater treatment in a pilot wastewater treatment plant placed in the Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant of Timisoara. It was studied the behaviour of these materials through the actions of wastewater upon them, respectively, the advantages and disadvantages of their usage.

Indoor air quality plays an important role both in the well-being of occupants as well in the efficiency of the performed activities - either they are of an intellectual or physical nature. In this paper, after a general presentation of the main pollutants of indoor air environment, the authors have proposed a study, based on experimental measurements, about the concentration of carbon dioxide in a tiny house, that is part of a larger Start Up Nation project, which proposed several types of prefabricated modular constructionst.