Resource potential and energy efficiency in the buildings of Cameroon: A review

Today, more than ever, the human energy requirements are enormous and still growing. Worldwide, all the countries need energy, which is the main source of development. However, the development of African continent is still very slow because of the limited policy interest and investment levels. The effective use of energy is crucial because of the continuous depletion of energy resources, especially for developing countries which are currently experiencing rapid economic and population growth. The aim of this article is to review the status and current trends in resource potential, energy consumption, and energy policies in the residential sector, both globally and in Cameroon. It was found that the world's energy needs are constantly growing and should exceed 50% of current levels by 2030. In Africa, most of the substantially renewable energy resources are under-exploited. We found that 83% of the rural population in Africa, 92% in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 70% in South Asia have no access to electricity. Especially in Cameroon, the energy consumption in the residential sector is about 70% of the total energy consumption, which is higher compared to the world level that is around 27%. Energy efficiency is very important in the context of sustainable development. Currently, traditional biomass is the main source of energy in Sub-Saharan Africa. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.