I try to make my website useful as a resource for others by sharing my experience of installing and using different environmental measures. This week I went a bit further, I invited someone to come and see technology we had had installed in our house. I think this can be really important with environmental technologies that are not commonplace and where it's not possible to properly demonstrate them in a showroom. How do people decide whether to commit their hard-earned cash unless they can see something in action and understand what's involved?
There was a Government report a few years ago that referred to quite an important principle in take-up of any new technology, called 'I will if you will'. Basically when people see that others are taking up a new technology and that they seem happy with it then they are more likely to take it up too.
So those of you who have installed renewable technologies, water harvesting sytems used for toilet flushing, or mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, etc I would encourage you to share your experience. It's good to talk through the pros and cons based on your experience, you get to meet some nice people, and there may be things they've done that you want to find out more about.
If you share your experience with others then maybe we'll get more take up of green ideas and technologies - well, the good ones anyway.
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Monday 19 April 2010
Numbers - what do they mean?
On my website I try to include information that will be helpful to people in making environmental changes to their homes, businesses or lives. Where possible I try to include numbers to show what difference any particular measure will make, e.g. how it will reduce heat loss through your walls, windows or roof.
But where do these numbers come from and what do they mean in reality?
To what extent does people's own behaviour or even poor workmanship undermine these theoretical benefits? There doesn't seem to be much real data out there.
For instance, I quote the Energy Saving Trust advice that topping up your loft insulation to 270 mm could save you £45/year if you already have 50 mm insulation in your loft, and £150 if you have no insulation in your loft. This seems to be saying that adding 220mm to your existing insulation is only saving you £45; whereas starting from scratch with 270mm saves you £150.
How does that work? Why does that first 50mm make such a difference?
Does it matter whether the old insulation is all dusty and looks disgusting?
Is the insulation that was already installed when I moved into this house in 1994 still saving me money on my bills each year?
Do I top it up or does there come a point when I should replace the old stuff and start again?
Don't get me wrong, I do think it's the most important thing to do, to draught proof and insulate your house properly. I just wonder what's behind the numbers we all so glibly accept.
Does anyone know? I would love to hear from you.
Tuesday 13 April 2010
Good Energy Guide to Energy Efficiency
Good Energy have made available a guide for householders on how and why they should improve the energy efficiency of their home. There's a useful chart too showing the relative contribution of different uses of energy in the home.
This is a really useful guide as it starts with the very important first steps, such as draught-proofing and insulation, giving information on costs and savings from doing this. These relatively cheap and effective steps can sometimes be missed in the excitement of generating your own heat and power, for this chapter alone the guide is worth downloading.
The chapters on saving gas and saving electricity are packed with useful information to help you choose energy efficient appliances and use them most effectively. The tables at the back giving running costs and electricity consumption for various appliances just the type of information you can't often get hold of easily.
If everyone made use of this guide it would make a big difference to energy use in our homes. Why not start now?
If you don't want to go it alone with the guide, why not contact me for help to green your home?
This is a really useful guide as it starts with the very important first steps, such as draught-proofing and insulation, giving information on costs and savings from doing this. These relatively cheap and effective steps can sometimes be missed in the excitement of generating your own heat and power, for this chapter alone the guide is worth downloading.
The chapters on saving gas and saving electricity are packed with useful information to help you choose energy efficient appliances and use them most effectively. The tables at the back giving running costs and electricity consumption for various appliances just the type of information you can't often get hold of easily.
If everyone made use of this guide it would make a big difference to energy use in our homes. Why not start now?
If you don't want to go it alone with the guide, why not contact me for help to green your home?
21st Century Living Project
The 21st Century Living Project has been launched http://21stcenturyliving.edenproject.com/
a major new report from Acona, Eden Project and Homebase.
The study tracked 100 households over a period of one year as they tried to reduce their environmental impact. They were audited at the beginning and at the end; given £500 to spend as they wished; a few starter goodies such as energy monitors, shower timers, etc; and an on-call project manager. Various other activities happened during the year, such as thermal imaging some of the houses and an interactive website.
A really good outcome was that people were willing to act and make significant changes, including spending their own money on top of what was given to them. People expected techno-fixes to these problems, but by the end they had changed their behaviour and found it easier than expected to save energy.
A difficulty they had was working their way through the information that’s out there – the claims and counter claims – people are desperate for clear authoritative information. That’s the main reason I set up Hawthorn Environmental Services Ltd, to help people through that.
Ah, but now another difficulty – people don't know what they are consuming in terms of gas, electric and water. They know the cost but that’s different to knowing how much is being used, as cost per unit varies over time. Again, this is a difficulty we have had with our own house case study.
To measure change we need to know where we’re starting from, so how do we know whether we are meeting Government targets?
However, to me the more important issue is that we effect change and make it happen, that we know how to reduce our energy and water consumption, and waste production.
a major new report from Acona, Eden Project and Homebase.
The study tracked 100 households over a period of one year as they tried to reduce their environmental impact. They were audited at the beginning and at the end; given £500 to spend as they wished; a few starter goodies such as energy monitors, shower timers, etc; and an on-call project manager. Various other activities happened during the year, such as thermal imaging some of the houses and an interactive website.
A really good outcome was that people were willing to act and make significant changes, including spending their own money on top of what was given to them. People expected techno-fixes to these problems, but by the end they had changed their behaviour and found it easier than expected to save energy.
A difficulty they had was working their way through the information that’s out there – the claims and counter claims – people are desperate for clear authoritative information. That’s the main reason I set up Hawthorn Environmental Services Ltd, to help people through that.
Ah, but now another difficulty – people don't know what they are consuming in terms of gas, electric and water. They know the cost but that’s different to knowing how much is being used, as cost per unit varies over time. Again, this is a difficulty we have had with our own house case study.
To measure change we need to know where we’re starting from, so how do we know whether we are meeting Government targets?
However, to me the more important issue is that we effect change and make it happen, that we know how to reduce our energy and water consumption, and waste production.
Monday 12 April 2010
New straw-bale houses, Wadddington, Lincolnshire
The straw bale houses at Waddington, near Lincoln, are now finished and were open for viewing last week (Tuesday 6th - Friday 9th April). My Mum went and had a really interesting visit; she especially liked the rounded edges to the walls and big window sills. Apparently they were built for £110,000 each.
The insulating properties of straw bale are such that there is need for central heating. There is a wood burner for the coldest days and this has a flue going through one of bedrooms. With the open plan nature of the houses this should provide plenty of warmth in the depth of winter, such as we’ve had recently.
The insulating properties of straw bale are such that there is need for central heating. There is a wood burner for the coldest days and this has a flue going through one of bedrooms. With the open plan nature of the houses this should provide plenty of warmth in the depth of winter, such as we’ve had recently.
The north-facing windows are triple-glazed, whereas those on the south are double-glazed. The most is made of solar gain on the south side, and the upstairs balcony prevents too much solar gain in the summer whilst not stopping the sun coming in during winter. There is a solar hot water system too that should provide the entire household’s hot water in the warmer months.
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