with the clock switch last weekend and the start of British Summertime (although the weather wouldn't make you think so) what many people forget to do is adjust the timing pattern on their heating.
setting it back 1 or 2 hours before it comes on in the evening will make a difference over the next two months before it is switched off completely for the summer. This will make a difference to your fuel costs and also therefore save you some money.
I have had the habit of doing this as part of the springtime clock change for a few years now - it becomes a habit, why don't you try to emulate this too.
all of the recommendations that we make when we produce Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are more permanent one-time changes, but little things like this can also make a difference - please give it a try.
Wednesday 31 March 2010
Monday 29 March 2010
Unlock the potential of buildings to reduce carbon emmissions
just finished reading a very interesting article in the carbon trust newsletter (you can find this at www.carbontrust.co.uk)
commercial buildings account for nearly one fifth of our carbon emmissions, but government intervention will be needed if they are going to contribute appropriately to achieve the reduction goals we aspire to achieve by 2020.
Work has already started with initiatives broadening the implementation of Display energy certificates and a desire to impose a minimum threshold on all commercial property of an EPC Level F, but focus also needs to be placed on availability of carbon friendly stock. Tennants may appreciiate carbon benefits, from a green ethos and from a running cost perspective, but are unlikely to implement or retro-fit measures that will make a significant difference. The burden of responsibility will therefore fall to landlords who can alter the fabric of their buildings during re-fits are between tenancies. focus and incentives aimed in ths direction will have an impact.
As energy assessors we can produce accurate analysis of a buildings energy usage and potential savings areas, but unless landlords are incentivised to act I suspect nothing will happen.
commercial buildings account for nearly one fifth of our carbon emmissions, but government intervention will be needed if they are going to contribute appropriately to achieve the reduction goals we aspire to achieve by 2020.
Work has already started with initiatives broadening the implementation of Display energy certificates and a desire to impose a minimum threshold on all commercial property of an EPC Level F, but focus also needs to be placed on availability of carbon friendly stock. Tennants may appreciiate carbon benefits, from a green ethos and from a running cost perspective, but are unlikely to implement or retro-fit measures that will make a significant difference. The burden of responsibility will therefore fall to landlords who can alter the fabric of their buildings during re-fits are between tenancies. focus and incentives aimed in ths direction will have an impact.
As energy assessors we can produce accurate analysis of a buildings energy usage and potential savings areas, but unless landlords are incentivised to act I suspect nothing will happen.
Friday 26 March 2010
EPCs do work
I had a very interesting conversation the other day with a gentleman who's house I was doing an Energy Assessment at. Most of the time homeowners see what we do as a bit of a dark art & leave us to get on with things, but this guy was really interested.
His motivation was not so much about the house he was selling, but much more to understand how he should interpret the Energy Performance Certificate for any house he considered buying. I explained the content and the rationale behind the recommendations, particularly around how they highlight potential fuel cost savings and he was very happy.
Now I'm not one to claim this as a Lazarus moment and think that I've changed the world and made it a better place, but in practical terms this guy knew how much he paid for gas in his current house, was worried about how much it would cost in a new place and wanted to know if the EPC report would give him useful information - which of course it does.
As an Industry practitioner, if more people had this interest in the property transaction, then maybe HIPs and EPCs wouldn't be getting such a bad press, here's hoping we're moving in the right direction.
His motivation was not so much about the house he was selling, but much more to understand how he should interpret the Energy Performance Certificate for any house he considered buying. I explained the content and the rationale behind the recommendations, particularly around how they highlight potential fuel cost savings and he was very happy.
Now I'm not one to claim this as a Lazarus moment and think that I've changed the world and made it a better place, but in practical terms this guy knew how much he paid for gas in his current house, was worried about how much it would cost in a new place and wanted to know if the EPC report would give him useful information - which of course it does.
As an Industry practitioner, if more people had this interest in the property transaction, then maybe HIPs and EPCs wouldn't be getting such a bad press, here's hoping we're moving in the right direction.
Thursday 25 March 2010
The truth about HIPS
Home Information Packs (HIPs) - much maligned or much misunderstood?
As a practicing Energy Assessor, it comes as a bit of a surprise how many people don't understand the benefit of the Home Information Pack. The almost universal opinion is that it is 'just an extra cost we don't need at this expensive time'.
Firstly, it shouldn't be EXTRA cost, the contents of the HIP is simply packaging information that youe estate agent or solicitor would need historically anyway. Property Information questionaire - used to be standard solicitor questions; searches - part of the conveyancing; EPC - ok this is new, but virtually always offset by potential savings in it's recommendations.
as a seller the HIP gives you control over the information presented to your prospective buyers, if there are aspects of the information being presented, make the change (like increasing loft insulation) - you have a positive outcome for your prospect.
as a buyer, you know much more about a property up front and can adjust your bid in accordance with the information presented, rather than finding out about something well down the process when re-negotiation will always be tricky and emotive.
So, you accept that HIPs can be good, so how do you maximise your investment? The biggest overlap in terms of HIP content lies with the solicitor, they will do much of the conveyancing of the property transaction and all the searches. Most solicitors appear to fooer some sort of offset of the HIP cost if they are doing the conveyancing too.
Independants, such as Surrey Energy Consultants, will also (usually) be more competetive than Estate Agents where they have their own overheads and that of their franchise provider to pay for. They may offer the advantage of deferred payment, but that is really just a timing issue.
So, find a local independant, they will usually be cheaper and quicker than what your Agent offers. OR ask your solicitor on the basis of discounting on the conveyancing costs. It just needs a little bit of thinking about.
Surrey energy consultants provide a local service to provide HIPs and EPCs as well as energy saving advice in North Surrey and SW London. If you think we can help, please get in touch.
As a practicing Energy Assessor, it comes as a bit of a surprise how many people don't understand the benefit of the Home Information Pack. The almost universal opinion is that it is 'just an extra cost we don't need at this expensive time'.
Firstly, it shouldn't be EXTRA cost, the contents of the HIP is simply packaging information that youe estate agent or solicitor would need historically anyway. Property Information questionaire - used to be standard solicitor questions; searches - part of the conveyancing; EPC - ok this is new, but virtually always offset by potential savings in it's recommendations.
as a seller the HIP gives you control over the information presented to your prospective buyers, if there are aspects of the information being presented, make the change (like increasing loft insulation) - you have a positive outcome for your prospect.
as a buyer, you know much more about a property up front and can adjust your bid in accordance with the information presented, rather than finding out about something well down the process when re-negotiation will always be tricky and emotive.
So, you accept that HIPs can be good, so how do you maximise your investment? The biggest overlap in terms of HIP content lies with the solicitor, they will do much of the conveyancing of the property transaction and all the searches. Most solicitors appear to fooer some sort of offset of the HIP cost if they are doing the conveyancing too.
Independants, such as Surrey Energy Consultants, will also (usually) be more competetive than Estate Agents where they have their own overheads and that of their franchise provider to pay for. They may offer the advantage of deferred payment, but that is really just a timing issue.
So, find a local independant, they will usually be cheaper and quicker than what your Agent offers. OR ask your solicitor on the basis of discounting on the conveyancing costs. It just needs a little bit of thinking about.
Surrey energy consultants provide a local service to provide HIPs and EPCs as well as energy saving advice in North Surrey and SW London. If you think we can help, please get in touch.
Tuesday 23 March 2010
solar panels - some facts
a lot of uncertainty exists about solar panels, including widespread confusion between them and photvoltaics, so I picked up these facts from a recent magazine article I was reading.
Installing solar heating panels is expensive? Typical installations would probably start from around the £5k mark, and grants are available to offset part of this.
The cost will never pay for itself in terms of the savings made? Payback in raw terms for an average family will typically be 15 - 20 years, but as gas prices continue to rise, this period will shorten. Installation of solar will also improve the energy rating on your energy performance certificate, which is needed when the house is sold as part of the Home Information pack.
The water will not be as hot? The temperature will be exactly the same. On sunny days the solar conductant can reach temperatures approaching 200 degrees C - more than enough to raise your typical HW to 60 degrees C - which is the normal temp for domestic hot water.
The UK isn't sunny enough to provide the hot water I need? there is actually plenty of sun in the UK to provide enough energy for solar heating. solar panels will absorb infrared rays from the sun as well as visible sunshine, so they are still acting on cloudy days.
Planning permission can be difficult? Local government are now actively encouraged to give this permission, so in most cases it will be more or less automatic, but do check with your local council for specifics in your area.
Hopefully this helps explains some of the popular misconceptions behind solar power.
Installing solar heating panels is expensive? Typical installations would probably start from around the £5k mark, and grants are available to offset part of this.
The cost will never pay for itself in terms of the savings made? Payback in raw terms for an average family will typically be 15 - 20 years, but as gas prices continue to rise, this period will shorten. Installation of solar will also improve the energy rating on your energy performance certificate, which is needed when the house is sold as part of the Home Information pack.
The water will not be as hot? The temperature will be exactly the same. On sunny days the solar conductant can reach temperatures approaching 200 degrees C - more than enough to raise your typical HW to 60 degrees C - which is the normal temp for domestic hot water.
The UK isn't sunny enough to provide the hot water I need? there is actually plenty of sun in the UK to provide enough energy for solar heating. solar panels will absorb infrared rays from the sun as well as visible sunshine, so they are still acting on cloudy days.
Planning permission can be difficult? Local government are now actively encouraged to give this permission, so in most cases it will be more or less automatic, but do check with your local council for specifics in your area.
Hopefully this helps explains some of the popular misconceptions behind solar power.
Monday 22 March 2010
Industry Feedback
I attended a forum of local property professionals at the tail end of last week - it's always useful to get a general sense of what people think on the health of the property market.
A few pointers....
mortgage funding is still an inhibitor, with no real sign of banks yet loosening up funds, the expectation is that this will improve after the election in the second half of the year. More critical from a funding perspective is the larger ratio gap now being expected between loan funding and asset (property) value. Typically ratios are now around 60 - 70%, meaning, particularly first time buyers need to find a much larger deposit to secure mortgage funding. If we see a return to property prices increasing this ratio may increase, but again, considered opinion says not until 2011.
volatility in the market. Estate agents are optimistic that they are seeing the green shoots of recovery, but are not seeing the turnover in stock they would like to see, again particularly at the lower ends of the market - no doubt this is a factor of the funding issues mentioned earlier
As practitioners in this market, all we can do is ride the storm and wait it out. We are seeing a few more boards appearing but not yet at sustainable levels, and the normal springtime boom is definitely not expected or being seen in 2010.
Surrey energy Consultants are freelance consultants offering Home Information Packs, Energy Performance Certificates and general energy advice in the North surrey and SW London areas. Please get in touch if you think we can help.
A few pointers....
mortgage funding is still an inhibitor, with no real sign of banks yet loosening up funds, the expectation is that this will improve after the election in the second half of the year. More critical from a funding perspective is the larger ratio gap now being expected between loan funding and asset (property) value. Typically ratios are now around 60 - 70%, meaning, particularly first time buyers need to find a much larger deposit to secure mortgage funding. If we see a return to property prices increasing this ratio may increase, but again, considered opinion says not until 2011.
volatility in the market. Estate agents are optimistic that they are seeing the green shoots of recovery, but are not seeing the turnover in stock they would like to see, again particularly at the lower ends of the market - no doubt this is a factor of the funding issues mentioned earlier
As practitioners in this market, all we can do is ride the storm and wait it out. We are seeing a few more boards appearing but not yet at sustainable levels, and the normal springtime boom is definitely not expected or being seen in 2010.
Surrey energy Consultants are freelance consultants offering Home Information Packs, Energy Performance Certificates and general energy advice in the North surrey and SW London areas. Please get in touch if you think we can help.
Tuesday 16 March 2010
Uptake of Commercial EPCs is slow
A recent study suggests that only 28% of commercial properties being marketed have the requisite EPC in place. Mainly this appears to be due to confusion in the regulations, rather than blatant rule bending by the Agents involved.
So how can this confusion be addressed?
> clearer guidelines. Issue much clearer guidance to agents about the EPC requirements in the commercial sector to allow them to better brief their clients.
> tighter legislation. Move the responsibility of the provision of an EPC away from the vendor to the marketing agent. They know the rules, if they are legally responsible, most will comply.
> policing / reinforcement. If penalties for non compliance are applied in a random fashion, people may well 'run the risk'; penalties should also be stiffer to act as a real deterrent.
> monitoring. central agencies should be monitoring local trading standards offices to ensure they are dilligent in this area of their responsibilities.
Until these reports are available to prospective building occupants, the awareness of building efficiency is impaired and a key part of the UK's climate change policy is left wanting.
Our work at Surrey Energy Consultants supports this point of view. Our workload is still very heavily skewed towards domestic rather than commercial property, although we do produce EPCs for both. Anything that improves awareness and compliance is undoubtedly good for our industry (and our balance sheets!), but is also absolutely neccessary to achieve the mindset change needed to achieve long term carbon reduction, and that is the ultimate aim we must strive for.
So how can this confusion be addressed?
> clearer guidelines. Issue much clearer guidance to agents about the EPC requirements in the commercial sector to allow them to better brief their clients.
> tighter legislation. Move the responsibility of the provision of an EPC away from the vendor to the marketing agent. They know the rules, if they are legally responsible, most will comply.
> policing / reinforcement. If penalties for non compliance are applied in a random fashion, people may well 'run the risk'; penalties should also be stiffer to act as a real deterrent.
> monitoring. central agencies should be monitoring local trading standards offices to ensure they are dilligent in this area of their responsibilities.
Until these reports are available to prospective building occupants, the awareness of building efficiency is impaired and a key part of the UK's climate change policy is left wanting.
Our work at Surrey Energy Consultants supports this point of view. Our workload is still very heavily skewed towards domestic rather than commercial property, although we do produce EPCs for both. Anything that improves awareness and compliance is undoubtedly good for our industry (and our balance sheets!), but is also absolutely neccessary to achieve the mindset change needed to achieve long term carbon reduction, and that is the ultimate aim we must strive for.
Monday 15 March 2010
Can we make a difference ?
Fascinating article in yesterday's Mail on sunday magazine about CO2 levels in the context of global warming.
as an energy consultant, it's little things like this that reinforce my point of view and helps to put in context the work I do when assessing a property for an Energy Performance certificate (EPC).
I'll reprise some of the interesting bits...
If you are an average person, NOT thinking about energy use, then you would probably generate 12.9 tons of CO2 in a year. However some small changes to lifestyle and a bit of thinking could reduce that by more than half. Multiply that by 50 million or so for the whole of the UK, that's a staggering impact to emmission levels.
So what makes a difference?
Some obvious things, reduce your central heating thermostat by 1 degree C and you'll save .5kg per day. Commute by train, not by car and you will save 3.4Kg per day. Use a clothesline, not the tumble dryer and that's another 2.4Kg in the bank.
But what about the less obvious things. Hair-dryer - .03kg; tv on standby - .05kg; become vegetarian - 2.5 Kg per day; the ubiquitous energy saving lightbulbs - .3kg per day.
Lot's of little things make a difference, so I think the real message is think about lifestyle. It's all common sense, we all just have to apply it.
Surrey energy Consultants is an independant consultancy providing Energy Performance Certificates and energy advice in the Surrey and SW London areas. If you think we can help you please get in touch.
as an energy consultant, it's little things like this that reinforce my point of view and helps to put in context the work I do when assessing a property for an Energy Performance certificate (EPC).
I'll reprise some of the interesting bits...
If you are an average person, NOT thinking about energy use, then you would probably generate 12.9 tons of CO2 in a year. However some small changes to lifestyle and a bit of thinking could reduce that by more than half. Multiply that by 50 million or so for the whole of the UK, that's a staggering impact to emmission levels.
So what makes a difference?
Some obvious things, reduce your central heating thermostat by 1 degree C and you'll save .5kg per day. Commute by train, not by car and you will save 3.4Kg per day. Use a clothesline, not the tumble dryer and that's another 2.4Kg in the bank.
But what about the less obvious things. Hair-dryer - .03kg; tv on standby - .05kg; become vegetarian - 2.5 Kg per day; the ubiquitous energy saving lightbulbs - .3kg per day.
Lot's of little things make a difference, so I think the real message is think about lifestyle. It's all common sense, we all just have to apply it.
Surrey energy Consultants is an independant consultancy providing Energy Performance Certificates and energy advice in the Surrey and SW London areas. If you think we can help you please get in touch.
Friday 12 March 2010
The Boiler Scrappage Scheme
Industry watchers think the boiler scrappage scheme could be one of the most successful government energy saving ideas, but the £50million allocated to the scheme will soon run out. If it is going to make significant sustainable difference, then we need to find a way to fund the scheme until it achieves it's ultimate goal - replacing ALL old boilers in the UK housing stock.
early impressions say that the scheme is working well, with applications for the scrappage allowance, exceeding 3000 per day. It seems that while many heating companies and boiler manufacturers have been offering various discounts and incentives, the purchase cycle for boilers means no-one knows if they are genuine or not, now with the government scheme, whatever is the best deal from a supplier, the government chips in on top, and this is the catalyst that has got people motivated to act.
there are some obvious questions
- what happens when the money runs out?
- can the industry cope with this spike in demand?
- why is it only applicable in England?
the easy answer on demand is YES, newbuild construction is way down, so the workforce can easily adapt to upgrading existing stock instead.
the other two points are somewhat more political, and with an election imminent, we can assume that the key issues in the spotlight will not include boiler scrappage. Any government needs to stay interested in and focussed on reducing carbon footprint, so will this scheme survive? I doubt it, but would like to think that it may be extended, say for the first year of the new parliament, this will allow people to tackle the replacement issues in the summer and early autumn when CH usage is not essential. It is no different from various other insulation incentives that have been running in various guises for a number of years - and if you feel really strongly about it, lobby your MP, they should be more than eager to listen in the next few weeks, especially if they are in a marginal seat!
I re-iterate what I have said previously, improving efficiency in standard systems is as effective as installation of renewables, so let's hope this scheme survives.
Surrey Energy Consultants is an independant consultancy, offering advice and guidance on energy matters in the Surrey and SW London areas. We offer a service of providing Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) as well as general advice. Get in touch if you think we can help you.
early impressions say that the scheme is working well, with applications for the scrappage allowance, exceeding 3000 per day. It seems that while many heating companies and boiler manufacturers have been offering various discounts and incentives, the purchase cycle for boilers means no-one knows if they are genuine or not, now with the government scheme, whatever is the best deal from a supplier, the government chips in on top, and this is the catalyst that has got people motivated to act.
there are some obvious questions
- what happens when the money runs out?
- can the industry cope with this spike in demand?
- why is it only applicable in England?
the easy answer on demand is YES, newbuild construction is way down, so the workforce can easily adapt to upgrading existing stock instead.
the other two points are somewhat more political, and with an election imminent, we can assume that the key issues in the spotlight will not include boiler scrappage. Any government needs to stay interested in and focussed on reducing carbon footprint, so will this scheme survive? I doubt it, but would like to think that it may be extended, say for the first year of the new parliament, this will allow people to tackle the replacement issues in the summer and early autumn when CH usage is not essential. It is no different from various other insulation incentives that have been running in various guises for a number of years - and if you feel really strongly about it, lobby your MP, they should be more than eager to listen in the next few weeks, especially if they are in a marginal seat!
I re-iterate what I have said previously, improving efficiency in standard systems is as effective as installation of renewables, so let's hope this scheme survives.
Surrey Energy Consultants is an independant consultancy, offering advice and guidance on energy matters in the Surrey and SW London areas. We offer a service of providing Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) as well as general advice. Get in touch if you think we can help you.
Thursday 11 March 2010
The Green Transformation
In a press release earlier this month from CLG (Communities and Local Government)it stated - "a green transformation of Britain's homes will take place over the next decade - making them more comfortable, warmer and cheaper to run" The government aim from this initiative is to cut UK carbon emissions by 29% by 2020.
I think this can only be a win:win for most people. If it drives up funding for home improvements aimed at making them more efficient, then most people should save money. As an Industry practitioner, I gain because more houses will be assessed - you can't measure the benefit unless you have a baseline to start from - and in todays terms that means an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
So what is the focus of this drive towards carbon neutral living? CLG have stated their strategy as evolving in three stages :
1. insulate 6 million homes by the end of 2011
2. insulate all practical lofts and cavity walls by 2015
3. to have offered up to 7 million eco upgrades by 2020; all homes to have smart meters.
While the last one is perhaps a bit lacking in detail, the first two are clear. When I am assessing houses the thing that will usually make the biggest difference is to drive up the loft insulation, this initiative tackles this head on.
Smart meters will also help, but people need to be motivated to use them. I don't think the concept of energy saving by habit has yet caught the public imagination, turn down the thermostat, half fill the kettle all make a difference, but most people will focus on "how much does it cost?" NOT "how much am I using?" BOTH questions produce results.
Surrey Energy Consultants are a small independant company, providing EPCs (and HIPs) in the North Surrey and SW London area. We are also very ready to engage in providing energy advice to households. If you want more information please get in touch.
I think this can only be a win:win for most people. If it drives up funding for home improvements aimed at making them more efficient, then most people should save money. As an Industry practitioner, I gain because more houses will be assessed - you can't measure the benefit unless you have a baseline to start from - and in todays terms that means an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
So what is the focus of this drive towards carbon neutral living? CLG have stated their strategy as evolving in three stages :
1. insulate 6 million homes by the end of 2011
2. insulate all practical lofts and cavity walls by 2015
3. to have offered up to 7 million eco upgrades by 2020; all homes to have smart meters.
While the last one is perhaps a bit lacking in detail, the first two are clear. When I am assessing houses the thing that will usually make the biggest difference is to drive up the loft insulation, this initiative tackles this head on.
Smart meters will also help, but people need to be motivated to use them. I don't think the concept of energy saving by habit has yet caught the public imagination, turn down the thermostat, half fill the kettle all make a difference, but most people will focus on "how much does it cost?" NOT "how much am I using?" BOTH questions produce results.
Surrey Energy Consultants are a small independant company, providing EPCs (and HIPs) in the North Surrey and SW London area. We are also very ready to engage in providing energy advice to households. If you want more information please get in touch.
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Independant's Day
Considered wisdom says that buying a house is a major and stressful step for most individuals. Given the impact of decisions being made, you would expect a great deal of thought to be exercised around the process - so why do so many people blythly go along with the recommendations of their Estate Agents.
The best advice generally is considered to be use specialists for the various aspects of buying or selling a house. This would mean a bank or financial institution for funding; a solicitor for conveyancing; an Estate agent for marketing and selling the property and a property surveyor or home inspector / energy assessor to assess the property's condition and status. (Here I declare an interest, Surrey Energy Consultants is an independant outfit providing HIPs and EPCs in the Surrey and SW London area)
So why do so many people increasingly move towards the Estate Agent one stop shop offering? It is likely to be more expensive (more people and/or bigger organisations involved), less complete (internet based conveyancing will be done remotely without any real grasp of local conditions) and potentially lengthen the sale, as if/when complications arise you may not be dealing with the same people to resolve things.
Ultimately convenience shopping may prevail and the large national chains will win out, but if I'm going to spend a six figure sum on something, I would want to be involved through the process and be confident that the people I was dealing with had a real interest in my transaction, and to achieve that I will be dealing with the right local people for each aspect of the job.
Surrey Energy Consultants operates as a local provider of HIPs and EPCs. We also offer energy advice to homeeowners. If you think we can help you, please get in touch.
The best advice generally is considered to be use specialists for the various aspects of buying or selling a house. This would mean a bank or financial institution for funding; a solicitor for conveyancing; an Estate agent for marketing and selling the property and a property surveyor or home inspector / energy assessor to assess the property's condition and status. (Here I declare an interest, Surrey Energy Consultants is an independant outfit providing HIPs and EPCs in the Surrey and SW London area)
So why do so many people increasingly move towards the Estate Agent one stop shop offering? It is likely to be more expensive (more people and/or bigger organisations involved), less complete (internet based conveyancing will be done remotely without any real grasp of local conditions) and potentially lengthen the sale, as if/when complications arise you may not be dealing with the same people to resolve things.
Ultimately convenience shopping may prevail and the large national chains will win out, but if I'm going to spend a six figure sum on something, I would want to be involved through the process and be confident that the people I was dealing with had a real interest in my transaction, and to achieve that I will be dealing with the right local people for each aspect of the job.
Surrey Energy Consultants operates as a local provider of HIPs and EPCs. We also offer energy advice to homeeowners. If you think we can help you, please get in touch.
Monday 8 March 2010
Renewable energy - Pros and Cons
Renewable energy sources are very much a talking point at the moment, and with increasing government focus and incentives (the new feed in Tariffs reward you for generating your own power)maybe people are thinking more seriously about them than they have done in the past.
So what is renewable energy - pretty much what it says on the tin, energy created from a renewable source, which would typically be wind, water or solar.
Water or hydro power is probably the easiset place to start, unless you have a river or stream running through your property this is not possible and the vast majority of people don't, so take up is highly restricted and tends to be in very rural settings, where there is the space and capability to build. As take up is low, investment costs are likely to be higher and your payback will therefore be longer. Seek specialist advice if you are even thinking of going down this path.
Wind power. Easier to consider and certainly small domestic installations are readily available, even from some of the national DIY chains. The key consideration is whether your site is windy enough to make the investment worthwhile. Most urban areas are probably unsuitable, just because buildings alter natural weather patterns and would probably make consistent wind power unfeasible - the payback period, given the power you generate would be uneconomic. I would add one caveat to this however, which is some form of community project, especially for places like blocks of flats with accessible roof space. Here because the roof will be typically above other housing a freer windflow is likely, so on a community basis the installation of turbines may be practical and attractive.
Solar power. The main option in urban and suburban settings. Comes in two forms, solar heating where the hot water supply is 'boosted' by passing through a grid of pipes exposed to the sun, which will increase the water temperature and therefore reduce the load on traditional heating such as gas central heating. The other form is photovoltaics, where exposure to sunlight generates electricity, which is fed into the domestic supply, reducing your pull from the national grid. In both cases large flat panels are typically installed on a roof, facing south, with plumbing or wiring in the loft space to capitalise on the heat or energy generated. I think the main argument is really aesthetics. The technology is proven, payback periods are reasonable, so do you want a large grid sitting on the roof of your house?
But are we missing a trick? The primary motivation for these installations is carbon footprint reduction or saving on fuel costs. I have produced many Energy Performance Certificates for houses and I have yet to see a house with a renewable installation. If energy efficiency is your primary goal think about making the most of existing elements before you consider renewable installations. Make your house more thermally efficient and make your heating system work as effectively as possible. The Two BIG winners for the average household I have seen are therefore :
1. sort out your loft insulation. The number of houses with poor or no insulation when I do EPC inspections is a lot higher than I would expect. Insulation and people who can help are readily available at very reasonable costs. Current guidelines say a MINIMUM of 250mm (10 inches) of insulation should be present. Any top up here will have immediate payback on your heating bills and is likely to be more cost effective than anything else in the short term.
2. upgrade your boiler. Modern gas boilers are very efficient and can achieve about 90% efficiency. Older boilers can be as low as 60%, so the math is simple, change your boiler and you will use less gas to heat the house and therefore save money. The government has recently launched a boiler scrappage scheme, so it endorses this viewpoint. Clearly replacing a boiler is more expensive than a bit of loft insulation, but it is still cheaper than a full installation of solar panels, with probably similar results.
It is easy for me to discuss these things, because I have a professional responsibility as a Domestic Energy Assessor to understand them. Surrey Energy Consultants is primarily involved in the production of EPCs and Home Information Packs (HIPs), but we are very willing to provide advice to homeowners too on what their best options to improve energy efficiency might be. Please get in touch if you'd like to know more.
So what is renewable energy - pretty much what it says on the tin, energy created from a renewable source, which would typically be wind, water or solar.
Water or hydro power is probably the easiset place to start, unless you have a river or stream running through your property this is not possible and the vast majority of people don't, so take up is highly restricted and tends to be in very rural settings, where there is the space and capability to build. As take up is low, investment costs are likely to be higher and your payback will therefore be longer. Seek specialist advice if you are even thinking of going down this path.
Wind power. Easier to consider and certainly small domestic installations are readily available, even from some of the national DIY chains. The key consideration is whether your site is windy enough to make the investment worthwhile. Most urban areas are probably unsuitable, just because buildings alter natural weather patterns and would probably make consistent wind power unfeasible - the payback period, given the power you generate would be uneconomic. I would add one caveat to this however, which is some form of community project, especially for places like blocks of flats with accessible roof space. Here because the roof will be typically above other housing a freer windflow is likely, so on a community basis the installation of turbines may be practical and attractive.
Solar power. The main option in urban and suburban settings. Comes in two forms, solar heating where the hot water supply is 'boosted' by passing through a grid of pipes exposed to the sun, which will increase the water temperature and therefore reduce the load on traditional heating such as gas central heating. The other form is photovoltaics, where exposure to sunlight generates electricity, which is fed into the domestic supply, reducing your pull from the national grid. In both cases large flat panels are typically installed on a roof, facing south, with plumbing or wiring in the loft space to capitalise on the heat or energy generated. I think the main argument is really aesthetics. The technology is proven, payback periods are reasonable, so do you want a large grid sitting on the roof of your house?
But are we missing a trick? The primary motivation for these installations is carbon footprint reduction or saving on fuel costs. I have produced many Energy Performance Certificates for houses and I have yet to see a house with a renewable installation. If energy efficiency is your primary goal think about making the most of existing elements before you consider renewable installations. Make your house more thermally efficient and make your heating system work as effectively as possible. The Two BIG winners for the average household I have seen are therefore :
1. sort out your loft insulation. The number of houses with poor or no insulation when I do EPC inspections is a lot higher than I would expect. Insulation and people who can help are readily available at very reasonable costs. Current guidelines say a MINIMUM of 250mm (10 inches) of insulation should be present. Any top up here will have immediate payback on your heating bills and is likely to be more cost effective than anything else in the short term.
2. upgrade your boiler. Modern gas boilers are very efficient and can achieve about 90% efficiency. Older boilers can be as low as 60%, so the math is simple, change your boiler and you will use less gas to heat the house and therefore save money. The government has recently launched a boiler scrappage scheme, so it endorses this viewpoint. Clearly replacing a boiler is more expensive than a bit of loft insulation, but it is still cheaper than a full installation of solar panels, with probably similar results.
It is easy for me to discuss these things, because I have a professional responsibility as a Domestic Energy Assessor to understand them. Surrey Energy Consultants is primarily involved in the production of EPCs and Home Information Packs (HIPs), but we are very willing to provide advice to homeowners too on what their best options to improve energy efficiency might be. Please get in touch if you'd like to know more.
Friday 5 March 2010
Energy efficiency report
Green is very much the colour of the moment, with climate change, global warming and carbon footprint / carbon reduction very much being a hot topic of conversation.
I think the discussions around green energy are very enriching but perhaps lack something in terms of practicality - what can the average man in the street do to make a difference in his home?
At Surrey Energy Consultants, we are very happy to engage for any homeowner and produce an Energy Performance Certificate. This report is mandatory when selling or letting out your home, but can also be used very effectively to give the homeowner some real advice on what they can do to save money on their fuel bills TODAY. With rising fuel costs, this should become more important in the future.
If you are not ready to engage us to undertake an EPC assessment for you (even though in most cases you would recoup your cost by implementing our recommendations) there are other places you can look.
British Gas are pushing 'green' heavily at the moment and they have a useful online survey which gives you a basic report on your home. It takes about 10 - 15 minutes to fill in and will tell you much of what the EPC report does, including recommendations for you to follow. It will never match the benefit of a face to face conversation, which our consultants provide, but can provide a startpoint on your green journey. Go to their website and follow the links on the energy efficiency tab.
If you want to explore any of this topic further, get in touch with us, out contact details are on the top right of the page. At Surrey Energy Consultants we aim to provide an affordable, friendly service to the local community - and save you money too!
I think the discussions around green energy are very enriching but perhaps lack something in terms of practicality - what can the average man in the street do to make a difference in his home?
At Surrey Energy Consultants, we are very happy to engage for any homeowner and produce an Energy Performance Certificate. This report is mandatory when selling or letting out your home, but can also be used very effectively to give the homeowner some real advice on what they can do to save money on their fuel bills TODAY. With rising fuel costs, this should become more important in the future.
If you are not ready to engage us to undertake an EPC assessment for you (even though in most cases you would recoup your cost by implementing our recommendations) there are other places you can look.
British Gas are pushing 'green' heavily at the moment and they have a useful online survey which gives you a basic report on your home. It takes about 10 - 15 minutes to fill in and will tell you much of what the EPC report does, including recommendations for you to follow. It will never match the benefit of a face to face conversation, which our consultants provide, but can provide a startpoint on your green journey. Go to their website and follow the links on the energy efficiency tab.
If you want to explore any of this topic further, get in touch with us, out contact details are on the top right of the page. At Surrey Energy Consultants we aim to provide an affordable, friendly service to the local community - and save you money too!
Thursday 4 March 2010
Visit to Ecobuild 2010
Ecobuild 2010 - THE green event for the construction industry, held at earls Court in London.
This was a very rich source of information for energy assessors, as it gave us a real chance to talk to people about green and renewable energy options which are often marginalised at other events.
I often have a recommendation in an EPC to install solar panels or photvoltaic's. This fair gave me a chance to talk to manufacturers and contextualise the theory. This means I should be able to give more informed opinions to my clients, and therefore was a day well spent.
More to come on some aspects of this in the next few days......
This was a very rich source of information for energy assessors, as it gave us a real chance to talk to people about green and renewable energy options which are often marginalised at other events.
I often have a recommendation in an EPC to install solar panels or photvoltaic's. This fair gave me a chance to talk to manufacturers and contextualise the theory. This means I should be able to give more informed opinions to my clients, and therefore was a day well spent.
More to come on some aspects of this in the next few days......
Wednesday 3 March 2010
Energy Performance Certificates. What Is an EPC?
Energy Performance Certificates
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required for all homes whenever built, rented or sold.
If you are buying or selling a home it is now law to have a certificate. They are also required on construction of new homes and are needed for rented homes the first time the property is let after 1 October 2008.
The certificate records how energy efficient a property is as a building and provides A-G ratings. These are similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.
They are produced using standard methods and assumptions about energy usage so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of the same type. This allows prospective buyers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers to see information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions from their building so they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment.
An EPC is always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating. A rating is also given showing what could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.
The certificate is important because nearly 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions arise from the way our buildings are lit, heated and used. Even comparatively minor changes in energy performance and the way we use each building will have a significant effect in reducing energy consumption.
EPCS are produced by accredited energy assessors Like Surrey Energy Consultants.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required for all homes whenever built, rented or sold.
If you are buying or selling a home it is now law to have a certificate. They are also required on construction of new homes and are needed for rented homes the first time the property is let after 1 October 2008.
The certificate records how energy efficient a property is as a building and provides A-G ratings. These are similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.
They are produced using standard methods and assumptions about energy usage so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of the same type. This allows prospective buyers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers to see information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions from their building so they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment.
An EPC is always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating. A rating is also given showing what could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.
The certificate is important because nearly 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions arise from the way our buildings are lit, heated and used. Even comparatively minor changes in energy performance and the way we use each building will have a significant effect in reducing energy consumption.
EPCS are produced by accredited energy assessors Like Surrey Energy Consultants.
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