Happenned to be listening to Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 lunchtime today, with lots of talk about energy saving hints & tips. I guess you can catch it on iPlayer to hear the whole debate.
Most of what they were saying is information that we have said here many times before
# make sure your home is well insulated
# make sure your appliances are efficient
# check if you can get grants before embarking on any new / upgrade installations (a good place to check this is on the excellent energy saving trust website, where they have a grantfinder to highlight your options)
# make sure you use properly trained and accredited companies to undertake any installation work. Traditional central heating boilers can only be worked on by registered gas safe (Corgi) fitters. The newer technologies (solar panels, PV, wind turbines) are not yet as regulated allowing some unscruulous operators in at the moment.
# be sure the outlay and payback makes sense for you, even if mitigated by carbon neutral or green aspirations.
The other thing that came out in the discussion was the movement in tariffs. As winter approaches we will all start using more fuel, so as well as optimising your usage, make sure you are on the best deal from your supplier - and usually the only way you can get this is to switch.
It was nice to hear some of the debate coming into the mainstream (if Radio 2 counts as mainstream) and to hear endorsement for the ideas I have been outlining through this blog.
As a practicing Energy assessor I do have a vested interest to follow these things, and if you live in the Surrey or SW London area and think I can help, please get in touch.
Friday, 1 October 2010
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Sell your energy
Heard about making money by generating your own electricity? Let's try & put this into perspective.
Utility companies are required to source a percentage of their energy from renewable energy providers, to assist in cutting carbon dioxide emissions. Energy companies will buy the surplus electricity created from a Solar PV system as this helps the energy supplier to meet their requirement.
During daylight hours, the electricity generated by the Solar Photovoltaic (solar PV) system will supply the home and any energy produced which is not required will be sold to the nominated electricity supplier through an approved import/export meter. During periods of high energy use in the home, or when the Solar PV system is unproductive, electricity can be bought back from the network to supplement the Solar PV power supply.
If you are considering installing or have had a renewable technology commissioned which creates electricity, such as a Solar Photovoltaic Electricity, it is likely you will be able to get paid for the electricity it generates. Most of the major utility providers offer a buy back scheme which can often be easy and quick to join.
How do you get paid? - via a teriff, or fee for the electricity you generate. there are two types of tariff to consider
Export Tariffs - You will only be paid for the electricity generated that is exported back to the National Grid and therefore not used in the property.
Generation Tariffs - You will be paid for all the electricity that you generate, regardless whether it is used in the property, this is usually a lower tariff than the export tariff.
To ensure you chose the right package for your needs, carefully check the details with each utility provider to ensure it is the correct buy back tariff for you and it meets your needs.
There are other points to consider relating to the newly introduced Feed in Tariffs (FITs) and Renewable Obligation Certificates, but that's for another day.
As always, before embarking on any implementation of such you should take considered advice from experts. In terms of the efficiencies of making these installations in your home, an Energy adviser should be able to help. The Utility companies will be able to advise on tariffs in your area.
finally a word of warning. some of the less reputable installation companies are now offering free installation of PV or solar hot water to give you improved energy use in your home. BUT... you would typically sign over to them the tariff payments for future electricity you generate from the installation, and in the long run, this will make you more money than the cost savings on offer, so consider such things very carefully.
Utility companies are required to source a percentage of their energy from renewable energy providers, to assist in cutting carbon dioxide emissions. Energy companies will buy the surplus electricity created from a Solar PV system as this helps the energy supplier to meet their requirement.
During daylight hours, the electricity generated by the Solar Photovoltaic (solar PV) system will supply the home and any energy produced which is not required will be sold to the nominated electricity supplier through an approved import/export meter. During periods of high energy use in the home, or when the Solar PV system is unproductive, electricity can be bought back from the network to supplement the Solar PV power supply.
If you are considering installing or have had a renewable technology commissioned which creates electricity, such as a Solar Photovoltaic Electricity, it is likely you will be able to get paid for the electricity it generates. Most of the major utility providers offer a buy back scheme which can often be easy and quick to join.
How do you get paid? - via a teriff, or fee for the electricity you generate. there are two types of tariff to consider
Export Tariffs - You will only be paid for the electricity generated that is exported back to the National Grid and therefore not used in the property.
Generation Tariffs - You will be paid for all the electricity that you generate, regardless whether it is used in the property, this is usually a lower tariff than the export tariff.
To ensure you chose the right package for your needs, carefully check the details with each utility provider to ensure it is the correct buy back tariff for you and it meets your needs.
There are other points to consider relating to the newly introduced Feed in Tariffs (FITs) and Renewable Obligation Certificates, but that's for another day.
As always, before embarking on any implementation of such you should take considered advice from experts. In terms of the efficiencies of making these installations in your home, an Energy adviser should be able to help. The Utility companies will be able to advise on tariffs in your area.
finally a word of warning. some of the less reputable installation companies are now offering free installation of PV or solar hot water to give you improved energy use in your home. BUT... you would typically sign over to them the tariff payments for future electricity you generate from the installation, and in the long run, this will make you more money than the cost savings on offer, so consider such things very carefully.
Friday, 24 September 2010
Trick yourself warmer
as the weather takes on a decidedly Autumnal feel, it's natural to think about how to stay warm.
In terms of your house, then insulation, particularly in the loft is the obvious place to start. current best practice os for a minimum of 250mm (10inches) of standard insulation, so check what you've got and top it up. remember to leave an air space at the eaves though, air must be able to circulate or you could create problems of damp or condensation.
Why not insulate yourself, putting on a jumper is infinitely more cost effective than turning on/up the heating, so get that winter wardrobe dusted down.
Finally - trick yourself warm. Psychologically if you can see a naked flame, you WILL feel warmer, so light a candle. It brightens up the decor in a room, and makes you feel better and has more or less no energy impact.
In terms of your house, then insulation, particularly in the loft is the obvious place to start. current best practice os for a minimum of 250mm (10inches) of standard insulation, so check what you've got and top it up. remember to leave an air space at the eaves though, air must be able to circulate or you could create problems of damp or condensation.
Why not insulate yourself, putting on a jumper is infinitely more cost effective than turning on/up the heating, so get that winter wardrobe dusted down.
Finally - trick yourself warm. Psychologically if you can see a naked flame, you WILL feel warmer, so light a candle. It brightens up the decor in a room, and makes you feel better and has more or less no energy impact.
Friday, 17 September 2010
A Kettle for your thoughts
Well, summer is over, the morning and evenings are cooling down, schools are in and students will be going back to University in the next couple of weeks, so no more excuses, time to get back into blogland.
So here's a quick thing to get the ball rolling as it were.
We had occasion to buy a new kettle the other day, nothing particular here, the old one had served us well and just gave up the ghost. Now I'm not going to tell you that I have found an eco friendly green alternative for the humble domestic kettle, but rather to comment on a leaflet that was in the box - this was hints and tips on how you should use the kettle in a 'green' way. The main thing here was obviously only boil as much water as you need - don't fill the kettle to the top every time you use it. what brought this home to me though was the additional information - if everyone in the UK only boiled the water they needed the saving would provide the power to light all UK streetlights for seven months - WOW. It also said that if you only boil the water you need, then you could save up to 66% energy - which would pay for the kettle within a year!
It's also nice to see the manufacturers taking a responsible attitude on such things and 'spreading the word'
My work as an energy assessor looks at the bigger aspects of home energy efficiency, but these little sometimes make just as much impact.
So the next time you boil that kettle.......
So here's a quick thing to get the ball rolling as it were.
We had occasion to buy a new kettle the other day, nothing particular here, the old one had served us well and just gave up the ghost. Now I'm not going to tell you that I have found an eco friendly green alternative for the humble domestic kettle, but rather to comment on a leaflet that was in the box - this was hints and tips on how you should use the kettle in a 'green' way. The main thing here was obviously only boil as much water as you need - don't fill the kettle to the top every time you use it. what brought this home to me though was the additional information - if everyone in the UK only boiled the water they needed the saving would provide the power to light all UK streetlights for seven months - WOW. It also said that if you only boil the water you need, then you could save up to 66% energy - which would pay for the kettle within a year!
It's also nice to see the manufacturers taking a responsible attitude on such things and 'spreading the word'
My work as an energy assessor looks at the bigger aspects of home energy efficiency, but these little sometimes make just as much impact.
So the next time you boil that kettle.......
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Feed in Tariffs
Phew, a busy few weeks, but am glad to be back in blogland again.
Feed in Tariffs (or FITS) what are they and what have they to do with energy efficiency ?
In simple terms, they are incentive payments from the government for people who generate their own electricity, so if you have photovoltaics or solar panels installed you should be eligible for these payments. The change since April this year, is that you now get these payments even if you use the electiricity yourself.
So, you save money by not using power supplied by the National Grid, you can even make money if you have surplus power, by selling back to the National Grid. You make money because you receive the FITS payment for being a micro power generator, which is index linked for the next 20+ years.
What's the downside? The capital outlay for whatever form of micro generation you are installing, as well as the aesthetic impact on your property of these installations.
Want to find out more? I could say look at the national press for adverts from green energy providers, undoubtedly they will be delighted to give you lots of information, but ultimately they are trying to sell you their solution so may not be the best place to start. The Energy Saving trust website is usually packed with all sorts of information that will help your research - so why not start there.
If you get to the point where you are serious, don't forget your local planning office. Regulations are much more straightforward now, so they should be pleased to help.
So what's the final word? If you are interested in green energy, the incentives have never been better, but you still need to assess that it is an investment you want to make because the initial outlay can be expensive. even if you typically could save/earn £700+ per annum from your installation that is probably at least a 10 year payback on your investment.
Feed in Tariffs (or FITS) what are they and what have they to do with energy efficiency ?
In simple terms, they are incentive payments from the government for people who generate their own electricity, so if you have photovoltaics or solar panels installed you should be eligible for these payments. The change since April this year, is that you now get these payments even if you use the electiricity yourself.
So, you save money by not using power supplied by the National Grid, you can even make money if you have surplus power, by selling back to the National Grid. You make money because you receive the FITS payment for being a micro power generator, which is index linked for the next 20+ years.
What's the downside? The capital outlay for whatever form of micro generation you are installing, as well as the aesthetic impact on your property of these installations.
Want to find out more? I could say look at the national press for adverts from green energy providers, undoubtedly they will be delighted to give you lots of information, but ultimately they are trying to sell you their solution so may not be the best place to start. The Energy Saving trust website is usually packed with all sorts of information that will help your research - so why not start there.
If you get to the point where you are serious, don't forget your local planning office. Regulations are much more straightforward now, so they should be pleased to help.
So what's the final word? If you are interested in green energy, the incentives have never been better, but you still need to assess that it is an investment you want to make because the initial outlay can be expensive. even if you typically could save/earn £700+ per annum from your installation that is probably at least a 10 year payback on your investment.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Heat Rises
In one of my recent missives, I was talking about natural convection and heat rising through a house.
This prompted a question asking whether removing loft insulation in summer was a good idea?
I think this is probably very impractical for 99% of houses, but it did get me thinking. I was in fact up in the loft space the other day and even though(as you might expect) I have a well insulated loft ther heat in the roof space was still quite high. This can be caused by two things, the obvious one is that heat is being convected into the roof space by sunlight coming on to the roof, here the insulation in the floor of the loft will act as a barrier and stop this heat going down into the house. Otherwise natural convection in the house means that through the day, heat will still find a way to rise through gaps around loft hatches and the like.
If we believe that hot air will rise and you do want to do something about this, then perhaps another alternative is to install a couple of Velux style windows in your loft. Opening these during the day, particularly later in the day, when heat has built up, would allow the heat to dissipate.
In economic terms it is probably hard to justify this investment, unless you do want daylight in your loft space, but as a theoretical muse it is worth a thought.
As a practicing energy consultant, it behoves me to have these lateral thoughts from time to time - now, how can I find an energy efficient way of dispelling heat from my greenhouse?????
This prompted a question asking whether removing loft insulation in summer was a good idea?
I think this is probably very impractical for 99% of houses, but it did get me thinking. I was in fact up in the loft space the other day and even though(as you might expect) I have a well insulated loft ther heat in the roof space was still quite high. This can be caused by two things, the obvious one is that heat is being convected into the roof space by sunlight coming on to the roof, here the insulation in the floor of the loft will act as a barrier and stop this heat going down into the house. Otherwise natural convection in the house means that through the day, heat will still find a way to rise through gaps around loft hatches and the like.
If we believe that hot air will rise and you do want to do something about this, then perhaps another alternative is to install a couple of Velux style windows in your loft. Opening these during the day, particularly later in the day, when heat has built up, would allow the heat to dissipate.
In economic terms it is probably hard to justify this investment, unless you do want daylight in your loft space, but as a theoretical muse it is worth a thought.
As a practicing energy consultant, it behoves me to have these lateral thoughts from time to time - now, how can I find an energy efficient way of dispelling heat from my greenhouse?????
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Low energy bulbs
Very interesting article in the national press today, saying that prices for low energy bulbs are going to jump at the end of the year. Why? because the subsidies that the big utility companies have been getting and passing on to the large retail outlets is going to stop.
The article went on to say that priority should / will be given to subsidising insulation solutions as this is seen as the most effective short term solution to reduce energy costs in running your home.
Based on my experience as a practicing Energy assessor, I would say that most people do think in terms of out of sight out of mind as far as loft space is concerned. A little extra lagging here can make a big difference, so the strategy is probably right. Low-E bulbs are now accepted as here to stay, so don't need the same 'push' to get them going and improving loft or wall insulation will produce better results than blanket use of low-e bulbs anyway.
However..... Forewarned is forearmed, buy a few low-e bulbs before Christmas, it gives you a couple of spares and you get them before the price hike.
The article went on to say that priority should / will be given to subsidising insulation solutions as this is seen as the most effective short term solution to reduce energy costs in running your home.
Based on my experience as a practicing Energy assessor, I would say that most people do think in terms of out of sight out of mind as far as loft space is concerned. A little extra lagging here can make a big difference, so the strategy is probably right. Low-E bulbs are now accepted as here to stay, so don't need the same 'push' to get them going and improving loft or wall insulation will produce better results than blanket use of low-e bulbs anyway.
However..... Forewarned is forearmed, buy a few low-e bulbs before Christmas, it gives you a couple of spares and you get them before the price hike.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
It's getting hot
Phew! Down here in the South it's getting hot, which can make for uncomfortable conditions, both indoors and out.
You can't really influence outdoor conditions very much, but before you run for the cooling fans indoors, here's a couple of things to think about.
Unless you have the luxury of full aircon, everything else is about creating the illusion of cooling and that means movement of air. A fan is just moving air about, but that movement makes you feel a little bit cooler.
Fans today are very low powered, so you don't have to pay too much to achieve a little comfort, however it is still using power, so are there alternatives?
I recently attended a seminar, where they talked about natural ventilation, this is air movement along a corridor, so if you create that corridor, you will get some air movement and achieve the fan effect for free. Ideally you will have a room with a double aspect, open windows at both ends and, depending on prevailing weather you will get an air pull through the room.
Convection (hot air rising) can also help this effect. especially in the evening, when the outdoor temperature begins to cool, open ground floor windows, leave internal doors open and upstairs windows open, this should allow the hot air, built up in the building through the day to gradually escape through the upstairs, sucking cooler air into the lower floor.
I saw this in America many years ago, where they had something called an 'attic fan' installed. This was a large propeller like device, installed in the roofspace and vented to outside through the gable end of the house. all doors had air gaps deliberately left to allow air movement and downstairs windows were fitted with trickle vents. when the fan was on it pushed out the hotter air, creating a vacuum to suck cooler outside air into the house - quite effective too.
I wouldn't go as far as such an installation, but letting the air move about can make a big difference to the comfort inside the house - and it doesn't cost you anything, so open up the internal space and allow the house to breathe.
You can't really influence outdoor conditions very much, but before you run for the cooling fans indoors, here's a couple of things to think about.
Unless you have the luxury of full aircon, everything else is about creating the illusion of cooling and that means movement of air. A fan is just moving air about, but that movement makes you feel a little bit cooler.
Fans today are very low powered, so you don't have to pay too much to achieve a little comfort, however it is still using power, so are there alternatives?
I recently attended a seminar, where they talked about natural ventilation, this is air movement along a corridor, so if you create that corridor, you will get some air movement and achieve the fan effect for free. Ideally you will have a room with a double aspect, open windows at both ends and, depending on prevailing weather you will get an air pull through the room.
Convection (hot air rising) can also help this effect. especially in the evening, when the outdoor temperature begins to cool, open ground floor windows, leave internal doors open and upstairs windows open, this should allow the hot air, built up in the building through the day to gradually escape through the upstairs, sucking cooler air into the lower floor.
I saw this in America many years ago, where they had something called an 'attic fan' installed. This was a large propeller like device, installed in the roofspace and vented to outside through the gable end of the house. all doors had air gaps deliberately left to allow air movement and downstairs windows were fitted with trickle vents. when the fan was on it pushed out the hotter air, creating a vacuum to suck cooler outside air into the house - quite effective too.
I wouldn't go as far as such an installation, but letting the air move about can make a big difference to the comfort inside the house - and it doesn't cost you anything, so open up the internal space and allow the house to breathe.
Friday, 18 June 2010
EPC Results
Seems like the housing market is beginning to move a little again, so I have been out and about assessing some properties. It's worth pointing out a couple, just to highlight some things.
Let's think about a relatively new flat, in a purpose built block. Good double glazing, flat's abouve and below. Not much room to do anything here, recent building regulations will mean that the structure of the block is well insulated already. As expected this returns a good rating of Band C, with some option to move up to Band B, by uprating the CH boiler - probably not worth it until the boiler needs changing.
The second property is an older chalet bungalow, where the owner is passionate about energy saving - very refreshing - here there is plenty scope, increase loft insulation, upgrade to double glazing, possibly cavity wall insulation (although this should always be subject to a full survey to ensure no likely problems with damp). But if this property is up for sale, why would / should the current owner make that investment?
That's the conundrum. I don't believe a significant number of buyers are reading IN DETAIL the EPC reports provided by the seller, they may see the graphs in the estate agent's particulars, but won't dig deeper. If there is a big gap between the two sets of arrows on the graph, then that means there is big potential to improve things, and if you are a buyer, looking at this content MIGHT give you leverage in your negotiations.
My professional responsibility is to the seller of the property, they pay the bills, but the people who stand to gain most from my survey are the potential buyer. So any buyers out there, if you need help to interpret an EPC report or want some advice on it's content, please get in touch, I'd be delighted to offer some consultancy to help - the great thing about the EPC report is that it is very formulaic, so even if I don't produce a specific report, it's very easy for me to interpret any report.
With the recent demise of HIPs, of course more change to get more buyer engagement in the EPC process is highly unlikely in the near future. I guess I'm just happy to see a bit of movement in the market again.
Surrey Energy Consultants is a small independant consultancy working in Surrey and SW London, if you think we can help, please give us a call.
Let's think about a relatively new flat, in a purpose built block. Good double glazing, flat's abouve and below. Not much room to do anything here, recent building regulations will mean that the structure of the block is well insulated already. As expected this returns a good rating of Band C, with some option to move up to Band B, by uprating the CH boiler - probably not worth it until the boiler needs changing.
The second property is an older chalet bungalow, where the owner is passionate about energy saving - very refreshing - here there is plenty scope, increase loft insulation, upgrade to double glazing, possibly cavity wall insulation (although this should always be subject to a full survey to ensure no likely problems with damp). But if this property is up for sale, why would / should the current owner make that investment?
That's the conundrum. I don't believe a significant number of buyers are reading IN DETAIL the EPC reports provided by the seller, they may see the graphs in the estate agent's particulars, but won't dig deeper. If there is a big gap between the two sets of arrows on the graph, then that means there is big potential to improve things, and if you are a buyer, looking at this content MIGHT give you leverage in your negotiations.
My professional responsibility is to the seller of the property, they pay the bills, but the people who stand to gain most from my survey are the potential buyer. So any buyers out there, if you need help to interpret an EPC report or want some advice on it's content, please get in touch, I'd be delighted to offer some consultancy to help - the great thing about the EPC report is that it is very formulaic, so even if I don't produce a specific report, it's very easy for me to interpret any report.
With the recent demise of HIPs, of course more change to get more buyer engagement in the EPC process is highly unlikely in the near future. I guess I'm just happy to see a bit of movement in the market again.
Surrey Energy Consultants is a small independant consultancy working in Surrey and SW London, if you think we can help, please give us a call.
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Read an interesting article about Ground Source heat pumps the other day which got me thinking....
The basic premise of a ground source heat pump is that the below surface temperature in the earth is fairly constant, and by tapping into this you can use the ambient heat to heat domestic water for your home heating system (or conversly, use it as a cooler in the summer months). I won't go into the mechanics of it all, but at least in terms of carbon footprint it could be a partial solution for a lot of homes.
I guess people are put off the concept by the thought of large tranches of their gardens being dug up, which is fair enough - although one could argue that green stuff grows back pretty quickly - probably one for consideration if you were about to undergo a bit of serious landscaping.
Anyway, if we take this thought process laterally, then there are other areas where we are maybe missing a trick. As summer approaches we are closing in onto the major music festival season too. In places where there are effectively permanent showgrounds or even fields that need complete attention after each festival event, why don't the organisers think about burying the pipework for ground source heating. All the other componenture can be brought in as mobile equipment, hook it up, flush the pipework and you have on-site eco friendly warm water for all manner of uses on site.
Same logic could apply to camp sites or caravan parks. bury the pipework in the off season, and you have ready made eco-heating ahead of the next season.
If more organisers started to think laterally and go the extra mile, then it would make a difference to UK reaching it's carbon targets in 2016.
Now, I'm off into London this afternoon, so maybe transport is the next area for a bit of rumination.....
The basic premise of a ground source heat pump is that the below surface temperature in the earth is fairly constant, and by tapping into this you can use the ambient heat to heat domestic water for your home heating system (or conversly, use it as a cooler in the summer months). I won't go into the mechanics of it all, but at least in terms of carbon footprint it could be a partial solution for a lot of homes.
I guess people are put off the concept by the thought of large tranches of their gardens being dug up, which is fair enough - although one could argue that green stuff grows back pretty quickly - probably one for consideration if you were about to undergo a bit of serious landscaping.
Anyway, if we take this thought process laterally, then there are other areas where we are maybe missing a trick. As summer approaches we are closing in onto the major music festival season too. In places where there are effectively permanent showgrounds or even fields that need complete attention after each festival event, why don't the organisers think about burying the pipework for ground source heating. All the other componenture can be brought in as mobile equipment, hook it up, flush the pipework and you have on-site eco friendly warm water for all manner of uses on site.
Same logic could apply to camp sites or caravan parks. bury the pipework in the off season, and you have ready made eco-heating ahead of the next season.
If more organisers started to think laterally and go the extra mile, then it would make a difference to UK reaching it's carbon targets in 2016.
Now, I'm off into London this afternoon, so maybe transport is the next area for a bit of rumination.....
Thursday, 10 June 2010
WOOD you believe it
Our local sawmill (Norbury Wood products - www.norburywood.org.uk) had it's annual open day last weekend, so I went along to see what they were up to. This is a spin-off from Surrey Council, now part of Surrey Wildlife Trust, that is sustainably managing some local woodland and working as a small cash generator for the charity by producing high quality signage and garden furniture, lot's of information on their website, so I won't dwell on it here.
However, from an energy / efficiency point of view it is a well thought out setup.
The nature of their business, where they are processing raw felled trees into meaningful product means that there is a lot of wood wastage on site,but they deal with this intelligently.
They are working with a local woodsman who produces charcoal, so some of the waste naturally services his requirements for raw material to go into his charcoal burners - waste from one business becomes raw material for another.
The other, more interesting aspect of what they do is to use a lot of their wastage to fuel a wood burning boiler which services the kilns they use to treat and dry green timber before manufacturing from it. Naturally, green timber would need to sit for a number of years before it was dry enough to work as processed wood for furniture & the like, so to speed up this process to a number of months, the sawmill stores the wood they want to work in kilns, fed by this boiler, which accelerate the drying time. Again an example of their business gaining from intelligent usage of their waste product. The running costs for these kilns must be close to Nil, and compared to waste removal costs are certainly more carbon friendly.
They also process their sawdust wastage, which is used as bedding by a local farmer for his livestock.
So apart from being an interesting day seeing all the big machinery at work, it's nice to see a business thinking through it's processes to be as eco friendly as is reasonable. Very good.
However, from an energy / efficiency point of view it is a well thought out setup.
The nature of their business, where they are processing raw felled trees into meaningful product means that there is a lot of wood wastage on site,but they deal with this intelligently.
They are working with a local woodsman who produces charcoal, so some of the waste naturally services his requirements for raw material to go into his charcoal burners - waste from one business becomes raw material for another.
The other, more interesting aspect of what they do is to use a lot of their wastage to fuel a wood burning boiler which services the kilns they use to treat and dry green timber before manufacturing from it. Naturally, green timber would need to sit for a number of years before it was dry enough to work as processed wood for furniture & the like, so to speed up this process to a number of months, the sawmill stores the wood they want to work in kilns, fed by this boiler, which accelerate the drying time. Again an example of their business gaining from intelligent usage of their waste product. The running costs for these kilns must be close to Nil, and compared to waste removal costs are certainly more carbon friendly.
They also process their sawdust wastage, which is used as bedding by a local farmer for his livestock.
So apart from being an interesting day seeing all the big machinery at work, it's nice to see a business thinking through it's processes to be as eco friendly as is reasonable. Very good.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Make the most of your kettle
Here is an interesting idea for you to consider - make the most out of your kettle.
So let's assume that you are already energy smart and only put as much water in the kettle as you need - that's the first thing to focus on if you don't do this already - you are therefore only using the energy you need to make your cup of tea or coffee.
BUT, think about going the extra step. Fill the kettle AFTER you've used it, ready for the next time, that way you are getting all the benefit of the heat in the element as it cools down, which will raise the temperature of the water you've just put in to the kettle. Say you have a cup of tea with your breakfast, then another one around 11 o'clock, by doing this you will certainly have water in the kettle that is warmer than fresh drawn from the tap - which means you will use even less energy the next time you make your cup of tea.
OK, we are only talking very small amounts, but every little helps.
As a practicing energy assessor, I primarily focus on the efficiency of buildings, but a little bit of thought means that we can all make savings along the way by changing our habits, as well as maximising the efficiencies in our home.
So let's assume that you are already energy smart and only put as much water in the kettle as you need - that's the first thing to focus on if you don't do this already - you are therefore only using the energy you need to make your cup of tea or coffee.
BUT, think about going the extra step. Fill the kettle AFTER you've used it, ready for the next time, that way you are getting all the benefit of the heat in the element as it cools down, which will raise the temperature of the water you've just put in to the kettle. Say you have a cup of tea with your breakfast, then another one around 11 o'clock, by doing this you will certainly have water in the kettle that is warmer than fresh drawn from the tap - which means you will use even less energy the next time you make your cup of tea.
OK, we are only talking very small amounts, but every little helps.
As a practicing energy assessor, I primarily focus on the efficiency of buildings, but a little bit of thought means that we can all make savings along the way by changing our habits, as well as maximising the efficiencies in our home.
Friday, 4 June 2010
The Tide is turning
Spent a great day down on the south coast yesterday, soaking in the sunshine and fresh air. It did get me thinking however about tidal power.
Britain is an island nation so has ample access to the sea. I just think that maybe tidal power is a better bet than wind farms. Here's my logic.....
Wind farms are ugly and noisy, so if they are built inland they will be unpopular and undoubtedly have some sort of blight on their surroundings. We have just as much assurity on tide strength as we do on wind strength, and if tidal power is focussed on major river estuaries, then you have pretty much a guaranteed flow twice a day, regardless of climactic conditions at the time.
Take the proposed wind farm being built in the Thames estuary - why not use tidal units instead - they are primarily underwater, so have less visual impact on the eye and are probably just as efficient as the proposed wind turbine units.
The impact to shipping is no different, navigable channels will need to be maintained to avoid the turbines, or avoid the tide machines.
UK currently lead the way in tide power research, with serious trials underway in the North of scotland and Wales. Let's hope that these prove to be fruitful, as I for one think it is a much more attractive idea than other 'green' alternatives.
As a practicing Energy Assessor, we are focussed day to day on specific assessment on a small scale for individual houses or properties, but thinking 'big' occasionally is useful too. Now where did I leave that article on anerobic digesters.......
Britain is an island nation so has ample access to the sea. I just think that maybe tidal power is a better bet than wind farms. Here's my logic.....
Wind farms are ugly and noisy, so if they are built inland they will be unpopular and undoubtedly have some sort of blight on their surroundings. We have just as much assurity on tide strength as we do on wind strength, and if tidal power is focussed on major river estuaries, then you have pretty much a guaranteed flow twice a day, regardless of climactic conditions at the time.
Take the proposed wind farm being built in the Thames estuary - why not use tidal units instead - they are primarily underwater, so have less visual impact on the eye and are probably just as efficient as the proposed wind turbine units.
The impact to shipping is no different, navigable channels will need to be maintained to avoid the turbines, or avoid the tide machines.
UK currently lead the way in tide power research, with serious trials underway in the North of scotland and Wales. Let's hope that these prove to be fruitful, as I for one think it is a much more attractive idea than other 'green' alternatives.
As a practicing Energy Assessor, we are focussed day to day on specific assessment on a small scale for individual houses or properties, but thinking 'big' occasionally is useful too. Now where did I leave that article on anerobic digesters.......
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
HIPs demise does NOT impact the market
The widely held view among the Estate Agent fraternity seems to be that the removal of HIPs would free up the market.
Early signs tend to suggest that this is not the case. Maybe the general recession and uncertainty about Capital Gains Tax (CGT) are now having an effect.
Certainly Energy Performance Certificates, priced in the very reasonable £50 - £100 range should not pose the same angst to the seller, this is an affordable price and with a bit of positive messaging, EPCs should be seen for what they are - a good vehicle for driving up energy awareness amongst the home owning community.
Any good Energy Assessor will have studied their subject matter enough to give advice or feedback on the content of the EPC, so don't be afraid to ask for help if you cannot understand some aspects of the report.
So back to the housing market - what do Estate Agents now think is the inhibitor - HIPs will inevitably become a red herring - the key driver will always be the cost of borrowing and availability of mortgage funds, especially to new buyers. Without new buyers coming into the market, there is no impetus to feed up the ladder, so the market stagnates - and that is the real challenge that the government needs to address.
Early signs tend to suggest that this is not the case. Maybe the general recession and uncertainty about Capital Gains Tax (CGT) are now having an effect.
Certainly Energy Performance Certificates, priced in the very reasonable £50 - £100 range should not pose the same angst to the seller, this is an affordable price and with a bit of positive messaging, EPCs should be seen for what they are - a good vehicle for driving up energy awareness amongst the home owning community.
Any good Energy Assessor will have studied their subject matter enough to give advice or feedback on the content of the EPC, so don't be afraid to ask for help if you cannot understand some aspects of the report.
So back to the housing market - what do Estate Agents now think is the inhibitor - HIPs will inevitably become a red herring - the key driver will always be the cost of borrowing and availability of mortgage funds, especially to new buyers. Without new buyers coming into the market, there is no impetus to feed up the ladder, so the market stagnates - and that is the real challenge that the government needs to address.
Friday, 28 May 2010
Tips from the Meerkat
My famous friend, Alexander, sent me an email this morning which made me think the simple things / little things can make a difference too.
For example, think about paperless billing - many companies will give you a discount, albeit a small one, if you elect to go for paperless billing - so you save a little money.
But, if you think in terms of carbon footprint, there is less manufacturing overhead and less delivery miles - so your carbon footprint improves too.
Energy efficiency isn't always about the big things, s little change like this multiplied up by a significant percentage of the population would have a BIG impact, so chedck out your bills or bank statements and see if you have the option to reduce your paper communication and make that change.
At Surrey Energy Consultants, our principal activity is in the production of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), but if we can pass on practical tips like this along the way, so much the better.
For example, think about paperless billing - many companies will give you a discount, albeit a small one, if you elect to go for paperless billing - so you save a little money.
But, if you think in terms of carbon footprint, there is less manufacturing overhead and less delivery miles - so your carbon footprint improves too.
Energy efficiency isn't always about the big things, s little change like this multiplied up by a significant percentage of the population would have a BIG impact, so chedck out your bills or bank statements and see if you have the option to reduce your paper communication and make that change.
At Surrey Energy Consultants, our principal activity is in the production of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), but if we can pass on practical tips like this along the way, so much the better.
Monday, 24 May 2010
HIP Providers - what happens next?
Many of the major HIP providers are now in a serious place. The decision last week to axe HIPs has renedered their revenue stream redundant at a stroke.
So now they are moving into the conveyancing space and aiming to compete with local solicitors - an interesting development & one I shall be keeping an eye on.
So for the man on the street, what are the simple do's and don'ts when transacting a property purchase / sale. The considered wisdom would suggest
DO keep everything simple, buying a house is definitely a situation where separate specialisations are better than a remote one stop shop.
DO find a local solicitor you can work with, it may cost a little more, but will be worth it if problems arise. Just put it in the context of the value of the overall transaction.
DO find out if your estate agent is 'pushing' a particular financing or conveyancing option if they are on any form of commission. If they are probably best to walk away - remember they need your business, so you have the control.
DO find an independant energy assessor to produce your EPC - this is still needed, even though HIPs are gone. Start with the energy assessors accreditation schemes they will all probably list local practitioners in your area and most are likely to be cheaper if you deal with them direct, rather than through the many umbrella organisations and panels out there.
Of course, as a practicing Domestic and Commercial Energy assessor, I have a vested interest in this point of view. I would like to have a good working relationship with local estate agents and solicitors to provide my piece of the jigsaw (the EPC) to customers in the local community. Of course the major nationwide HIP providers are not going to go away without trying to re-invent their revenue stream, but the sea change that the removal of HIPs has caused at least levels the playing field a little.
If you are (or are about to be) in a property transaction and need an EPC, then please get in touch, at Surrey energy Consultants, we would be very happy to help.
So now they are moving into the conveyancing space and aiming to compete with local solicitors - an interesting development & one I shall be keeping an eye on.
So for the man on the street, what are the simple do's and don'ts when transacting a property purchase / sale. The considered wisdom would suggest
DO keep everything simple, buying a house is definitely a situation where separate specialisations are better than a remote one stop shop.
DO find a local solicitor you can work with, it may cost a little more, but will be worth it if problems arise. Just put it in the context of the value of the overall transaction.
DO find out if your estate agent is 'pushing' a particular financing or conveyancing option if they are on any form of commission. If they are probably best to walk away - remember they need your business, so you have the control.
DO find an independant energy assessor to produce your EPC - this is still needed, even though HIPs are gone. Start with the energy assessors accreditation schemes they will all probably list local practitioners in your area and most are likely to be cheaper if you deal with them direct, rather than through the many umbrella organisations and panels out there.
Of course, as a practicing Domestic and Commercial Energy assessor, I have a vested interest in this point of view. I would like to have a good working relationship with local estate agents and solicitors to provide my piece of the jigsaw (the EPC) to customers in the local community. Of course the major nationwide HIP providers are not going to go away without trying to re-invent their revenue stream, but the sea change that the removal of HIPs has caused at least levels the playing field a little.
If you are (or are about to be) in a property transaction and need an EPC, then please get in touch, at Surrey energy Consultants, we would be very happy to help.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
HIPs are History
Announcements made today by Eric Pickles have suspended the requirement for HIPs with immediate effect. This is welcome news for the Estate Agent community who have what they perceive as a roadblock removed from the sales process.
Sellers are also likely to not be unhappy about this as they saw the cost of HIP production as an un-needed cost.
For us industry professionals, who now need to re-group, at least the production of EPCs is still mandaded, within 28 days of commencement of marketing the property.
Time will tell how the market adjusts to this news, but it certainly makes for a more uncertain future than many of us would have liked.
Sellers are also likely to not be unhappy about this as they saw the cost of HIP production as an un-needed cost.
For us industry professionals, who now need to re-group, at least the production of EPCs is still mandaded, within 28 days of commencement of marketing the property.
Time will tell how the market adjusts to this news, but it certainly makes for a more uncertain future than many of us would have liked.
Monday, 17 May 2010
coalition leaves housing market in the dark
A lot in the weekend press, now that the dust is settling on the 'new' government on what ipacts will affect the housing market. Two area are the main sticking points where clarification is urgently needed.
Capital Gains Tax - likely to rise to 40% in line with income tax. This will have a very bad, some say disasterous, effect on the private-sector rental market and to an extent on property supply. A major lift in CGT is bound to be considered adversly by professional Investment buyers. If tye are not 'churning' the smaller housing stock, then we could see a bigger shortage of first time buy property. It is likely that rentals may also increase in the private sector to cover the downside, meaning aspirant first time buyers, moving out of the rental sector will take longer to build deposits, also adding to the sluggishness in the market.
EPCs IN, HIPs OUT - Tory manifesto always stated this as the plan, and with no evidence of any appetite for consultation, this may be introduced rapidly as a quick win for the new government. In the meantime, are HIPs now voluntary? Clarity is needed NOW to ensure the market continues to work correctly.
Capital Gains Tax - likely to rise to 40% in line with income tax. This will have a very bad, some say disasterous, effect on the private-sector rental market and to an extent on property supply. A major lift in CGT is bound to be considered adversly by professional Investment buyers. If tye are not 'churning' the smaller housing stock, then we could see a bigger shortage of first time buy property. It is likely that rentals may also increase in the private sector to cover the downside, meaning aspirant first time buyers, moving out of the rental sector will take longer to build deposits, also adding to the sluggishness in the market.
EPCs IN, HIPs OUT - Tory manifesto always stated this as the plan, and with no evidence of any appetite for consultation, this may be introduced rapidly as a quick win for the new government. In the meantime, are HIPs now voluntary? Clarity is needed NOW to ensure the market continues to work correctly.
Friday, 14 May 2010
EPCs can work
I know I have been over some of this material in earlier postings in this blog, but it is a continuing surprise, the apathy with which the energy reports are generally regarded.
As a practicing energy assessor this is frustrating and occasionally demoralising that all the useful information in the Energy Performance Certificate is being missed.
So what does the EPC do? It gives an assessment of the health of a property, both in terms of current energy usage and in terms of carbon impact. It also makes a series of recommendations on how the energy efficiency of the house can be improved.
As a house seller this may give you a couple of quick wins and you can always re-do the EPC after the changes have been made.
As a house buyer or tenant, you can see areas where attention is needed and factor this into your mathematics when buying the house.
All the reports conform to the same methodology, so it also allows for the like by like comparatives between two properties - you can tell if one house you are considering buying or renting is better than another.
Of course the state of the loft insulation is never at the top of normal wish lists for house buyers, where location, size of garden, no of bedrooms etc. are all more critical, but at least look at the report. The government has made them mandatory for a reason. They are trying to drive up awareness of energy usage in the housing market. The report is there, it does contain some useful information, so find that ten minutes and have a read, you'd be surprised how useful it might actually be.
As a practicing energy assessor this is frustrating and occasionally demoralising that all the useful information in the Energy Performance Certificate is being missed.
So what does the EPC do? It gives an assessment of the health of a property, both in terms of current energy usage and in terms of carbon impact. It also makes a series of recommendations on how the energy efficiency of the house can be improved.
As a house seller this may give you a couple of quick wins and you can always re-do the EPC after the changes have been made.
As a house buyer or tenant, you can see areas where attention is needed and factor this into your mathematics when buying the house.
All the reports conform to the same methodology, so it also allows for the like by like comparatives between two properties - you can tell if one house you are considering buying or renting is better than another.
Of course the state of the loft insulation is never at the top of normal wish lists for house buyers, where location, size of garden, no of bedrooms etc. are all more critical, but at least look at the report. The government has made them mandatory for a reason. They are trying to drive up awareness of energy usage in the housing market. The report is there, it does contain some useful information, so find that ten minutes and have a read, you'd be surprised how useful it might actually be.
Monday, 10 May 2010
Are HIPs History?
According to pre-election positioning, the Conservatives have pledged to remove HIPs from the property transaction. So as they look likely (but not certain) to form the next government as a minority or as a coalition have HIPs had their day?
From the point of view of the practicing Energy Assessor, I hope so (although part of me does actually like what the HIP does, more on that later).
So why would I be happy to see the end of HIPs - it is basically reverting each element of the housing transaction to the experts or professionals qualified to do the job.
Searches and conveyancing would then be pretty much handled by solicitors, or legal practices. They have always done the conveyancing historically, so this is a return to a previous status quo.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - the new kid on the block, is wrapped up in all the good green and carbon issues and is heavily backed by Brussells - so it is here to stay. As these can only be produced by a qualified energy assessor, it is another segment of the property transaction.
Inspections and valuations (which were never mandatorily in the HIP anyway) can be returned to the previous status quo and done by property surveyors.
BUT, by returning these constituent parts to the various professional bodies, the internet HIP vendors have no place to go - if there is no demand for the HIP, their services should wither with it.
So what will I miss about the HIP? The one element not covered by the above is the Property Information questionnaire (PIQ), that asks most of the right questions and puts information into the open well before the survey would normally be done - therefore saving time and effort AND possibly money. A standardised format means the 'tricky' questions cannot be avoided and buyer / seller go into the transaction with a degree more information than has been done in the past. Here there is a natural role for the Estate Agent to play. they know the area and know how certain outcomes affect local prices - let them take ownership of provision of the PIQ.
So there you have it - if HIPs die off I will be happy. It should allow small practicioners like me to re-establish relationships with local agents and keep the internet panels well out of things.
Of course, first we need a new government.....
From the point of view of the practicing Energy Assessor, I hope so (although part of me does actually like what the HIP does, more on that later).
So why would I be happy to see the end of HIPs - it is basically reverting each element of the housing transaction to the experts or professionals qualified to do the job.
Searches and conveyancing would then be pretty much handled by solicitors, or legal practices. They have always done the conveyancing historically, so this is a return to a previous status quo.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - the new kid on the block, is wrapped up in all the good green and carbon issues and is heavily backed by Brussells - so it is here to stay. As these can only be produced by a qualified energy assessor, it is another segment of the property transaction.
Inspections and valuations (which were never mandatorily in the HIP anyway) can be returned to the previous status quo and done by property surveyors.
BUT, by returning these constituent parts to the various professional bodies, the internet HIP vendors have no place to go - if there is no demand for the HIP, their services should wither with it.
So what will I miss about the HIP? The one element not covered by the above is the Property Information questionnaire (PIQ), that asks most of the right questions and puts information into the open well before the survey would normally be done - therefore saving time and effort AND possibly money. A standardised format means the 'tricky' questions cannot be avoided and buyer / seller go into the transaction with a degree more information than has been done in the past. Here there is a natural role for the Estate Agent to play. they know the area and know how certain outcomes affect local prices - let them take ownership of provision of the PIQ.
So there you have it - if HIPs die off I will be happy. It should allow small practicioners like me to re-establish relationships with local agents and keep the internet panels well out of things.
Of course, first we need a new government.....
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