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Did you know
- Our homes currently account for 22% of our ecological footprint (our personal impact on the environment) and 27% of our carbon emissions.
- The new Code for Sustainable Homes and the commitment that all new homes will be zero carbon by 2016 is a very good start by the government
- Before investing in one of the various forms of renewable energy, homeowners should thoroughly insulate their building to reduce their energy demands. This is the most efficient way to reduce a home's ongoing running costs. When you have minimised your energy consumption, then go for the most appropriate form of renewable energy supply appropriate for your location and needs, depending on whether you want to heat space, water or generate electricity.
- Green Concrete: concrete is a major problem - cement alone is responsible for 8% of global CO2 production. Green concrete can be produced by blending Portland cement with other substitutes such as Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Cement (GGBS) and Pulverized Fuel Ash (PFA). You can reach up to 30% substitution in structural elements and 70% in non-structural. At present, only 1% of UK concrete is green.
- Improving Existing Windows: Around 20% of a house's heat will be lost through single-glazed windows, so they are a key area for updating.
- The government has cut VAT on both double and triple glazing to 5%.
- In Britain we use an average of 160 litres of water a day - almost 50% more than 25% years ago. By investing in a rainwater-harvesting system that collects rainwater and uses it for domestic appliances, you can greatly reduce your water usage.
- If you are renovating or building an eco-friendly house, check out:
- The Ecology Building Society (0845 674 5566: www.ecologybuildingsociety.co.uk) who only lend on properties that give 'ecological payback'.
- The Norwich & Peterborough (www.npbs.co.uk) offers a 'brown' mortgage scheme for those renovating a residential property.
- The Co-operative Bank's (www.co-operativebank.co.uk/) 'green' mortgage pays Climate Care to offset around 20% of an average home's carbon production.
Technology
Technology enthusiasts’ home electricity bills will go through the roof over the next few years unless they tackle a surge in the use of consumer electronics equipment in the home. A report from the Energy Savings Trust says that in three years’ time, computers and other consumer electronics devices will use more electricity than traditional power hogs such as lighting, fridges and freezers.
And by 2020, hi-tech hardware and gadgets will account for 45% of all electricity used in people’s homes - equivalent to the output of 14 power stations - unless technology users take a smarter approach to power consumption.
Consumer electronics devices already cost Brits £130 per year, the report said. “Currently the annual UK spend on consumer electronics and home IT equipment has soared to over £12bn, making (us) the biggest spenders in Europe,” said the report.
“New, more sophisticated and ‘higher spec’ versions of electronic gadgets tend to consume more electricity than the products they replace, unlike fridges and washing machines that are usually more efficient as they develop and evolve,” the study says.*
For a full copy of the Energy Saving Trust review on Consumer Electronic Devices click here.
* article taken from PC Advisor September 2007
Other Household Items
Appliances:
- Buy a fan-assisted oven, it will heat up 30 times faster than a conventional oven, so consuming less energy. Gas hobs and ovens use half the energy of electric ones, but induction hobs are almost twice as efficient as an electric one.
- A fridge next to a heat source uses 15% more energy.
- When buying a new appliance, always check the energy label. An A-rated energy efficient fridge freezer uses up to 44% less energy than a G-rated one.
Shower or Bath:
- A typical bath uses 80 litres of water, compared with 30 litres for a shower. But confusingly, a power-shower uses more water than a bath! The best thing to do is to install a shower with a low-flow option on the shower head.
Flush Sparingly:
- Existing lavatories can flush as much as 13 litres each time, whereas new regulations recommend six litres per flush. Your best bet is to buy a dual-flush toilet that will use only two to three litres on a short flush and four to six on a full.
Taps:
- You can add aerators to taps which reduce the amount of water flow by up to 50% by mixing air bubbles into the water. You can add this to an existing tap by buying a Tap Insert Cartridge, which cost $1,95 and reduces a tap's output to a spray (www.tapmagic.co.uk)
New and Improved
With the government insisting that all new homes in Britain must be carbon neutral by 2016 and Gordon Brown scrapping stamp duty on homes that already reach this standard (from October 2007), the pressure is on for developers to build affordable, attractive and environmentally friendly homes.
Four out of five homeowners believe that sustainable homes can help combat climate change, while 92% want to see sustainability features offered on new homes and 64% think these should be compulsory. The fact that 52% of respondents were prepared to pay more for an eco home should kickstart developers into action.
How to rate an Eco-Home
- The Code for Sustainable Homes replaced Ecohomes for new housing in England this April. (Ecohomes continues to be used for refurbished housing in Scotland and Wales). There is a scoring system of six levels, with six starts reflecting 'exemplary development'. The government plans to make this a mandatory rating for all new-builds from April 2008.
- EcoHomes BRE Environmental Assessment Method - an independent assessment offered by the Building Research Establishment which is applied to new and renovated homes. Scale from Pass to Excellent.
- Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) - these ratings come into force on all homes bought, sold or rented from June 2007. They are carried out by trained inspectors who rate a property from A to G, with A being the best.
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