Tag: ECO

Energy survey raises concerns: people think they know more about energy issues than they really do

A nationally representative survey of 2,058 British adults conducted by ComRes on behalf of the National Energy Foundation throws light on how much the British public really knows about energy. Most significantly, only a quarter (23%) of British adults were able to identify the policy that scientists say is the fastest and most effective way of meeting our energy needs (using less energy) by reducing energy demand and improving energy efficiency.

National Energy Foundation logo

Other significant findings include:

  • Only half (50%) of those surveyed correctly identified which type of light bulb uses the least energy (LED) and 35% incorrectly thought that low voltage halogen lights use the least.
  • Only one in ten (11%) adults say that they know how much energy their workplace uses; while eight out of ten believe that private employers (79%) and the government (76%) should provide training and education to teach the public to use energy more efficiently. This compares to the six in ten (57%) who believe that technology will solve our energy problems.
  • Although three in five British adults (58%) say they feel well-informed about energy issues, the same proportion (59%) also don’t know that the majority of the UK’s electricity supply comes from fossil fuels.

The survey was commissioned as background to the launch of the National Energy Foundation’s Working together towards an energy-literate UK programme.

The headline survey findings are available here.

The detailed survey findings are available here.

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British households could save 75 pounds a year ~ if they take control of their heating

According to Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of Energy Saving Trust, speaking during Big Energy Saving Week:

“Rightfully, millions of householders are confused by their heating controls because, let’s be honest, it is a bit of a minefield. There are plenty of myths out there and it’s no wonder people aren’t getting it right. We are urging customers to learn about the myths, check their tariff, switch suppliers and insulate their homes.”

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The findings from an Ipsos MORI survey of over 2,000 UK respondents show that almost four fifths of people (78 per cent) claim to understand how to use their heating controls. However, many of these respondents turn out to be using their heating controls incorrectly. Of those who thought they understood how to operate their heating controls:

  • MYTH 1: Turn the heating up when it’s cold outside. Half (52 per cent) turn the thermostat up when it’s cold outside. A home shouldn’t need this as the thermostat is there to maintain the home temperature whatever the weather.
  • MYTH 2: Turn up the thermostat to heat the room quicker. Over a third (35 per cent) turn their room thermostat up when they want the room to heat up quicker. This does not help a room become warmer any quicker and only heats the home to a warmer temperature.
  • MYTH 3: Leave the heating on low constantly. Thirty-eight per cent think it is more energy efficient to leave the heating turned on at a low temperature constantly, rather than turn it on and off. This means these homes are heated when no-one is there to benefit and then the home is too cold when people are in the home.
  • MYTH 4: Hot water runs out if you stop feeding the tank. Nearly a third (31 per cent) leave their water heating on all the time to make sure they never run out, which could be costing far more on their energy bills than necessary.
  • MYTH 5: Keep electric storage heaters on all the time. Our research also found that few people with electric storage heaters fully understand how they work (only 38 per cent). This means that households with electric heating could be paying through the nose by not taking advantage of cheaper night rate electricity.

Source: Energy Saving Trust press release

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Renewable Heat Incentive ~ Biomass Suppliers List

From Spring 2015 all biomass fuel used by households, businesses and other organisations claiming the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) must meet a lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target of 60 per cent GHG savings against the EU fossil fuel average, and land criteria, which for woodfuel are set out in the UK Timber Standard for Heat and Electricity.

The Biomass Suppliers List (BSL) is now publically available at www.gov.uk/find-fuel-supplier

The list provides a simple way for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) participants to comply with the biomass sustainability criteria announced in February 2013 and due to become mandatory in Spring 2015.

Participants of both domestic and non-domestic RHI, and those considering applying to the scheme, will be able to search the BSL by postcode to find suppliers selling wood fuels that meet the forthcoming sustainability criteria.

The BSL is operated by the BSL Administrator. DECC has appointed Gemserv, partnering with Woodsure, HETAS and Borough IT, to act as the BSL Administrator.

Further information on the BSL, including guidance for consumers, is available on http://biomass-suppliers-list.service.gov.uk/. Two information leaflets about the overall sustainability requirements and how this impacts on domestic RHI participants have also been produced:

New biomass sustainability requirements: Information sheet

Domestic RHI: New biomass sustainability requirements

 

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Victorian end-terrace, renovated with sustainable materials ~ case study

open eco homes

According to Judith the owner of this Cambridge 1912 terraced house, the main aim of the renovations was to create a bigger and more usable space. Rather than moving she realised that they could live better where we were with just a ground floor extension and better storage.

Insulating the house properly to make it cosier and reduce their Co2 emissions was very important and they also worked on making the most of the natural
light, for both aesthetic reasons as well as energy usage.

Ross Street

Improvements included using different types of internal wall insulation including polyurethane with aerogel in smaller spaces and on the chimney breasts. They also added a wood burning stove and solar PV.

Full details. Look out for Cambridge Open Eco Homes days where you can visit the property. The Open Eco Homes are run by Cambridge Carbon Footprint.

If you live in Cambridgeshire you can get a grant up to £6000 for the cost of solid wall insulation. Contact Peter Bates Tel 01353 667973 peter@80pc.org

 

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Victorian House Energy Efficient Refurbishment

This Victorian semi-detached house – part of the SuperHome network – was given an award-winning eco-renovation based on installing cost effective interventions rather than setting out to meet a notional standard. This approach has delivered a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions.

This Victorian house built in 1875, is in Peckham, south east London is three-story house with a pitched roof, a bay-fronted ground floor window and a two-storey rear extension, which was added to in the early 1990s to take it up to three stories using aerated concrete block walls. It is semi-detached on two stories. The main entrance is on the detached side, located down a narrow alley.

Before its refurbishment, the house had very few energy efficiency measures installed. The pitched roof had minimal insulation while the flat roof over the rear extension had only 50mm thick foam board insulation installed between joists. The suspended timber ground floor was uninsulated while the floor of the rear projection was a 20mm thick screed laid on bare soil. The ground floor bay window was fitted with single glazed sash windows; all the other windows were old double glazed PVC units, which leaked around the frames. The house was heated by a mixture of electric storage heaters and gas fires, while hot water was from an ancient gas boiler.

Full details on the building4change website

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