Another Use for Double Glazing

Energy specialists, theEnergyCrowd, have found that energy efficient double glazing can cause glazed rooms, such as conservatories, to become very hot, as well as reducing the amount of heat lost through windows and doors. They have recently reported on a new use for this excess heat.

theEnergyCrowd have stated that a solar chimney can be fitted to the side of a house, extracting the warm air, spreading it through the house. The chimney itself is double glazed, allowing it to reach temperatures of up to 40 degrees Centigrade. A fan will help the air to circulate around the home, and only works when the sun is shining.

The recent ‘big freeze’ in the UK has meant that households are using double the amount of energy they are used to, according to engineer and founder of theEnergyCrowd, Paul Kruger. He states that this passive solar technology could be a fantastic opportunity for the double glazing industry.

Kruger explained that over 39% of non-transport energy is being used on heating domestic spaces, so this low cost technology could be the perfect way for people to make their homes and energy usage more green.

theEnergyCrowd are also looking into developing technology that will help to keep conservatories cool during the summer. A full working model is planned to be installed sometime this year, working by collecting excess heat and using it to warm the ground around the house.

Insulation Scheme Extended in Scotland

The Scottish Government recently launched a scheme worth £15 million to help improve insulation in its homes. Thousands of households since applied to receive help.

20,000 homes signed up to the Home Insulation Scheme in the first few weeks of its launch, to make use of the ‘personalised energy saving advice and greener home energy reports’.

The good news for homeowners is that a further 5,500 homes are being referred for discounts on cavity wall and loft insulation, as the government announced that added funding has been given to the initiative.

Next year the Scottish government will be setting aside a further £10 million. Some of this money will also be used on a new scheme, known as a ‘universal access scheme’ which will offer free insulation to around 90,000 homes across the country.

Alex Neil, housing and communities minister, said that ‘Scotland is leading the way on reducing our carbon footprint’ by installing modern measures that will help to meet new ambitious targets. He added that ‘people are being given the opportunity to do their bit for the environment.’

On top of these insulation measures, the Energy Saving Trust also recommends energy efficient UPVC double glazing for those who want to cut the heat lost through their windows in half. This can make homes naturally warmer and more comfortable, as well as dealing with other issues such as noise pollution and security.

Green Improvements Need to Be Given More Support According to Expert

According to an expert, ministers in the UK need to ‘put their money where their mouth is’ when it comes to residential property.

According to the editor of Built It magazine, Duncan Hayes says that many owners of residential property are finding it difficult to make green home improvements due to the large expense. He praised schemes such as the boiler scrappage scheme, but added that they ‘never go far enough and the money never lasts long’.

The scrappage scheme was launched in January and was set up to provide vouchers worth £400 to 125,000 homeowners across the country. The voucher would go towards the costs of replacing older G-Rated boiler models with more energy efficient versions.

Hayes stated that the government needed to look towards more ambitious incentives, as well as greater subsidies for making green home improvements. He added that the appetite is there for homeowners to make properties more energy efficient, though the upfront cost puts people off despite the fact that they will ultimately save on their energy costs.

Industry professionals have recently petitioned for the addition of a window scrappage scheme. Similar to the boiler model, this would reward people with money to help replace old, draughty and inefficient windows with efficient UPVC double glazing. This would help to cut heat loss by half and reduce annual energy bills by £135, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Pay As You Save Schemes Are a Positive Step for Helping the Environment

The UK government has recently been trialling pay as you save (PAYS) schemes that will help to support residential property owners looking to make eco friendly improvements to their properties. An expert has claimed that these schemes are ‘incredibly positive’ in the journey towards cutting carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency of homes.

Founder of the sustainable development website whatgreenhome.com, Gordon Miller, has stated that PAYS gives a financial incentive for people to make green changes in their home. This could include measures to make properties more energy efficient, including double glazing in windows and insulation in lofts and walls.

The idea is that people can pay off the costs of these improvements over time, as they start to save money on their energy bills. Repayments are tied to properties rather than their owners, and long term repayments mean that residents will not lose any money paying off the loans.

The government announced last December that 500 homes in Sunderland, Birmingham, London and Stroud would take part in a trial of the PAYS scheme.

£4 million was put into the initiative to help provide loans to properties. These loans went towards green improvements carried out by builders, including those mentioned above as well as renewable energy systems.

A major stumbling block so far has been a lack of incentive for homeowners to make changes to their properties. The PAYS scheme could help to solve this problem.

New UKGBC Chair Announced

Eco-friendly builders’ industry body, the UK Green Building Council or UKGBC, has recently announced the appointment of new chairman, Daniel Labbad.

Labbad is succeeding Peter Rogers in the position, and the appointment was effective from 10th February.

Chief executive of the UKGBC, Paul King, said ‘I am looking forward to working with Dan in what will be a really exciting period for the organisation’.

The UKGBC have also added that this is a ‘crucial time’ for the organisation and the whole industry. The building industry is currently held responsible for around 40% of all carbon emissions in the UK. Couple this with new strict government targets, they will need to work hard to make the housing market more sustainable.

Measures include installing eco friendly technology in new builds. However, new buildings only account for 2% of Britain’s properties, which is why it’s also essential to upgrade older homes and offices. Measures such as double glazing in windows, and cavity wall or loft insulation can greatly reduce heat lost through the home. As a result, homeowners and tenants will also a see a reduction in their energy bills year after year.

The Council has stated that the building industry has huge potential when it comes to taking a lead in finding solutions for climate change and other environmental issues that affect the UK and the whole world.

“Green” School Awarded Funding

An eco friendly school located in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, has recently been giving funding for its green efforts.

£7,000 was granted to Blue Coat Primary School by Scottish Power’s Trust to help them install more renewable energy technology.

Senior environmental and social policy manager of Scottish Power, Alison McKean, stated that it is very important for the children to learn, from an early age, that there are things to be done to conserve the natural resources of the earth. She added ‘this system will allow them to monitor how much CO2 emissions they are avoiding, as well as encouraging them to think about other ways they can help the environment’.

She also added that the pupils and staff should be very proud of themselves for their dedication.

The money will be used for a number of ‘green’ measures, such as solar PV panels and a six kW wind turbine. A web-based monitoring system and weather station is also being installed to help children learn more about green issues.

Mary Buckley, the school administrator, said that the school was delighted at the funding and that they will be using it to help teach the children on important issues.

The government is also currently encouraging as many schools to go green as possible, citing the educational as well as environmental benefits of doing so. Schools themselves can also benefit from technology such as renewable technology, and insulation and double glazing, thanks to large reductions in energy bills.

Advice Toolkit Launched for Green Building

A new green building toolkit has recently been developed by the Better Buildings Partnership. Designed to help offices make their buildings greener, the toolkit will be offered to companies throughout London.

The toolkit has been launched to help measure carbon dioxide output from construction as well as how much energy is used.

Reports state that over a third of the total carbon emissions in London come from office buildings.

The mayor or London, Boris Johnson, has stated that this toolkit will also help to reduce energy bills for those that use it.

Project delivery director of the London Development Agency, Martin Powell, says that knowing how they use energy will put companies in a better position to cut down on their carbon emissions.

It will help them to see how measures such as double glazing could allow them to turn down heating and save hundreds of pounds a year. It will also help to highlight the benefits of newer green technologies such as renewable energy.

Powell added that “The Better Buildings Partnership’s new toolkit will help them do that and will help move the commercial property sector toward an agreed set of standards and measurements.”

Property Investors Looking Towards Eco-Friendly Future

Property investors and developers are trying to improve the value of their portfolios by looking into energy efficient materials such as cavity wall insulation and double glazing in windows and doors.

The UK Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change states that the building industry currently contributes to 40 percent of the total carbon emissions in Britain. This is why many property developers and owners are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and do their bit to battle against global warming.

As well as looking at new properties, the facts show that only 2 percent of the buildings in Britain are less than five years old, meaning a lot of work still needs to be done to make older buildings around the country more energy efficient.

Measures that work to improve energy efficiency of older buildings include double glazing, cavity wall insulation and other measures to keep the heat inside the building. These measures will help to increase the market value of buildings, as well as reducing running costs due to savings on energy bills.

The good news is that eco friendly materials, such as uPVC windows, also work to help homes become more attractive, as they come in a number of different designs to suit a variety of property styles. They are also extremely easy to maintain and clean.

Homeowners Urged to Find Best Energy Deals

It was recently announced that British Gas has become the cheapest supplier of energy in the UK. However, following the announcement, experts have urged property owners to be more strict on their energy companies to ensure they are always fighting to get the very best prices.

Last week, British Gas announced that it had cut its standard gas prices by around 7 percent, which instantly takes off around £55 of annual fuel bills for eight million customers around the country.

Comparison service uSwitch.com stated that this change means that British Gas is now the cheapest gas and electricity supplier in the UK.

Head of utilities at Gocompare.com, Mark Greening, said that other suppliers should follow this price cut with their own reductions. However, Ofgem have recently announced that price increases will be needed in order to pay for upgrades, suggesting that any price cuts could be very short lived.

Mark Greening still urges people to fight against price increases, and always shop around to ensure they have the best deal.

Further ways to beat any potential price increases include to make homes more energy efficient. Double glazing can help to reduce heat lost through windows and doors, to allow homeowners to turn down thermostats and benefit from cheaper energy bills.

Other recommended measures include wrapping up warm, always keeping doors closed to keep heat inside the room, closing the curtains, using energy efficient light bulbs, turning appliances off rather than leaving them on standby, and draught-proofing.

Emissions from Housing Were Up 3.2% in 2008

Emissions of carbon dioxide in the UK fell by an average of two percent in 2008. However, levels of greenhouse gas emitted from residential property rose 3.2 per cent according to the latest government figures released.

This data was published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, showing that carbon emissions in total were 532.8 million, down from 543.6 million in 2007.

Despite this overall loss, the carbon emitted from UK households rose by around 2.5 million tonnes.

Editor of the Green Building magazine, Keith Hall, found the figures ‘hard to believe’ that emissions had still increased despite the number of government measures put in place to reduce them. He added ‘clearly, far, far more needs to be done if we are to make the cuts in CO2 emissions from housing which are needed - and fast’.

Government measures put in place in 2008 included an altering of building regulations to improve energy efficiency, the introduction of loft insulation schemes around the country, and the fact that we were just six years away from the deadline for zero carbon housing.

The government is helping to tackle the problem in 2010 through schemes such as the boiler scrappage payout, grants awarded to local communities to install green measures and more.

Homeowners are also starting to see the benefits of making their properties more energy efficient. Installing uPVC double glazing can help to reduce amounts of heat lost through windows and keep energy bills down. With Ofgem recently reporting that fuel costs are set to rise dramatically, people are now looking to reduce energy bills as well as emissions.