Another new category to pull a few others in line. Not sure if it's the best umbrella term, but let's see how it goes.
ARTICLES
Cleaning
Times - Squeaky Green
General
Times - NEW - The green streets of Britain
Loos
Guardian - What is the most eco-friendly loo?
INFORMATION
SUPPLIERS
Salvo Recraft -
Showing posts with label HOME. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HOME. Show all posts
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Hot 'n 'Am I bovvered?'
This just in from HMG - Homeowners to get green boiler rating
The link didn't work, again, so I'm afraid it's a full print of the PR... again
On balance this seems like a welcome opportunity to improve one's green awareness, though for some there may be a less than welcome sting in the tail (I'm guessing most of those old , inefficient boilers may be owned by those ill-equipped to do much about an upgrade - maybe a better source for funds blown on box-ticking comms efforts? One wonders how much this bit of news will be shared around to those most able to benefit). And, these days, what you know soon gets known by who else? HIP, hip... who levies rate charges again?
Here's the full piece, without the talking head puff, but do go through to the end as there are links to some useful bits and bobs:
From today homeowners can ask for a free A-G energy rating for their boiler with advice to help cut fuel bills, when the engineer visits.
Heating and hot water bills are the biggest energy costs households face each month, yet many people are unaware the average boiler is 'E' rated and could produce over 50 per cent more heat - making the recommended improvements could cut fuel bills by hundreds of pounds and reduce carbon emissions.
The energy assessment includes a checklist of efficiency improvements. For example, a family could save nearly £100 a year just by taking a few a simple steps like getting a 75mm water cylinder jacket, installing heating controls and insulating the hot water pipes.
Longer term measures such as changing from a low G rated boiler to an A rated one could save over £200 a year and cut up to 2.7 tonnes of carbon off a household's carbon footprint.
According to the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council there are still around 4 million old, very inefficient boilers in use in homes, most of which will still be operating in 2010. Replacing these would save two and half a million tonnes of C02 each year by 2010.
Most businesses have rising energy costs. The Carbon Trust estimates that hot water accounts for about 60% of total energy bills for commercial and industrial buildings. [I was surprised at this].
Four year energy efficiency loans of up to £100,000 pounds are available to eligible small and medium companies (SMEs) to help them make changes sooner rather than later. It is also possible to apply for tax relief via enhanced capital allowances - if a business invests in energy-saving machinery it can write off the whole cost of the equipment against taxable profits in the year of purchase.
Only 20% of new gas boilers installed in 2003 were A or B rated. The Government has raised the energy performance standards for new and replacement central-heating boilers - now 95% of new gas boilers installed now are A or B rated condensing boilers.
Peter Thom, President IDHEE said:
"The Institute of Domestic Heating and Environmental Engineers fully support this initiative to raise awareness of how inefficient and wasteful old boilers are. Faithful boilers can last longer than 15 years, but they have a detrimental effect on the environment. Installing a modern condensing boiler with new controls can save up to 40% on fuel bills and carbon dioxide emissions and don't forget that over 80% of energy used in the home is for heating and hot water" [Which seems to make it very sensible to look at getting government and loan bodies' heads together on an even greater, and better publicised (to those below) package where all who can benefit do so asap].
More information on Enhanced Capital Grants
More information on interest free energy - efficiency loans
The link didn't work, again, so I'm afraid it's a full print of the PR... again
On balance this seems like a welcome opportunity to improve one's green awareness, though for some there may be a less than welcome sting in the tail (I'm guessing most of those old , inefficient boilers may be owned by those ill-equipped to do much about an upgrade - maybe a better source for funds blown on box-ticking comms efforts? One wonders how much this bit of news will be shared around to those most able to benefit). And, these days, what you know soon gets known by who else? HIP, hip... who levies rate charges again?
Here's the full piece, without the talking head puff, but do go through to the end as there are links to some useful bits and bobs:
From today homeowners can ask for a free A-G energy rating for their boiler with advice to help cut fuel bills, when the engineer visits.
Heating and hot water bills are the biggest energy costs households face each month, yet many people are unaware the average boiler is 'E' rated and could produce over 50 per cent more heat - making the recommended improvements could cut fuel bills by hundreds of pounds and reduce carbon emissions.
The energy assessment includes a checklist of efficiency improvements. For example, a family could save nearly £100 a year just by taking a few a simple steps like getting a 75mm water cylinder jacket, installing heating controls and insulating the hot water pipes.
Longer term measures such as changing from a low G rated boiler to an A rated one could save over £200 a year and cut up to 2.7 tonnes of carbon off a household's carbon footprint.
According to the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council there are still around 4 million old, very inefficient boilers in use in homes, most of which will still be operating in 2010. Replacing these would save two and half a million tonnes of C02 each year by 2010.
Most businesses have rising energy costs. The Carbon Trust estimates that hot water accounts for about 60% of total energy bills for commercial and industrial buildings. [I was surprised at this].
Four year energy efficiency loans of up to £100,000 pounds are available to eligible small and medium companies (SMEs) to help them make changes sooner rather than later. It is also possible to apply for tax relief via enhanced capital allowances - if a business invests in energy-saving machinery it can write off the whole cost of the equipment against taxable profits in the year of purchase.
Only 20% of new gas boilers installed in 2003 were A or B rated. The Government has raised the energy performance standards for new and replacement central-heating boilers - now 95% of new gas boilers installed now are A or B rated condensing boilers.
Peter Thom, President IDHEE said:
"The Institute of Domestic Heating and Environmental Engineers fully support this initiative to raise awareness of how inefficient and wasteful old boilers are. Faithful boilers can last longer than 15 years, but they have a detrimental effect on the environment. Installing a modern condensing boiler with new controls can save up to 40% on fuel bills and carbon dioxide emissions and don't forget that over 80% of energy used in the home is for heating and hot water" [Which seems to make it very sensible to look at getting government and loan bodies' heads together on an even greater, and better publicised (to those below) package where all who can benefit do so asap].
More information on Enhanced Capital Grants
More information on interest free energy - efficiency loans
Monday, February 12, 2007
What was one thinking?
Charles: let’s kill off the cul-de-sac
Open one's mouth (or have it opened for one).
Do not engage brain (well, that one's sorted then).
Issue Forth.
Stand back and get amazed at one's subjects' responses.
Does he really say these things? Or are they issued by his coterie of spinmeisters, all of whom seem to be a tad 'out of touch'.
We live on a main road. Our kids don't go out to play because it is too dangerous. Hence they play in the garden we are lucky enough to have, or get conveyed to their mates from school by car, repeat after me, because cycling at their age is...'.
I would live to live in a cul-de sac, as those that do seem to have thriving communities based on not being too worried about cars zooming past in the town areas as all the Gatsos are on a dual carriageway outside.
Open one's mouth (or have it opened for one).
Do not engage brain (well, that one's sorted then).
Issue Forth.
Stand back and get amazed at one's subjects' responses.
Does he really say these things? Or are they issued by his coterie of spinmeisters, all of whom seem to be a tad 'out of touch'.
We live on a main road. Our kids don't go out to play because it is too dangerous. Hence they play in the garden we are lucky enough to have, or get conveyed to their mates from school by car, repeat after me, because cycling at their age is...'.
I would live to live in a cul-de sac, as those that do seem to have thriving communities based on not being too worried about cars zooming past in the town areas as all the Gatsos are on a dual carriageway outside.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
The Gord giveth. And the Gord taketh it all back (and some)
A monstrous tax , if the article is true, says it all.
Already pointed out a few times, the fact that adding double glazing gets you penalised is about as insane as it gets.
"I've just up in to read this after a hard week's work followed by an equally hard, if satisfying, weekend of DIY to try and make more of my
home (including some more eco-additions). For which it seems I am now going to be further taxed!!!!!
So here's one not-very-well-off, very enviro-aware homeowner with a family to provide for, then self and spouse to get through retirement, who also happens to be a registered voter and knows what their vote is for.
I know who is not getting it. I just hope I can find someone in (or trying to get there) the lunatic asylum that is Westminster who can demonstrate they have enough of what it takes (common sense, sesne of duty, statespersonship, courage, no spin-doctor gatekeeper/mouthpieces, etc) to attract mine their way.
Small tip: you don't get a good grasp of what the average, normal, decent, hard-working people of Britain are managing on and think about the state of it all in a multi-millionaire's pad in Florida, cozying-up with the chattering classes on a Breakfast TV or Sunday paper political columnist's sofa, hugging a husky or selling on a gas-guzzler to keep on guzzling.
I just hope that the claim about this tax is not true - I went from 'Homes TO BE valued...' to ...WITH A VIEW to extending them in the UK... to 'a similar system is BEING PLANNED for England'.
Before I start boiling the oil: is it or isn't it going to be attempted? - as I am at the end of my tether with the whole sorry, unfireable, hypocritical, index-linked, golden handshaken lot of them.
And, sadly, what is true there are an awful lot now. I'm guessing it has at last sunk in they’ll need paying for. But THIS is not the way to try and solve that little self-created problem.
Trust me."
Already pointed out a few times, the fact that adding double glazing gets you penalised is about as insane as it gets.
"I've just up in to read this after a hard week's work followed by an equally hard, if satisfying, weekend of DIY to try and make more of my
home (including some more eco-additions). For which it seems I am now going to be further taxed!!!!!
So here's one not-very-well-off, very enviro-aware homeowner with a family to provide for, then self and spouse to get through retirement, who also happens to be a registered voter and knows what their vote is for.
I know who is not getting it. I just hope I can find someone in (or trying to get there) the lunatic asylum that is Westminster who can demonstrate they have enough of what it takes (common sense, sesne of duty, statespersonship, courage, no spin-doctor gatekeeper/mouthpieces, etc) to attract mine their way.
Small tip: you don't get a good grasp of what the average, normal, decent, hard-working people of Britain are managing on and think about the state of it all in a multi-millionaire's pad in Florida, cozying-up with the chattering classes on a Breakfast TV or Sunday paper political columnist's sofa, hugging a husky or selling on a gas-guzzler to keep on guzzling.
I just hope that the claim about this tax is not true - I went from 'Homes TO BE valued...' to ...WITH A VIEW to extending them in the UK... to 'a similar system is BEING PLANNED for England'.
Before I start boiling the oil: is it or isn't it going to be attempted? - as I am at the end of my tether with the whole sorry, unfireable, hypocritical, index-linked, golden handshaken lot of them.
And, sadly, what is true there are an awful lot now. I'm guessing it has at last sunk in they’ll need paying for. But THIS is not the way to try and solve that little self-created problem.
Trust me."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)