Filed under: Green Build
Some great ideas in these videos.
Filed under: Green Build
Around 50 SuperHomes are expected to open their doors for tours during the week of the 16th-24th March.
See http://www.superhomes.org.uk/get-inspired/superhome-postcode-locator/ to find an open home near you and book your tour. This is a good opportunity to see the difference eco renovation can make to your home.
http://www.superhomes.org.uk/get-inspired/superhome-postcode-locator/
Filed under: Green Build
I am swapping some G4 halogen lights 12volt in the kitchen but need a different transformer to get them to work. In tje last few years I have swapped many of the GU10 type with no problem.
I found this interesting article comparing costs.
“You probably know that halogens are cheaper to buy, and more expensive to run, but do you know how great that difference is?
I didn’t, until I visited the tp24 stand at Ecobuild this year. What would you guess? Twice as much? Five times? Ten times more expensive? Well double it. Yes, the cost of lighting your house with halogens is twenty times as much per year as the cost of lighting it with LEDs.
The difference is not as great with CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) but it is still four and a half times cheaper.
There are three elements to take into account when you do these calculations. The upfront cost of the bulb; the cost of the electricity used to run it; and the life of the bulb. Incandescent and halogen lamps are much the cheapest to buy, but they fall down on everything else.
TP24 did its calculations based on a typical modern kitchen which would have 5 halogen lights. It compared the costs of these with the equivalent CFLs and LEDs. Its figures are based on the lights being on for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week for a year. I suspect that most of us don’t have them on that much, but if you do the figures may prompt you to turn them off more!
The annual amount added to your electricity bill for running those five lamps would be £95.37 for halogen, £20.98 for CFL and £4.77 for LED. Add to that the fact that LEDs last for 20,000 hours, CFLs for 10,000 hours and halogens for just 1,000 hours and changing them rises speedily up the priority list.
The upfront costs for LEDs and CFLs are more: £9.95 for 5 halogen lamps; £24.96 for CFL and £34.92 for LED. But even at these prices, you’re saving money six months after you’ve bought them. Click on the table above to enlarge it and see all the figures.
LEDs are increasing in performance at an incredible rate. Two years ago you could get 25-30 lumens per watt. Now they are generating between 65 and 100 lumens per watt. You may want to test one bulb to make sure you’re happy with the light it gives before investing in large quantities. You can buy lamps that plug straight into the halogen fittings.
The one complication is if you have your existing halogens or incandescent bulbs on a dimmer switch. You can get dimmable LEDs, but they cost much more (between £20 and £45 each compared with £7 to £9 for standard LEDs). Alternatively you could get an electrician to change the switch to a simple on/off one.
See also how to choose the best low energy lights. “
By Cathy Debenham
http://www.yougen.co.uk/blog-entry/1905/Comparing+light+bulbs’3A+upfront+costs+vs+running+costs/
Filed under: Green Build
“Local Authorities across the country are being asked to provide evidence of how they are meeting the energy efficiency regulations which have been set out by Europe. It is feared that many Local Authorities are in breach of the regulations and are potentially ignoring the opportunity to improve energy efficiency and reduce the fuel bills of their public buildings.”
“Letters have been sent by the Property and Energy Professionals Association (PEPA) to the Chief Executive of every Local Authority in England and Wales. The letters set out the trade body’s concerns that many Authorities are not meeting the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and do not have valid or up to date Display Energy Certificate (DECs) on display in their buildings. The letters request that each Local Authority provides details of all buildings in their region, which currently do not comply.”
“As of 1st August 2007, all Local Authorities have had an obligation to ensure that the relevant public buildings in their region, comply with the EPBD. The European Directive states that DECs, which detail a building’s energy consumption, should be on display in public buildings over 1,000 square meters. From January this year that requirement has been extended to buildings of greater than 500 square metres.”
“In the letters distributed to the Chief Executives of each Local Authority, PEPA has requested under the FOI Act, the full address details of any property within their Authority, which does not have a current DEC as required by the EPBD regulations. Further to the request, but not as part of it, PEPA has also asked those Authorities, which do comply with the regulations, to share with them evidence of the benefits of the constructive use of DECs.”
For more go to http://www.pepassociation.org/latest-news1.php
Filed under: Green Build
We are living in a time when being eco friendly is not an option anymore, but an attitude and a behaviour that one must have. Caring about the environment is nowadays a must if we care about our destiny not just as individual human beings, but as a society and a civilization as well.
Now mix that eco friendly behaviour with a bit of creativity and courage and what will you get? Some of the most impressive structures ever built to serve as homes:
http://www.colorcoat-online.com/blog/index.php/2010/09/15-impressive-green-and-recycled-homes/
Filed under: Green Build
Guest post from this site
Big buildings use a lot of energy. In New York City they wanted to know exactly how much, and since 2010 buildings have been required by law to provide this information. Now they have put it all into a big spreadsheet and some of the numbers are really surprising. For example, a LEED gold certified building like 7 World Trade Center gets an Energy Star rating of 74, below the minimum of 75 that the EPA sets for a building to be called high-efficiency.
Architect/ Author Witold Rybcznski provocatively titles his post discussing this LEED Lies, writing ” I always suspected that this was more about announcing “I am a green building” than about actually conserving energy.” Witold also wonders about all that glass.
Why are so many LEED-certified buildings all-glass? It seemed to defy logic. After all, no matter how much you can reduce artificial lighting by using daylight, the insulation value of glass is negligible compared to solid insulated walls, and anyway there are many overcast days and dark winter afternoons.
While I agree with Witold about the glass, and have said so before, I take issue with the LEED bashing. I am not a LEED fanboy, but do like the fact that it measures more than just energy use. I don’t think Witold would be happy in a building with no windows at all and minimal fresh air, but I bet it could get a terrific Energy Star rating.
It is great to see that restored older buildings like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building prove to be so energy efficient, at 80 and 84 respectively, and shocking to see that the Seagram building does so badly at just 3. The Times notes:
The biggest drain could be the International-style landmark’s most lauded features. The Seagram’s single-pane glass curtain walls, far less efficient than treated or double-pane windows, and its luminous fluorescent ceilings work against energy conservation.
Filed under: Green Build
This site had some useful apps for Engineers so I thought I would share it here.
http://www.firstpeoplesolutions.co.uk/blog/2012/11/7-iphone-apps-for-engineers/
7 iPhone apps for Engineers!
Nov 5th, 2012 @ 02:13 pm › admin
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Hi FPS followers! Have a look at these seven apps that every engineer should have on their iPhone. I hope they are useful for you all!
Engineer’s Calculator
The Engineer Calculator app does nearly all of the functions any self-respecting engineer needs. It displays the numbers and calculations in the proper engineering format and features most of the common formulas. At $1.99, it’s a small price to pay for having all of the basic formulas right at your fingertips.
Engineering Professional
The Engineering Professional app for the iPhone combines computations and formulas for environmental, mechanical, civil, chemical and electrical engineering, as well as hydrology. The app is $11.99, but it contains over 650 formulas.
e-ENGineer
e-ENGineer features the most common formulas for the engineer on the go. Formulas such as star to delta transform, volt drop and resistance will provide quick answers when out in the field or sitting at a desk. It can be downloaded in the app store for $1.99.
CompCalc
The functions on CompCalc incorporate common notations and verbiage used in engineering, rather the standard terms used on most computers or calculators. This application has hex, scientific, engineering and trigonometric calculators and a unique “tape roll” display that allows the user to view the entire formulaic session until they hit clear. This calculator costs $2.99 in the Apple app store.
Orifice
It is an application for any engineer that works with pipes. Technically defined, Orifice is a “square edge orifice sizing” application, meaning it will help the user select the correct size orifice plate to control the liquid flow rate. Just enter the information needed to determine flow rate or pipe size and Orifice does all the work for you. You can buy the program from the app store for $4.99.
RC Beam and RC Design
These two apps are great for anyone who works in construction. RC Beam uses moment, shear and torsion to help engineers design reinforced concrete beams. RC Design aids engineers with calculations when designing reinforced concrete members. Together, these two apps create a dynamic duo for anyone in the construction industry. Each application sells for $4.99.
element14 Everywhere
This mobile app for website http://www.element-14.com lets you take the experience of a huge community of electronic engineers with you everywhere you go. element14 Everywhere lets you connect with professionals around the globe, view recent or popular discussions and check out the twitter feed and status updates. The application is a great way to get advice from peers and keep up with the latest technology in electronic engineering. The best part: you can download it for free.
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