27 ways to green your home this winter

I'm moving home in January - ah, how my Scotland-based friends at New Consumer laughed at the joke that is the English housing system - and am jammy enough to be buying a house. Which, as well as a cat, means a huge eco project. My plan is to make it as green as Donnacadh McCarthy's virtually zero carbon home and Penney Poyzer's incredibly trendy Nottingham eco home. To that end, I've started re-reading a list of green suppliers that I wrote about for Inside Out magazine earlier this year; hopefully it'll be of some use to you too. Click through for the list. [photo from Green Roof]

Windows
Ecoplus
This glazing and frames 'system' comes blessed with the all-important FSC badge, which means the wood in your window frames isn't coming at the expense of a badly-managed forest. Ecoplus also strives to keep its CO2 emissions low, and uses absolutely no toxic ingredients or finishes on its windows. Smallest single window starts at £185.
01484 854898  

Eco Windows
Like Ecoplus, this firm's windows are made solely from FSC-certified wood, but Eco Windows takes things a step further by planting a tree around London for each window it makes. You don't have to worry about dodgy white spirit-packed varnishes either: the ones used on these frames are all water-based. Prices on application.
0208 874 4185 

Monodraught Sunpipe
No windows on your landing? Dingy spare bedroom with a tiny port-hole? A Sunpipe may be the answer. Essentially a tube running from your roof into the room in question, it has a mirrored interior, reflecting and amplifying sunlight: acting like a little like a giant fibre optic cable. The £250 230mm version produces the equivalent light of roughly four of five old-fashioned, energy-wasting incandescent light bulbs. Best of all, it costs nothing to run.
01494 897700

A-rated timber windows
Considering windows are the second biggest escape for heating after our lofts, it's worth looking at double glazing if your panes have reached the end of their career. George Barnsdale & Sons sells the first and only timber windows that are A-rated by the BFRC, which grades windows on their heat insulation from A to G, A being the best you can buy. Forget toxic uPVC - top class wood insulation is where it's at. Price on application.
01775 823000

Draught proofing
Gran was right to complain about feeling a draught - if you can feel cold air coming through closed windows in winter, you could be losing 20 per cent of your heat through draughty windows. You can pick up draught strips, sealants, brushes and the like from most local hardware shops, or order them online for as little as £1.
01904 412 354

Recycled windows
Less ridiculous than they sound, beautiful old windows can be re-used if restored and moved by experts, much like you would with a fireplace, tiles or door. Salvo lists twelve suppliers around the country that stock reclaimed windows, which is handy as you'll need to see them in person before buying. Prices vary.

Organic curtains
If you've got single glazed windows and can't face the cost of upgrading to double-glazed ones, thermal-lined curtains are a great way to stop your expensive heat escaping - and you can get some gorgeous drapes into the bargain. Greenfibres sells a range of organic and chemical-free materials that you can pay a local curtain company to make up.
01803 868001

Alternative heating
RIKA pellet stoves
Heat your house in a relatively green fashion and get a handsome stove in return; such is the allure of wood pellet-burning stove. Made from waste wood - usually squished sawdust - the pellets burn efficiently because they're so dense and are theoretically CO2-neutral because because the tree they came from absorbed the amount of CO2 they emit when burned. RIKA's one can even be programmed via your mobile. Prices vary by size.
Sold via 0870 0545 554                            www.econergy.ltd.uk

Solar thermal heating
Electricity isn't the only thing you can get from solar power. You can also fit a solar thermal system from around £3,000 upwards - depending on your roof size - that would provide 70 per cent of your hot water needs in summer. There are grants available for solar thermal, too, which is far cheaper than electricity-generating solar PV.
0800 915 0990

Grundfos ALPHA Pro
For £120, this intelligent radiator could cut the amount of electricity your radiators use by a mammoth 80 per cent a year. Most gas-powered, water-filled radiators have a conventional pump that works at the the same speed all year, no matter how cold or hot it is. Groundfos' ALPHA Pro, however, adapts to the temperature and speeds up and down accordingly, saving energy.
01525 850000

Ecotherm underfloor heating
It's easier to crank the thermostat down to 60oC - the Energy Saving Trust's recommended level - if your heating's evenly spread around rooms, rather than leaving cold spots left, right and centre. Underfloor heating solves that problem by heating evenly with radiation rather than convection - and it means you can go wild on the design front free of the hassle of radiators. For totally green heat, connect to a solar thermal heating system. Price varies on installation size.
01302 722 266

Eco heat pump
Imagine a source of free heat that works in the UK all year round and could heat your entire house. You're imagining a groundpump - a system of pipes buried beneath your house and filled with anti-freeze solution that take heat from the sun-warmed earth around them and transfer it up into your heating system via a pump. It can effectively replace your boiler for hot water needs, though you'll need to dig a big hole to fit one, making it ideal for new builds. Eco Heat Pump quotes according to your house size.
0114 296 2227

Green architects
R H Partnership Architects
Not content with creating an office in Cambridge that won the RICS Efficient Building Award in 2005 - thanks to a natural ventilation system and loads of sunlight - this practice's director is now also director of a pioneering green self-build homes project near Brighton. Known as Earthship, the solar-powered and tyre-insulated homes take their cue from a US-born movement that aims to be sustainable and have as little impact on the environmental as possible.
020 7608 0262

Bill Dunster Architects
These architects are responsible for BedZED, arguably the most famous green housing estate in the entire country. The acronym stands for Bedford Zero Emissions Development, and lives up to its name through a combination of on-site solar cells, incredible energy efficiency - rooms are designed to get as much sun as possible - and materials sourced locally.
020 8404  1380

Michaelis Boyd Associates Architects
If you're after eco-minded architects with celebrity cachet, these are the team: they're advising David Cameron on the green makeover of his Notting Hill abode, which includes a wind turbine for electricity generation. Whenever clients are interested, they work 'towards sustainable architecture...aiming to use ecologically sound materials.'
0207 221 1237

BBM Sustainable Design
East Sussex readers will probably recognise this practice's Sparrow House, a radically modern and impeccably green house in Lewes where one of BBM's directors lives. As well as a solar thermal system for heating water, it's insulated using thick lambswool - chemical-free and without glass fibre's nasty air-borne particles. One of BBM's latest projects is the Greenwich Millennium Village, which aims to become a model for future eco living.
01273 480 533

Forever Green
Dedicated to eco builds, Forever Green's projects concentrate on less glamorous but incredibly effective green build methods. Past projects include a housing co-op in Brighton with mega insulation, while its new plans include ten heavily-insulated timber houses in Hornsey, London, plus a hostel for the homeless with a grass-covered 'living roof'.
01892 511652

Accessories & fittings
Auro paint
This brand of eco paint smells good enough to eat, and so it should be, considering it's made solely from plants and minerals derived from 'environmentally-managed sources.' Auro's green ethos goes right down to its production process, organically growing linseed oil near its factory for use in its paints. White emulsion starts at £14.14 for a 2.5L tin.
01452 772020

Ecos paint
Billing itself as 'the world's best selling organic paint', Ecos' range is free of toxic solvents and Volatile Organic Compounds - chemicals that can vapourise under certain conditions and potentially harm human health. As a bonus, it comes in lovely shiny tins that start at £11.45 for 1 litre of white primer.
01524 852 371

Earthborn Paints
A set of clay-based paints and solvent-free varnishes that, much like Auro and Ecos' ranges, will let your walls breath naturally and make decorating a joy as you need no white spirit. The company's also the proud owner of the EU Ecolabel, which means Earthborn 'cares about the environment you live in, and so cares about you.' Prices from £19.90 for 2.5 litres of white.
01928 734171

CFLs and LEDs
Lighting your house using a technology more than a century old is not only inefficient and polluting - it's also wasting you money. Compact Fluorescent Lights (energy-saving CFL bulbs) and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) use a fifth of the energy wasted by today's incandescent lighting, and can be ordered in bulk online. Natural Collection sells CFLs for £3.75 each and IKEA spotlight-replacing LEDs at £7.95 each.
0870 3313333

Eco light shades
The £29 Coron shade from Oliver 'Changing Rooms' Heath is a beautiful spot of green design. It's made from a single piece of wool felt - naturally chemical-free material - and is even manufactured in the UK, where it's easily flat-packed for delivery to your house, where you should marry it with an energy-saving CFL.
020 7739 3888

Green roof
Planting trees to offset your CO2 emissions is old news, so try planting a garden on your roof and suck up greenhouse gases at home. As well as the eco kudos, a green, living roof looks superb and provides a home for local birds and other wildlife. Insulation layers ensure you don't get roots growing through your ceiling. Prices vary by installation.
01460 234582

Thermacell
Good loft insulation's vital for a green house, but no one likes glass fibre. Instead, try Thermacell, recycled newspaper that's been treated with an anti-fungal solution and provides the same insulation levels as glass fibre at a cheap price: from £100 for a 3-bed house. Even kids can install the stuff, as it comes in compacted bundles that you break off and fit with your hands. Wool is another good green insulation alternative.
01685 845 200

Recycled worktop
Eight Inch sells unique, dazzling kitchen worktops made from an incredibly hard composite material (TTURA) made from 85 per cent recycled bottlebank glass. Its stain-proof, too. Prices depend on size, type of glass and thickness.
01273 511564

Instant Expert:
The evils of concrete
If you're constructing a new house, it's hard to avoid concrete. It's time, however, to ween ourselves off our addiction of the ubiquitous material made from cement, aggregates and water, since it's now responsible for an enormouse 7-10 per cent of worldwide CO2 emissions - more than the aviation industry. As the third edition of the Green Building Bible Vol 1 points out, though, there are greener alternatives, from AirCrete (cement mixed with quicklime) and Limecrete (which requires lower temperatures to make) to not using it all.

Instant Expert:
Buy stone locally, not globally
As Keith Hall of the Green Building Bible puts it, 'sourcing stone globally is insane.' In addition to the CO2 emissions generated by transporting stone from China to the UK, buying stone from the other side of the world means you have no control over the working conditions of the people quarrying it. There's no such thing as Fairtrade stone. Hall adds that 'rising fuel prices for transport should put a stop to the practice eventually'.

Comments

[Jay Draiman]

The Energy Revolution -
I find that many people are missing the point and are not aware of the pending energy/oil shortage.
The world population is increasing; many countries are advancing to the current technology.
Fossil fuel/energy is being depleted faster than it’s been regenerated.
It is time for the energy revolution.
That means other sources of energy such as: Solar/Photovoltaic, Wind, Geothermal, Hydrogen, Wave/Tidal, Nuclear/Fusion and numerous other sources, not to mention efficiency and conservation. (The use of lake/Ocean water for cooling).
It is time to set the mindset of the people, industry and the government on a crusade to develop and utilize alternative energy on a massive scale.
It will take many decades to reach those goals. But we need a total commitment of funds, research and implementation to reach those goals or we are doomed.
The United States the most economically advanced country in the world must become energy independent, for our sake, our children’s sake and future generations.
It is time to unite in this endeavor of alternative energy, energy efficiency and proceed without the political confrontation. (Europe is advancing faster than the USA)
Jay Draiman
Northridge, CA. 91325
12/12/2006

[Gareth Kane]

I've used plenty of the products above in my old Victorian house and have blogged the story at: http://eco-living.blogspot.com/. Most recent was using Warmcel 100 recycled newspaper at the weekend.

Cheers,

Gareth
http://www.terrainfirma.co.uk
http://eco-living.blogspot.com/

[Adam Vaughan]

Cheers for that Gareth.

Funny seeing the photo of Thermafleece on your blog. Reminded me of shuffling around in my tiny loft last year fitting the cheaper Warmcel recycled newspaper. The Warmcel's great - easy to fit - but it does act a bit like dust every time you want to get an old box out: it has a tendency to get all over your clothes.

[Jay Draiman]

“Most renewable energy devices – equipment that generates electricity from the wind, waves or sun, or which heats water directly using energy from the sun – have been around for decades, in some cases for centuries. But they have not caught on till now, and they are still seen as mostly peripheral ways of contributing energy to the total required.”

I argue that three facts will very soon result in everybody clamouring for whatever renewable energy they can get, peripheral or not, the alternative being that they either won’t be able to get enough of it, or to afford it, as conventional fuels, (gas and oil), run out and prices continue to soar.

After all, whatever the cost of renewable energy sources, after what is already an acceptable payback period they produce free energy for the life of the system used – normally at least 25 years. People don’t have to think about climate change to justify them – they do that on energy cost savings alone.

The three facts are:

Oil and gas are running out, whilst the world demand for them is increasing. And we are at the end of the pipeline.

The amount of energy from the sun falling on each square metre of the earth’s surface is equivalent to 1,000kWh annually – so that alone is enough to meet the entire global demand for energy many times over. Even without wind, water and nuclear power we can manage easily without oil and gas. If we get our act together in time.

In real terms fuel prices have at least doubled in the last year, and they are likely to double again every couple of years or even faster than that. As a result, a system with a payback period of 10 years now will, in practice, pay for itself in less than half that time.

We must proceed with renewable energy.

Jay Draiman
Northridge, CA. 91325

[Jay Draiman]

“Most renewable energy devices – equipment that generates electricity from the wind, waves or sun, or which heats water directly using energy from the sun – have been around for decades, in some cases for centuries. But they have not caught on till now, and they are still seen as mostly peripheral ways of contributing energy to the total required.”

I argue that three facts will very soon result in everybody clamouring for whatever renewable energy they can get, peripheral or not, the alternative being that they either won’t be able to get enough of it, or to afford it, as conventional fuels, (gas and oil), run out and prices continue to soar.

After all, whatever the cost of renewable energy sources, after what is already an acceptable payback period they produce free energy for the life of the system used – normally at least 25 years. People don’t have to think about climate change to justify them – they do that on energy cost savings alone.

The three facts are:

Oil and gas are running out, whilst the world demand for them is increasing. And we are at the end of the pipeline.

The amount of energy from the sun falling on each square metre of the earth’s surface is equivalent to 1,000kWh annually – so that alone is enough to meet the entire global demand for energy many times over. Even without wind, water and nuclear power we can manage easily without oil and gas. If we get our act together in time.

In real terms fuel prices have at least doubled in the last year, and they are likely to double again every couple of years or even faster than that. As a result, a system with a payback period of 10 years now will, in practice, pay for itself in less than half that time.

We must proceed with renewable energy.

Jay Draiman
Northridge, CA. 91325

[Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant]

Energy Independence begins with Energy efficiency

Updated
MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY – THE ENERGY EVOLUTION –R15
By Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
In order to insure energy and economic independence as well as better economic growth without being blackmailed by foreign countries, our country, the United States of America’s Utilization of Energy Sources must change.
"Energy drives our entire economy.” We must protect it. "Let's face it, without energy the whole economy and economic society we have set up would come to a halt. So you want to have control over such an important resource that you need for your society and your economy." The American way of life is not negotiable.
Our continued dependence on fossil fuels could and will lead to catastrophic consequences.

The federal, state and local government should implement a mandatory renewable energy installation program for residential and commercial property on new construction and remodeling projects, replacement of appliances, motors, HVAC with the use of energy efficient materials-products, mechanical systems, appliances, lighting, insulation, retrofits etc. The source of energy must be by renewable energy such as Solar-Photovoltaic, Geothermal, Wind, Biofuels, Ocean-Tidal, Hydrogen-Fuel Cell etc. This includes the utilizing of water from lakes, rivers and oceans to circulate in cooling towers to produce air conditioning and the utilization of proper landscaping to reduce energy consumption. (Sales tax on renewable energy products and energy efficiency should be reduced or eliminated)

The implementation of mandatory renewable energy could be done on a gradual scale over the next 10 years. At the end of the 10 year period all construction and energy use in the structures throughout the United States must be 100% powered by renewable energy. (This can be done by amending building code)

In addition, the governments must impose laws, rules and regulations whereby the utility companies must comply with a fair “NET METERING” (the buying of excess generation from the consumer at market price), including the promotion of research and production of “renewable energy technology” with various long term incentives and grants. The various foundations in existence should be used to contribute to this cause.

A mandatory time table should also be established for the automobile industry to gradually produce an automobile powered by renewable energy. The American automobile industry is surely capable of accomplishing this task. As an inducement to buy hybrid automobiles (sales tax should be reduced or eliminated on American manufactured automobiles).

This is a way to expedite our energy independence and economic growth. (This will also create a substantial amount of new jobs). It will take maximum effort and a relentless pursuit of the private, commercial and industrial government sectors’ commitment to renewable energy – energy generation (wind, solar, hydro, biofuels, geothermal, energy storage (fuel cells, advance batteries), energy infrastructure (management, transmission) and energy efficiency (lighting, sensors, automation, conservation) (rainwater harvesting, water conservation) (energy and natural resources conservation) in order to achieve our energy independence.

"To succeed, you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality."

Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
Northridge, CA. 91325
May 31, 2007

P.S. I have a very deep belief in America's capabilities. Within the next 10 years we can accomplish our energy independence, if we as a nation truly set our goals to accomplish this.

I happen to believe that we can do it. In another crisis--the one in 1942--President Franklin D. Roosevelt said this country would build 60,000 [50,000] military aircraft. By 1943, production in that program had reached 125,000 aircraft annually. They did it then. We can do it now.

"the way we produce and use energy must fundamentally change."
The American people resilience and determination to retain the way of life is unconquerable and we as a nation will succeed in this endeavor of Energy Independence.

The Oil Companies should be required to invest a substantial percentage of their profit in renewable energy R&D and implementation. Those who do not will be panelized by the public at large by boy cutting their products.

Solar energy is the source of all energy on the earth (excepting volcanic geothermal). Wind, wave and fossil fuels all get their energy from the sun. Fossil fuels are only a battery which will eventually run out. The sooner we can exploit all forms of Solar energy (cost effectively or not against dubiously cheap FFs) the better off we will all be. If the battery runs out first, the survivors will all be living like in the 18th century again.

Every new home built should come with a solar package. A 1.5 kW per bedroom is a good rule of thumb. The formula 1.5 X's 5 hrs per day X's 30 days will produce about 225 kWh per bedroom monthly. This peak production period will offset 17 to 2

4 cents per kWh with a potential of $160 per month or about $60,000 over the 30-year mortgage period for a three-bedroom home. It is economically feasible at the current energy price and the interest portion of the loan is deductible. Why not?

Title 24 has been mandated forcing developers to build energy efficient homes. Their bull-headedness put them in that position and now they see that Title 24 works with little added cost. Solar should also be mandated and if the developer designs a home that solar is impossible to do then they should pay an equivalent mitigation fee allowing others to put solar on in place of their negligence. (Installation should be paid “performance based”).

Installation of renewable energy and its performance should be paid to the installer and manufacturer based on "performance based" (that means they are held accountable for the performance of the product - that includes the automobile industry). This will gain the trust and confidence of the end-user to proceed with such a project; it will also prove to the public that it is a viable avenue of energy conservation.

Installing a renewable energy system on your home or business increases the value of the property and provides a marketing advantage. It also decreases our trade deficit.

Nations of the world should unite and join together in a cohesive effort to develop and implement MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY for the sake of humankind and future generations.

The head of the U.S. government's renewable energy lab said Monday (Feb. 5) that the federal government is doing "embarrassingly few things" to foster renewable energy, leaving leadership to the states at a time of opportunity to change the nation's energy future. "I see little happening at the federal level. Much more needs to happen." What's needed, he said, is a change of our national mind set. Instead of viewing the hurdles that still face renewable sources and setting national energy goals with those hurdles in mind, we should set ambitious national renewable energy goals and set about overcoming the hurdles to meet them. We have an opportunity, an opportunity we can take advantage of or an opportunity we can squander and let go,"

solar energy - the direct conversion of sunlight with solar cells, either into electricity or hydrogen, faces cost hurdles independent of their intrinsic efficiency. Ways must be found to lower production costs and design better conversion and storage systems.

Disenco Energy of the UK has announced it has reached important
milestones leading to full commercialization, such as the completion of
field trials for its home, micro combined heat and power plant (m-CHP).
The company expects to begin a product roll out in the second quarter of
2008.
Operating at over 90 percent efficiency, the m-CHP will be able to
provide 15 kilowatts of thermal energy (about 50,000 Btu’s) for heat and
hot water and generate 3 kilowatts of electricity. The m-CHP uses a
Stirling engine generator and would be a direct replacement for a home’s
boiler.
Running on piped-in natural gas the unit would create some independence
from the power grid, but still remain connected to the gas supply
network.
Whereas heat is supplied only when the generator is running (or
conversely electricity is generated only when heat is needed) a back-up
battery system and heavily insulated hot water storage tank seem
eventual options for more complete energy independence.

FEDERAL BUILDINGS WITH SOLAR ENERGY – Renewable Energy
All government buildings, Federal, State, County, City etc. should be mandated to be energy efficient and must use renewable energy on all new structures and structures that are been remodeled/upgraded.
"The government should serve as an example to its citizens"

Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
Northridge, CA 91325
Email: [email protected].

[Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant]

Energy Independence begins with Energy efficiency - It's cheaper to save energy than to make energy.

Updated
MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY – THE ENERGY EVOLUTION –R18
By Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
In order to insure energy and economic independence as well as better economic growth without being blackmailed by foreign countries, our country, the United States of America’s Utilization of Energy Sources must change.
"Energy drives our entire economy.” We must protect it. "Let's face it, without energy the whole economy and economic society we have set up would come to a halt. So you want to have control over such an important resource that you need for your society and your economy." The American way of life is not negotiable.
Our continued dependence on fossil fuels could and will lead to catastrophic consequences.

The federal, state and local government should implement a mandatory renewable energy installation program for residential and commercial property on new construction and remodeling projects, replacement of appliances, motors, HVAC with the use of energy efficient materials-products, mechanical systems, appliances, lighting, insulation, retrofits etc. The source of energy must be by renewable energy such as Solar-Photovoltaic, Geothermal, Wind, Biofuels, Ocean-Tidal, Hydrogen-Fuel Cell etc. This includes the utilizing of water from lakes, rivers and oceans to circulate in cooling towers to produce air conditioning and the utilization of proper landscaping to reduce energy consumption. (Sales tax on renewable energy products and energy efficiency should be reduced or eliminated)

The implementation of mandatory renewable energy could be done on a gradual scale over the next 10 years. At the end of the 10 year period all construction and energy use in the structures throughout the United States must be 100% powered by renewable energy. (This can be done by amending building code)

In addition, the governments must impose laws, rules and regulations whereby the utility companies must comply with a fair “NET METERING” (the buying of excess generation from the consumer at market price), including the promotion of research and production of “renewable energy technology” with various long term incentives and grants. The various foundations in existence should be used to contribute to this cause.

A mandatory time table should also be established for the automobile industry to gradually produce an automobile powered by renewable energy. The American automobile industry is surely capable of accomplishing this task. As an inducement to buy hybrid automobiles (sales tax should be reduced or eliminated on American manufactured automobiles).

This is a way to expedite our energy independence and economic growth. (This will also create a substantial amount of new jobs). It will take maximum effort and a relentless pursuit of the private, commercial and industrial government sectors’ commitment to renewable energy – energy generation (wind, solar, hydro, biofuels, geothermal, energy storage (fuel cells, advance batteries), energy infrastructure (management, transmission) and energy efficiency (lighting, sensors, automation, conservation) (rainwater harvesting, water conservation) (energy and natural resources conservation) in order to achieve our energy independence.

"To succeed, you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality."

Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
Northridge, CA. 91325
May 31, 2007

P.S. I have a very deep belief in America's capabilities. Within the next 10 years we can accomplish our energy independence, if we as a nation truly set our goals to accomplish this.

I happen to believe that we can do it. In another crisis--the one in 1942--President Franklin D. Roosevelt said this country would build 60,000 [50,000] military aircraft. By 1943, production in that program had reached 125,000 aircraft annually. They did it then. We can do it now.

"the way we produce and use energy must fundamentally change."
The American people resilience and determination to retain the way of life is unconquerable and we as a nation will succeed in this endeavor of Energy Independence.

The Oil Companies should be required to invest a substantial percentage of their profit in renewable energy R&D and implementation. Those who do not will be panelized by the public at large by boy cutting their products.

Solar energy is the source of all energy on the earth (excepting volcanic geothermal). Wind, wave and fossil fuels all get their energy from the sun. Fossil fuels are only a battery which will eventually run out. The sooner we can exploit all forms of Solar energy (cost effectively or not against dubiously cheap FFs) the better off we will all be. If the battery runs out first, the survivors will all be living like in the 18th century again.

Every new home built should come with a solar package. A 1.5 kW per bedroom is a good rule of thumb. The formula 1.5 X's 5 hrs per day X's 30 days will produce about 225 kWh per bedroom monthly. This peak production period will offset 17 to 2

4 cents per kWh with a potential of $160 per month or about $60,000 over the 30-year mortgage period for a three-bedroom home. It is economically feasible at the current energy price and the interest portion of the loan is deductible. Why not?

Title 24 has been mandated forcing developers to build energy efficient homes. Their bull-headedness put them in that position and now they see that Title 24 works with little added cost. Solar should also be mandated and if the developer designs a home that solar is impossible to do then they should pay an equivalent mitigation fee allowing others to put solar on in place of their negligence. (Installation should be paid “performance based”).

Installation of renewable energy and its performance should be paid to the installer and manufacturer based on "performance based" (that means they are held accountable for the performance of the product - that includes the automobile industry). This will gain the trust and confidence of the end-user to proceed with such a project; it will also prove to the public that it is a viable avenue of energy conservation.

Installing a renewable energy system on your home or business increases the value of the property and provides a marketing advantage. It also decreases our trade deficit.

Nations of the world should unite and join together in a cohesive effort to develop and implement MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY for the sake of humankind and future generations.

The head of the U.S. government's renewable energy lab said Monday (Feb. 5) that the federal government is doing "embarrassingly few things" to foster renewable energy, leaving leadership to the states at a time of opportunity to change the nation's energy future. "I see little happening at the federal level. Much more needs to happen." What's needed, he said, is a change of our national mind set. Instead of viewing the hurdles that still face renewable sources and setting national energy goals with those hurdles in mind, we should set ambitious national renewable energy goals and set about overcoming the hurdles to meet them. We have an opportunity, an opportunity we can take advantage of or an opportunity we can squander and let go,"

solar energy - the direct conversion of sunlight with solar cells, either into electricity or hydrogen, faces cost hurdles independent of their intrinsic efficiency. Ways must be found to lower production costs and design better conversion and storage systems.

Disenco Energy of the UK has announced it has reached important
milestones leading to full commercialization, such as the completion of
field trials for its home, micro combined heat and power plant (m-CHP).
The company expects to begin a product roll out in the second quarter of
2008.
Operating at over 90 percent efficiency, the m-CHP will be able to
provide 15 kilowatts of thermal energy (about 50,000 Btu’s) for heat and
hot water and generate 3 kilowatts of electricity. The m-CHP uses a
Stirling engine generator and would be a direct replacement for a home’s
boiler.
Running on piped-in natural gas the unit would create some independence
from the power grid, but still remain connected to the gas supply
network.
Whereas heat is supplied only when the generator is running (or
conversely electricity is generated only when heat is needed) a back-up
battery system and heavily insulated hot water storage tank seem
eventual options for more complete energy independence.

FEDERAL BUILDINGS WITH SOLAR ENERGY – Renewable Energy
All government buildings, Federal, State, County, City etc. should be mandated to be energy efficient and must use renewable energy on all new structures and structures that are been remodeled/upgraded.
"The government should serve as an example to its citizens"

A new innovative renewable energy generating technology is in development. The idea behind Promethean Power came from Matthew Orosz, an MIT graduate student who has worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in the African nation of Lesotho. Orosz wanted to provide electric power, refrigeration, and hot water to people without electricity. He and some MIT colleagues designed a set of mirrors that focus sunlight onto tubes filled with coolant. The hot coolant turns to pressurized vapor, which turns a turbine to make electricity. The leftover heat can be used to warm a tank of water and to run a refrigerator or an air conditioner, using a gas-absorption process that chills liquid ammonia by first heating it.
IS TECHNOLOGY BEING HELD BACK
New Solar Electric Cells - 80% efficient
Mr. Marks says solar panels made with Lepcon or Lumeloid, the materials he patented, ... Most photovoltaic cells are only about 15 percent efficient. ...
A major increase in daily petroleum output is deemed essential to meet U.S. and international oil requirements in 2020, and so we should expect recurring oil shortages and price increases. Only by expediting the diminishing our day-to-day consumption of petroleum and implementing of efficiency and renewable energy policy can we hope to reduce our exposure to costly oil-supply disruptions and lower the risk of economic strangulation.

Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
Northridge, CA 91325
Email: [email protected]
Posted on: 06/26/2007

[YJ Draiman, Energy Consultant]

Homeowners can cut energy bills by making their houses more energy-efficient R2
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HOMEOWNERS can practically hear the meters ticking as their air conditioners fight this summer's sweltering heat.
But that doesn't mean there aren't some things they can do to ward off high energy bills now--and once winter sweeps in.
Just ask THE ENERGY EXPERT, who conducts residential energy audits as National Energy Efficiency Auditor.
"The most common problem is air infiltration," he said, "where unconditioned air meets conditioned air."
THE ENERGY EXPERT, who uses smoke pencils to detect leaks and infrared scans to check insulation, windows, attics and roofs, said poorly insulated "room additions" over garages top the list of energy wasters.
"Builders don't always sheathe the back side of the drywall in insulation, so hot attic air infiltrates the room," he said. "There's only one piece of drywall keeping the hot air out."
THE ENERGY Experts’ solution is to install energy-efficient foam board with an aluminum-foil backing behind the drywall. A recent job cost about $300 and or insulation and attic fans in the attic – there is also a rebate and tax credits (check with your local utility). (Insulation in the attic and attic fans reduce energy consumption substantially).
"It pays for itself in one season," THE ENERGY EXPERT said.
Homeowners typically spend about $1,600 a year to heat and cool the house, turn lights on and off, and operate appliances, said spokeswoman for the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy.
But they can cut those expenses by as much as $600 by switching to more energy-efficient products and taking a variety of other energy-saving steps.
Those can be as simple as replacing a 15- to 20-year-old refrigerator with a new Energy Star model, which uses about a fourth as much electricity as an older appliance, and/or putting compact florescent bulbs or LED bulbs in at least the five most commonly used light fixtures in the house. You should also replace burned out motors/compressors with energy efficient multi-stage motors.
"Compact fluorescents cost more up front, but you really make it up because they use somewhere between 20 and 25 percent of the energy required for an incandescent and they last 10 times longer," the Energy Expert said. "Plus, they don't burn as hot, so they don't heat up the place during the summer and your air conditioner has to work less hard."
A good place for homeowners to start in determining how their energy usage stacks up is to log on to the Home Energy Saver at homeenergysaver.lbl.gov.
Developed by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, this site calculates energy use and savings tips based on information that users provide. Type in a ZIP code and up pop the energy costs of an average home and an energy-efficient home for that area.
The program also includes a questionnaire that asks for more detailed information so it can provide a customized answer. It also has links to sites that provide a wealth of information about its energy-saving recommendations.
On various utility companies Web sites, shoppers can order a similarly helpful gizmo called Watts Up? Plug in any standard 120-volt appliance or electronic device, and it will analyze such things as current draw, incoming voltage and cost of operation. The Watts Up? Basic model costs $89.95 and the pro version costs $123.95.
Rather leave audits to professionals?
Some auditors offer a standard audit for $100 that includes a visual inspection of the house and its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. An expanded audit, which costs $200, includes tests to check for leaks in air ducts and the house's air-tightness.
Your local utility company may do audits, also has a list of providers on its Web site.
Low-income homeowners can get help for free through the Aging weatherization assistance program.
"We go into the house and do various tests to find problem areas," said the Energy Consultant. "What we do in most cases is make minor repairs and blow in insulation."
Last fiscal year, many families got help through the federally funded program.
Sometimes, however, the most effective ways to trim energy usage are the easiest, the Energy Expert said.
Putting up weather-stripping, for example, is something anyone can do yet many people overlook, he said. The same goes for changing a heating system's air filters on a regular basis or a set-back thermostat.
The Energy Expert also recommended installing ceiling fans and programmable electronic thermostats. A fan can make a room feel cooler so the air conditioning can be turned up, and a programmable thermostat automatically lowers the heat setting while homeowners are at work and raises it just before they return.
The Energy Expert has also learned that putting the screens/shades on the south-facing windows of the house in the summer will help block out some of the sun's fierce heat. In some states especially the western parts of the United States temperature at night falls to 50-60 degrees – open the windows and shut the air-condition and or utilize a fan to bring in the fresh cooler air – it is also healthier and reduces indoor pollution. In areas of the country that have a high humidity – you can install a dehumidifier in the summer to reduce energy cost and a humidifier in the winter.
"I take the screens and or shades off in the winter," The Energy Expert said.
Increasing a house's energy efficiency not only lowers the owner's bills, it also raises the value of the property. According to an EPA-funded study done in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, a house's value jumps $10 to $25 for every $1 the owner is able to save on annual fuel/energy bills. You can also utilize rainwater and grey water to reduce your water and sewer bill. Some utility companies will allow you to install a sub-meter for the water used for landscaping, swimming pools and ponds – which eliminates the sewer charge from that portion of your water bill.
"You'll get a better price because you can show them your heating and cooling bills, which are reasonable and not outrageous," said The Energy Expert, national energy-management coordinator.
The Energy Expert oversees many Energy Saver Home programs, which inspects houses as they're being built to insure they're properly insulated and sealed. The inspections cost $250 and come with a year-long warranty. For an added service The Energy Expert will perform a site inspection for the installation of Solar/Photovoltaic system for the home and/or business and its benefits, costs, rebates, tax credits, financing and ROI.
Prospective buyers of energy-efficient houses can get a break, too.
"Some mortgage companies will allow you a better debt-to-income ratio," The Energy Expert said. "They know your electric/gas utility bills will be less so you'll have more income to put toward your mortgage."
YJ Draiman - Energy Savers 6/29/2007 – [email protected]

[YJ Draiman]

To accelerate “IMPLEMENTATION of ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CONSERVATION, RENEWABLES and Reduction in the use of fossil fuels”.
The U.S. government can initiate an aggressive program to encourage and expedite these concepts, reduce demand by spurring a revolution in energy productivity initiating:
One promising idea is to make energy efficiency trade-able, much in the same way as we trade oil and natural gas, or, indeed, carbon emissions. A system making energy efficiency trade-able in the U.S. -- companies would be able to sell credits when they exceeded new standards -- would quickly reduce total energy consumption while limiting carbon emissions. Adding a market mechanism to trade efficiency gains would make energy efficiency standards more palatable to industries that have resisted them in the past and expedite implementation of energy efficiency and fuel efficiency. – “Money makes the world go round”.
YJ Draiman, Energy analyst
8/31/2007

[John]

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