I’m not sure I’ve got this right, but I think the http://www.nhbcfoundation.org/Researchpublications/Energyefficientfixedappliances/tabid/518/Default.aspx post means that a 2016 built house (if to the regs !) will have the main areas of CO2 emmissions in order of magnitude as:
So I’d better get those best rated appliances and building control systems for the kitchen and elsewhere.
I suspect these won’t work for any pipework to and from a fire (they’ll melt !)
The ATK Airtight Membrane Kit has been developed to provide an airtight seal around pipework of all types that passes through the walls of buildings. The ATK Airtight Membrane Kit can fit around any size pipe – from cables right through to soil pipes – and offers a robust, reliable and cost-effective solution.
http://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/page–pipework-seals.html
This article at http://www.building4change.com/page.jsp?id=1444 on “Whole house shutdown” says that:
Technology to turn off power to non-essential electrical items while residents sleep or are out can have major impact
A system that allows home occupants to conveniently and reliably turn off power to non-essential electrical items while they sleep or leave the house could cut household CO2 reductions by almost a fifth. This finding emerges from a study of technologies that could influence a reduction in energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions for a typical home built in 2016, carried out by NHBC Foundation.
From the nine technologies assessed, a system to remove power from all non-essential electrical items, called ‘whole house shutdown’, offered the greatest CO2 savings of 19 percent. The study also identifies individual socket shutdown units and waste water heat recovery as other technologies that can offer significant CO2 reductions of 16 percent and almost 7 percent respectively.
Looking at one of the Thermodynamic Panel system PDFs:
One set up has a thermal store (a tank that heats up, and your heating is delivered by coils that go into this store, heat up and take that hot water to where you want it), and a second, linked to a pool seems to have a form of heat recover system, in that the colder water from the pool is going back in the loop for re-heating via the Thermodynamic panels and the thermal store tank.
For the thermal store the Akvaterm thermal store water tanks looked good at the 2012 Eco Expo in London.
A chunk more information on the concept and benefits of a thermal store (and their version of one) at http://www.greenspec.co.uk/thermal-storage.php:
+ Provides effective buffering
+ Reduces boiler cycling
+ Allows for integration with low temp heating systems eg underfloor
+ Adds mains pressure to hot showers
+ Provides potable hot water
+ The use of a heat exchanger means that in most cases, thermal stores can be integrated with existing pressurised boiler circuits
+ Requires much smaller cold water tank then standard vented systems
+ Thermal storage is recognised by NHER software
– Heat can be lost through inefficient heat exchangers
– Storage temperature will usually have to be 10 deg C higher than required DHW temperature
– Cannot be used with existing DHW power showers and pumps
– Expensive and unvented storage, very expensive
– Vented stores require a header tank to be located above the heating systems
It looks like there is a new player in the UK market. OR one that I’d not previously spotted!
They have a good few shower tray / under shower options and those that can be more centrally integrated into your whole property hot water system.
From http://www.recoupenergysolutions.co.uk/our-range/recoup-retrofit/:
Our most popular waste water heat recovery system due to it’s great efficiencies, low price and superb all round performance. Ideal for new build applications, this product is sure to deliver results, whatever your criteria.
Our tray is the perfect solution for apartments or ground floor en-suites. Achieving code in city apartments without renewables is notoriously difficult; this shower heat recovery system with flexible tray size is the answer that doesn’t cost the earth.
Building a wet room or have access issues? The Recoup Drain+ provides a great option. Finished in stainless steel and offering 50% efficiencies, this is a must have system for your self build or walk-in shower.
This compact WWHRS is easy to install, easy on the pocket and easy to maintain! As it’s name suggests, it’s ideal for retro-fitting in domestic and commercial properties. A very cost effective way to achieve efficiencies of up to 22%.
A system with great efficiencies specifically designed for large developments with good water pressure. This single walled exchanger provides up to 68% efficiency, so will tick a box for the Technical Director or architect looking for a cost effective solution to achieve code.
Saw this in a magazine article about properties being built on a slope:
I was planning / thinking that the rear courtyard would have a vertical wall, but like this idea of planted terrace steps.
It would also push the south facing courtyard wall back a bit and so let in more light to the lounge and courtyard.
http://blog.emap.com/footprint/2011/08/08/accoya-used-to-build-bridge-in-the-netherlands/
I’ve since learnt that (unless it’s changed and the info is out of date or wrong) that Accoya wood is grown in NZ & treated in the Netherlands. So the transport carbon footprint isn’t great. It’s then consequently expensive.
http://www.gowercroft.co.uk/2013/03/what-is-accoya-timber/
“The downside to this material is that while the trees are grown in New Zealand and the acetylisation process occurs in The Netherlands, it will always be expensive. The raw timber costs three times as much as our standard hardwoods.”
The geographic growing and processing isn’t mentioned on the Accoya website that does cover a lot of other good environmental aspects of Accoya:
The biomimicry-based technology imitates the effect of fur on polar bears, the individual hairs on the polar bear being hollow and guiding sunlight directly to the skin. As the polar bear’s skin is black, it is able to absorb light efficiently, and convert it into heat which it transfers to the body.
http://www.building4change.com/page.jsp?id=1339
External wall insulation system (EWIS) specialist Sto has brought its StoSolar solid wall heating system concept from Germany to the UK market.
The system incorporates a translucent glass render finish covering tiny capillaries that guide sunlight to a black absorbent layer, which converts solar to thermal energy. The masonry stores this heat and releases it back into the building as radiant heat, reducing the internal heating requirement.
Low sun means high heat
The amount of heat generated by the system depends on the angle of the sun. In summer, when the sun is high in the sky, less radiant energy is absorbed by the capillaries, so the heat generated is greatly reduced. In the winter, the low angle leads to the maximum amount of sunshine being transmitted to the absorbent layer ensuring that most heat is produced during the cold months.
StoSolar integrates into a Sto EWIS and is suitable for new and existing buildings when fixed to a solid wall that is not internally insulated. It will generally use 10-30 percent of a façade’s insulating surface area and be delivered to the construction site as prefabricated units to be incorporated into an external wall system.
Treehugger.com had an article on this prototype system that combines hydroponics and a fish farm into one unit for all year round veggies and a few fish.
The prototype Globe/Hedron “is a bamboo greenhouse designed to organically grow fish and vegetables on top of generic flat roofs. The design is optimized for aquaponic farming techniques: the fish’s water nourishes the plants and plants clean the water for the fish,” according to designer Antonio.
