October 30, 2007 by Casey Cole
Over the summer there was a debate between some big names in engineering over whether combined heat, cooling, and power (CHCP) using absorption chillers actually saves carbon. The theory goes that because engine size is usually dictated by the base summer heat load, the additional heat load from the chillers allows you to upsize your engine and generate more low-carbon electricity throughout the year.
However on a current project, we’re looking at the feasibility of installing a district heating and cooling network, including installation costs. And one thing is clear: regardless of whether CHCP saves carbon, the capital cost of cooling is unaffordable.
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Posted in chp, climate change, Code for Sustainable Homes, energy, engineering, london, micro chp, sustainability, utilities | Tagged absorption chillers, cchp, chcp, community energy, district heating | 5 Comments »
October 17, 2007 by Casey Cole
Down with tonnes, bring on the megagrams! It’ll freak the squares.
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October 14, 2007 by Casey Cole
Back in the UK for project meetings, I arrived at my inlaws’ house in Dorking yesterday evening and within minutes my father-in-law was spreading the Telegraph on the table, pointing to the article about how long efficiency measures take to pay back. Phil at the Sustainability Blog has already commented on the RICS claims and I agree with him.
And here’s first hand proof of the damage their histrionics have done: as I explained to my father-in-law that the RICS study was making unreasonable assumptions (e.g. simple payback calculations) his eyes glazed over. Why? Because the soundbite had already done its job. Nevermind the VAT debate or discussion of EPCs, he’s now more convinced than ever that there’s no point in pursuing any of this eco-treehugging-mumbo-jumbo as it’s obviously frivolous and expensive.
Thanks RICS.
Posted in climate change, Code for Sustainable Homes, energy, engineering, renewable energy, sustainability | 2 Comments »
October 11, 2007 by Casey Cole
I’m doing financial comparisons of energy systems on one of our projects. It’s a pretty standard part of our work but this morning the precision of the figures appearing in my spreadsheet strikes me as particularly specious because it doesn’t tell the whole story. Sure, clients need a comparator and you can’t preface every report with a thesis on complexities of the energy market (not that I’m capable) but just the same these results are making me uneasy and here’s a short list of reasons why:
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Posted in biofuel, biomass, chp, climate change, energy, engineering, micro chp, renewable energy, sustainability | 3 Comments »
October 9, 2007 by nickdevlin
The post title refers to the fact that a 22 turbine wind farm will receive the go ahead today and it is one that will directly affect me inasmuch as my parents house is about 2 miles from the nearest turbine. I spent a long time educating my parents on the true performance details of large wind, not to convince them that they should support the wind farm proposal, but so they could make up their own minds based on good quality information rather than the guff offered particularly by the anti wind lobby. In the end they came out in favour and have, to a degree, suffered partial ostricisation within their local community for it.
It is very easy as a consultant to make recommendations that incur costs for my clients. It is easy to play with other peoples money.
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October 5, 2007 by nickdevlin
For those that are interested about the points raised in my last post, we have started an online petition to the Prime Minister to have the stamp duty legislation reviewed before it undermines any impetus to achieve zero carbon homes.
If you sign, many thanks, and if not, feel free to leave a constructive comment as to your reasoning. I am interested to know other viewpoints.
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October 3, 2007 by nickdevlin
The Draft Statutory Instrument (DSI) for Stamp Duty Exemption for Zero Carbon Homes, announced at the last budget, will undermine the majority of attempts to deliver the greenest of housing. The DSI doesn’t appear to be available online, but the link is to a copy we acquired from the Treasury after badgering them.
The DSI is to be laid before Parliament at the end of next week for Committee approval by the end of the month. It is at best a misguided piece of well-meaning legislation that will do more harm than good, or at worst a genuine attempt by central Government to limit the loss of stamp duty receipts from too many zero carbon homes.
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Posted in architecture, biofuel, biomass, chp, climate change, Code for Sustainable Homes, energy, london, stamp duty exemption, sustainability | 4 Comments »
September 29, 2007 by Casey Cole
A project I’ve been involved in at XCO2 won the Building Design /100% Detail Cool Wall contest last Sunday. It’s Far End House, set to be the first PassivHaus in the UK (fingers crossed). My involvement has been limited to working through the PHPP spreadsheets – Jayde Austin has done all the hard work – but I wanted to shout about it anyway.
In this case, mob justice was right.
Posted in architecture, climate change, energy, engineering, renewable energy, sustainability | Tagged architecture00, passiv haus | Leave a Comment »
September 29, 2007 by Casey Cole
David Orr’s comments at the NHF annual conference last Friday have sparked off a row with the Homes Builders’ Federation. In response to Orr’s suggestion that developers won’t hit the governments target of all new homes being carbon neutral by 2016, head of the HBF Stewart Baseley said oh yes we will.
But given that it appears the Treasury is trying to make it much harder (and more expensive) to officially go carbon neutral, it’s likely that developers will have to pay up or change their tune before long. Maybe to one of the old protest songs – We shall overcome perhaps?
Posted in climate change, energy, engineering, london, renewable energy, sustainability | Leave a Comment »
September 27, 2007 by nickdevlin
The Green Building Council published a response in July to the Draft Statutory Instrument (which comes into force on October 1) for stamp duty exemption as proposed by our now Prime Minister in the last budget. I wish I had read it more carefully at the time…
Colleagues and I have been trying to disentangle the most cost-effective routes to achieving Code Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes for a number of far-sighted and sincere clients who want to deliver the most efficient housing possible, and not just for those that can afford it.
Anyway, the budget announcement stated that zero-carbon homes would be exempt from stamp duty, which in reality is nothing more than a political gesture as the costs involved outweigh the stamp duty savings. Originally, the Code was written to allow for accredited offsite renewables which could demonstrate clear additionality, to be acceptable in achieving true zero carbon status. This was a bold step that, despite the uncertain mechanics of administration had the potential to allow developers the choice of investing in off-site renewables. Imagine being able to deliver say 30-50% CO2 reductions for the cost of a planning requirements of 10%? Or even a 100% reduction for an acceptable extra over to secure a particularly plum site. Too good to be true perhaps?
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Posted in architecture, biofuel, biomass, chp, climate change, energy, renewable energy, sustainability | Tagged , Code for Sustainable Homes, stamp duty exemption | 4 Comments »
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