DIY Wind – Solar Energy & External Building Design

Keeping the planet safe.  Not using anymore of the world’s resources than we really need to.  These are the sort of watchwords and mantras my grandchildren are having their little heads filled with at school daily.   I didn’t realise just how many classes are geared up towards outdoor activities so the children can appreciate how everything they do influences something else along the natural history chain.

I do not really have a chance to see what the children are doing in the various age groups, but my grandson is 13 now and takes everything to do with nature and wildlife very seriously.  His father has built a large extension on to their double fronted Edwardian detached house.  He has added the most up to date energy efficient windows to each room and downstairs are some beautiful triple glazed bifold doors to allow as much light into the newly extended kitchen area.

There are any sites on the internet dedicated to home solar and / or wind power.  Now as we all know, great care must be taken with all forms of power and that’s truer than ever for anything installed in a domestic situation.  there are some really good guides on the internet, but without visiting a property where a system has been installed and being able to talk to that installer, there could be all kinds of questions to be looked into as the project goes on.

if a system is to be considered safe and worthy of consideration, the designer and installer, if not the same person, must be available to describe the systm in full, how it works and how to get the best out of it when operating.  Also, what would they have done better or differently on their existing system.   What are the optimum operating parameters.  This information should be readily and happily provided to you before you comit.

We are all used to just having electricity available in our homes, and at the flick of a switch, we have power coursing through the house.  But have you ever thought about where this energy comes from?  Here’s a handy guide to where our electricity is created!

Firstly, here in the UK we use a number of different sources for our energy production. There are 4 main areas our electricity comes from.

Fossil Fuels:  These are where most of our electricity comes from.  Burning fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and some oil generates electricity in power stations.  The amount generated by the powerstations changes every year, with some power stations switching fuels depening on the cost of fuel.

Recently I had the joy of some of my brood of grand children visiting.  They live quite some way away so these get togethers are not as frequent as we would all like.  What was also very good was their mum being able to stay along with them for a change instea of having to work that week.

One of the best days was spent at a local college, they had a holiday club aimed at teaching their young charges how to manage their use of electricity and utilities.  There were hands on exhibits set up with working models of everything usually found in the modern family house.  We were amazed at how much could be saved if we only thought ahead.  We had the chance to do laundry the old fashioned way with tub and washing dolly and mangles and much experimenting was enjoyed whilst we learned the most efficient ways to achieve the same ends!

There must be hundreds of times in a day when a person thinks to themselves, “I must use less power, this house is costing me a fortune”.  Then we go about looking for the little things to turn off and save a few pence here and there.  That light that burns in the day time that doesn’t really need to be on.  The washing machine on for only half a load because someone wants something in it sooner.  The tumble drier that is used for nearly all the wash loads, instead of  using the fresh air outside.  This reminds me of staying with relatives in Texas, I asked why the family did not put their washing out in all that glorious natural sunshine.  The looks on the faces of the ladies I sat with could have killed!  It is considerd highly unsociable to hang any washing outside there.  What a pity, in a country that already uses up so much of our precious resource!

• Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioning or AC – probably  a good tip for the UK where it’s rarely warm enough to need AC, but if you do have it, AC uses a huge amount more electricity than simple fans!
• Replace leaky windows – Make sure you have at least double glazed windows (you can even get triple glazed now!) to save heat in winter and keep cooler in summer
• Insulate walls and attics – cavity wall insulation is a great idea for all homes, and the thickest attic insulation will prevent your home from losing heat
• Check the energy rating of your appliances – all appliances for the home are rated in stars now, so check your appliances are A* rated for the best efficiency!  Important for those you use regularly like cookers, dishwashers and washing machines.

Nuclear: Around 20% of our electricity is generated by nuclear reactors, where uranium atoms are split to create heat (known as nuclear fission).  The nuclear power stations we have in the UK are due to be closed and several companies have plans for a new generation of reactors to be built from 2018 onwards.

Renewables: Renewable energy creation through wind farms, solar farms and wave power make up around 25% of our electricity.  The EU have set targets of around 30% of electricity to be created through renewable sources by 2020.

Import: finally, we are connected to systems in France, the Netherlands and Ireland through interconnector cables.  This allows us to import and export electricty when economical.  Around 6% electricity was imported into the UK last year.

The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings came into effect progressively from 2007 and is an important part of government strategies for tackling climate change. The principle underlying the Directive is to make energy use in buildings transparent by the issuing of a certificate showing the energy rating of a property, accompanied by recommendations on how to improve efficiency. This energy performance certificate (EPC) must be provided whenever a property is constructed, rented out or sold. The EPC shows the energy efficiency rating (relating to running costs) of a dwelling. The rating is shown on an A–G rating scale similar to those used for refrigerators and other electrical appliances.

When the construction of a new building is completed, the builder or person responsible for the construction is responsible for obtaining the certificate and providing it to the owner. This is a duty under Building Regulations. This will also apply if a building is converted into fewer or more units and there are changes to the heating, hot water provision or air conditioning/ ventilation services.

Domestic properties require an EPC on construction and some commercial buildings will require an EPC on construction or conversion.

Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is leading the introduction of a number of energy and cost savings measures to make all buildings more efficient. The measures are being applied across all European Union countries and are in line with the European Directive for the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) (recast).