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November 2005

No Insurance For Flood Risk
Climate change could cause the number of people at high risk from flooding to rise from 1.5 million to 3.5 million, and some homes and businesses could be uninsurable to flood risk in the future, according to a new report by MORE THAN, the direct arm of insurer Royal & Sun Alliance. Campaign group Friend's Of The Earth say this... more
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BRE Forms Sustainability Board
BRE Certification Ltd has formed a Sustainability Board to provide independent governance of BRE’s sustainability tools, methodologies and standards, including BREEAM, Environmental Profiles and the Green Guides. The Board represents a wide cross section of stakeholders from the construction industry, including designers, developers, end... more
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Govt Says One Thing And Does Another On Solar
As the G8 governments gathered in London for the Dialogue on Climate Change as promised in the summer, the UK Government told the world again that climate change is a great threat. It said that the UK is leading the way in combating that threat. But for solarcentury, leaders in the U.K. P.V. industry, the... more
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LEADER -
'Underfunding' cries for carbon programme

The government has announced £30million funding, over three years, for the Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP). However, Dave Hampton, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) sustainability spokesman said, “This funding is welcome but represents £13m less than has been spent on the Clear Skies and Major Photovoltaics Demonstration programmes since 2002. Why not add an extra zero or two on the budget; surely our children are worth it.  Establishing a low carbon built infrastructure is likely to be the best investment UK plc could ever make. With the public becoming more aware of the massive indirect or 'external' costs of fossil fuel dependence - both the cost of the oil - and the costs of the CO2 emissions - the budget for schemes like this could justifiably be £3billion, not £30million.”

Obviously the CIOB is disappointed for the industry after two energy white papers which promised long-term funding for photovoltaics and other renewable technologies. 50% of the UK carbon problem can be apportioned directly to the buildings we live and work in.

Chris Tomlinson of the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) said in a recent press release: "There is an enormous public appetite for the uptake of small wind and other renewable systems and this announcement is a step in the right direction towards harnessing the power of our homes, schools and offices. The best way for the public and industry to respond to this is to demonstrate that appetite by ensuring this scheme is a sell-out and to build a powerful case for even more government action on small scale renewables."
 
At present it is proposed that the programme will operate for a 6 year period, beginning on April 1st 2006.  Some £1.5 million of the funding package will be brought forward to allow further funding for the two existing programmes, in order to help transition to the new programme. As well as continuing to fund single installations, the programme will focus on supporting large scale developments in the public and private sectors to act as exemplars and encourage further projects.
 
Potential beneficiaries will include schools, leisure centres or even remote villages that are not connected to the grid. Other projects could include housing estates or business parks. A focus on larger developments is designed to engage the construction sector more widely and to help push microgeneration products towards commercial viability.

Clear Skies is due to end in March 2006 with a final deadline for community applications having just passed, which sparked fears that there may be a gap between the two programmes. The government consulted widely on the Low Carbon Building Programme and once the new programme starts it is expected to give grant support for individuals, schools and communities to put renewable power on their buildings.

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Campaigners Say, Every Little Helps
The Centre For Alternative Technology (CAT) has welcomed the recent announcement by Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks of the new £30 million funding package for micro wind turbines, solar panels and other microgeneration technologies. The grant scheme will run for three years and replaces the current Clear Skies and Major Photovoltaic... more  back to top

CO2 Emissions Will Rise 52% By 2030
New figures, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) this week, show that global emissions of carbon dioxide look set to rise by 52 per cent by 2030 because of growing energy demand. Friends of the Earth said the figures showed the urgent need for international action to tackle climate change by switching to low carbon energy... more   back to top

New E.U. Regs Could Hit Property Values
Controversial plans to name and shame commercial buildings that are not energy efficient could shave millions of pounds off their value. The European Union Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which aims to cut carbon emissions in line with the Kyoto Protocol, means that commercial buildings in Britain will be given an energy... more  back to top

Funding for Energy Efficient Communities
The Energy Saving Trust has announced a funding boost of £1.25 million in grants to 28 innovative energy saving projects to help make communities across the country more energy efficient. With three weeks to go until the next deadline for funding applications on 30 November, the Energy Saving Trust is calling on applicants across the... more    back to top 

Renewable Energy? "Not in My Back Yard!" University energy experts are showcasing a three year study to investigate "NIMBY" attitudes towards renewable energy at the UK's first ever energy research summit tomorrow. The research will look at factors influencing the "Not In My Back Yard" response to renewable energy technologies such as onshore and offshore wind turbines... more   back to top

East Of England Growth Disasterous,
Say FOE

Greenhouse gas emissions will soar across the East of England unless the Regional Assembly amends its plan to promote large scale and rapid growth, Friends of the Earth East of England have warned, as the Examination in Public of the East of England Plan opens in Ely on November 1st. more  back to top

 

 

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Forthcoming Events

Delivering Environmentally Friendly Social Housing: 17 Nov
Capita’s conference is specifically designed and tailored to meet the needs of the social housing sector, covering both new build development and large-scale refurbishment. ... join the debate on how to reconcile sustainability with other key priorities such as affordability, tenant empowerment, diversity and efficiency... more   
 
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Hockerton Housing Project Master Class/Tour: 17 Nov
A practical case study of sustainability. Learn practicalities of building sustainably - an understanding of strategies and technologies for ultra low energy building and 'zero heating 'design... more   back to top

More events here...

Green Building Forum

Post your questions on our green building forum. If other website visitors don't offer an answer then we will get you one within 72 hours.

 

Under Floor Heating; Real world experience?

Does any one have any real life experience of using underfloor heating?
... I am worried that I may repeat my dreadful experience with those off-peak electric storage heaters.
...Go to this thread

Thermal shuttering on windows

As far as I can tell, windows are the thermal weak link in a well insulated wall. If I were to make some nice internal thermal shutters using Thermafleece or polystyrene or similar would that help?
...Go to this thread

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