According to an article on the Energy Saving Trust website, property expert George Clarke is urging homeowners to replace their single-glazed windows with double glazing.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, George Clarke, presenter of Channel 4 Television’s “The Home Show” and “The Restoration Man” explained: “When you look at the potential energy savings, every house in the country ought to be double glazed.”
Mr Clarke has provided advice to consumers about how they can reduce energy bills and make their day to day living more energy efficient. He added: “There is a perception that eco-designed homes are newbuilds, with a lot of hi-tech modern features. But all homes need to become eco-homes if we are to reduce carbon emissions in line with the Kyoto Protocol.”
The article posted by Mark Stephens on the Energy Saving Trust website highlighted how much energy, fuel and money can be saved by installing home improvements such as energy efficient double glazing and loft insulation.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Energy
One way you can save money and save energy according to the Footprints Ecoshop website is by fitting thermally efficient windows, as energy efficient double-glazing cuts heat loss and also reduces noise and condensation problems. According to the Energy Saving Trust installing energy efficient double glazing could mean savings of around £135 on bills annually if whole-house single glazing is replaced with Energy Saving Recommended double glazing.
There are of course other ways to ways to save energy and running costs. Key ones include cavity wall insulation, loft insulation door and floor insulation, whilst reducing draughts.
Statistics from the Energy Saving Trust
* The amount of heat lost in homes annually through uninsulated lofts and cavity walls is enough to heat over 1.6 million homes for a year.
*If everyone in the UK that could installed cavity wall insulation, we would cut CO2 emissions by nearly 4 million tonnes. That’s enough CO2 to fill over 22 million double-decker buses or fill Wembley stadium 500 times.
*If every household in the UK, that could installed cavity wall insulation, it would save around £700 million a year or enough energy to heat 900,000 homes for the same period.
*If everyone in the UK installed loft insulation up to 270mm thickness, the financial saving would pay the gas bills of around 770,000 families for a year.
*We would also save nearly 3 million tonnes of CO2 per year, the equivalent saving of taking nearly 1 million UK cars off the road.
It is obviously up to property owners to invest in insulating their premises to reduce running costs, reduce their carbon footprint and save energy. As the saying goes “no pain, no gain”, as capital outlay is required if one wants to address heat loss, improve energy efficiency, thereby saving long term on energy bills.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Energy, Saving Money
Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty the Queens main residence in London
I am delighted to hear that our beloved Queen Elizabeth II seems to be well aware of this, as I have read reports on the Energy Saving Trust website suggesting
Her Majesty is planning install double-glazed windows in Buckingham Palace.
As the Energy Saving Trust website states “Not only will this bring down the British Royal Family’s energy costs by keeping heat inside the building, but it will also allow them to improve their green credentials.”
According to the Energy Saving Trust’s calculations, the average household can save around £135 a year on their heating costs by fitting double glazing.
But the typical family home is miniscule in comparison to Her Majesty the Queen’s central London residence, Buckingham Palace, which has served as the official London home of all Britain’s monarchs since 1837.
Buckingham Palace comprises of no less than 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and an incredible 78 bathrooms. Given the massive costs of maintaining and heating all these rooms, if the Queen does fit double glazing, she will certainly see some massive savings on her energy costs, thereby reducing her Royal carbon footprint.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Energy, Saving Money
Earlier this year, the then Labour Government Housing and Planning Minister John Healey announced that the Government were going to be intoducing new building regulations, which they hoped, would make the domestic housing sector more conscious of environmental issues.
As a consequence, UK property owners planning to rennovate or extend or update the look of their premises will now legally from 1st October 2010 have to ensure they install energy efficient windows in order to reduce the amount of heat being wasted, and reduce carbon emissions.
With the current Building Regulations expiring on 30th September 2010, builders working on new housing will also have to ensure the properties they build after 1st October 2010 are greener, as part of an effort to save two million tonnes of carbon a year – equivalent to three million vehicles being taken off the country’s roads.
When making the announcement earlier in 2010 Mr Healey said: “More than one in three of the buildings we’ll be working in and living in by 2050 have not yet been built, so action now can make a real difference in the future.”
As ususal, it seems the British home owners and taxpayers are going to have to fund the Governments commitments made in the Kyoto Treaty to cut the UK’s carbon emissions. As of October 2009, 187 states had signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, aimed at combating global warming
No grants, encouragement and incentives to get property owners to take long term energy measures, only legislation and taxation to ensure that if any property owner does want to improve their property by replacing any windows or doors, they now have no choice but to pay for the best most energy saving thermally efficient products money can buy, without any sort of Government assistance, and probably at a higher VAT rate – great!
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Energy, Windows & Doors
“Tackling climate change is one of the biggest long-term challenges we face. That is why on this occasion we need the building industry to comply with the new regulations much more rapidly than normal. These new regulations, combined with those in 2002, deliver a 40% increase in energy efficiency standards in just four years, and cut householders’ fuel bills too” – Yvette Cooper, Housing and Planning Minister, 22nd February 2006.
Hazlemere Windows has been supportive of Part L since its inception in April 2002. We also acknowledge the escalating issue of global climate change, and in particular, the need for us all to reduce our carbon footprint in the UK.
Although Part L has been mandatory for over eight years now, we are constantly asked from customers and clients about the key elements of Part L and how it affects their commercial or domestic property. With this in mind, we wanted to give a brief but highly essential introduction to Part L.
When did Part L come into effect?
Part L came into effect under the Building Regulations on the 1st April 2002, and is only applicable to residents in England and Wales. Part L concerns ‘Conservation of Fuel and Power’ and was delivered on the 6th April 2006 to ensure compliance with the legal obligations set out in the European Union Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The EPBD is a new performance standard based upon target carbon dioxide emissions rates for buildings.
How does Part L affect your home or business?
If your business carries out electrical installation work in England and Wales, you will need to be coherent with the elements of Part L, as well as being reliable and efficient to guarantee your work complies with these strict requirements. It is also likely that you’ll be inspected by the Local Authority’s Building Control (LABC).
The other option you have is to self-certify your work. In order to do this you must be a member of a government approved self-certification scheme. The self-certification schemes have now been widened throughout England and Wales for Part L, with more scheme operators approved to assist with the rising applications. If you are a member of a Government approved competent person’s scheme, the LABC is obliged to accept your self-certification.
What should you do guarantee your property is Part L compliant?
There are a number of guidelines within each Approved Document (L1A, L1B, L2A, L2B), which will need to be considered, depending on the type of work you are carrying out and the building within which you are working. There are four clear Part L sections your business needs to adhere to. Although the requirements are fairly prevalent, the guidance provided in Approved Document L are dissimilar for each section:
1) L1A – Conservation of fuel and power in new dwellings.
2) L1B – Conservation of fuel and power in existing dwellings.
3) L2A – Conservation of fuel and power in new buildings other than dwellings.
4) L2B – Conservation of fuel and power in existing buildings other dwellings.
In what instances would your business be exempt from Part L?
– If work has started before 6th April 2006 in accordance with a building notice, full plans, initial notice or amendment notice.
– Full plans are not required to be deposited; a contract is entered into before 6th April 2006, provided that the work is started before 1st October 2006.
– Full plans have been deposited and approved before 6th April 2006, provided that work is started before 1st April 2007.
– A plans certificate or plans certificate combined with an initial notice has been given to a local authority before 6th April 2006, provided that the work is started before 1st April 2007.
Hazlemere Windows would be happy to discuss Part L with you in more detail, or how your property can benefit from replacement windows, doors and conservatories.
Download a two page PDF explaining how the changes to Part L of the Building Regulations coming into effect on 1st October 2010 may affect decisions you are making about your property now.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Windows & Doors
Here at Hazlemere Windows, Doors and Conservatories we have spent some considerable time developing our products in response to the proposed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations that are scheduled to come into effect on 1st October 2010. As soon as the Government formally announces these changes (which is supposed to be around Easter time), it will mean big changes for both property owners and the entire double glazing industry.
The proposed changes, if all adopted by the Government on 1st October 2010 (which is expected as they are a necessary part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions) will have wide ranging financial, legal, and timescale implications for every property owner in the UK who wants to replace windows or doors, build an extension or a conservatory or build a new house. Here at Hazlemere Windows head office and factory in High Wycombe, Bucks, we have been gearing up for these major changes for a fair period of time, as if enforced on 1st October 2010 as planned by the Government, they will make many double glazing products currently being sold in the UK obsolete overnight.
Consequently, Hazlemere has developed and had certified A, B and C rated aluminium and UPVC windows that will comply with the new regulations. These have a technically higher spec that D, E, F and G rated products, argon filled sealed units and higher specification glass and spacer bar. Consequently they do cost more to make, but in terms of energy efficiency and energy saving they are top notch, delivering the highest level of energy efficient performance.
The good news is that Hazlemere has been manufacturing and selling these products for years, so has the knowledge and expertise as independent double glazing manufacturers and installers to help home owners choose the right energy saving products for their property. In addition they have been tested and approved by the British Fenestration Rating Council and endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust. Hazlmere’s aluminium windows achieve an A, B and C energy rating by having a thermal break between the inner and outer aluminium frame.
Once the Government announcement on Part L of the Building Regulation changes is made, and all the detailed legal and financial ramifications known, both homeowners and the double glazing industry will know the cut off date for installing existing products, which as we understand it is likely to be 30th September 2010.
The bottom line, as it appears to me personally, is that it will be UK property owners like you and me (should we want to improve our property), who will legally be obligated to pay for and install higher energy rated double glazing to help the Government get anywhere near meeting its carbon emission targets. Not only this, but all the UK double glazing industry is going to have to gear up to these changes. Fortunately, in Hazlemere Windows case, we have spent considerable time and effort investing in energy efficient energy saving windows, so the Hazlemere Group is very much geared up for the future to assist properties cut their carbon emissions and thereby reduce their carbon footprint.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Home Improvements
When I was thinking about the ways I could insulate my own home against future cold snaps, I came across an excellent Wales Online article by Graham Henry of the South Wales Echo. Having lived in Wales for three years when at Lampeter University in Dyfed during the early 1980’s I recalled a time when I was one of only a handfull of students that had gone back early before the start of the term, only to be caught up in and witness the greatest snowfall of my lifetime, yes far greater than the January 2010 snowfalls in Southern England.
The snowfall was so great, there were drifts over seven feet deep and all the roads were impassable even for snowploughs and tractors! All the electricity supplies were cut off for days and the only heating we had was the gas stoves in the Refectory (at least we had food!). None of the University rooms on campus had any heating, so at night we literally froze, however many layers of clothes and gloves we wore. We ended up being cut off by road for over a week, something I will never forget, as it delayed the start of term. Boy, did we appreciate heating and lighting after that!!
So when I read “How you can beat the big freeze and cut your carbon footprint” published on Wales Online on 12th January 2010 by Graham Henry of the South Wales Echo I thought it would be helpful to let you read the article, given the recent Arctic conditions in the entire UK.
“THE big chill has meant many people have been forced to stay in their homes and crank up the heating. That can hit not only the pocket – leaving many fearing higher bills during the cold snap – but also the environment. Wales already has the unwanted title of highest carbon emitter in the UK, with the Energy Saving Trust estimating we waste £200m of energy every year due to poorly insulated homes. So, as the mercury plummets, we have a handy guide of top tips to keeping warm this winter without harming the environment or your bank balance.
1. Cavity wall insulation
Cavity wall insulation saves around £115 a year from heating bills. The typical cost of installation is about £500, but with many grants available to qualifying Welsh residents the cost can be as low as £99.
2. Loft insulation
Insulating your loft can save around £150 every year on energy bills at the recommended level of 27cm. The typical cost of installing loft insulation is around £250, but there are many grant schemes operating in Wales to help ease costs. Insulation reduces the need for the heating to be on high, and leads to less energy being wasted.
3. Replace old boilers
Replacing an old boiler with an A-rated one and fitting a full set of heating controls can reduce your heating bills by up to 40%. Any boilers that are more than 15 years old can be considered G-rated and might be inefficient. The Government’s boiler scrappage scheme offers a £400 cashback voucher when you scrap your old boiler and replace it with an A-rated boiler or renewable heat technology.
4. Tweaking your thermostat
Turning the temperature of your thermostat down by just 1°C can save you 6% on your heating bills – about £30 a year. You probably won’t notice the difference at home but, if you do find that you’re cold, set your boiler to come on earlier, That way, you won’t be cold while you wait for the house to heat up.
5. Water tank insulation
Just fitting a “jacket” around your water tank could save you about £35 a year and190kg of CO2. Installing a British Standard jacket around your tank reduces heat loss by more than 75% and insulating your primary pipe work can save another £10 from your bills and around 60kg of CO2 emissions.
6. Draught proofing
Draught proofing your windows and doors can save about £25 a year and around 130kg of CO2, meaning that it often pays for itself within a year. Seals are usually made from self-adhesive foam, rubber or brush material and you can get them from DIY shops or you can have a professional fit them.
7. Wear layers
There is often no substitute for keeping warm by wearing a few layers of thin clothing rather than just one big, bulky item. Try wearing slippers inside and don’t leave the house without a warm hat and scarf.
8. Glazing
Installing double glazing in your home can cut heat loss through windows by 50%, as well as saving you £135 a year on your heating bills. It can also cut around 720kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) usage a year. For those who can’t afford double glazing, there is a budget alternative. Cover windows with a clear, plastic film that tightens over the pane when heated with a hairdryer, which reduces heat loss cheaply.
9. Blocking unused chimneys
You can seal unused chimneys with newspaper or a purpose-made “chimney balloon” which inflates to block the fireplace. Remember to take them out again should you decide to use your chimney.
10. Stick to new year’s resolutions
Stopping smoking is a little-known way of keeping warm during the cold snap. Not only will it save you money, but kicking the habit can improve your circulation within just two weeks and means that you don’t have to go out in the cold to have a cigarette.
Exercise can also help circulation and keep you warm from the inside. You don’t need to join a gym, just a little bit of housework each day can improve your health and reduce the need for heating.” (”How you can beat the big freeze and cut your carbon footprint” published on Wales Online on 12th January 2010 by Graham Henry of the South Wales Echo)
For advice on how to stop wasting energy, you can contact the Energy Saving Trust on freephone 0800 512 012 or visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Home Improvements
In 2009 the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) petitioned the Government to introduce a national windows scrappage scheme, whereby householders would be encouraged to scrap their old poorly insulated windows in return for a £1000 grant towards the installation of new, professionally installed, energy efficient ones.
The petition has been signed by over 4,000 people to date, via ePetition, on the Official website of the Prime Minister’s Office – number10.gov.uk.
The GGF maintains that consumers would save approximately £1000 and enjoy a facelift to their homes, as well as lowering fuel bills and becoming more energy efficient homes. The Government would also benefit from reduced emissions from the existing housing stock, helping it to meet the necessary greenhouse gas emissions targets. In addition that would also reclaim some of the grant money in VAT.
GGF chief executive, Nigel Rees, is encouraged by a similar scheme that has been launched in the heating industry, where home owners receive a £400 grant to install an energy-efficient boiler. Replacing a home’s single glazing with energy-efficient windows could save on average £150 and 0.3 tonnes of carbon!
“There are thousands of homes in the UK with single glazed windows, which could benefit from a scrappage scheme,” he said. “This would have numerous other benefits. Not only would the household save money in the long term, but the scheme would help the UK to meet its carbon emissions targets.”
See how Hazlemere home improvement’s energy rated windows can help reduce your carbon footprint, as well as imparting your support for the national windows scrappage scheme – saving us all energy and money in the long term.
For more information visit: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/windowscrappage
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Money
When it comes to reducing our own carbon footprint or reducing our energy consumption, we all have to start somewhere. Doing nothing yourself just because other people do nothing to reduce climate change is obviously not the answer, but leading by example is always a good way to go.
We can all start by being more efficient by using energy-efficient light bulbs, turning down the thermostat on our central heating or night storage heaters. We can get a Home Energy Check done, run our fridges at 3-5°C, plus heat hot water to only 60°C, draw curtains earlier in the day thereby retaining more heat indoors. We can also set the washing machine to 30-40°C, dry clothes naturally, recycle, switch electrical equipment we are not using off as soon as we have stopped using it and print less emails and literature.
An important and effective way to reduce our carbon footprint is to insulate our homes and workplaces. We can do this by improving loft insulation, insulating cavity walls, laging boilers and pipes, insulating hot water tanks, installing solar hot water systems, along with energy efficient, energy saving double glazing.
We can choose to travel less, work from home wherever possible rather than commuting, car-share and fly less. Other ways to reduce our carbon footprint and help the environment include eating green, cutting down on meat consumption (farming animals for food leaves a huge carbon footprint), buying as much local produce as possible therefore reducing “food miles”.
We can also opt to think rainforest and shop “forest-friendly” (look for the logos of the Forest Stewardship Council or the Rainforest Alliance) when buying wooden things as deforestation accounts for 20 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions. It is never too late to start to reduce your carbon footprint, which at the end of the day is your call, but whatever your actions (and those of others), we will have to all live with the consequences in the short, medium and long term.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Energy
I was thrilled when the former Dr Who, Colin Baker, in his Bucks Free Press article entitled, “Look Who’s Talking” on Friday 4th December 2009, suggested that “Anyone wanting to reduce their energy consumption should look at http://www.hazlemere.co.uk/blog/category/savingenergy”
Colin Baker’s column also discussed the GGF’s campaign to encourage the government “to introduce a national window scrappage scheme, recommending a grant of £1,000 to encourage homeowners to replace energy inefficient glazing with environmentally friendly windows.”
This former Dr Who, Colin Baker further comments on the potential merits of a national window scrappage scheme stating that a “single glazing scrappage scheme from central government could result in considerable savings in fossil fuel depletion, emissions and waste, offering immediate potential savings of 10% as a result of this initiative alone.”
Naturally I found his article both very intersting and amusing, especially when he said that I like him are “a failed manager of the universe”, which made me wonder if he had read my profile on my own personal blog “Champions Don’t Give Up, They Get Up“. I trust he found my blog entitled “Why on earth do double glazing companies in Bucks use high pressure selling tactics” interesting? Although, as the sixth Dr Who, I am sure Colin Baker had more pressing matters to concern him.
The first Dr Who I can remember from my distant past was, the third Dr Who, Jon Pertwee, but I certainly remember Colin Baker as Dr Who, who is now a school governor who suggests we should invest in the present to save energy for the future…”replacing these windows would pay for itself in a compartively short time in terms of the legacy we leave just the next generation, let alone those after.” (Colin Baker, Look Who’s Talking article on page 15 of the Bucks Free Press on 4/12/09)
The former Dr Who, Colin Baker also kindly says about Bucks based independent double glazing window and door manufacturers, suppliers and installers Hazlemere Windows that “independent and local are both good in my book.” Find out what else Colin Baker had to say in his article about reducing energy consumption
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Money
