Network - The free AECB newsletter - May 2012
Network - The free AECB newsletter - May 2012 |
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Network the free newsletter from AECB, is sent to AECB members, former members, and those who independently subscribe to it. If you are not already an AECB member we hope you will consider joining us -- find out about the benefits of membership, and join or rejoin the AECB here. If information is passed on or reused, acknowledgment for items of AECB news should be credited to AECB (www.aecb.net). For other items please credit the original source. Information contained in this mailing does not necessarily represent the views or policy of the AECB or the Network editor, nor does any reference contained herein imply any form of endorsement. |
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If you have any news, events or courses you would like to publicise in Network then please email details to network@aecb.net. |
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We are keen to hear from AECB members wishing to share a news item about themselves or their company to include on the AECB News Platform. This could be an award you have recently won for a project, a product or your service. This is strictly an area for promoting AECB member news only and we will therefore not be able to publish any items which AECB considers to be purely advertising of products or services. AECB retain the right to reject straightforward advertising items.
Please
send your short item (max 200 words) plus a link to your website and one picture,
to AECB Business Operations Manager, Gill Rivers - gill@aecb.net
Less Is More: Energy Security After Oil (LIM) From The AECB.This report has been published at the end of an unprecedented 15 years in UK energy policy history. It began with the formal acceptance of the need for a climate change policy by the last Conservative Government in 1997 and culminated with the Climate Change Act and the 4th Carbon Budget. LIM is a significant new contribution to the debate. A full copy of the report is available to download here. We also have a small quantity of printed copies of the report available to purchase at a price of £20 each (inc P&P). To place your order and arrange payment please contact sally@aecb.net. Please feel
free to circulate the report to others. When you have had an opportunity
to read the report please disseminate any feedback on the AECB Forum discussion
board at http://aecb.net/forum/index.php/topic,3540.0.html |
This Year's Must Have Fashion AccessoryIf any AECB members would like some of the greenwash badges that were a big hit at Ecobuild they can be posted out to you by return. The document below can also be printed out and used for publicity. In addition we have a quantity of A5 flyers promoting the AECB and these can be posted out on request. There is no charge for any of these items. Please contact Sally Hall on sally@aecb.net who will arrange for these items to be sent to you. To download the publicity poster go to http://aecb.net/news/2012/04/this-years-must-have-fashion-accessory/.
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Soapbox: Can We Afford To Be Green?In this month's Soapbox, Neil May asks why people think they can't afford to create decent, efficient, healthy buildings, and says that we need to grapple with macro-economics if we are to understand why building performance is so poor in the UK. Visit http://aecb.net/news/2012/04/can-we-afford-to-be-green/
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Government Fumbles The Ball On Part L Consequential Improvements, But Green Deal Limps OnJust after the closure of the consultation on the proposals for consequential improvements in the Department for Communities and Local Government in the Part L consultation, the press discovered the proposals - and went to town. The proposals -- for improvements to energy efficiency to be required when house is extended or there were other notifiable alterations such as a new boiler or windows - were labelled a 'conservatory tax' or 'tax on aspiration', and minister appeared to be pitted against minister. The articles misrepresented the 'guidance' level of spending of 10% as an obligatory level, and described the suggestion that the works could be covered by a Green Deal, as an obligation to take out a Green Deal. The papers also mistranslated 'extension' as 'conservatory', despite the fact that the great majority of conservatory purchases would be exempt. The press then went on to find research showing that in some projects, that resembled the Green Deal in only some respects, energy savings from energy saving measures did not cost less than the repayments, and/or were not as great as had been modelled. The media conjured these misunderstandings into a story that householders erecting a conservatory would be obliged to take out a Green Deal at 10% of the value of the works, which would leave them out of pocket - hence the "Conservatory Tax". Because of the some overblown reporting of possible Prime Ministerial misgivings about consequential improvements, and the muddling of the Green Deal and the consequential improvements, it even looked briefly as though the Green Deal itself was in question. Subsequent clarifications however have stated the Government's continued commitment to the Green Deal - and all that the Government is saying about consequential improvements is "they are part of a consultation". For a good account of this 'storm in a teacup' see http://markbrinkley.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/conservatory-tax-what-happens-next.html and http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2012/04/the-great-green-myth There is
however lingering concern that this furore has not helped promote the
programme, and that if consequential improvements do fall, then the amount
of Green Deal activity may be a lot lower than the would-be installers
had been hoping. |
Ventilation Myths Busted - New LinkMark Siddall's excellent article about the myths and realities of Passivhaus ventilation now has a permanent home on the AECB website, http://aecb.net/news/2012/03/passivhaus-ventilation-its-not-a-lot-of-hot-air/ The article has received an enthusiastic welcome, described as a "Great debunking of PH ventilation myths" and "brilliant" among other praise. Download the pdf and enjoy it for yourself if you missed it last month. |
AECB: Annual General Meeting - Important Notice For All AECB MembersThe AECB's EcoBuilding Conference and AGM is being held on 28-29 June 2012 at Goldsmiths College, New Cross, London. The AGM business will be dealt with at 9.00am on Friday 29th June 2012 and AECB members are invited to attend. The Agenda is set out below and will also be posted on the website with the Annual Report (including the report of the Chairman) and accounts for the period. For full details of this exciting and stimulating conference please visit www.aecb.net. If you wish to attend you are encouraged to book as soon as possible as numbers are limited. Please note that any AECB member can attend the AGM business session only free of charge. If you have been or you represent a member company that has been an AECB member for more than 12 months, are you willing to serve as a Trustee of the Association and subsequently sit as a Director of the AECB Board? If you are interested please telephone the existing Chairman, Chris Herring, on 01484 461705. He will be able to explain what is involved and the input the AECB needs. It would also be useful to visit the members' area at www.aecb.net where minutes, reports, trustee and company information is posted. If you have any item you wish to include on the agenda for the meeting under Item 9 please let Sally (email: sally@aecb.net or tel: 0845 456 9773) have full details before the 28 May 2012. The agenda, annual report, accounts, minutes of the last AGM and other relevant information can be viewed at www.aecb.net.
The AECB is a company limited by guarantee. Company No 5336768 Company Secretary:
Peter Wilkinson. Registered Office: 30 Linden Road, Earby, Barnoldswick,
Lancashire BB18 6XR |
AECB 2012 Dates For Your DiaryRegister now for the 2012 Annual Conference 28-29 June 2012 | New Academic Building, Goldsmiths University, London The 2012 Annual Members' Conference will take place at the New Academic Building at Goldsmiths University in South East London on Thursday 28 - Friday 29 June. Join us for another great mix of workshops and presentations on a variety of themes with case studies and technical workshops exploring a range of issues. As with all AECB events, the emphasis is on sharing information and solutions and plenty of time will be allotted to discussion. Headline speakers include: Anne Power, Sue Roaf and Penney Poyzer. In addition you can look forward to workshops covering the following topics among others: Indoor air quality, using natural building products, embodied energy and carbon, refurb and the Green Deal and Less is More. Confirmation
of additional speakers and presentations will be added to the conference
web page in the coming weeks. How to book Registration is now open: We have kept the price at £200 (+VAT) - the same as for the last 3 years - and have reserved very reasonably priced ensuite accommodation on campus - but please book early as accommodation is limited. You can make your booking online go to http://www.aecb.net/conference2012.php. Calling all exhibitors We have secured a good sized exhibition space alongside the refreshment areas. Book early for the best spaces and a cost - effective way to bring your products or services to the attention of over 200 practitioners. Email conference@aecb.net
for details. |
Special Event: AECB And Passivhaus Trust Saturday 30th JuneGoldsmiths College, London, SE14 Following on from the AECB conference we are hosting special events with the Passivhaus Trust. These events are open to the public but at a discounted rate for AECB and Passivhaus Trust members.
Parallel session:
You can make
your booking online here.
For further information please contact Karen Purvis, AECB Conference Secretariat,
on conference@aecb.net. |
AECB CarbonLite Passivhaus CoursesThe CarbonLite
programme offers flexibility to individuals and their organisations, as
courses can be taken as 1 and 2 day modules or as the intensive 2-week
Passivhaus Designer course, in preparation for the Passivhaus Designer
Examination. We host the exam 4 times annually, with a free revision day
to prepare you for the examination. Our pass rates speak for themselves! 2012 Course
Dates:
The two day course 'Using PHPP to Design Low Energy Buildings' practical hands-on course will provide purchasers of PHPP with the skills necessary to design low energy and CO2 buildings to the AECB standards. The course is £499 plus VAT for AECB members and £599 plus VAT for non members. Further information or to book a place on CarbonLite courses and Certified Passivhaus Designer assessment is available at www.carbonlite.org.uk/carbonlite/courses.php or contact Dawn Padley at dawn@peterwarm.co.uk (01752 542546) |
ech2o Win SWIG Award For Be Water Aware! In Hackney Schoolsech2o won first prize in the behaviour change category at the recent inaugural SWIG awards held in the fabulous surroundings of the top floor of City Hall with stunning views over the River Thames.
Be Water Aware! is a workshop/series of workshops they run with school pupils and Housing Association tenants across the UK, focusing on participants understanding exactly where they use most water and how simple behavioural change solutions, combined with low tech water efficiency devices can result in large amounts of water saved. This particular project was in conjunction with Hackney City Farm as part of their 60 steps to 60% initiative. We worked directly with 2,403 pupils and 120 teachers across 10 schools. We estimated that the cumulative saving from pupils and teachers reducing their hot water use at home was 16,751m3 of hot water and 174.5 tonnes of CO2. You can download an overview of the project or the detailed report. Go to http://www.ech2o.co.uk/swigaward.shtml and www.sustainablewater.org.uk/ ech2o also publish a newsletter please go to http://www.ech2o.co.uk/newsletter.shtml Current articles include:
We have started a page on our website for issues about water around the world... The idea came about when a friend of mine in New Delhi responded to our first newsletter, saying he liked it followed by a couple of sentences about how he used water. I asked him to expand on this and the idea was born! Read more
Inspired
by standing in her parents shower with a head full of shampoo as the flow
stopped altogether, this is a light hearted look by Cath Hassell about
her shower use throughout the year. Read
more.
If you've got a shower that you think could be part of this project please
drop an email to info@ech2o.co.uk. |
Forthcoming Local Group Events In May:
The Hampshire Group will be visiting the controversial 280ft wind turbine situated in Green Park Business Park near the M4 in Reading. Since 2005, when it began producing energy, there has been much written about the lack of efficiency of this wind turbine which is capable of generating two megawatts (two million watts) of electricity. AECB members have the opportunity of finding out whether this is true and will discuss wind turbines in general. Ian Gough, of Green Education consultancy, has kindly arranged for an AECB exclusive tour, teach-in session and Q & A. Ian Gough is Professorial Research Fellow in CASE (the Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion) and LSE Global Governance. Until summer 2009 he was Professor of Social Policy at the University of Bath, where he is now Professor Emeritus. He is currently researching climate change and social policy, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. The Group will then proceed to a local pub for further discussions. Date: 8th May 2012 Time: 6.30pm to 8.00pm Venue: Assemble at the base of the wind turbine. Parking: Costco, 100 South Oak Way, Green Park, Reading, Berks RG2 6UE
The date of the next meeting of the SWAD Local Group will be on Thursday 10th May 2012 at 7.30pm with a visit and talk at Somerset Earth Science Centre (SESC) a 'Zero' Energy Development (ZED) in Moon's Hill Quarry, Stoke St Micheal, Radstock, Somerset BA3 5JU. On entering the quarry entrance turn right and follow the signs to Somerset Earth Science Centre (SESC). Date: Thursday 10th May 2012 Time: 7.30pm Tea & coffee to be provided for which SESC have asked us to make a small donation. For further information on the building and location please visit SESC's website at http://www.earthsciencecentre.org.uk/
Matthew Richards,
leader of the Oxford Group, is organising the next meeting at Oxford Brookes
University. The provisional date is 25th May 2012 at 7.30 pm - for more
details visit http://aecb.net/news/category/events/upcoming.
RSVP: debbie@aecb.net |
Bioenergy Strategy Unveiled By Energy MinisterEnergy Minister Charles Hendry today unveiled a new bioenergy strategy for the UK that could see the creation of a sector producing 11% of the country's energy by 2020 while supporting 50,000 jobs. Bioenergy or biomass is "one of the most versatile forms of low carbon and renewable generation", which can be used to produce heat, electricity or transport fuels, he says, and without the intermittency issues that affect other renewable technologies. Over the last year, the sector has invested over £1.75 billion in UK biomass technologies, which have the potential to support around 4800 new jobs. But with the right support mechanisms in place, this could be much more, says Hendry. In a nod to environmental campaigners' concerns about biomass, the Energy Minister says that the government recognises that bioenergy is "not automatically low carbon, renewable or sustainable" and admits that they don't know how much sustainable biomass will be available to the UK in future. So the first of the government four key principles in its bioenergy strategy is that the technology must offer genuine carbon savings. The strategy's second guiding principle is that bioenergy must be cost effective in meeting the government's energy and climate change objectives. According to Hendry, the government's strategy will also be influenced by the needs of the wider bioeconomy and respond to risks such as food security and biodiversity. In an article for Business Green, Hendry writes: "We are clear that sustainable biomass could be a vital transitional fuel to reduce carbon emissions from current coal power generation. It can be an important tool in diverting waste away from landfill, and advanced biofuels could reduce carbon emissions across transport, particularly aviation and shipping where the alternatives are limited." He adds that the government is clear that it wants bioenergy to deliver a "significant amount" of low carbon energy to the UK. Go to www.businessgreen.com/bg/opinion/2170274/vision-bioenergy |
Government Launches £35 Million Fund For Eco-EntrepreneursThe government today launched a £35 million fund for energy entrepreneurs and a £3 million fund for innovation in heat storage. The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund will make £35 million available over the next three years for SMEs to develop and demonstrate low-carbon, energy efficiency technologies and services. SMEs will be able to apply for up to £1 million in government funding, which can be used to leverage additional private sector funding. The scheme will also provide support from experts on bringing new products to market. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will run the scheme, taking advise from a panel of investors on which companies and ideas to back. Of the £35 million fund, £20 million will initially come from DECC's Buildings Innovation Programme to support energy efficiency technologies like advanced lighting, heat pumps and ventilation systems. A further £15 million will be added to the scheme later to expand the scope to include power generation technologies. The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund will be followed shortly by a £3 million competition in partnership with the Technology Strategy Board to assess the performance of advanced heat storage technologies that can be integrated with domestic heating systems. Meanwhile, the government is also launching an online tool tomorrow, Low Carbon Funding Landscape Navigator, developed by the Energy Generation & Supply Knowledge Transfer Network to help link up providers of and applicants for low carbon funding. |
Prime Minister Opposed To Compulsory Energy Efficiency ImprovementsProposals to require UK homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient when undertaking other renovation or extension work is likely to be opposed by the Prime Minister David Cameron, according to media reports. In an article in The Guardian, a government source is quoted as saying that the suggestion of making energy efficiency improvements mandatory when other improvements are undertaken "will not become policy". The proposals are currently out for consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government and their rejection will be a blow for Liberal Democrat minister Andrew Stunell. The proposals would have seen homeowners required to spend an additional 10% of their renovation or other work costs on energy efficiency measures, which could be funded through the Green Deal. These 'consequential' improvements, as they are known, are already required for buildings over 1000 m2, but this excludes most homes. Go to www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/apr/16/cameron-blocks-green-deal-policy |
Clean Energy Is Not Being Deployed Quickly Enough, Warns IEAClean energy technologies are not being deployed quickly enough, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. The report, Tracking Clean Energy Progress, is being presented at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) summit in London. If not action is taken, these increases are likely to send global temperatures at least 6°C higher. But rapid leaps forward in technology are possible, says the report. The IEA cites the progress made in solar panels for homes and businesses, which have seen costs drop 75% in as little as three years in some places driving a 42% growth in the sector. Onshore wind has also seen average annual growth of 27% over the past decade. But most clean energy technologies, from carbon capture and storage to electric vehicles, are not on track to reduce CO2 emissions at the rate required, cautions the IEA. And enough is not being made of the 'hidden fuel' - energy efficiency, it adds. Go to www.iea.org/ |
ICE Retrofit Solutions For The Housing Sector 2012: Securing A Sustainable Future For Britain's Existing Homes23 - 24 May 2012, Birmingham ICE Retrofit Solutions for the Housing Sector 2012 will focus on retrofitting
Britain's housing stock and preparing for the Green Deal. Finally, with the Green Deal officially starting from October, delegates will hear from colleagues already establishing their organisations as Green Deal Providers, including Birmingham City Council's work on sourcing funding for the programme. Once again bringing together up to 120 senior decision makers from the retrofit supply chain, the conference will also facilitate networking through round-table discussions and catering in a focussed exhibition space. AECB members also qualify for the supporting organisation registration rate of £389 (exc. VAT). For more information visit www.ice-retrofithousing.com or call 020 7665 2305. |
The April Edition Of The Cynnal Cymru E-Zine Is Now Published On Line.Read about urban communities as sustainable places, and David Robinson shares the Early Action Task Force's beliefs. Find out how Bangor University provides a taste of 'One Planet Life' and a new charter has been launched to encourage sustainable food culture. |
'Renewable Energy: Made In Britain,' A Ground-Breaking New Report From The REA And Innovas.This report marks the first time that the turnover and employment figures of the entire UK renewables sector have been quantified and brought together in one place. The report finds that in 2010/11, the UK renewables industry was worth £12.5 billion and supported 110,000 jobs, with 400,000 in total required to meet the 2020 renewables targets. The report also reveals:
The report costs £25.00 per copy and the REA is only able to accept payment by credit card. Go to https://portal.r-e-a.net/App/Products/frmDisplayProduct.aspx?Product=15 Download the Executive Summary free of charge go to http://www.r-e-a.net/resources/pdf/61/Renewable_Energy_-_Made_in_Britain_Executive_Summary.pdf |
New From HIS BRE press:
ISBN: 978-1-84806-253-5 This Guide presents the Urban Futures Method to test the likely future performance of urban development and regeneration-related 'sustainability solutions' - actions taken today in the name of sustainability - in a series of possible future scenarios in the year 2050. If a proposed solution delivers a positive legacy, regardless of the future against which it is tested, then it can be adopted with confidence. The Method provides insights into the potential impacts of today's urban planning and design decisions, and challenges the conventional mainstream approach to sustainability by incorporating changing priorities and different ways of thinking into today's actions, with the intention to ensure relevance in the future. This publication is the planned outcome of a four-year, £3.1 million grant from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on Urban Futures. It has been directed by a steering committee and expert panellists representing industry, government, academia and the third sector.
ISBN: 978-1-84806-265-8 The housing stock in the UK has changed significantly since 1921. Many homes have been constructed since then, leading to the very wide diversity that we see today. This report looks back over the past 90 years, presenting statistics that illustrate key changes and the progress that has been made in improving the nation's homes. The focus is on changes to the housing stock that have had an effect on standards of living, energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Impacts on health are also discussed. The report closes by considering what the housing stock will need to look like in 2050 in order to meet the UK government's target to cut CO2 emissions by 80% on 1990 levels, and the scale of the challenge that this presents. What has been achieved in the past is very substantial, but also provides an important reality check on the feasibility of achieving such large-scale changes over the next 40 years.
ISBN: 978-1-84806-233-7 This report summarises the results of a research project commissioned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and BRE Trust to apply a methodology developed to calculate the cost of poor housing in England and Wales to the housing of Northern Ireland. This research show that there is proportionately less poor housing in Northern Ireland than in England or Wales, largely due to the fact that Northern Ireland has the most modern housing stock of the UK nations. However, there is still an unacceptably high (and previously unreported) proportion of health and safety hazards in the housing of Northern Ireland. Although great strides have been made in improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock, the excessively high fuel prices in Northern Ireland meant that a very large number of households are still in fuel poverty. If works are targeted to reduce the worst health and safety hazards in these poor homes to an acceptable level, it is estimated that there will be a benefit to the National Health Service of some £33 million per year. This figure could double if the definition of poor housing is widened to include all homes with a SAP (energy efficiency rating) of 40 or less and target basic heating and insulation improvements on these homes. Dealing with fuel poverty will save even more.
ISBN: 978-1-84806-263-4 The UK government's feed-in tariff (FIT) incentives, building regulations and planning requirements have been driving the installation of building-applied photovoltaic (BAPV) systems in the UK. With the currently prevailing low interest rates, the FITs have transformed PV installations into a serious proposition for investors and they can also be a cost-effective way to achieve compliance with the local and national regulations. On the other hand, the uptake of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has been relatively low to date. This may be due to perceptions of high cost, questions over durability and maintenance, uncertainty concerning energy yield and ease of use for designers. Some of these perceptions may be valid and some based on misunderstandings, but what is clear is that the product manufacturers must address all concerns in an open and transparent way if they are to get their products specified in building projects. The aim of this Information Paper is to help to close the gap between building designers and manufacturers of BIPV products. Specifiers will find useful information on products currently available and some typical applications, whilst manufacturers may benefit from the feedback obtained directly from potential users of the technology. Information has been gathered from three main sources: a survey of products currently on the market; a survey of architects; and two stakeholder workshops held at BRE in 2010 and 2011.
ISBN: 978-1-84806-262-7 This publication provides an introduction to biodiversity offsetting, setting out the main issues and policy context and giving an overview of emerging mechanisms in the UK. It looks at the benefits, barriers and risks, and explores the ways in which biodiversity offsetting can be implemented. The paper is important because it considers biodiversity offsetting as a key method for arresting biodiversity decline. It is aimed at two key target audiences. It will help developers and their design teams to gain a better understanding of the process of biodiversity offsetting - enabling them to promote developments that enhance, rather than spoil, the natural environment. It also aims to increase local authority awareness so that procedures and policies are implemented in the right way for biodiversity offsetting to be carried out successfully. |
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