Brits Worse Energy Savers In Eu - Political Forum

CHUQ · 10-23-2006, 01:18 PM

This is interesting--if you like this sort of thing.

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1565412006

Slartibartfas · 10-23-2006, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHUQ

This is interesting--if you like this sort of thing.

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1565412006

It would be interesting how these worst energy savers in Europe look in comparission to the US

Just kidding

I hope also on the island it will change towards the European trend to set strong initiatives for energy saving.

A key for energy saving is apart from changing habits where I am as guilty as all other probably (except for car driving, as I hardly ever drive. I am getting through the city by bike, and in case its too far or I am not alone, I'll take the public means) to revolutionize the housing and buildings technology.

Low energy houses are the premise of the future. And thats what is coming as a real strong trend currently here. The public hand that builds most residentials here in Vienna exclusively builds anymore low energy houses, and of course which has even more potential it renovates the vast numbers of Gemeindebauten, often Commie block like buildings from the 20th century that are trimmed to low energy. But the future lies at passive houses. The first residintial blocks according to passive standards are allready finished here. And thats the future.

The amazing amount of energy that could be saved by making just the half of all buildings passive standard like, is nearly unimagineable. (In case you dont know, a passiv house needs less than 1/10 of the energy of a current standard house and only 1/20 of average houses deriving from the 60/70's)

CHUQ · 10-24-2006, 05:47 AM

Is there a link where I could read more on this? The houses, I mean.

Slartibartfas · 10-24-2006, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHUQ

Is there a link where I could read more on this? The houses, I mean.

Hm, english links... for the beginning Wikipedia might be good:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niedrigenergiehaus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_house

Principally there are two categories of technologies that enable us to comply with those low energy, ultra low energy or even zero or surplus energy houses. The one are technologies that save energy, the others produce energy from on location systems using mainly the sun and geothermy as energy source.

If both technologies are combined you can go so far as to have a house with a real energy surplus that can be fed into the power grid.

The Niedrigenergie but also the Passive house standard heavily relly on the former category, that means on saving energy and so not having the need to produce it in first instance.

Here in Austria, low energy houses are allready common sight, passive houses are still something special, but are for sure right before starting through on the broad market, as allready quite a number of them exist and large projects head towards completion. Principally one has to say, that its no magic needed to construct them, and even though they need higher first time investments, they pay off over their time of existance allready now. Even the more if you take into consideration that its very probal that energy costs won't stay as low as they are currently.

Slartibartfas · 10-24-2006, 01:11 PM

Here you find even an online presentation (accustic + power point sheets). It gives a very good overview over the concept and showing examples:

http://lpqi.copperwire.org/WE12/speechi.html

I have not read it myself, but those official sites from the organisation that founded the Passive house standard seem to give a good introduction into the major concepts and technologies:

Definition:
http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passi...efinition.html

Insulation:
http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passi...ive_House.html

Compact heat pump unit for Passive houses:
http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passi...sive_house.htm

Passive house ventilation:
http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passi...lation_06.html
http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passi...ntilation.html

Airtightness:
http://www.passivhaustagung.de/Passi...htness_06.html

If you still dont have enough, here is a study about the energy saving of passive houses, focused on the potential of CO2 emmission savings. In average it says that CO2 emissions of passive houses (in total) are around half of the current average emissions of houses.

Its really interesting. And I bet its the future, also in the US. Its just a matter of time.

CHUQ · 10-25-2006, 05:03 AM

Thanx for the links. It will take me a while to read them all. Thanx again.

hawkeagle · 10-25-2006, 05:46 AM

yes - the U. K. would prefer us not to know the dirty truth!

so they often would in the past few decades - blame everything on every one else. in the environmental area in particular.

so many of the customers of many of its firms have been duped,
i noticed from the article that germany is in the lead--

i think it is only natural that a country which managed to make it profitable for firms, and municipalities over thirty years ago should make the lead this way too!

hawkeagle · 10-25-2006, 05:49 AM

The use of energy in the States is a real issue --- similar to
canada,

in Canada fortunately our per capita eco logical foot print is barely less than the US which means we consume way too much of every thing.

hawkeagle · 10-25-2006, 05:50 AM

these forms of housing are exactly what the world needs!d

depending of course on the cost