New financial support to address energy poverty in Ireland

Kira Taylor writes on the Euractiv website about new support for people at risk of energy debt and to retrofit low-income homes. Dublin approves plan to tackle energy poverty The government approved on Tuesday its plan to tackle energy poverty and to help the poorest households adequately heat their homes amid cold snaps and … Continue reading New financial support to address energy poverty in Ireland →

Blog from Jane Marsh: The future of renewable energy in the home

Every expert in the energy sector understands renewable energy and how prevalent it’s becoming across all industries and the world. Governments and citizens are growing more concerned about the looming climate crisis, as the negative impacts of climate change are ever-present. In the coming years, an increasing number of residential properties will likely rely on … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: The future of renewable energy in the home →

New EEA briefing on how to keep buildings cool sustainably

Europe’s temperatures are rising more than twice as fast as the global average with more and more extreme heatwaves being recorded. The demand for sustainable cooling in buildings is increasing and, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, there is a need for buildings that are energy efficient, use passive cooling … Continue reading New EEA briefing on how to keep buildings cool sustainably →

A citizens panel learned how to eliminate carbon emissions from homes and helped design solutions they thought would work for owner-occupiers

Jacob Ainscough, Senior Research Associate in Environmental Governance, Lancaster University and Rebecca Willis, Professor in Energy and Climate Governance, Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University write on The Conversation website about the views of tenants in a study they undertook. A panel was set up. Participants spent 25 hours over seven sessions, both online and … Continue reading A citizens panel learned how to eliminate carbon emissions from homes and helped design solutions they thought would work for owner-occupiers →

By placing sensors within a home, energy efficiency can be measured in the same way as energy generation

We all know that our policies and programmes need more data of actual energy performance. Om an article on the Architecture Today website, Matthew Prowse, Specification and Housing Director for Knauf Insulation, discusses how homes being designed today can prepare for the imminent shift to measured ‘in-use’ energy performance. Measured energy efficiency is coming, … Continue reading By placing sensors within a home, energy efficiency can be measured in the same way as energy generation →

“But what do we know about how people impact energy use in buildings they don’t occupy?”

Recent analysis shows that empty buildings consume more than previously estimated. Buildings consume more energy when empty or partially occupied for extended periods because they are designed to depend on human interactions. Since the pandemic, many buildings are only partially used. There are ways to help reduce consumption. Farzam Kharvari, PhD Candidate, Building Engineering at … Continue reading “But what do we know about how people impact energy use in buildings they don’t occupy?” →

Up to 24,000 offices in England have yet to meet the new energy performance standards coming into effect next year

Tough energy performance rules mean landlords must rebuild their sites or leave them empty. From next year, offices will need to hold a minimum “E” rated energy performance certificate (EPC). In 2027, the bar rises to “C” — and it goes up to “B” in 2030, when more than 63,000 offices that have more than … Continue reading Up to 24,000 offices in England have yet to meet the new energy performance standards coming into effect next year →

Too many technical difficulties to overcome to make hydrogen a viable low-carbon heating fuel

Fiona Harvey writes on The Guardian website about a new study that questions the suitability of hydrogen for home heating. What are your views? Hydrogen is unsuitable for home heating, review concludes Hydrogen is unsuitable for use in home heating, and likely to remain so, despite the hopes of the UK government and plumbing … Continue reading Too many technical difficulties to overcome to make hydrogen a viable low-carbon heating fuel →

Project to power 300 Scottish homes with ‘green hydrogen’ hit by delays, leaving some to question whether it is still worthwhile

Alex Lawson writes on The Guardian website about a Scottish project that openly question swhether it is a worthwhile undertaking and whether hydrogen will play a significant part in fuelling the homes of the future. What are your views? ‘World-first’ hydrogen project raises questions about its role in fuelling future homes On the northern … Continue reading Project to power 300 Scottish homes with ‘green hydrogen’ hit by delays, leaving some to question whether it is still worthwhile →

The city of Copenhagen, often celebrated as one of the world’s greenest for its cycling culture and other initiatives, recently defaulted on its pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2025

Since 2012, when Copenhagen launched its plan to become the first carbon-neutral city in the world by 2025, the city has enjoyed international recognition and a significant branding boost. The early failure in the global race to net zero emissions (a balance between CO₂ emitted and absorbed) may foreshadow backtracking by other target-setters. In an … Continue reading The city of Copenhagen, often celebrated as one of the world’s greenest for its cycling culture and other initiatives, recently defaulted on its pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2025 →