Australians could cut power bills by 90% if they made their homes more energy efficient, report finds

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has recently published a report on the benefits of focusing on the demand side. A focus on homes, not power plants, could halve energy bills Focusing on household solutions such as thermal upgrades, efficient electric appliances, solar, batteries and load-shifting would be an effective strategy … Continue reading Australians could cut power bills by 90% if they made their homes more energy efficient, report finds →

Spotlight on EU funded project: three new platforms launched to help homeowners

This week, an EU-funded project, HORIS, launched three digital platforms – also called one-stop-shops, empowering homeowners to make energy-saving decisions during home renovation. The launch comes after 18 months of collaborative work by an international consortium of 10 organisations from 4 countries (Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain) which have partnered to develop these platforms to … Continue reading Spotlight on EU funded project: three new platforms launched to help homeowners →

Britain takes important step forward to retrofit its building stock

The LHC Procurement Group, established by London Boroughs in 1966, provides knowledge and experience, technical expertise, commitment to better homes and buildings and fast and efficient procurement which delivers financial gains. It brings buyers and suppliers together to build, refurbish and maintain social housing and public property more efficiently and cost effectively, and to benefit … Continue reading Britain takes important step forward to retrofit its building stock →

France’s energy transition: “The fact that emissions are on the rise again should be an electroshock for this new government”

Audrey Garric writes on the Le Monde website about latest developments in France’s energy transition. GHG emissions rose again in the third quarter of 2024. Other indicators are in the red, such as the pace of energy retrofits and vehicle electrification. The green transition: Is France veering off course? It's probably not the Christmas … Continue reading France’s energy transition: “The fact that emissions are on the rise again should be an electroshock for this new government” →

New EEA report on how but smart renovations that focus on efficient use of energy and resources can help Europe increase the sustainability of its housing sector

Construction, use and demolition of buildings causes major environment and climate pressures but smart renovations that focus on efficient use of energy and resources can help Europe increase the sustainability of its housing sector, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published this week. Renovations, sustainable building materials can boost Europe’s green transition … Continue reading New EEA report on how but smart renovations that focus on efficient use of energy and resources can help Europe increase the sustainability of its housing sector →

New report from the Energy Efficiency Hub on deep energy retrofits

The Energy Efficiency Hub is a voluntary collaboration among 16 governments seeking to strengthen their effectiveness in deploying energy efficiency. Its secretariat is hosted by the IEA. The Hub recently published a report from one of its task groups, the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Task Group, entitled Deep Energy Retrofit Models: A Global Perspective. The … Continue reading New report from the Energy Efficiency Hub on deep energy retrofits →

Energy in Demand News, August 25, 2024

In an article on the Guardian website, former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown wonders where the urgency is to address climate change and the many other environmental and political threats. He writes: “Nor, even up against the existential problem of climate change (the planet is on course for a temperature increase of 2.7C above pre-industrial … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 25, 2024 →

It would make sense for the new UK government to implement at pace all the initiatives under the EU’s new energy performance in buildings directive which our European competitors are now adopting with enthusiasm

In April the Official Journal of the European Union published the full details of the fourth iteration of the bloc’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). In this blog originally on the website of the Institute for European Environmental Policy UK, Andrew Warren, chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation explores the significance of this … Continue reading It would make sense for the new UK government to implement at pace all the initiatives under the EU’s new energy performance in buildings directive which our European competitors are now adopting with enthusiasm →

Hemp is being touted as a building material for housing that may avoid some of the environmental, logistic and economic downsides of concrete

Proponents of hemp tout its non-toxic and mould, fire and infestation-resistant properties. Edward Helmore discusses the benefits of hemp in an article on the Guardian website. ‘It’s almost carbon-negative’: how hemp became a surprise building material Cannabis sativa, the plant of the thousand and one molecules, has a long and expansive reputation – as a folk … Continue reading Hemp is being touted as a building material for housing that may avoid some of the environmental, logistic and economic downsides of concrete →

Energy in Demand News, January 28, 2024

There is encouraging good news that carbon emissions dropped in the EU in 2023. The Guardian reported on analysis from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) showing that the EU “pumped out 8% less carbon dioxide from the fossil fuels it burned in 2023 than it did in 2022.” Crea analyst … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 28, 2024 →