energy efficiency

This sounds very interesting, I'm hoping to go:

 FREE TECHNICAL SEMINAR: Energy Efficient Housing

 Wednesday 30 June, 8.30am-1.00pm

Covering latest innovations and use of products in the housing sector. How are designers, consultants and manufacturers collaborating to create well designed, sustainable and energy efficient housing?

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Dear all

I wanted to pass on some information about a DIY product available to internally insulate solid walls.

Last week I met with Linzi Bagshaw from Mould Growth Consultants who produce "Sempatap Thermal" - a 10mm thick foam backed "wallpaper" which can be used to reduce heat loss through external solid walls. The product is Energy Saving Trust recommended.  Rolls (12.5m x 1m) cost from £145 + £25 for adhesive and £5.70 for sealant.

Linzi would be happy to attend events or meetings to tell you more about the product:

Today I finally figured out how to get our Home Theatre PC (a home-built digital video recorder running Windows Vista Media Centre) to send itself to sleep correctly.  Prior to figuring this out, the system would stay on indefinitely in the situation where you're watching TV, you press the "off" button on the remote control but the system is recording a programme (the desired behaviour in this situation is to automatically turn off after it's finished recording but it would just stay on indefinitely).

The solution was actually really obvious and I'm somewhat ashamed I didn't figure it out previously.  All that's required is to go to Control Panel > Power Settings and set the system to suspend after a few minutes (it was previously configured never to suspend).

The HTPC draws 60-70 Watts when awake and 3 Watts when sleeping.

My measurements, prior to figuring out how to turn it off properly:

•  average for a 24hr period (measured over 50 hours) = about 0.6kWh per day
• = about 220 kWh per year
• = about £40 per year (at 18p per kWh)
• = about 118 kgCO₂ per year

After configuring it to shut down correctly, the stats are:

• average for 24 hours period (measured over 42 hours) = about 0.47 kWh per day
• = about 170 kWh per year
• = about £31 per year
• = about 93 kgCO₂ per year
• a 25% saving (not bad for two minutes' work)

So, from these (rather short) measurements, it looks like the tweak is saving £9 and 25kg CO₂ per year.  So yes, it's a saving, but it's hardly gonna prevent catastrophic climate change on its own (an average person in the UK produces 10,000 kg CO₂ per year and total human activities produce 27,000,000,000,000 kg of CO₂ per year).

(update: a good friend has pointed out that the numbers sound a little suspect.  So I'll keep monitoring the HTPC for a week or two to get a more representative sample)

 Draft proofing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your heating bills, keep your house warm and reduce your environmental footprint.

Draft proofing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your heating bills, keep your house warm and reduce your environmental footprint.

Pop in any time between 10am-3pm on the 24th October.  Learn how to draft-proof. Buy the materials at low cost (direct from the manufacturer).  Drink tea and eat cake!

Practical demonstrations will run from 10am until 3pm.  Over the course of the day, we'll be draft proofing a Victorian house with sash windows.

Draft Busting Saturday

24th October