Home  5  Books  5  GBEzine  5  News  5  HelpDesk  5  Register  5  GreenBuilding.co.uk
Not signed in (Sign In)

Categories



Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.
Buy individually or both books together. Delivery is free!


powered by Surfing Waves




Vanilla 1.0.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome to new Forum Visitors
 Join the forum now and benefit from discussions with thousands of other green building fans and discounts on Green Building Press publications: Apply now.




Energy Assessment: National Energy Use Survey

Bottom of Page

1 to 26 of 26

  1.  
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012
     
    We talk a lot about carbon savings which broadly equate to energy use savings, generally in percentage terms, how meaningful is this?

    I think that by now we ought to know how much energy we are using and a national energy use survey would be a an essential part of any scheme to monitor reduction.

    I see we have a lot of discussion about members energy use monitoring but we are the good guys what about the country as a whole

    I could see an that it would be useful if not essential for everyone to know what their energy use is in say kWh/m2/y

    From there we could road map our way into the future with targets based on existing energy use and necessary savings.

    Even a largish random sample would be helpful but I reckon that everyone should know how much they are using and be able to compare with others.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012 edited
     
    I agree totally, my ResM is about this (though in Agriculture) and I am struggling to find decent data.
    A lot of information can be got from DUKES though, just takes a lot of slicing and dicing to get to the bottom of it.

    As an interesting question ask people you know how much energy they used last year (getting obsessive here as we are entering the heating season and doing it daily now and still collecting data every 6 seconds).

    Actually ask them what energy is?:bigsmile:
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012
     
    What a young person has but an oldie has run out of?

    Don't laugh - there's two equally valid meanings of the word 'energy'. The question is, are they or are they not actually the same thing, if only science would stop scorning the 'other' version as 'unscientific'.
    • CommentAuthorHollyBush
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012
     
    To make this useful there needs to be additional information - currently it's a bit like saying I put 1 litre of fuel in my car everyday.

    Number of occupants per hour per m2?
    Does age of occupants affect this?
    Energy rating of the house (A to G?)

    I work at home most of the time, which reduces my road fuel, but increases my home fuel use.
    I grow some fruit and veg and tend to cook most things from scratch, this increases home fuel use, but not air miles or other similar food measures.
    The amount of food is also a fuel - should that be counted?
    We need fuel use per person too, not just the home.

    Now if what you are proposing is a survey to find some common categories and average usage in them, which are made available in simple aggregated ways, we can all compare our own stats to make improvements, which I'd really support. Do I want everyone else to know my lifestyle (e.g. when I'm in and out) , and where I live - then No.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012 edited
     
    Posted By: HollyBushwhich I'd really support

    So have you joined the group on here looking at it :wink:

    Posted By: HollyBushDo I want everyone else to know my lifestyle (e.g. when I'm in and out) , and where I live - then No.
    A concern I expressed a year or two back with the introduction of Smart Meters.
    Edit: and look what is in this weeks comic: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628875.300-wireless-meters-tell-snoopers-when-you-are-not-home.html

    I suspect that my biggest energy use is transport by a factor of 8.
    Think I mentioned once that tackling housing may be the wrong area as we renew vehicles regularly but not houses.
    • CommentAuthorjms452
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012
     
    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: SteamyTea</cite>I suspect that my biggest energy use is transport by a factor of 8</blockquote>

    Well I guess it depends how small you make the other categories:bigsmile:

    You should try looking at David MacKay's book - free download at: http://www.withouthotair.com/
    Although it is rather broad brush I think you might like it!

    I think that he came to the conclusion that transport was about 1/3rd of total energy use in the UK.
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012
     
    tony suggested: "I think that by now we ought to know how much energy we are using and a national energy use survey would be a an essential part of any scheme to monitor reduction."

    Well, DECC publish a lot of stuff http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/energy_stats.aspx and I'm sure there are other sources as well, so I'm not sure what extra you're looking for?
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 18th 2012 edited
     
    Posted By: jms452Although it is rather broad brush I think you might like it!
    Read it, commented on it and moved on :wink:
    Good valid book based on sold research.
    Posted By: djhso I'm not sure what extra you're looking for?
    Individual usage I think
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 19th 2012
     
    Posted By: SteamyTeaIndividual usage I think

    That would be precluded by privacy law, wouldn't it? Only some average would be allowable.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeOct 19th 2012
     
    That is what I think we need, hopefully the average would then decrease each year as we improve.:wink:
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 19th 2012
     
    Well as I asked earlier, what specifically do you think we need that is not already published?
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeOct 19th 2012
     
    I tried to download data from that link but the files arrived all blank empty spread sheets.

    Do you know what the average domestic energy consumption is? and how much it is increasing each year?
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    Latest figures are 3300 kWh for electricity (non E7) and 16,500kWh gas Tony. Electric is steady but gas has gone down from 20,500 in 2008.

    All available from Ofgem, DECC, etc.
    • CommentAuthorGaryB
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    3,300 kWh for electricity is lower than I would have expected. Up to 2 years ago our consumption was 4,700 kWh for a 1,250 sq. ft 4 bedroom house, it is only recently after focussing on reducing consumption that we have got it down to 3,300 kWh.

    The house may be slightly bigger than average but we had a standard 2 adults + 2 kids family. I say 'had' because they have both now flown the nest - I wonder if there is a link? :wink:
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    Posted By: SeretElectric is steady but gas has gone down from 20,500 in 2008.
    When was it compulsory to start fitting condensing boilers?

    Posted By: GaryBThe house may be slightly bigger than average but we had a standard 2 adults + 2 kids family. I say 'had' because they have both now flown the nest - I wonder if there is a link?
    what powers the shower?
    Size of house has little impact on non-heating electrical load, unless you have 3 fridges, 4 computers constantly on etc.

    Last year I used 4,500 kWh for two of us in an all electric small house. It can easily be done.
    • CommentAuthorGaryB
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    Steamy T:

    We have had solar thermal for the past 4 years, cylinder heated by oil or wood pellet in winter, so no electric water heating required.

    Gary
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    Do you have anything that is pot of the ordinary running as it seems high
    • CommentAuthorGaryB
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    ST:

    Our electrical consumption is now around 3,000 kWh pa, and should drop to 2,500 or less when the new 212 kWh pa fridge freezer arrives to replace the old 700+ kWh larder freezer next week.

    Aside from the freezer, we replaced a 42" 270W plasma TV with a 46" 85W LED model and converted a 300W uplighter which normally consumed 180W at part setting to use a dimmable 20W CFL consuming 16-18W.

    Those were the main culprits for our high consumption. I am still playing about with LED lighting etc. to get the figure even lower. Laundry will also be investigated once I figure out how to meter them.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    Posted By: GaryBLaundry will also be investigated once I figure out how to meter them.

    I think that is one of my single biggest drains, I tried 'doing a Damon' but just ended up with smelly clothing. Apart from using pre-heated water (no advantage for me as I heat it by electricity anyway), I can't see a simple way around it apart from getting cloths that clean easily (I find the Goth look quite appealing).
    • CommentAuthorGaryB
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    We generally wash at 40 deg C, underwear & towels at 60 degC and our daughter's white lab coat (studying Pharmacy) gets washed on its own at 90 deg C once a week for sterilisation purposes.

    We could drop the general wash down to 30 deg C - our m/c does go down that low - but we aren't keen to drop the 60 deg C wash lower for the reasons you have given.

    Once our daughter is working in a Pharmacy (June 2013, all being well) they will be responsible for the white coat wash.

    Tumble drying will have to be looked at of course. We use a dehumidifier now for drying shirts etc. in winter which helps.

    A payback analysis for laundry equipment will be done sometime soon.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2012
     
    I tend to do most things on 40°C, sheets and towels at 60°C with the very occasional wash at 90°C.
    I try very hard to do full loads (the machine senses part loads) and run it at night. Very really tumble (it is a condenser type built in to the Bosch AvantiXX).
    Trouble is with washing (body or clothes, soul excepted) there is a limit to how low you can go for an adequate wash.
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2012 edited
     
    I wash most stuff on cold (including grubby clothes from toddlers) and they come out fine. Hanging stuff on the line to get some air and sunlight makes a big difference IMO. I avoid using the drier if at all possible, besides being power hungry I think it's not very hygienic.

    Average consumption for an E7 house is about 5000kWh IIRC.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2012
     
    Posted By: SeretAverage consumption for an E7 house is about 5000kWh IIRC.

    Seems quite low if 3,300 kWh of it is for non-heating. Is it because a lot of E7 places are 1 bed places.
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2012
     
    It must be something like that. It's very low, especially since many folks on E7 will be using straight resistive space heating. Maybe they're just all freezing their butts off.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2012
     
    A kWh of electric resistive heating has an efficiency of just about 1, makes it better than gas, but cost slightly more on the unit price, about 6p compared to 5p. So a gas boiler at 80% 0verall efficiency would cost the same (ish).
    I still find the figure of 5MWh very low as I have done loads of things to get mine below that.
    Is that just for space heating do you think?
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2012
     
    No, that's the all up figure. So presumably DHW, space heating, lighting etc. Seems ludicrously low if you ask me.

    The old figure was 6,600kWh for E7 and was a mean. The new one is a median. So unless there's been large changes in actual usage then presumably there are a small number of users consuming considerably more than the rest, which makes sense.

1 to 26 of 26

  1.  
Add your comments

    Username Password
  • Format comments as
 
Back to Discussions Top of Page
   
The Ecobuilding Buzz
Site Map    |   Home    |   View Cart    |   Pressroom   |   Business   |   Links   
Logout    

© Green Building Press