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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.

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    • CommentAuthorharper16
    • CommentTimeApr 8th 2013
     
    The Code for Sustainable Homes, allows credits to be awarded for correctly specified Energy Display Devices.

    Does anyone know of any energy displays which are compliant with the code criteria below for electricity. Are there any smart meters with display which are available measuring electricity and gas, meeting the below criteria?

    The citeria are as follows (taken from the DCLG Code Technical Guide Nov 2010):
    This is a system comprising a self-charging sensor(s) fixed to the incoming mains supply/supplies, to measure and transmit energy consumption data to a visual display unit. As a minimum the visual display unit must be capable of displaying the following information:
    • Local time
    Current mains energy consumption (kilowatts and kilowatt hours)
    • Current emissions (g/kg CO2)
    • Current tariff
    • Current cost (in pounds and pence). For pre-payment customers this should be ‘real time’ data and for ‘credit’ paying customers cost should be displayed on a monthly basis
    • Display accurate account balance information (amount in credit or debit)
    • Visual presentation of data (i.e. non-numeric) to allow consumers to easily identify high and low level of usage
    • Historical consumption data so that consumers can compare their current and previous usage in a meaningful way. This should include cumulative consumption data in any of the following forms day/week/month/billing period.:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 8th 2013 edited
     
    I don't know of a cheap one.
    My favourite flavour one fails on at least two points;

    Current emissions (g/kg CO2)

    Display accurate account balance information

    Current emissions would rely on real time data from the National Grid, accurate balance would need voltage sensing as well as detailed account updates.

    All possible but would have to be internet connected to get the data.

    Just seen this in my favourite comic:
    http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2013/04/wireless-smart-meter.html
    • CommentAuthorrhamdu
    • CommentTimeApr 9th 2013
     
    It seems to me you'll only get that functionality with a smart meter, for accurate realtime energy usage data, and, as ST says, an internet connection for the account data.

    None of the energy monitors with a clip-on current transformer comes close.

    I gotta say I find the CSH approach nannyish and frankly misguided. For behaviour change, the most important thing is to understand how your use of each appliance affects your energy consumption. Monitoring the total is a blunt instrument.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 9th 2013
     
    And if you have a smart meter, why would you bother getting another one,
    Most people don't understand how to read an energy bill, so how will a simple display help them. What is really needed is simple classes about energy, like the ones that were taught in school but we all fell asleep to.
    • CommentAuthorFred56
    • CommentTimeApr 9th 2013
     
    I researched this back in 2011. Things may have changed, There was only one code compliant Energy Display Device. It was sold by a company in Scotland, EWGECO. I spoke to EWGECO back then and they were so pleased with the set-up, as you can imagine.
    Later, much later, I found that STROMA had approved a particular energy display device that comes with EON's smart meters. As a result, I signed up with EON for electricity, gas and FiTs. I got the device and avoided the waste of £500 but then I did get lumbered with EON which was not easy at first. The device is OK and has a neat advantage of also telling you the amount of export from your system. That helps me monitor my PV. EON's representatives were not aware of this feature but the meter company's engineer set it up for me. Recently my gas reading has go a bit stochastic so not too sure if its the meter or the RF binding.

    The spouse refuses to have anything to do with the display device so I can't see where BRE think the advantage will come from with anyone except enthusiasts like me. She won't have it in the kitchen so it now lurks in the back of the plant room.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 9th 2013
     
    Does it log the data and can you access that data file?
    • CommentAuthorFred56
    • CommentTimeApr 10th 2013
     
    Sadly no. I have asked EON if that would be possible but I could only speak to call centre people who work from a script.
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeApr 10th 2013
     
    Posted By: Fred56
    The spouse refuses to have anything to do with the display device so I can't see where BRE think the advantage will come from with anyone except enthusiasts like me.


    Inclined to agree. My wife has showed absolutely no interest in our little Owl display. Quoth she: "It's just numbers". Yes love, that's the whole point!
    • CommentAuthorchuckey
    • CommentTimeApr 11th 2013
     
    I find these sort of things a total waste of time. if the nation wants to save money and to become "greener" then the only thing a smart meter should do is to switch of low priority supplies in the home, such as storage heaters. This way load shedding can be accomplished when the wind stops blowing. I don't think people will switch off their tumble driers as having dry clothes, when its raining, seems to be bargain at a cost of only 30p or so. As for analyzing bills, they seem to be higher in the winter, er, shall we turn off the lights and go to bed earlier? The fact is that the power companies are a bunch of charlatans and have been proven to have about as many tariffs as there are consumers until the Government stepped in. In just remains to see how they are going re-coup their profits.
    There could be an argument for the installation of a clip-on one when doing an initial survey of a property, just in case there is a 5A earth leak, tho' a clip on ammeter would do.
    rant over !
    Frank
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