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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
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Fundamentals: Very interesting energy-use map

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      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2012/apr/02/energy-use-map-electricity-gas

    Very interesting to see pattern of red (high-usage) areas, and to drill down to your local area. Will be very helpful when doing energy audits, and could fine-tune boiler-sizing efforts, etc, in conjunction with local HDD data.

    Rgds

    Damon
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012 edited
     
    Deleted
    • CommentAuthorRobinB
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    Thanks for the interesting link Damon,

    I think it could have been split a bit better, the vast majority are blue or green and the colours chosen are weird -a spectrum like the EPC ratings would have helped.

    Also a bit quirky that the map appears to show every golf club in the country but not the place names!

    Someone has suggested the red areas indicate skunk farms. I've no way of knowing about that.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    Actually, looking at the red area nearest us, I suspect that retirement homes are significant energy-hog culprits, but who knows how the oldies fill their time ... hmm ... munchies ... %-P

    Rgds

    Damon
    •  
      CommentAuthorCitrus
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    I couldn't see an obvious pattern in my locality with electricity, but intriguingly the gas map showed increased usage on a very well-defined area with intense levels of HMOs. Perhaps it's an accident but I'd be interested to hear suggestions on why that might be.
  6.  
    Posted By: CitrusI couldn't see an obvious pattern in my locality with electricity, but intriguingly the gas map showed increased usage on a very well-defined area with intense levels of HMOs. Perhaps it's an accident but I'd be interested to hear suggestions on why that might be.

    If your HMO neighbours are like mine, I suspect that a nocturnal lifestyle and leaving windows open all year round to control temperature (like the volume knob, thermostats only turn clockwise!) may have something to do with it.

    ... turning into a Grumpy Old Man before your eyes ...
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    Race you to full grump-dom!

    Rgds

    Damon
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    I think I had a spreadsheet of this data a while back, nice it is on a map tho'. Does tend to show population density more than energy use by the looks of it. Maybe there should be an adjustment for that. Transport fuel would be an interesting addition.
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    Energy use seems to correlate closely to population density near me, the Towns and villages scoring somewhat better than the countryside.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    I think that dense urban (not-suburb/exurb) living *is* known to be more energy efficient.

    Rgds

    Damon
    • CommentAuthorrhamdu
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    Posted By: RobinBSomeone has suggested the red areas indicate skunk farms.


    Unlikely. Those guys don't use metered electricity.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 2nd 2012
     
    Posted By: DamonHDI think that dense urban (not-suburb/exurb) living *is* known to be more energy efficient.

    Yes, it is meant to be, but that may be all energy, not just domestic. Moe investigation needed. :wink:
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012
     
    Electricity consumption higher where there is no mains gas?
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012
     
    Could also simply be the effect of terraced vs detached housing.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012
     
    the map is almost meaningless, too many variables, not comparable, etc
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012
     
    Not meaningless at all. In fact, values reasonably close to mean values with and without mains gas, etc...
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012
     
    Not useless but could be misleading if not treated with caution.
    • CommentAuthorborpin
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012 edited
     
    What are the units "per meter kwh"? Meter of what? Seems to me that sparsely populated areas use more than built up areas round me.....

    Edit; Oh OK stupid me "when all else fails read the instructions" RTFM!!
    • CommentAuthorborpin
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012
     
    So now I understand the data, the high use areas are the areas that can afford the fuel, low use, the old council house areas (who can't afford it). Looked a bit further afield and the pattern largely works. The 'posh' area of Edinburgh to the south.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 3rd 2012 edited
     
    Want the real data for it:
    http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/regional/regional.aspx

    Tip:
    Don't start looking at it after 10PM
    • CommentAuthorrhamdu
    • CommentTimeApr 4th 2012
     
    You'd think the people who can afford insulation and microgeneration would invest in it. Instead, they have wall-to-wall halogen downlighters, 50-inch plasma screens and open-air pools heated to 40C.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 4th 2012
     
    For all electricity (and a matching amount of gas) beyond 250kWh/person/month the cost should be £1/kWh rising to £10/kWh above 1MWh/person/month*. That'd learn 'em.

    *With medical/age exemptions...

    Rgds

    Damon
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeApr 4th 2012
     
    great idea
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeApr 4th 2012
     
    Posted By: rhamduYou'd think the people who can afford insulation and microgeneration would invest in it. Instead, they have wall-to-wall halogen downlighters, 50-inch plasma screens and open-air pools heated to 40C.


    Because energy is so cheap and the majority of people are patently unable to make long-term planning decisions. Investing to make future savings is dull and few people do it.

    I think some people are starting to wake up to it though. Which now include energy running costs in all of their product reviews, and are making a point of it. So awareness is slowly raising.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 4th 2012 edited
     
    Yes put the price up, but on the proviso that that revenue goes to reducing energy use rather than to people managing the marketing of reducing energy use.

    Be interesting if they bought in a fuel escalator for domestic energy, planned over ten year initially at 2% plus inflation.
    If we assumed that a kWh cost 10p, next year it would be about 10.5p, year after (assuming inflation at 3% again) 11p (would not be hurting yet), then (assuming 5% inflation) 11.8, still not enough, year 4 12.4,
    I give up, shall we just tax CO2 at £5000/tonne at point of use, that will learn them.
    I shall say it again, my EDF standard rate has gone up about 20% in 7 years. so about the same price, my usage is half now though, meant I could buy a bigger car and still travel 30 miles for a coffee :shamed:
    • CommentAuthorborpin
    • CommentTimeApr 5th 2012
     
    This of course goes back to the discussion of Fuel Poverty. Perhaps therefore we need to develop some sort of rationing of fuel so that an amount X of fuel is deemed to be what someone needs - their basic 'right'. If you want more than that (for whatever reason) you pay an elevated price. You could adjust value of X in much the same way as we do for income tax to take in the needs of the individual.

    If it could be made to work, it would help with fuel poverty and encourage those more wasteful or with a greater demand to look at alternatives.

    Ah here comes my mate Attila......
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeApr 5th 2012
     
    Dear Attilla
    Is fuel poverty not caused by pitifully low wages and other benefits for people in desperate situations rather than an excess of use. Domestic energy is still very cheap when compared to food.
    Boudica
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeApr 5th 2012
     
    California has a tiered structure for electricity use and charging which indeed does have a relatively tight 'basic requirements' bottom tier that is relatively cheap, so it can be done.

    Rgds

    Damon
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeApr 5th 2012
     
    No point being well-off if you can't live to excess! :wink:
    • CommentAuthoradwindrum
    • CommentTimeApr 5th 2012 edited
     
    Not sure if this floats anyones number crunching boat...It didnt mine.....


    http://www.bmreports.com/bsp/bsp_home.htm

    Shows energy requirments and production by different means in the UK with a 30min delay, interesting to see how varied the wind electricty is and where all our power comes from…

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