NEWS In brief


WOOD-BURNING MARKET HEATS UP More heating engineers are looking to add installation of wood burning appliances to their list of competencies, according to the British Flue and Chimney Manufacturers Association (BFCMA). The association believes


that increased interest in low carbon heating solutions has driven up demand for wood burning. It has responded by creating a new website (www.bfcma.co.uk) with a downloadable document giving guidance on the selection and installation on the relevant flues and chimneys. ‘The regulations for wood


burning and solid fuel are different to those for gas and oil appliances; as are some of the flues that can be used,’ a BFCMA statement said. ‘So it is important that the appropriate flue or chimney is installed.’


RENEWABLES WILL DIP SHARPLY AFTER 2020 The rate of growth in the renewable industry will slow sharply after 2020, according to new research produced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). It expects to see a tenfold


growth in new installations between now and the end of this decade, but a slowdown thereafter, with capacity rising by just 7 gigawatts to around 42GW by 2030. The fact that these figures


come from a government department has caused consternation within the energy industry, which is calling on the coalition to demonstrate longer term political commitment to green energy sources. Many observers say it exposes the policy flaws within the government’s Energy Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament. Some existing green power


plants are set to start closing in the 2020s, but according to critics, a lack of government targets for low carbon electricity sources beyond 2020 are also to blame. Renewables will account for 34% of total UK electricity generation between 2020 and 2030.


10 CIBSE Journal February 2013


l Debate considers passive design vs heat pumps for low carbon cooling


Sustainability is being ‘commoditised’ and building services design ‘over-regulated’, according to a leading young engineer.


Renewable design specialist Becci Taylor of Arup said it was possible to design buildings that met sustainable criteria simply by using ‘a list of technologies’, but asked: ‘Is that building cheaper to run, and better to be in… does it delight?’ Taylor was taking part in a debate at London South Bank University, with David Butler of BRE, on whether passive design or heat pumps represented the best future for low carbon cooling. She argued that passively designed buildings provided a better experience for the occupants and that ‘just because we have electricity we should not be lazy and use it as an excuse to ignore opportunities to make more pleasant spaces’.


‘Don’t be lazy,’ says passive design champion


‘The existence of refrigeration technology is not an excuse to design buildings without openable windows,’ added Taylor during the discussion, organised jointly by the Institute of Refrigeration and the CIBSE ASHRAE Group.


Engineers should design collaboratively so they do not have to solve problems that ‘shouldn’t be there in the first place’, Taylor said. Building Regulations have improved design elements, but regulations cannot change the design process, she added, ‘Sustainability metrics don’t directly motivate holistic design… perhaps we need a BREEAM point for architects consulting the engineers before drawing anything,’ said Taylor.


Butler argued that it was almost impossible to remove enough heat from urban buildings passively to make them habitable all year round. He said that once indoor temperatures rose above 28°C they started to have an impact on productivity.


He added that most of the world’s economic activity took place in cities, so some form of mechanical cooling was always required. The most effective, low cost option was reversible heat pumps, he argued, adding that as much as 40% of UK office and retail floor space would be air conditioned by 2020.


‘Unless we use mechanical cooling wisely, it becomes part of the problem and leads to design mistakes like glass box buildings,’ admitted Butler. ‘However, we have to use buildings intensively in urban areas and that means mechanical cooling is essential.’


The audience agreed that a mixture of passive design and low carbon mechanical cooling was the best outcome, although one delegate labelled passive buildings as ‘too expensive to build in cities’.


Green Deal and fuel poverty get target funds


Local authorities are to share a £46m fund aimed at kick- starting 132 fuel poverty and energy efficiency projects. The organisations were invited to bid for the money as part of a series of competitions. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has allocated £31m to help vulnerable householders keep warm this winter and £10m to kick start the Green Deal with ‘Pioneer Places’ projects.


A further £5m has been set aside to help communities set up collective switching schemes – ‘Cheaper Energy Together’ – designed to give them access to cheaper energy tariffs.


‘The projects we are funding will help people save energy and save money: helping the most vulnerable to heat their homes, getting the Green Deal market up and running, and encouraging people to switch energy suppliers to get their bills down,’ said Energy Secretary Edward Davey.


‘This £46m will help local councils across England upgrade inefficient heating kit, as well as creating demand for and installing insulation under the Green Deal in homes across their local areas,’ he added. ‘Funding will also be used to drive forward both collective purchasing and switching initiatives at a local level, helping consumers get a better deal on their energy bills. I am delighted so many organisations want to run new co-operative schemes to help people, especially the fuel poor, to get the best deals in the market.’


Meanwhile, the Green Deal Cashback Scheme is open for applications and ‘energy saving has never been so attractive’ according to Davey.


The more work a householder carries out, including loft insulation, solid wall insulation and new heating systems, the more cash they could receive under the scheme, which is no longer capped at £1,000.


www.cibsejournal.com


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