Coming to your home by 2020 is a smart meter, which will help cut your energy usage, make
meter reading an automatic process, and save you money.

Smart meters and their counterpart in-home displays will allow you to monitor your energy
usage and cut out the need for an employee of the energy company to visit your home and
read your meter. But what exactly does a smart meter do? When can you get one? Here are
the answers to your questions about smart meters.

What are smart meters?
Smart meters are the newest evolution of devices that monitor your consumption of gas and electricity. These meters collect, on a regular basis, data regarding your energy usage, and report it automatically to the utility company.

Some of the many benefits of smart meters are:

• They eliminate the need for meter readings—your utility company will receive regular updates on your home’s energy consumption automatically from the smart meter, without the need for anyone to visit your residence.
• You bills will be more accurate—whether gas or electricity, you will be billed according to what you use, not on an estimate.
• They allow you to keep track of your energy usage – your smart meter includes a display inside your home, which allows you to see your energy consumption, nearly in real time.
  It is also possible to track your energy usage trends by comparing daily, weekly and other
  periodic cycles.

The advent of smart meters offers other potential benefits for consumers. Smart meters may
help consumers save money by allowing them to schedule their energy usage for ‘off-peak’
time periods, hours of the day when demand for power is lower and consequently less expensive.

Smart meters may also allow customers to sell energy back to the energy providers—for customers
who generate energy via solar panels or windmills, for example. Smart meters will also make it easier
for energy suppliers to provide other information to consumers, such as tracking energy usage online
or through updates sent to mobile phones.

Why are smart meters in the news?
The British government has mandated that all homes in the United Kingdom will receive smart meters
by 2020. Close to 26 million homes will receive the benefits of smart meters over the next decade.
While many countries have begun to use smart meters, the UK is the first nation to widely use smart
meters.

How can a smart meter help save energy?
Customers using smart meters will be able to use the in-home display to monitor their energy usage
more easily, so they can change habits and cut down on energy waste. When you are using a lot of
energy, you will able to see it right away, as well as how much it costs.

With a smart meter, it will also be easier for you to recognize ways that you could save power. Smart
meters with the accompanying display have seen trial usage in countries including Sweden and the
US. In these trials, smart meters have been shown to reduce household energy bills by 15% to 20%.

When will I get a smart meter?
Energy suppliers will begin the large-scale roll out of smart meters soon, likely by the middle of 2012.
It will take some time for all customers to be outfitted with smart meters, but the process will begin
shortly. Some energy suppliers may even honor customer requests to be receive smart meters sooner,
but others may choose to upgrade to smart meters one area at a time. British Gas is already installing
smart meters in its  customers’ homes, and other companies might begin installations before 2012.
Until you get your own smart meter, see how you can save energy around your home.

It may surprise many people to learn that their home is drawing energy on a continuing basis. Appliances and electronic devices are all drawing energy even when they are not turned on. Heating systems and air conditioning systems may be conditioning your home but that heated or cooled air may be trickling away through windows, doors and under insulated areas of your home. Here are some tips that you can use to stop energy drain and lower your bills as a result.

Power bars draw energy on a continuing basis
People are often surprised to learn that their power bars are drawing energy. If all of the appliances or devices connected to that power bar are turned off that should mean that the bar is not drawing power right? Wrong. If you look at the glowing light on your power bar you will notice that it doesn’t go out when all of the devices connected to it do. This is because the power bar itself is drawing energy on a continuous basis. It is true that the amount of energy drawn is quite small but over time it can add up especially if a number of power bars are in use throughout your home.

One way you can combat this is to get a power bar that is on a timer. This will automatically shut the power bar off at times of the day when the devices plugged into it are not in use. If you have enough of them throughout your home you may notice that your energy usage decreases over time.

Hot water tanks lose heat through their walls
If you touch the sides of your hot water tank chances are that it will feel warm. This means that heat is being lost through the sides of the tank. If the water inside gets too cold the heater will need to use energy in order to bring the water back up to the proper temperature. Over time this can lead to a significant amount of energy being lost.

If you want to combat this energy loss you have two options. The first is to insulate a hot water tank. There are different kits that you can use that will allow you to put a piece of insulation around the tank. This will prevent heat from being lost. You can also switch to a heating system that does not have a water tank.

It can also be a good idea to look around your home at areas that may need updating. You should check that your home has a sufficient amount of insulation and that your windows and doors are made of glass that will prevent the loss of heated or cooled air. Then you can sit back and enjoy lower energy bills and a home that feel s more comfortable as well.

The phrase “off-grid” is one that has been used frequently these days and many people are wondering just what it entails and whether it is feasible or realistic for them to do so. Here is some information that you need in order to tell whether an off-grid lifestyle is feasible and affordable for you.

What is “the grid”?

The grid usually refers to the interlocking network of power lines and power generating stations that crisscross many countries. In the case of the North American power grid, this extends from one country into another. Power that is generated in one area of a country may actually end up being utilized by consumers located hundreds of miles away.

As the population increases, the drain on power is also increasing. Many experts have warned that there will come a time when the demand for electricity will raise to a level that will be impossible to supply. Even today, in times when power usage is at its peak, there may be power outages and other problems because there is not enough electricity to supply consumer demand.

Because of this fact, many homeowners and businesses are looking for ways to go “off grid”. That is, they want to find a way to generate their own power so that they are not hit with devastating electricity bills and are able to generate power so that they are safe from blackouts and shortages.

Can you generate power at home?

It is possible to generate enough energy to power your home without relying on commercial electrical supply companies to do so. There is a wealth of different options to choose from. Two of the most popular choices for generating power are solar panels and wind turbines. These can be installed on a small enough scale that they are affordable for many homeowners and can still generate a substantial amount of energy.

If you are considering either of these methods, working with a consultant who is experienced in this area is a must. They will be able to survey your home, the area where you live and the amount of space you have to dedicate to alternate power generation methods. They will be able to give you estimates as to the cost for materials and insulation.

Living off the power grid is something which an increasing number of individuals are choosing to do. Part of this stems from the fact that the technology is now much more readily available and that the price of conventional fuel sources is increasing so rapidly. Taking the time to learn whether it is right for you may be one of the best decisions for your budget and your wallet that you could ever make.

Anyone who lives in a colder climate can tell you that when temperatures go down, heating and energy bills can skyrocket. This is because it takes more energy to heat a home than it does to do anything else. If you look at two virtually identical homes, one may have energy or heating bills that are much lower. Why? It may be better insulated than the home with higher energy bills.

What is insulation?

Air is constantly moving. It moves in and out of buildings. When we have our windows open, it is because we want air to move in and out of our home. This is often done in order to let heat out after the weather has warmed up. If we are expending energy to heat or cool the air in our home so that it is a different temperature than the outside air, losing the heat or cold means that it becomes more difficult to maintain our homes at a comfortable temperature.

Windows are not the only places that air can escape. It can move out through our walls and through our roof. If we insulate our home properly, we are putting a layer of material in place that will block the flow of air and prevent the heat or cold from escaping. As a result, our homes are more comfortable and our heating bills are a lot lower.

What Does an insulation rating refer to?

If you look at different types of insulation, you will see that they often have a rating system on the label that is known as an R-value. Some forms of insulation will trap more air than others and therefore have a higher rating or R-value than others will. When insulation has a high R-value, it makes your home much more energy efficient. As a result, energy bills will decrease and the home will still feel more comfortable to live in. It is important to find out what R-value is recommended for the area where you live as some areas may have temperatures that get quite cold. Insulation designed for warmer conditions will not be enough to keep homes comfortable.

Insulation does more than just trap heat and cold

Insulation does more than just trap heated or cooled air. It can actually help to protect your home against other problems as well. When cold air meets warm air, moisture can condense and this can cause a whole host of issues for your home. If the moisture builds up in areas where there is not a lot of light or where the air flow is not good, mold can build up. This can be damaging to a home and expensive to repair.

Insulating a green home

It is nice to know that you do not have to sacrifice effectiveness in an effort to build or create an environmentally friendly home. Some of the greenest and most energy efficient forms of insulation on the market are those made from cellulose, mineral fibers, recycled blue jeans and recycled newsprint. Cellulose is one of the best because it can be used in areas such as walls and roof cavities. Not all forms of green insulation are right for all areas of the home.

If you are committed to making sure your energy bills are as low as possible, you may want to perform an energy audit. This will involve having experts examine your home in a number of ways and make sure that you are not losing energy that can be retained through updates and retrofitting. By making sure that your home is as energy efficient as possible, you can reduce your heating and electricity bills and enjoy a home that is comfortable and affordable to live in.

Windows and doors

Your home can lose an excessive amount of energy (in the form of heat) through windows and doors. If your windows are older or if you are noticing any drafts or cold spots you definitely want to make sure that your windows and doors get examined carefully. Experts will be able to tell what kind of windows you have and whether they are in good condition. If they are not, they can recommend products to use that will increase the amount of heat that is retained by your home.

Modern windows are usually made up of multiple panes of glass that have a layer of air or gas sandwiched between them. By installing new windows, heat will be trapped and your energy bills will often decrease as a result.

Insulation

An inspection will tell whether your home has enough insulation to properly retain heat. Older homes may not have sufficient amounts of insulation in areas such as the attic and may also need more insulation in outside walls. Newer forms of insulation are more efficient and can retain heat much more effectively. Increasing the amount of insulation in your home can prevent the loss of heat through walls and attics and can make your home much more affordable to heat.

What kind of inspection will you get?

There are different levels of inspections that you can get. At their simplest, inspections can involve having a contractor come into your home and perform a visual inspection. This can alert you to issues such as whether your windows and doors are losing heat and whether there is enough insulation in an attic.

Other inspections can involve more sophisticated technology. Some specialists will be able to take pictures of your home using heat-sensitive imagery to tell where a home is losing heat. By getting a clear view of your home you will be able to tell what improvements need to be made in order to ensure it is as energy efficient as possible.

Global warming, a terrifying thought to many (except for a few skeptics) is in the forefront once again. The National  Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the US government has announced  only last  September, the global average for the period January  to August 2010 is 58⁰F (14.5 ⁰C)  and that is  only second  to the average in 1998, the all-time record since the record keeping commenced way back in 1880.

So far the recoded average temperature this year has been 1.21 ^oF (-17.1 ⁰c) over even the 20th century global average.

The year 2005 however is on record as the warmest ever in spite of the lower first eight month temperatures. An unexpected upward rush of the temperatures towards the tail end of the year put it on record as the warmest ever over a period of twelve months.

Phew! That was only 5 years ago and now this.

NAOAA’s Global Climatic Data Centre also point out that  last August was the 3^rd hottest August on record, the top spot going to the year 1998, last year being the second. Last August the average temperature on the planet has been 62.2 ⁰F (16.2⁰C)

The summer worked out from June to August has recorded a sensational 61.3 ^oF (16.3 ⁰C) on the average, being only second to the all time peak in 1998.

Apart from the unusual hottest climates experienced in the Eastern Europe, Eastern Canada and certain regions of Eastern Asia in last August, the Australian continent, Central Russia and Southern parts of South America showed lower than normal cool climate unexpectedly.

What National Snow and Ice Data Centre   (NSIDC)

The other side of the coin is presented by the National Snow and Ice Data Centre   (NSIDC) of the US who has been monitoring the Snow and Ice Data in the Arctic through satellites moving miles above earth since 1979. They have revealed the sea ice covering this summer has been the third lowest since they commenced recording data. Only data recorded in the years 20o7 and 2008 have been thinner. On the September 10^th they recorded the lowest sea ice coverage for the current year, measuring only 1.8 million square miles (466,197 860 hectares) which is 625,000 square miles (161, 874 257 hectares) less than the minimum average recorded over the period 1979 to 2009. (Too recent for my comfort!)

Surprisingly, in spite the delayed on set of the ice melt season, the rate of ice loss accelerated losing within days quantities equivalent to that lost in May and June. The melting season has been shortened to just 163 days.

The Arctic mammalian fauna has been driven to the shorelines as the sea ice available in plenty during this period in other years has been hard to come by this year. Melting of ice in Greenland, Antarctica, Glaziers in Himalayan mountainous regions are instrumental in the ocean level rising in several parts of the planet.

The atmospheric scientists continue to press their data based inference that these   distorted weather patterns and geophysical changes are due to global warming, which unfortunately some still fail to grasp. NAOAA‘s records do provide unshakable scientific evidence of gradual rising of the atmospheric temperature. Meanwhile only a few weeks backs it has been reported that the flow of water to the oceans from the main land mass has increased by 18% over the last few decades.

Have we started moving in the right direction as yet?

Greentech.ie is your friendly advisor in Ireland and EU on matters pertaining to the interlinked duo, renewable energy and environmental protection be it at domestic or commercial level. Their services are absolutely free to you for the asking. Contact them today (call save 1890 245 345) for an appointment and find out how you can save on your energy bills while safeguarding our only home in the universe.

Surveys on Home Power consumption in colder countries of the world reveal some interesting facts.
Have you any idea what consumes the major chunk of your homes energy usage?
Can you do something to tilt the scale in your favour?

Surprisingly, it appears a small consideration here and there could make a huge difference to us as well as the world we live in.

Home Energy Consumption in colder climates
Naturally, home energy consumption in a well constructed (and therefore well insulated as well) home and that of a poorly constructed, badly maintained and unconcerned inhabitants’ home will vary widely.

The following figures are for a typical home of the second category.

• Space Heating                   – 58 %
• Water Heating                   – 19 %
• Refrigerator                       – 12 %
• Appliances and Lights     – 11 %

The notable weaknesses in the construction of this type of building has been
(a) weak building shell, primarily having inferior insulation and  poor weatherization
(b) an inefficient Heating system and it’s controls.

Now if you look at those with improved insulation and weatherization along with a good heating system and controls, the picture changes dramatically.

• Space Heating                   – 36 %
• Water Heating                   – 29 %
• Refrigerator                       – 17 %
• Appliances and Lights     – 18 %

The percentages have been calculated on the year-round total power consumed.
The likable feature of the whole exercise is that in this turn around the expenditure on the power consumed has been nearly halved irrespective of tariffs applicable.

What should you do for this turn-around?

• Improve your home insulation a total retrofit being preferable.
• Improve/retrofit your home weatherization (leak sealing or weather-stripping)
• Retrofit   with sustainable energy sources wherever possible
• Retrofit with energy efficient CFL or LED lighting
• Use the energy star label wisely and consciously  when you purchase appliances and lamps
• Consult a good expert concerned and knowledgeable in sustainability such as greentech.ie

For or against, we talk a lot on climate change due to global warming, pollution, lack of sustainability etc.
Little we realize billions of our homes are at the core of many of our problems one way or other.
Arguably economy of a country is what contributes to the well being of its citizens.
But on the other hand a strong economy at the expense of the future sounds plain primitive logic.
Let’s do our part in even a small way for bigger changes.

Greentech.ie is your friendly advisor on sustainability and energy management.
Their services are available free with no obligation.

BER or Building Energy Rating scheme has been in force in Ireland since 1^st January 2009.

If you are buying or renting a building can you gauge the energy consumption you would encounter just by it’s appearance?
Would you have the time and money to carry out surveys every time you inspect such a building?
The BER is meant to give you this information and to guide you in such situations.
A higher BER will assuredly make you pay more for your energy through out the year.

What is BER?
Most of you are aware of the European Energy Label system applied to domestic electrical appliances.
The rating goes from A to G in alphabetical order where A takes the pinnacle position in energy efficiency.
(A+ and A++ are additional gradings at the upper end, adapted since 2004 for exceptional energy efficiency).
A colour is assigned to each rating which is green for rating A.
The lowest efficiency rating G is assigned Red.
The BER too follows the same grading pattern with the exception that the most energy efficient building is assigned rating A, without any exceptional ratings.

In addition each grade or colour represents an energy range per unit area of a particular building.
Carbon dioxide emission per annum too is calculated and recorded as a separate entity to indicate how green your future abode would be.

How is BER determined?
A building wastes energy through:

• Poorly insulated and poorly weather-stripped envelope (skin),
• Incorrect energy settings of regulating devices.
• Outdated or defective regulating devices and mechanical equipment
• Poorly insulated hot water systems, attics, roofs, etc
• Poorly insulated Internal dry lining,
• Poorly designed Lighting systems
• Poorly designed Heating, ventilation and Air conditioning systems
• Inferior or poorly done vapour barriers.
• Thin glazing of windows (instead of double glazing etc.)
• Poor Landscaping of the surroundings (lack of shading) etc.

A building envelope that can keep the thermal energy within the building in the winter (or in the alternative keep thermal energy at bay in the summer) is energy efficient.
Internal dry wall lining do contribute to building energy efficiency.
So are the well insulated heating and hot water systems in buildings.
Correctly set accurate thermostats, mixing and diverting valves etc save your home energy.
Lighting accounts for a major portion of your home electricity load.
Correct design and use of energy efficient lamps etc will make the system efficient.
The HVAC system consumes the most energy in a building.
A good retrofit all round or a well designed system in a new building is certainly going to improve your BER.
However, only the important and practical applications of the above  causes are considered when working out the BER.

Apart from the energy efficiency the emission of green house gas CO₂ is too rated  and indicated in the BER.
Large Building using Centralized HVAC systems and usage of renewable energy is encouraged in this scheme.

In order to determine how efficient a building is, several parameters need to be checked by specialized personnel using specialized tools.

Who is responsible?
All buildings that will be constructed for occupation or sale after 1^st January 2009 must possess a BER certificate (with a few minor exceptions).
If you are buying or renting a new house of such recent vintage you can demand your land lord or the owners representative for the relevant BER, to give you an idea of the estimated energy expended annually in that building.

A dwelling for which Planning Application has been submitted on or before 1^st December 2006 and where the external walls have been completely erected by 1^st June 2008 is exempted from BER requirements.
Further more Part 1 of Building Regulations is satisfied by the BER issued for a new dwelling.

Who re authorized to carry out BER assessment?
It is an offence under the laws of Ireland to carry our BER assessment by unauthorized personnel for the purpose of the certificate.

A properly qualified BER assessor is a person purpose trained by SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority, Ireland)
and listed as such in their records which also can be obtained from their web site.