A Lot of Hot Air?

The Times recently featured an advertisement article by B&Q on how to generate your own energy.

The article starts by telling us how much energy is lost through a lack of proper insulation in older buildings. An average household emits enough carbon fuel to heat six hot air balloons. Not a great barometer, how many air balloons should we expect to keep up?

The reader is drawn to the point that all electrical goods left on standby should be switched off, saving approximately £37 per year. Consideration should also be given to cavity wall insulation, with another possible saving of £165 per year.

The driving point of the article is to persuade the reader to go down to their local DIY store and buy some solar panels or a wind turbine.

(Where on earth do you start when putting together solar panels on your roof? Does it come with an Allen key?)

The panels start at £1,498.00. This does not include any pipe work, access costs, tea & donoughts, and the cost of a man to come round, take them down, and put them up again properly.

Whilst the inonoughtsstallation of greener energy is the ‘correct’ thing to do it is undoubtedly expensive and the payback period is a long way off.

B&Q are clearly satisfied that a market exists for its new range of products fuelled by stories in the press reminding us to reduce our carbon footprint.

Regrettably, as always, the powers that be (excuse the pun) have still not reacted. The Government has gone to great lengths to introduce a new Part L of the Building Regulations focusing on Carbon Emissions. This is great, but why is it not mandatory for new houses/ conversions to include renewable energy schemes?

Surely house builders should ensure that a percentage of the energy for any new development should come from a renewable source?

Mind you, with the quality of the new stock of properties coming onto the market, you can expect to some imitation wind turbines made of the odd bicycle wheel and set of skis attached to an imitation slate roof soon…