eco Design Consultants A U T U M N  N E W S L E T T E R Dec  2009	www.ecodesignconsultants.co.uk Tel: 01908 698364
Welcome to our Autumn Newsletter, We have been busy with our retrofit for the future bids, and come up with some interesting solutions to reduce the CO2 of the properties by 80%. The eco retrofit market will be an interesting and important market in the coming years, if we stand a chance of meeting our 80% carbon reduction target as a nation.
10:10 campaign Eco Design Consultants have signed up, why don’t you? Cutting your CO2 emissions by 10% in one year is achievable and what scientist thing we should be doing. The 10:10 project aims to unite sectors of society behind the idea, arguing that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in the UK’s carbon emissions during 2010. You can sign up yourself, your workplace and even your football club, sign the pledge at www.1010uk.org check out the website for advice on cutting your emissions, see who else has signed up and even win a Picasso.
Carbon Off-Setting So we’re actively cutting our CO2 but what about unavoidable emissions. Well we’re embarking on a programme of carbon offsetting.  Rather than buying trees to deliver an equivalent CO2 reduction elsewhere we are starting a programme of CO2 cutting where we will help charities or community groups to reduce their emissions. We will endeavour to assist these groups to reduce their CO2 by an amount equal or greater than the amount of CO2 that we produce. If you know of a charity or community group which would like support in cutting their carbon footprint please forward them this newsletter or send us their contact details and we will get in touch. If you are considering carbon offsetting the carbon trust (www.carbontrust.co.uk) has information on how offsetting fits into environmental policies.
CSH or reduced car use? We have been wondering which is more important in terms of carbon reduction, reducing car use or achieving a higher level of the Code for Sustainable Homes. So, we have worked out how many miles a week you would need to drive less to achieve the same carbon savings as the higher levels of the code, taking a standard 3 bed 3 star CSH house and a Ford Focus 1.6 (0.169kg C02/Km) as a base point. Increasing to 4 star from 3 star saves 316Kg C02/ yr or 23 miles of driving a week. Increasing to 5 star from 3 star saves 1,316Kg CO2/ yr or 97 miles of driving a week. Increasing to 6 star from 3 star saves 2,980Kg CO2/ yr or 211 miles of driving a week.
Eco Design Consultants in the Press We have appeared again in Building Products, this time Alan featured in Septembers on the table discussion of Sustainability with his thoughts on the current and future issues.  He also appeared in the October edition in an article the BRE’s green guide “reading between the lines”. http://www.ecodesignconsultants.co.uk/index_files/News.htm
Low Carbon Grants The low carbon buildings Programme Phase 2 extension (LCBPP2E) has now been launched. It provides a resource for public sector organisations of up to 50% of project costs incurred when installing micro generation technologies.  They say the application process has been simplified and as long as the supplier is certified by the governments Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) any supplier can be used. http://www.lowcarbonbuildingsphase2.org.uk/
Feed in Tariffs In April 2010 feed in tariffs will be brought in for photo voltaics, rates have not been set but are expected to be up to 36p a kWhr.  Feed in tariffs for other electricity generation technologies such as wind, hydro and biomass will also be available.  The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will also be introduced providing a financial incentive for technologies providing renewable heat, ie solar thermal, ground and air source heat pumps, biomass and CHP’s;  details have yet to be agreed.  The important thing is to insure that your supplier is certified by the governments Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). The tariffs will also be eligible to those who have already installed the technology as long as it is supplied by an MCS certified supplier. http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/
CarbonLite Silver Standard We are currently providing working drawings for a new build stone house to be built to conform to the AECB’s CarbonLite Silver standard having a space heating demand of less than 40kWh/m2yr and C02 emissions of less than 22 kg/m2yr.  Watch this space to find out how it develops. To find out more about this standard by visiting the AECB website at: http://www.carbonlite.org.uk/carbonlite/
AECB Milton Keynes Eco Design Consultants have started a local group of the AECB (Association of Environmentally Conscious Buildings) and hold month discussions on environmental topics or visit sustainable building projects. Get in touch if you would like to join us, members include Architects, builders, engineers and interior designers. Is this newsletter going to the right person? If you have friends or colleagues you think would like to receive this and future newsletters please email subscribe with their name and e-mail address to: newsletter@ecodesignconsultants.co.uk If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in the future please email unsubscribe to newsletter@ecodesignconsultants.co.uk
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