See the Light 2010 - Building a Carbon Free Future Croke Park Convention Centre, Dublin See the Light 2010 - Building a Carbon Free Future organised by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s Renewable Energy Information Office (SEAI REIO) in association with the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) will take place on Thursday 9 September, at the Croke Park Convention Centre, Dublin. Conference highlights include a round up of new policies and their implications with delegates offered a rare and in-depth insight into the key principles and techniques in developing low energy, carbon neutral, energy plus and passive house projects to provide healthy and ecological building solutions for energy and cost conscious consumers and businesses in Ireland. Now in its eighth year this annual show case event for the built environment will be of particular interest to - The construction industry, architects, engineers, energy & environmental consultants, developers and installers, local authority planners and engineers, Agenda 21 officers, housing & building departments, housing associations, universities & research organizations and government departments & NGO’s
Thursday 9 September 2010
For further information please contact Paul Dykes (SEAI REIO) email pauld@reio.ie or tel 023 8863393.
28th July 2010
UK Schools encouraged to go solar
Hundreds more schools could soon be powered by renewable energy as Solarcentury and GE have joined a partnership to extend their services.
Solarcentury has already installed solar electric systems in over 250 schools across the UK.
However, GE's financial services support for the company's Solar4Scools programme is expected to help reach hundreds more schools around the country.
Schools could save up to £840 a year on electricity bills by installing a solar electricity system, according to GE.
In addition to these savings, the government's Feed-in tariffs could actually allow the establishment to make a profit from the energy they generate.
Derry Newman, chief executive of Solarcentury, commented: "It's a great example of private sector innovation for community scale benefit.
"Solar electricity is a very positive investment for schools, as it introduces a long-term income stream as well as cutting carbon dioxide emissions and bill costs."
He added that the generating renewable energy is an opportunity for schools to "educate children on the importance of renewable energy for a sustainable future".
Courtesy Energy Saving Trust –14th July 2010
Households 'using more energy' on lighting and appliances
Today's households are using substantially more energy on lighting and appliances than they were in the 1970s, data shows.
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, domestic energy use in these two areas has risen by 155 per cent in the last three decades.
The department's report put the increase down to the use of household technologies such as computers, microwaves and music systems.
In 1970, UK homes were using the equivalent of 2.7 million tonnes of oil on energy for lighting and appliances. By 2007 this had risen to 6.8 million tonnes.
As well as contributing to higher domestic energy bills, this may also be leading to greater carbon emissions.
Overall, domestic energy consumption in the UK rose by 24 per cent between 1970 and 2008.
The publication of the figures comes as energy companies start sending out annual energy statements to customers, providing details of their yearly consumption.
Proponents of the new legislation claim the documents will help families save more energy and bring their gas and electricity costs down.
Courtesy Energy Saving Trust – 6th July 2010