Latest News
Air Conditioning Inspections – The Roll Out Continues!
November 3rd, 2010
A mandatory new piece of regulation now requires all air conditioning systems over 12 kW to be inspected by 4th January 2011. The regulations are based on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2002/91/EC Article 9 Regular Inspections of Air Conditioning Systems.
All air-conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kw must be regularly inspected by an Energy Assessor. The inspections must be a maximum of five years apart.
The regulations require the first inspection of the affected air-conditioning systems to be carried out as follows:
- For all systems first put into service on or after 1 January 2008, the first inspection must have taken place within five years of the date when it was first put into service.
- For other air-conditioning systems, where the effective rated output is more than 250kW the first inspection must happen by 4 January 2009
- For other air-conditioning systems, where the effective rated output is more than 12kW the first inspection must happen by 4 January 2011
‘An air conditioning system is a combination of all components required to provide a form of air treatment in which the temperature is controlled or can be lowered and includes systems which combine such air treatment with the control of ventilation, humidity and air cleanliness’
A simple example, is an office building with say 5 individual or linked air conditioning units with approx 3kw capacity each, installed before 1st January 2008. Therefore you have 5 x 3kw = 15kw. An inspection is required.
Of course there are a multitude of system configurations and we are happy to give advice on the interpretation of the regulations, if you are in any doubt, please give us a call.
Having your air-conditioning system inspected by an Energy Assessor is designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce electricity consumption, operating costs and carbon emissions for your system. Energy inspections will highlight improvements to the operation of your existing systems or opportunities to replace older, less energy efficient systems or oversized systems with new energy efficient systems.
You can get the very best value from complying with these regulations by including an inspection in a wider ‘Energy Efficiency Action Plan’. Such plans look at the overall energy use in a business or building and provide an action plan to help focus on efficiencies. Air conditioning inspections can provide invaluable information, recommendations and actions resulting in a reduction in energy consumption in a wider push for overall energy efficiencies within a business.
If you would like to know more about the regulations or energy efficiency actions plans then please call us.
Posted in Air Conditioning Inspection
Energy Management becomes flexible
July 15th, 2010
Many organisations require support with their energy management, to realise the significant potential savings but in this difficult economic climate, few can afford a full project in one go.
For this reason, E Advantage are proud to announce the launce of a service that allows organisations to access our consultants expertise on a basis that suits them, whether that be:
- Ad-hoc
- Half day
- Day
- Retained service
- Full project
- Building a managment system
If this sounds of interest, call us today to discuss your requirements. Our number is 01280 812 909
Tags: advice, consultant, Energy Management, flexible
Posted in
BS EN 160001 and ISO 50001, Energy saving
Green Team or Green Champion? Need a hand…
July 15th, 2010
Are you putting a green team together?
E Advantage can help. We can:
- Structure the kick-off workshop
- Help set objectives
- Work with the team to implement environmental management practices and systems
- Help source funding
- Provide training
- Deliver green marketing communications within the business and externally
- Assist in reporting
- and much more…
For your green team requirements, call us today on 01280 812 909 and we’ll be happy to help
Tags: green champion, green team
Posted in
Environmental Management System (EMS), Green Marketing, Latest News
Big plans: Sustainable communities and Climate Finance
July 15th, 2010
Source: DECC (12th July, 2010)
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker is today [12 July] launching the first stage of the Government’s plans to help communities become more self-sufficient in the way they use heat and power.
Empowering communities to generate their own energy on a large and a small scale can not only bring in an income but also help save money on fuel bills and increase domestic energy security.
Homes, schools and businesses are already guaranteed cash payments through the ‘feed-in tariff’ for producing their own green electricity through technologies such as solar panels or small wind turbines, as well as for selling it to the national grid.
Around 100,000 homes and organisations have installed this kind of technology so far. The Government wants to see what more it can do to help develop the industry, create more job opportunities, and make sure customers can trust the green technology they buy.
Greg Barker said: “I want to see more homes, communities and businesses generating their own energy. We can literally bring power back to the people. Microgeneration is a key part of this vision.
“By becoming more self sufficient we can create sustainable local energy economies. People and communities can save money on their fuel bills at the same time as generating an income and cutting carbon. I want to work with industry to overcome the challenges it is facing. Together we will create a marketplace for jobs and prosperity alongside products and advice which people trust.”
The consultation on the Microgeneration Strategy will look at four key areas for development:
- Quality: ensure consumers have confidence that equipment and installation is reliable and adheres to the highest standards;
- Technology: examine how to improve products through more trialling of technologies new to the UK;
- Skills: develop the microgeneration supply chain to ensure it is properly equipped with the right people to meet the expected rise in demand, as well as creating and sustaining jobs in the UK;
- Advice: provide more accessible advice and information about microgeneration to homeowners, communities and small businesses.
Chris Huhne calls for renewed focus on climate finance
Chris Huhne warned today [12 July] that a deal on climate finance is vital to breaking the climate deadlock. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change arrived in New York for a meeting of the High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing. The group was set up to identify ways of raising new and innovative sources of climate financing to reach $100 billion per annum of public and private finance by 2020 as agreed during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen last December.
Chris Huhne said, “Helping developing countries tackle climate change is crucial if we are to secure a comprehensive and ambitious deal. Aside from a moral obligation to help vulnerable countries who have historically contributed little to the problem, it’s also in our own interests to provide practical support.
I’m looking forward to getting down to work with colleagues in New York to secure the long term finance needed to tackle climate change and kick start a renewed push towards a truly ambitious climate change deal.”
Chaired by Prime Ministers Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, the Group consists of finance and environment Ministers and economic and finance experts including President Obama’s chief economic advisor Larry Summers, George Soros and Prof Nick Stern.
The Group will work to develop proposals to present to the UN Secretary General by the end of October 2010, ahead of the international discussions at Cancun, Mexico.
Tags: Chris Huhne, climate finance, Climate Minister, Sustainable communities
Posted in
Energy saving, Renewable Energy
Solar Farms – what do you need?
July 15th, 2010
A 5MW solar farm is likely to consist of approx 27,000 Solar PV panels set on frames which face south. The frames are set high enough off the ground that sheep can graze underneath.
Site requirements:
1) 20 – 25 acres
2) Flat ground or gently sloping to south
3) No rights of way across the land
4) Site not obviously visible from neighbouring houses
5) Site outside special protection areas such as National parks, AONB’s etc
6) Accessible by road or track to site entrance
7) Site not liable to flooding
8 ) Site not overlooked by adjacent high ground
9) Single ownership
10) No large trees, mobile telephone masts or other structure which would cast a shadow on the land
11) No adverse planning history
12) Particularly suitable sites include – redundant airfields, restored land fill sites, old glass house sites, low quality grazing land.
13) MOST IMPORTANTLY – the site needs to have 33KV over head power lines crossing it. Larger power lines are too expensive to connect to and smaller ones will not take the load.
For advice with your solar farm, call our consultants today.
Tags: solar farm
Posted in
Renewable Energy, Solar PV