To snow or not to snow?

So The bad weather started early last week and since then I have been glued to the weather reports and the websites such as the met office. It finally started snowing here overnight Friday and we woke up to 5cm or so of snow lying on top of the dreaded ice - the council gritters were no where in sight despite all the warnings of snow and the side roads were like an ice rink but I had appointments booked for Saturday morning so of to work I went.

I managed to do all my appointments and only fell over once or twice - injuring my pride rather than anything else!

We all went sledging in the afternoon and the kids loved it, it was the first time the boys (age 3 and 20 months) had been and they really did enjoy it.

But now we are in limbo - you get up every morning and rush to see if there is enough snow to shut the schools and if there is that much snow you then have to wait for the official announcement via the local radio that "yes the school is shut" or you risk life and limb by chucking all 3 kids in the car for a trip to school via the local skating rink (the roads closest to the school - the school is on a bus route but the gritters still don't go down there) and hope that a few of the teachers have arrived and the school is open. Depending on which website you go on we are in for lots of snow overnight and all day tomorrow or a little bit of snow tonight and none tomorrow - complete and utter limbo, definitely a wait and see situation.

I do miss the snow from my childhood (that makes me sound old - although it is my 33rd birthday in just over 10 days) when there was enough to literally stop the country for a couple of days rather than just enough to make it awkward and difficult for 2 weeks.

So while awaiting the news from Cancun I will be watching out my window for the snow........

Co-operatives

At the moment there are 100s of websites offering EPCs, both commercial and domestic, at low cost prices Nationwide.

These are more often that not middle-men, and there has been lots of cases recently where DEAs are not being paid and the "middle-men" firms are going under, shutting up and both the DEA and the clients are getting burnt.

In 2008 I was involved with trying to set up a "union" for DEAs - mainly because I am passionate about this industry and wanted to see it promoted more but also because I felt that DEAs NEEDED to work together to provide more coverage and to effectively "cut out" the middlemen.
I feel that this, more than ever, is required. DEAs need to be working together - to provide holiday cover for each other, support and if there were enough DEAs working together to be able to provide a service to larger nationwide estate agents and clients.

If there was Nationwide coverage from a co-operative of DEAs then they would be able to have a larger pot for advertising - putting them "up" there with the middlemen on google rankings and therefore the DEAs would benefit by getting more clients and therefore more work. It would benefit the client because they would be speaking with trained and accredited DEAs and not a call centre operative who would simply be passing a message on.

This solution of a co-operative would benefit all concerned and is definitely on my Christmas wish list this year.

General.

Am feeling quite positive today - the 3 year old is a playschool (where is finally starting to behave), 8 year old at school and I have now had 6 nights undisturbed sleep - might not sound like a lot but when you have not had more than one night undisturbed over the course of 3 years its fantastic!

Have got the day off work today and have been good and spent the morning getting organised, lodging new addresses with Landmark ready for work tomorrow and doing that dreaded task of chasing invoices. I like to get "ahead" of myself where possible - it means that the clients get a quick turnaround from access to a property to receipt of the EPC and that is very important to me. I am very glad that I have been able to continue with being a self employed DEA (although it has been and is a struggle sometimes) because I was talking to a gentleman yesterday who because of unpaid invoices and lack of work has had to quit being a DEA - he simply cannot afford to do the job anymore.

I have also arranged a babysitter (grandparents - thank you!) and am off to my husbands mess function next week - very excited have never been able to go before, although am now nervous about what to wear (can't believe I said that - but don't want to show the other half up and need to be correctly dressed). Any ideas? I don't think it is a ball gown kind of function but the men are in suits so need to be smart - definitely not a Saturday night out with the girls kind of outfit from what I can understand.

Its been so cold overnight that there is ice on all the cars and on all the roofs in my street - its one of those times when you can clearly see who has insulated their lofts - those that melt quickly that's your heat and money heading skywards!

Good News

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20101123/tbs-uk-nationwide-03c9bed.html

Nationwide Building Society , the country's second-biggest mortgage lender, reported a 26 percent jump in first-half profit, and said it did not expect big house price falls despite signs of property market weakness.

Nationwide, which publishes a closely watched monthly house price survey, said on Tuesday major price falls were unlikely in 2011 because continued low interest rates would keep mortgages affordable and prevent a flood of distressed sales.

Mutually-owned Nationwide made an underlying pretax profit of 147 million pounds in the six months to end-September.
The improvement reflected a 44 percent drop in bad debts as a partial recovery in commercial property prices since mid-2009 helped more customers avoid defaulting on loans.
Britain's retail banks have all reported stronger profits in the past year as tighter lending criteria and a tentative economic recovery have helped reduce loan impairments.
Mortgage and savings-focussed Nationwide, the country's biggest customer-owned lender, has emerged as a relative winner from the financial crisis, snapping up financially weaker rivals including the Cheshire and Dunfermline building societies.
The Bank of England, which slashed interest rates to 0.5 percent during the crisis two years ago, was unlikely to start raising borrowing costs until the end of 2011, Nationwide said.
"We think house prices will remain relatively flat for the next few months, with some possible downward migration, but nothing significant," chief executive Grahame Beale told reporters on a conference call.
Surveys show house prices have been falling over the past three months, reflecting scarce mortgage finance and worries over the economic impact of government spending cuts aimed at reducing Britain's budget deficit.
Nationwide also said it was losing out on 300 million pounds per year because of a pledge to cap its base mortgage rate at two percentage points above the Bank of England rate, relative to the typical 4 percent rate offered by other lenders.
Over a third of Nationwide mortgage customers now pay the base rate, and more are choosing to revert to it when their fixed-term loans expire, the company said.

Wow, thank goodness some good news from the banks in the UK. I do really like this part -""We think house prices will remain relatively flat for the next few months, with some possible downward migration, but nothing significant," chief executive Grahame Beale"

Nothing of interest

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20101122/tsc-uk-climate-costs-011ccfa.html - worth reading. Its interesting to know that it will cost money if we don't work together to save energy and money!

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Work is picking up quiet a bit at the minute (fingers crossed and touch wood) so hopefully it will continue for a while. The evil creatures I live with (my children) have finally been sleeping through the night so I have been playing catch up on my sleep while I can.

Am eagerly awaiting the Cancun fortnight and whatever (hopefully lots) of decisions are made during that time, I haven't been writing as much lately as I think you will all get very bored with me during that fortnight as I get on my soapbox and rant about whatever is released in the press.

I am sad to say that there seems to be still alot of problems for some DEAs getting their money out of an EPC company - it is a shame and there are always two sides to every story but at the end of the day if you have done the work you deserve to be paid and in this current climate it is essential that you are paid and paid on time! There was another story about it today - follow this link http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=3738&type=news_features

Situation normal

I haven't written much this week as 1. have not had much to say, 2. have been that tired. Unfortunately my youngest has decided that sleep is not an option and for the past 6 months he has been getting me up 3-4 times a night. I have been shattered, but on the plus side, it seems like we have finally turned the corner as I have had 3 whole nights of undisturbed sleep! I feel like a new person.

Alot of DEAs that I know are now diversifying - one has become an estate agent, 2 or 3 are now doing cavity wall insulation, another one is selling PVs and a few more are doing inventories.
I already do floor plans, write ups and photos and after Christmas will be including video tours of properties in the services that I offer. I am also considering inventories but I want to check into that more thoroughly before I get involved. I have previously carried out inventories (back in 2005) but I want to check and see what current legislation is and if there are any necessary qualifications/insurances that you need. Obviously I would be an unbias person to carry out the inventory but I like to double check everything first before I start doing anything. I think that it is very necessary to make sure that everything you do is very professional and done to the highest possible standard.

Am having a peaceful (can you call it that?) weekend at home with the children so its nice, I've heard all about the latest school gossip - who has had a red/yellow card etc and who has kissed who and my 3yr old has informed me he is going to marry his girlfriend (that's what I call forward planning).

Off to walk the dogs in the fog. Have a lovely weekend.

Pricing and cash flow

I feel like screaming at the moment, but I am trying very hard to be calm.

I work very hard. I make sure that all the reports I do are prepared properly - I spend longer than I need to to make sure that I haven't missed any detail and that every part of a property has been assessed thoroughly and professionally. I offer flooplans and will (after Christmas) being offering video's of the properties. I am happy to do inventories and on occassion, if clients want, write up descriptions of the properties.

I keep being undercut which is why I am not getting any new clients and why my current clients are being constantly emailed with offers of fees much lower than mine. I am very glad that (touch wood) I have kept alot of my original clients and gained more over the years but I cannot understand why people continue to devalue the EPC by dropping the fee to a level where it is almost impossible to make a living from it.

I don't believe that EPCs should cost a small fortune, you shouldn't need a bank loan to pay for one and the fee shouldn't make you wince but it should be realistic - its not just the time on site, its the fuel cost, upload cost, and insurance plus the time in the office that all have to be taken into account.

The life of a self employed DEA is not an easy one in the current market conditions but it is one that I enjoy and intend to do for as long as physically and financially possible. But are we in danger of losing the professional DEAs in favour of the cowboys as the professional ones lose clients to the cowboys?? I hope not. I lost one client due to price who then came back to me due to the very poor service they were getting from the lower priced DEA and for that I am grateful. Another client came back to me due to poor service and bad turnaround from a low priced DEA and asked if I would just upload the EPC for them if they (the estate agent) assessed the property - I could have made £20 for doing nothing more than uploading an EPC - no site visit, no petrol costs etc BUT I refused because I am a professional and it is against the regulations, I didn't get the client back because I wouldn't do that and I am sure there is someone else out there doing that for them as we speak.

Apart from undercutting there also seems to be a problem with payment for some DEAs - http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=3716&title=EPC_boss_Whatcott_says_he_will_sue_as_DEA_anger_mounts&type=news_features
it appears that the DEAs have carried out work for this company and then are struggling to get paid. As a self employed DEA it is important that you get paid on time as there simply isn't the cashflow in the business to let invoices remain unpaid. I have worked for the company in question in the Estate Agent Today article and I thankfully have been paid by them. I have only ever not been paid by one company and it still annoys me to this day - it has certainly made me less trusting and I keep a very close eye on my invoices.

What I wouldn't give for a Christine Milne in the energy assessors corner in the UK today.

Cancun 29/11 - 10/12

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20101116/tsc-environment-us-climate-cancun-011ccfa.html

"Countries have realized since Copenhagen that there is no one big solution," Christiana Figueres, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, said of the U.N.-led talks in Mexico's Caribbean beach resort of Cancun from November 29 until December 10. "We need to take the process one step forward," she said.
"Everything tells me that there is a deal to be done," she said of negotiations to slow a creeping rise in global temperatures that the U.N. panel of climate scientists says will bring ever more floods, droughts, heat waves and rising sea levels." But even a limited deal at Cancun -- where only environment ministers will meet rather than world leaders who went to Copenhagen -- is a tall order after a year of bickering between China and the United States, the top greenhouse gas emitters.
Each says the other should do more, taking the focus off other nations' inaction at a time when budgets in developed nations are tight and opinion polls show many people are far more worried by high unemployment."China and the United States being stuck in a deadlock is a very comfortable mode of failure for everyone involved," said Shane Tomlinson, director of development at the E3G climate think-tank in London."

Looks like its going to be a very interesting December with that meeting coming up. There has to be a global decision on how to best save energy and make a difference to climate change. There are alot of tools available now - wind farms, solar power etc and if everyone can work together and ignore their egos during the meeting then hopefully the entire world will benefit.

Game time

I have just found out that a new game is coming and for once its actually one that I want (I normally steer well clear of computer games).

The game is called "Fate of the World" and allows you  to protect the world's climate and resources while managing a growing population demanding more power, food and living space, you basically run the World for 200 years and its fate is in your hands - you can either save it or destroy it.

"Gamers see the impact of their decisions: orangutans are saved from extinction, global temperatures drop by a degree; however, bad moves could see Europe battered by floods, or Africa ravaged by war.
"Even if they choose to destroy the world, they still learn more about the subject," said Rowlands, the 35-year-old head of video games developer Red Redemption, which employs 15 people at its base in Oxford, southern England. The game was based on scientific, economic and demographic data from sources such as NASA, the United Nations and Oxford University. "Fate of the World" was developed in partnership with academics working under Oxford University climate change expert Doctor Myles Allen.
The game "allows people to experience the decisions we are likely to confront and makes clear there are no easy answers", Allen said."

I am going to have a little go on the already released taster version very soon and will let you know what I think. It is a good way of introducing climate change, the global community and showing how every small thing can affect the world in a fun, light way for people - anything that promotes the problem and how we all need to work together has got to be a good thing.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20101115/tsc-save-the-world-from-climate-change-b-c6db719.html

fun on the farm

I have been reading this morning about Micheal Eavis (of Glastonbury fame) - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/10/solar-power-glastonbury-michael-eavis he has installed 1,116 solar panels on the roof of a cowshed at his farm.

During his interview he mentioned how easy he has found it, with the help from the governments feed in tarriff (http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/renewable/feedin_tariff/feedin_tariff.aspx) which has used powers in the Energy Act 2008 to introduce a system of feed-in tariffs to incentivise small scale (less than 5MW), low carbon electricity generation. The Department's Response to the Consultation on Feed-in Tariffs (FITs)(set out the decisions in relation to the FITs scheme. These feed-in tariffs work alongside the Renewables Obligation (RO), which will remain the primary mechanism to incentivise deployment of large-scale renewable electricity generation, and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which will incentivise generation of heat from renewable sources at all scales. The Department launched the Renewable Heat Incentive consultation on 1 February 2010 and the deadline for responses to this was on 26 April 2010.

Householders considering generating their own electricity should look at the Energy Saving Trust’s Clean Energy Cashback[External link] web pages for more information on energy efficiency measures as well as independent advice on the technologies concerned.

Small-scale low-carbon electricity technologies eligible for FITs are:

• Wind;
• Solar photovoltaics (PV);
• Hydro;
• Anaerobic digestion; and
• Domestic scale microCHP (with a capacity of 2kW or less)*

* Domestic scale microCHP pilot will support up to 30,000 installations with a review to start when the 12,000th installation is completed.
Solid or liquid biomass technologies continue to be supported under the Renewables Obligation (RO) at all scales.

I have a colleague who has diversified from energy assessments in fitting photovoltics as he said it is definately the way to go, he has them on the roof of his own property and has saved money on his energy bills already.

Please vote if you have 30 seconds to spare.

I wouldn't ask but there is less than 3 days of voting to go (and no I am not talking about britains got talent/celebrity get me out of here - don't watch any of them) but my Dad is in a competition.

His car is in Total Car Magazines final for car of the year. My dad has worked very hard all his life and this car is his one treat - he would be thrilled if he won. So I am asking if you have 2 seconds to spare please click on this link http://www.totalcarmagazines.co.uk/idol-impreza-FINAL-2010.htm and vote for Chris Buckler - car 1.

Interesting day so far

As you know I have been having a minor panic about work loads these past few weeks and now - going to have a very busy day tomorrow! Am very happy, hate it when there isn't any work in as I am very proud of my little business and I want it to be a success but being self employed as a domestic energy assessor is a tricky thing in this current climate.

But the bad news has been reported again "Property website Rightmove said prices fell 3.2 percent this month, their sharpest drop since December 2007 and more than reversing October's 3.1 percent rise.
The annual rate of growth fell to 1.3 percent, its lowest this year, from 2.9 percent in October.
Mortgage lender Nationwide and property data firm Hometrack also reported falling house prices in October. With government spending cuts and tax rises due to take effect at the start of the year, there is little optimism that prices will pick up any time soon."
Being honest about the current economic situation and the housing market is the simple fact that it always goes quiet during the winter months. It always has and it always will. If a property is priced to sell it will still sell but incorrect pricing, a glut of properties and lack of mortgages being approved in conjunction with the time of year are going to have an effect on the amount of money properties are selling for and the amount of properties that are selling. So I for one refuse to panic about this!

On a completely different note I have been positive and have made arrangements to go to the gym with a friend on wednesday evening - I will do it x

Its all my hard work.......

I have huffed and puffed my way up today to fetch my 3 yr old from playschool. I was walking for two reasons - one to save petrol/energy and two to improve my fitness.
After taking the dogs to agility class yesterday I was shattered, I woke up aching and had to force myself to do 10 minutes on the evil exercise bike/clothes hanger that lives in my conservatory just to loosen my muscles up.

When I was 17 I was slim - you could circle my waist with two hands, now you'd be lucky to circle my thigh with two hands! I have gotten unfit and fat - there I said it. I'm not beating about the bush I am telling it like it is, no polite phrasing such as slightly overweight, bubbly and chubby definately not I have gotten fat. Its been a long process and its took hard work - chinese, kebabs, snacking on chocolate, no exercise (or very little), no fruit, missing breakfast, eating too much late at night because I haven't eaten during the rest of the day........and its my fault.

So I'm not doing this as a new years resolution, I'm not doing this for anyone else I am going to do this for me -
1. eat healthy (not 1 stick of celery for lunch, but proper balanced meals)
2. exercise more
There is no need for fads I need to change my eating habits and make myself exercise more so that I can look in the mirror and like what I see, so that I can run an agility course without getting out of breath and run round after my children.

Before I go though I do want to say - I don't want to be a size 0 or even a size 8, I want to be a realistic HEALTHY weight for my height and build size 14 would be ideal.

Why

Why am I writing this?

Why should you read this?

Because I am a normal person who has an average life with a family. I am not a scientist. I am not a politician. I am not doing this to achieve world domination.

Because I want to see change.

Because I am trying to learn about what the entire global community are doing to lower emmissions and be more energy efficient.

I have strong beliefs, but I am open to change, I am prepared to learn new things and shape my views accordingly.

Because there are millions of people just like me across the world - no PHD, no £100,000 per annum job, not involved in politics, who just want to see what is happening across the world and make their own minds up and if I can help by finding out some information (apologies for my comments on the info) then that is a good enough reason for me to write this and for you to read it.

a little more personal

I have been reading up on what you are supposed to put on a blog, how to encourage comments on your writing etc and have got to admit I am confused so I am just going to carry on regardless and hope that people like it. I would love to see comments and I would love to have "followers" but I am new at this and if some of the energy advice/news I put up on here and then comment about helps someone then thats enough for me. For this post I thought I would put up something alittle more personal than energy related issues.

Its very quiet work wise at the moment, too quiet for me with Christmas looming it is an expensive time of year and I'd love some more work in so that I can have a really nice Christmas with my family. There are several reasons why Christmas is very important to me this year - all 3 of the children now understand what presents are and it is going to be incredible watching them open them, my husband is due to be at home on leave so we will get to spend some real family time together and to hopefully make it a better Christmas than we had last year.

In November of 2009 my mother in law was diagnosed with cancer. A week later she had the full diagnosis - it was small cell lung cancer with secondarys to the brain and liver. She was living alone in a bungalow at this time and wanted to come home from the hospital so that visitors could come to see her with ease. The following weeks with trying to organise care for her in her home and ending up doing alot of the caring myself, and watching a very strong, independant woman waste away were horrific. She died on the 27th of December, 4 weeks after getting her full diagnosis and a day after her birthday. I can only hope that where ever she is now that she is happy and that is pleased that we followed her wishes to the letter.

So after the Christmas we had last year we want to make some happier memories this year.

Low cost ways to be more energy efficient and cut your energy bills

Curtains

• At night, pull the curtains to stop heat being lost through the windows Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.
  Savings: around £15 per year
• Take care not to drape curtains over radiators as this will funnel heat straight out of the windows

Heating

• If you are too warm, turn the thermostat down by 1degree C: this can cut up you 10% off your fuel bills If you are away for a few days then leave the thermostat on a low setting to provide protection from freezing without costing too much.
  Saving: around £15-£30 per year.
• You can also save on running costs by heating your home for an hour less each day
• Never cover the air flow vents on electric heaters

Water

• Remember not to set the thermostat too high on your water heater; 60°C/140°F is usually adequate for bathing and washing
• Use a shower if you have one and you'll save time, money and water
• Remember to put the plug in your basin or sink - leaving hot water taps running is both wasteful and expensive
• If you have a dripping tap ensure it is repaired quickly. In just one week, you could waste enough hot water to fill a bath

Lights

• Remember to turn off lights when you leave a room for long periods. If you use a light for an average of four hours or more a day, fit an energy-saving light bulb. It will use around a quarter of the electricity, and will last eight times longer than an ordinary bulb. Cost: around £5-£12
  Saving: around £10 per year

Television and stereo

• Switch off your TV, video and stereo at the set. Standby can use as much as 10%-60% of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on.

Fridges and Freezers

• Defrost fridges and freezers regularly to keep them running efficiently
• Don't put hot or warm food straight into the fridge - let it cool down first
• Where possible, position your fridge or freezer away from cookers or heaters

Washing machines

• Where possible wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine
• Alternatively, use the half-load or economy programme if your machine has one

Dishwashers

• If you have a dishwasher use the low-temperature programme unless you have very dirty dishes

Cooking

Here are some ways to save energy when you cook:

• Use the right size pan for the food and cooker hob
• Keep saucepan lids on - this enables you to turn down the heat
• Don't use more water than you need
• Use a kettle to boil water for cooking
• Use a toaster rather than the grill to make toast
• Avoid over-filling the kettle for just one drink but be sure to cover the element

Low cost tips

Low energy light bulbs

• Use low energy light bulbs wherever you can as they use less than a quarter of the electricity used by ordinary light bulbs and can last up to 15 times longer!

Hot water cylinder jacket

• Putting a lagging jacket around your hot water tank and insulating hot water pipes can pay for itself in a few months and go on saving you money for years to come
• Always choose a British Standard jacket. An insulating jacket for your hot water tank costs only a few pounds, and will pay for itself within months. Fit one that is at least 3" thick and make sure a British Standard jacket is used. Costs: around £10
  Saving: around £20 per year

Draft Proofing

• Put draught strips around windows and outside doors and fit a flap across the letter-box.    Stop draughts and heat escaping by filling gaps under skirting boards, with newspaper, beading or mastic sealant.
  Cost: around £10.
  Saving: around £10 per year

Windows

Make sure your windows are insulated and draught proofed. A low-cost, short term alternative to double glazing is to tape polythene across window frames. You can use ordinary cling film or you can buy special products from D.I.Y. stores.
Costs: around £10
Saving: around £25 per year

There are alot of little tips above that will really help keep your home warmer and save you money and energy.
This website http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018661
has all the details under the Warm Front Scheme as to what grants are available to help with your heating and insulation. The Warm Front Scheme installs insulation and heating measures to make your home warmer, healthier and more energy efficient. You can only apply for a grant from the Warm Front Scheme if you live in England. Should you qualify, you will be eligible for heating and insulation measures up to the value of £3,500, or £6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended.

New common sense code to build greener homes

Grant Shapps outlines local approach to delivering zero carbon homes from 2016

Published	27 July 2010

Councils and developers could be given much more flexibility to meet ambitious eco-standards to ensure all new homes are zero carbon from 2016, Housing Minister Grant Shapps said today.
It comes as part of the Coalition Government's ambition for an eco-friendly economy and to become the greenest government ever.
The Minister has said he will look at ways builders could make payments to fund community energy projects, such as wind farms and district heating schemes, to meet their obligations to reduce carbon emissions from new homes - this could give developers and councils more freedom and flexibility to decide how to meet their zero-carbon obligations.
Minimum standards for energy efficiency measures such as cavity wall insulation will also be set through future revisions to building regulations. These will be based on those revisions outlined in a recent consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes, which set key benchmarks for the sustainability of new homes.
Mr Shapps also confirmed the allocation of £600,000 to the Zero Carbon Hub to continue its work this year. The Hub has also been tasked with testing new benchmarks for carbon emission reductions.
Grant Shapps said:

"This is about meeting tough environmental standards, but not dictating how every home should be built. Councils and developers together are in the best position to decide how best to meet these standards, so we are looking at giving them the flexibility and a range of options to do this.
"We are committed to all new homes being zero-carbon from 2016, and have the right mix of measures in place.
"First and foremost a zero carbon home must use as little energy as possible, which is why I will shortly announce a minimum standard for key energy efficiency measures like loft and cavity wall insulation.
"And to ensure the benchmark for carbon emission reductions is both ambitious and achievable, I look forward to seeing the results of tests the Zero Carbon Hub will conduct over the next few months."

The full Written Ministerial Statement 'Zero Carbon-Homes' is available here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100727/wmstext/100727m0001.htm#10072727000016 (external link

Thought I would put this up here so that everyone can see what the UK are up to with zero carbon homes, I do like how Grant states he is going to "annouce a minimum standard for KEY energy efficiency measures like loft and cavity wall insulation"

In light of just how cold it is getting it may be worthwhile for everyone to be thinking of updating their loft and cavity wall insulation - there are countless grants available at the moment and you will really feel the benefit. The energy saving trust has a helpline if you need advice on what grants may be available to you -0800 512 012.

Grant Shapps: New common sense code to build greener homes

Published	11 November 2010

Housing Minister Grant Shapps today published an improved green rating for new homes that will help deliver the next generation of green properties, which are built to the highest standards of sustainable design, and could reduce future utility bills by up to £2,250 a year in the most energy efficient homes.
The Code for Sustainable Homes was introduced in April 2007 as a standard to improve the overall sustainability of new homes. The Code scores against a star rating system, using one to six stars depending on how the property performs against categories such as energy use, waste, materials and water.
Mr Shapps said the Code has been updated to take into account the tougher new rules for energy efficiency in buildings, and help developers make new homes greener without getting bogged down in unnecessary 'gold plated' design features.
The Code, which has been updated after an extensive consultation with housebuilders and industry experts, will also make it easier for consumers and homeowners who want to grade the standard of their properties.
Grant Shapps said:

"Over a quarter of the country's carbon emissions come from our homes, and if we're serious about tackling climate change we need to reduce this. So I welcome these changes to the Code that bring it in line with the tough new rules for energy efficiency in the Building Regulations.
"We need greener homes, but I also want to make it easier to build the homes this country needs. Good building standards can only be effective if they are easy to understand, and only applied where they are appropriate. That's why the Code has been updated to iron out problems that have arisen over time, and streamlined so building standards can be used in a sensible way that suits the local situation.
"It's important house builders meet the standards local communities demand, but I'm determined to simplify the complicated processes they have to go through to achieve this. That's why I've pledged to tackle the 'alphabet soup' of standards and red tape that blight efforts to start new developments, and I will be working with industry to get this done."

The Code is rated from one to six, one being the entry level - above the level of the standard, mandatory Building Regulations - and six as highest, reflecting outstanding sustainable development.

In the first three years, nearly 8,000 homes have been completed to Code level standards. Ministers believe this figure is too low, partly because the current Code is too complicated and bureaucratic. The updated version will be a first step towards making it is easier for developers to deliver more green homes. The new Code's green rating system has been improved by:

• Aligning the Code with the latest developments in building regulations - it will now take into account, and in some cases go beyond, the tougher new Building Regulations to reduce carbon emissions from buildings. For example, a Code level 4 home will now be 25 per cent above this minimum standard. The new Code will also strongly incentivise the introduction of 'fabric energy efficiency standards', so developers can use building materials and techniques that improve the energy efficiency of new homes.
• Streamlining the Code and associated processes - to ensure that the Code is focused on the issues of greatest significance, instead of including unnecessary standards that duplicate existing regulations or create difficulties for developers. For example, there is now an exemption from the 'lifetime homes' standards for sites where it is too steep to apply, and the mandatory requirement for site waste management plans has been removed since it is required by other regulations.
• Resolving problems that have arisen in use of the Code - for example, clarifying parts of the Code that set standards for reducing the risk of flooding. Clear surface water management standards have now been set, enabling developers to understand exactly what is required.

The new Code will have key role in helping people cut their carbon emissions and lead more sustainable lifestyles. The standards reflect the future goals for zero carbon homes and include measures for reducing energy consumption, minimising and recycling waste, reducing potable water demand, reducing the risk and impact of flooding, reducing carbon intensive travel by providing cycle storage as well as promoting facilities for working at home. It encourages a reduction in energy through the choice of building materials as well as the energy used during the construction.

This is fantastic news, its amazing to see that over 25% of our emmissions are coming from homes and that these new greener homes could save up to £2250 on energy bills which is brilliant and definately an incentive for people to go green and become more energy efficient.

what a fantastic day

Although I have missed the other half today I have had a truly fantastic day.
I have managed to get all the cleaning done, beds changed etc, then got dogs out on a nice walk with the kids (1 on a scooter and 2 in a double buggy) have sent off an email mailshot to estate agents offering my services (could do with more work, so heres hoping) got dinner in the over, went to church and took Dave and Guinness to dog agility class - grandparents babysitting (thank you!)

Agility was fantastic, thoroughly enjoyed it although me and the dogs are filthy and my muscles are screaming - but its a good way to keep fit and the guinness hasn't been for 3.6 years and went straight back over and on every piece of equipment like he had never been away. Dave is getting better - it was only his 6th lesson and he is still a puppy but it's really nice to see him coming on so well. Dave is still only a puppy (little jack russell) so he is only learning at the moment but he really enjoys it and gives him something to think about - he's curled up in his bed right now snoring so I think he may be tired.

Off to dish up dinner before getting my daughter to start her homework but all in all a really lovely, family active sunday.

Leaving it.........

As a normal person in a relationship I often see how long it will take my husband to do something when I just leave it - like the hoovering(during the week I hoover downstairs every day) or putting away the clothes. Its my own personal little experiment.
Nine times out of ten I end up getting annoyed and just doing it myself. My husbands answer to this is "if you don't tell me I don't know it needs doing".

So rough translation he needs an incentive to get him to do things.............you do half the housework etc and I am not so tired and won't fall asleep 30 minutes after the kids have gone to bed. That works fine, once he knew this he does now do the hoovering and help out more.

The same can be said of energy saving. There are so many people who want to save energy, who understand why we need to save energy and take the necessary steps - some of them small (walking to work twice a week, doing a car pool for taking the kids to school, low energy lightbulbs) and some of them larger (pv panels, solar panels, new boiler) BUT there are other people who need an incentive.

I feel the Americans are going about this the right way with the "granite counter" approach to home energy efficiency. They are making energy efficiency in homes a desirable and saleable item. Its an incentive that earns you money, will help sell your home and sssh save energy! Without an incentive alot of people will just leave saving energy to others but unless the majority of the world jump on board the saving energy bandwagon its going to be increasingly difficult to save energy.

Remembrance Day 2010

"In the United Kingdom, although two minutes of silence are observed on 11 November itself, the main observance is on the second Sunday of November, Remembrance Sunday. Ceremonies are held at local war memorials, usually organised by local branches of the Royal British Legion – an association for ex-servicemen. Typically, poppy wreaths are laid by representatives of the Crown, the armed forces, and local civic leaders, as well as by local organisations including ex-servicemen organisations, cadet forces, the Scouts, Guides, Boys' Brigade, St John Ambulance and the Salvation Army. The start and end of the silence is often also marked by the firing of a cannon. A minute's or two minutes' silence is also frequently incorporated into church services. Further wreath-laying ceremonies are observed at most war memorials across the UK at 11 am on the 11th of November, led by the Royal British Legion.^[16] The beginning and end of the two minutes silence is often marked in large towns and cities by the firing of ceremonial cannon^[17] and many employers, and businesses invite their staff and customers to observe the two minutes silence at 11:00 am."

Today me and my children will be attending church - we don't go as often as we should but I always take them on Remembrance Day without fail. My husband has already left to go back to barracks as he will be taking part in the Remembrance Day Parade.

As a mother I think its very important that my children learn from an early age to pay their respects to all the men and women that have sacrificed and are still doing so.

Please if you have the time today spare a thought to all those brave men and women working hard for us.

Anyone can do an EPC?

"Now everyone can do an 'EPC' thanks to new phone app

Friday 27th August 2010
In what sounds like bad news for the already beleaguered energy assessor industry, a new phone app is being launched which will give everyone the ability to audit and generate an A to G rating on any home.
A London firm called Qreative Medias is behind the application ‘Home Energy Performance’ which is available on the iPhone and iPad in the Apple Stores.It is thought users will be home owners, buyers, estate agents, letting agents and builders.The app not only delivers an energy rating but also recommendations and advice, with a pdf report.The report indicates the EPC score, including the A to G graph required under the EU directive. The app is available worldwide and in several different languages.
However, a spokesman for Qreative Media said that whilst the app generates an EPC, exactly as a survey would do and in conformity with guidelines, it would not count as the 'real' thing in terms of requirements for selling or renting a property, as it is generated by the iPhone user and not by a registered and accredited Domestic Energy Assessor.

http://home-energy-performance.mobi"

The above story comes from http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=3468&title=Now_everyone_can_do_an_'EPC'_thanks_to_new_phone_app&type=news_features.

It may seem like an absolutely awful idea and the final death blow to all those people who spent their life savings/remortgaged their houses to become a fully trained accredited Domestic Energy Assessor but even the creaters of the software Qreative Media said that the app generates an EPC it DOES NOT count as the real thing. Plus in my mind unless the person who is using the app understands exactly what a DEA looks for and assesses then there is a large possibility of the data being collected incorrectly, entered incorrectly etc so it can never be a substitute for a real EPC. There is of course the possibility that the app may be used by some people to try and get away with not having a correctly done EPC by an accredited and trained DEA.

On the plus side if it gets people interested in EPCs and the fact that they can save money and energy that has to be counted as a positive.

Things that make you go mmmm?

I admit it I love writing this blog, its incredibly relaxing and it has encouraged me to learn so much more about the global community and what everyone is doing to save energy. It gives me somewhere to vent my feelings and thoughts (such as they are) - 3year doesn't care, 18 month old can't understand and 8 year old doesn't want to listen to her old mum. It has in a strange way given me some "adult" time when I can be me, Domestic Energy assessor and adult not the chief bottlewasher/cleaning lady/taxi aka mum.

But I am intrigued by the statistics that are coming back about who is reading my blog - people in America, UK, Israel, Russia, Sweden, France, Singapore. I am really pleased that there is 1 person reading it let alone all the people that seem to be (unless the stats are wrong). I am wondering what people think though, and although I can hope that job offers (daydreaming again) will be winging their way to me in the near future from some amazing energy related industry I don't think thats really going to happen.

Please if you have any comments or want to email me - hazelgreenassociates@yahoo.co.uk feel free (*nothing abusive though please - I am sensitive)

I probably won't write much over the weekend as it is going to be fairly busy - spending time with family, shopping, and my favourite activity of dog agility on sunday (adore it - you get cold, wet, frustrated when your dog won't do what you want but its good exercise and when it all comes together it feels fantastic) so I hope everyone has a lovely weekend doing what ever it is they enjoy.

Other countries (again).........

Israel:

On November 30th 2010, Bait Venoy, together with the Israeli Green Building Council, will host a convention dedicated to "Green Building - Technologies, Methods and Applications". The convention will discuss new disciplines in building, with a strong focus on environmental building standards and regulations in Israel and around the world. The convention will address the distinct values of those standards and their important contribution to improving the quality of the environment in and around building projects as well as the quality-of-life standards for the individuals in the communities.
The convention will include a professional exhibition and present cutting-edge projects and technologies from around the world.
Israel’s standard 5281 for buildings with minimal environmental impact addresses four main areas: energy, water savings, land, and various ecological issues. The Intel building meets the Israeli standard at the “Outstanding Green Building” level. The Israeli standard is slated to undergo major revisions, and Erdan said at the ceremony that he would be working closely with the Standards Institute of Israel to ensure that the standard conformed more closely to international levels.http://www.iisbeisrael.org/eng_about_us.htm - very good website.


Denmark:

Energy use by households usually accounts for not only a large share of a country’s total energy consumption, but often also a significant share of energy wasted. Reducing this wastage could make an important contribution to tackling climate change by reducing CO2 emissions. Against the background of needless energy waste and climate change linked to rising atmospheric CO2 levels, the need for improved energy efficiency has swung into focus on the global agenda.

Energy saving
In Denmark, prevention of energy waste in households has long been a focus area, and successive governments have introduced a range of energy saving policy initiatives together with building regulations designed to help householders reduce energy consumption (and thus energy bills) and minimise the environmental impact

A tightened building code, including stipulations on insulation and tighter-sealing doors and windows lowered Denmark’s heating bill by 20% between 1975 and 2001, even though 30% more heated floor space was built in that period.
Energy rating
The energy rating of buildings in Denmark developed out of these initiatives, and schemes now in force are seen as an important way to achieve energy savings in buildings – both existing and new.
In the mid-1990s the Danish government began focusing on the energy efficiency of domestic appliances, and introduced both retailer and consumer incentives to encourage their uptake. Today, many appliances sold must carry a label which rates energy efficiency according to a graded scale based on EU rules. Nordic knowledge Being situated in northern latitudes, Denmark is well accustomed to the challenges of relatively cold winters and has developed considerable know-how in building homes that can be heated in highly energy- efficient and cost-saving ways. Not surprisingly, Danish companies can be found among the world leaders in insulation materials for roofs, walls and floors, energy monitoring and thermostat control systems, as well as solar panels, small wind turbines and – looking ahead to a possible future Hydrogen Society – domestic combined heat and power generators driven by zero-CO2 emission fuel cells.
Sustainable solutions
With the increasing demand among the world’s nations for carbon-neutral architecture and building materials, Danish architects and companies are featuring prominently at international trade fairs focusing on sustainable building solutions.
In Denmark, it has since 2005 been possible to buy various types of housing accredited with the Swan-labelled, the environmental symbol introduced by the Nordic Council of Ministers to show that the product is a good environmental choice. http://www.denmark.dk/en/menu/Climate-Energy/Fact-Sheets/Energy-Efficiency-Do-You-Realize-The-Potential/

Switzerland:

Was really impressed when I read this (UK eco towns eat your heart out!) -

So far 120 Swiss local authorities have been designated "energy towns" – a sign of consistent and efficient energy policies.All the Swiss local authorities, cities and regions that have been labelled "energy towns" have made it their goal to reduce energy consumption, promote renewable sources, organise environmentally friendly transport and more.Thirty-seven per cent of Swiss live in an energy town and the list of local authorities involved runs from Aadorf to Zurich.The "energy town" label, which is based on a standardised catalogue of possible measures, has existed since 1997, although the concept dates back to the end of the 1980s. In 1993 the concept was formalised in the Federal Energy Office's Energy2000 programme and "energy town" was registered as a brand. Most energy towns are in the urban German-speaking parts of Switzerland. The only energy town in Italian-speaking Ticino is Mendrisio.

As a small country in the middle of Europe, Switzerland's energy policy is aligned with that of its neighbours. Switzerland is part of the western European power grid. In the summer it is able to export electricity, but in winter it generally has to import it. In 2005 for the first time it imported more than it exported.
Energy policy
The two main planks of Swiss energy policy are to promote the use of renewable resources and to encourage efficiency. The government sees this as particularly important in the face of the upcoming liberalisation of the European energy market, which Switzerland cannot avoid. Greater competition is likely to bring down the prices of fossil fuels. This would boost their use yet further, which would have a detrimental effect on the environment, undermining Switzerland's determination to cut its CO2 emissions by 2010 to 90% of its 1990 level.
Consumption
Switzerland's per capita electricity consumption is slightly higher than that of its neighbours, though well below that in Scandinavia, the US and Canada.

Am really fascinated at the moment with what "everyone" else is doing in the realm of energy saving, I started off thinking that the majority of countries were not doing much and I have been really suprised to see what everyone is doing. There are some very good examples now from other countries that we can all learn from.

http://www.celsias.com/actions/ - while I was researching other countries I found this website, lots of little ideas to help save energy and money, if everyone in the world signed up to just one of the ideas available on this website the energy saving would be unbelievable.

The Green Deal, further info

"Thousands of new insulation workers will soon be hitting Britain’s streets as part of a national effort to make people’s homes warmer and cheaper to run. Chris Huhne, today said that by 2015 up to 100,000 Green Deal workers could be employed in the effort to upgrade Britain’s homes. Currently around 27,000 work in the insulation industry. Legislation to start the process of establishing the Green Deal is due to be introduced into Parliament next month.The Green Deal is the Government’s new and radical way of making energy efficiency available to all, whether people own or rent their property. The work to upgrade the property will be paid back from the saving on energy bills.Chris Huhne, visiting British Gas’ Energy Academy in Thatcham, said:“The Green Deal’s about making people feel as warm as toast in their homes. I want Britain to say goodbye forever to leaky lofts and chilly draughts. At a time of increasing gas prices energy efficiency is a no-brainer."

This is from the http://www.decc.gov.uk/ website.  There is a leaflet on the Green Deal that is also available to download from this website which goes on to explain that 3.5 million homes will be insulated in the run up to the Green Deal.

Part of the leaflet states "Under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) the Government requires all major, domestic energy suppliers to make savings in the amount of CO2 emitted by households. CERT helps reduce energy demand; enhance the UK’s security of supply; reduce fuel poverty; and, secure jobs in energy efficiency industries. In June 2010 the new Government extended the scheme to ensure 3.5 million new homes can benefit by 2012, providing an additional 107 MtCO2 in carbon savings"

I can only hope that these "thousands of insulation workers" will be 1. regulated, 2. a thorough assessment of the required amount of insulation workers will take place, 3. training providers will be kept in check.

When I read further through I found this "Chris Huhne announces that “were all 26 million households to take up the Green Deal over the next 20 years, employment in the sector would rise from its current level of 27,000 to something approaching 250,000”    I know I keep rabbiting on about this (sorry in advance) but please get a grip on the training providers - there are some fantastic ones out there (Elmhurst, SAVA, ECMK etc) but there are also the ones that are promising the moon and the stars and are giving the industry a bad name. Also (sorry soapbox again) cap the amount of people allowed to train for the green profession and set the fees like the Australian Government did.

The direct gov website is getting better - its still not positive enough for me, but compared to a year ago there are alot more details on there about how to save money when you move home. The website can be reached on this link http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Greenerlifeevents/DG_064436. It is a shame though that the EPC is only mentioned once on this page and then only very briefly.  I did enjoy reading about the microgeneration technologies and it is explained simply so it doesn't get confusing.

If

The most favourite toy is the one that all the children want - even if my 3 year old hasn't played with a toy for weeks the minute he sees his little brother playing with it he wants to play with it as well.

The same affect could work on EPCs - if 10% of buyers/renters started to look at EPCs and then negotiated on price due to the EPC or bought/rented a property with a good "grade" then the EPC would become a marketing asset.

If a good result on the EPC was a saleable part of a property then prices would be adjusted with the more energy efficient properties priced higher than those that are not so energy efficient.

If a property was worth more if it was energy efficient then more people would make alterations to their properties so that they were energy efficient - more insulation, better boiler, TRVs on the radiators, solar panels etc.

It could be a very benefical knock on effect.

There are alot of ifs involved with the thoughts above but if it happened it would be a fantastic result for the environment, energy efficiency, saving money and the global community as a whole.

Rose Tinted Glasses

I look at the world sometimes through "rose tinted" glasses. I have spent the lottery winnings on 50+ occassions in my head/daydreams (the most I have ever won is £10). I started a new career as a self employed domestic energy assessor just as the recession started to hit the UK properly.
I am sure you can see the theme that does run through all of my life - I am hopeful at all times, I want to believe the best about people and always try and stay cheery.

But sometimes when I look closely at things like I have done over the past 2-3 weeks and I get to see a large picture I can get very frustrated!

I have seen all the promotion and brilliant websites in New Zealand, Sweden etc, all the grants available in France, Canada, the assessors friend in Australia - Christine Milne and the fact that they set the fees, the USA talking about how energy efficency will be another "granite worktop" and highly valued in a property and then we look at the UK.

We have a brilliant tool - the Energy Performance Certificate and we have accredited, CRB checked, domestic and commercial assessors who love their job. But we have a website that is dreary and little promotion of the EPC, we have training providers guaranteeing work that isn't there, we have undercutting on prices and devaluing of the assessment.

This is what I would like to see happen:
1. Fees set.
2. Training providers fined - and the fine published for all to see
3. A better website.
4. More grants available and they are promoted.
5. Energy efficency in a property is a marketable asset.
6. A champion for energy assessors.
7. Thorough promotion of the EPC and its value (and commercial EPCs)

Thats just the tip of my wish list but when you look at it it wouldn't be that hard to achieve and it would benefit so many. The UK is a country to be proud of but we need to promote ourselves better.

Other countries continued....

New Zealand.
By 2015 the Government expects to have supported the insulation and clean heating of more than 200,000 homes through the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.
The programme provides an incentive for homeowners to leverage further private investment by banks, finance companies, local authorities and energy companies.
The Government acknowledges the role of clean and efficient space and water heating systems in reducing consumer energy costs and improving air quality.
The Building Code sets standards for the installation of insulation and renewable energy features such as solar hot water heating in homes. Recent changes are expected to deliver ongoing energy savings. As new technologies and building practices emerge, further incremental improvements will be required to ensure the Code and relevant standards keep pace.
In addition, the Government will work with industry to identify and develop a range of market measures targeting the energy productivity of New Zealand's homes.
Energy rating tools for homes, which provide purchasers and prospective tenants with credible information on energy performance, is one area where the Government is currently supporting industry in developing innovative voluntary solutions.

Following this link - http://www.eeca.govt.nz/node/3107 takes you to the clear and easy to understand website. The positive way New Zealand are promoting this is brilliant - "It started on 1 July 2009, and aims to retrofit more than 188,500 New Zealand homes over the next four years. It's run by EECA and replaces existing EECA home insulation programmes.Better insulation means our homes are warmer, cosier, and easier to heat. Warmer, drier homes bring health benefits, especially for those with respiratory illness or other conditions derived from living in cold and damp houses"

Canada:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/english/ yet another brilliant website. I am getting a little jealous, whenever I look at the UKs direct gov website I get a little bored but this website, New Zealands and Swedens are easy to read and understand and promote energy efficency in a very good way.

Conserve energy and you can save money and help to make our environment healthier. Take advantage of the new ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative to reduce energy use in buildings and houses, industry, personal vehicles and fleets. Homeowners and owners of small and medium-sized organizations can also apply for financial assistance from ecoENERGY Retrofit, as well as other grants and financial incentives.

I have gone on to read through the website, the faq site is very helpful and very encouraging towards saving energy, lots of information about available grants (UK government take note please!)

Comparisons

Its easy as a parent to get dragged into the whole my child is doing this earlier than your child routine, it doesn't do anyone any favours and sometimes can leave you feeling very negative about your own parenting skills.

Having just been to my eldests parents evening (shes doing very well, am proud) I was thinking on the way home about comparing countries.......... over the past few days I have looked at what other countries are doing, putting into practice, the websites (I still love Swedens website) and their promises and it has made me think of what its like when you compare children - nobody benefits and you can end up feeling negative when in fact there are things you should be proud of.

Every child develops at a different rate just as every country changes and implements new laws at different rates. The important thing is to praise what is good - if you complain/nag all the time it won't get anywhere.

So I am very proud of the EPC that the UK has in place, there are things that I would change but on the whole we are getting there. I am proud of what all the other countries are doing and it is impressive and encouraging to see what changes are occuring.

But I would still like to see some more changes - greater promotion of the EPC, better website, no interest loans available, available grants promoted more (this would also help stop the current winter scam) and more working together with other countries to see what we can all learn from each other - there is never any point in teaching your grandmother to suck eggs as the saying goes but we can all work together to improve our own countries.

Jealousy and healthy competition

I admit it I am jealous - I am jealous of the fact that Germany have publicly said they want to be the world leaders in energy saving, I am jealous of the website that Sweden have and how active their promotion is, I am jealous that Australia has someone like Christine Milne and that they set the fees for the assessments.

It should be competition and spurring other countries on, the UK should be looking at what Australia has done - the setting the fees and the promotion and emphasise on the changes that should be made to housing and making the same changes. Lets face it - while the EPC contains recommendations only not many people are going to spend their money on doing the work especially in the middle of the credit crunch. There should be a website like Sweden has available in the UK - easy to understand, well written, explanations there for all to see and lots of useful advice.

There are alot of changes to be made and I remain hopeful that a little jealousy and healthy competition will spur other countries on to better things, making the necessary changes and doing all their can for the global community.

A learning experience

I am very glad that I started this blog as it has made me more interested in what is going on around me in the Global community with regards to energy saving. Up until last week I had no idea what Australia had already done and had never heard of Christine Milne (she is now a heroine of mine), I didn't know that the US were looking into measuring the energy efficency of properties and it is being promoted even in the planning stage as something that will increase or decrease the marketability of a property.

I have gotten frustrated though with the seeming lack of communication between the countries. Why aren't they all working together - seeing what the others have already tried and what the problems have been (training providers, setting a fee, too many assessors etc)?

I am passionate about energy saving, I believe in practising what I preach (am fully double glazed, good combi condensing boiler and lots of insulation) and am always open to new ideas.

Scotland have started looking at how they need to adapt the rdSAP that currently produces the EPC as it doesn't apply fully to their housing stock and the weather conditions. Its a good way of doing things - take something that already works and adapt it to correctly fit the country. Its a flexible approach that saves time.

I have looked at the other websites, some are very client friendly such as Sweden with an easy to understand site that encourages you to look further, others such as France are filled with details that are encouraging but require a little more time to read through.

It is very promising and a great start - just think if all houses that were assessed were required/strongly encouraged (ie makes the property more saleable) how much difference it would make to the world.

Mortgages - some good news?

Michelle Slade, spokeswoman for financial information group Moneyfacts.co.uk, said: We are seeing a bit more competition back in the market as lenders want to do more lending.
They are trying to kick-start the remortgage market. Many people are on low SVRs and have no reason to move.
But despite the recent decline in mortgage rates, the cost of home loans still remains high compared with the Bank of England Base rate and swap rates.
Melanie Bien, of mortgage brokers Private Finance, said: Lenders are keen to entice borrowers off their cheap standard variable rates by offering increasingly competitive mortgage rates, which make them better profits. Yet while these mortgage rates are attractive, the best deals are still only available for those with significant equity in their homes, of 40 or even 50 per cent. The vast majority of those remortgaging will have much less equity, and therefore find it more difficult, to access a market-leading rate.

The latest mortgage index from John Charcol reveals that borrowers making enquiries about remortgaging spiked by 42% in October.

Commenting, Drew Wotherspoon, director of marketing at John Charcol, said: "October's actual mortgage figures showed a broadly even spilt between purchases and remortgaging for new cases.
“However, the real interest lies in the amount of enquiries to John Charcol in October. In September we had 600 new remortgage enquiries, but this figure rose to 855 in October, a significant increase of 42% month on
on month. This tells us that people are finally considering their options and are no longer content to simply sit on their lender's Standard Variable Rate (SVR).

And even more good news -

There has been a 22% increase in the number of products available for first-time buyers since the start of this year, according to moneysupermarket.com.
Clare Francis, site editor of moneysupermarket.com, said: "It's encouraging to see the number of mortgages available for those with reasonably small deposits increasing, but there is still a premium on rates for loans available up to 90% discouraging many first-time buyers. The best rates are still only available to those with large deposits - you need at least 25% and in some cases 40% to qualify and this is pricing many out of the market.
"First-time buyers are integral to keeping the housing market moving - if there aren't enough people jumping on at the bottom the market will eventually grind to a halt. A shortage of first-time buyers is evident around the country with many people struggling to sell their properties. Unless more lenders start offering 90% mortgages at affordable rates, it is difficult to see how this will be resolved. Increased competition would also help to push rates down, bringing the cost of mortgages available at high LTVs closer to the market-leading deals.
"Despite Base Rate having been left on hold at 0.5% again this month, an increasing number of economists believe interest rates will start rising sooner rather than later. Anyone thinking of buying for the first time may therefore be better off acting sooner rather than later as mortgages rates are likely to go up too. The housing market is also fairly subdued at the moment as the build up to Christmas starts, so it could be a good time to buy as sellers may be more than willing to negotiate on price."

Very good news, if the lenders are getting more interested in lending again there is a good possibility we will start to see more people coming onto the market and therefore bringing new life to the housing market within the UK. Plus if the lenders are showing confidence within the market it will hopefully spread.

Other countries etc

I must admit that although I have learned alot today with regards to what other countries are doing to reduce energy wastage in houses I have also been increasingly frustrated (sorry to repeat myself) with the news that training providers took advantage in Australia and the fact that the Americans have said that they need to work out how to produce a certificate for the energy efficency of buildings (the UK have had then for over 3 years). It has just emphasised to me how great the need is for everyone to work together on this issue!

I have also looked at what other countries are doing - and I was really impressed with what I have found.

Sweden:

Energy advice -

In all municipalities in Sweden you'll find energy and climate advisors. They will answer your questions free of charge on heating systems, district heating, biofuels, energy costs, government grants in the field of energy and a great deal more.
Find the energy and climate advisor in your municipality (in swedish).

Electricity bills and power cuts

Do you have thoughts on electricity bills and network charges? Or on how you can manage during a power cut and how you can prepare yourself for a power cut.

That is fantastic - energy and climate advisors who answer questions free of charge in the areas of grants etc - with one place in which to find them. The website http://www.energimyndigheten.se/en/Energy-efficiency/Household/ has various pages on how you can save money - depending on your lifestyle, travelling, living in an apartment and how to save energy when you are buying a house. All of the language used is easy to understand and is clear.

Germany:

In 2007 Germany set itself a target of being the world leader when it comes to energy efficency.

"The new energy concept was made public in September by the Federal Government, lead by Chancellor Angela Merkel, and offers a compass for cutting emissions by 80% compared to 1990 base level by 2050. An eighty per cent emissions cut looks like a great vision. So, how does Germany plan to achieve the 80% emissions cut? There are eight pillars holding the energy and climate construct:  1) renewables will make up 80% of Germany’s electricity generation by 2050, 2) energy efficiency will be drastically improved, 3)  existing nuclear power stations will stay on the grid for up to 25 more years, 4) smart grids will be introduced to allow for more efficiency between demand and supply, 5) the housing sector will be restructured towards more efficiency, 6) electric vehicles will be substantially subsidised, 7) more funding will be allocated to research and development and 8) Germany will spend effort and money to harmonize the European electricity grid to allow a better transfer between countries."

Very hopeful, I think the above is definately one of those lets wait and see what happens. It would be brilliant if it was achieved.

France:

New homes have to comply with them, and existing owners can get financial support to achieve them, but just what are the energy efficiency standards in France?In trying to come to grips with the regulations you will also have to learn some rather strange hieroglyphics – RT2005, BBC, HQE, THQE – so we thought a quick tour of the different labels and the basic standards set by each of them might be useful to you.The RT2005 is the minimum energy efficiency standard for new dwellings, replacing an earlier standard called the RT2000.
The full description is Réglementation Thermique 2005, and applies to all those new buildings where the planning application was submitted after 1st September 2006.
In order to obtain the HPE standard your energy consumption needs must be at least 10% lower than those set out in the RT2005.
The standard encompasses a consideration of the global performance of the dwelling through the space heating, hot water, air conditioning, ventilation and lighting systems.
Within the HPE standard there is also HPE Energies Renouvelables (HPE EnR) 2005, in which at least 50% of the heating must be from renewable energy.
Existing older homes build between 1st January 1948 and 1st Jan 1975 are also able to obtain the standard Haute Performance Energétique Rénovation ( HPE rénovation 2009).
The global energy standard set for such dwellings is a slightly more generous than for new dwellings, at 150 50 kWh/m2 per year, subject to location and altitude.
Bizarrely, there seems to be no energy standard for dwellings built prior to this date, and why 1948 has been chosen as the cut off point, is probably only known by the technocrat who drafted the legislation.Grants and Tax Breaks for Energy Conservation
There are grants, interest free mortgages and tax breaks available for measures of energy conservation, which you can read about in our guide to Home Energy Conservation in France.
The rules do not always require that a specific level of energy performance is achieved, notably with some of the tax credits that are available, although in all cases there are rules on the standard of performance of the materials and equipment to be used.
In other cases, you will generally be required to have an energy performance audit undertaken, with an assessment of the anticipated benefits of the work.3.1. Tax Credits in France for Home Energy Conservation
A French tax credit is available for heating and energy saving works to your French home.
A 'tax credit' needs to be distinguished from 'tax relief'. While the latter offers only a reduction in the amount of income tax payable, a tax credit entitles you to a payment by the tax authority. Accordingly, if are eligible to receive a greater sum than you actually pay in tax, then the taxman will send you a cheque for the balance!
Even if you pay no income tax due to your income you will still be entitled to a 'tax credit'. The eligible works includes most types of home energy conservation, provided the installation meets agreed performance standards. You need to discuss these standards with your installer to make sure the works comply with the regulations. In most cases, the tax credit is only available for the costs of the materials, and only then provided they are purchased and installed by a registered artisan or company. There is one important exception to this rule, which is applicable for all work carried out since January 2009. This relates to the installation of roof and wall thermal insulation, for which the tax credit can cover 25% of the labour cost, provided the project is undertaken in its entirety by a registered builder. 3.2. Eco Grant
A grant of between 20% and 35% of the cost of works of home energy conservation is available, subject to a test of resources. 3.3. Interest Free French Mortgages for Energy Conservation
There are interest free mortgages available through the high street banks for works of home energy conservation. iii. Loans and Grants
There are also a surprising number of local, departmental, or regional councils who offer grants or loans towards energy saving equipment, notably towards the installation of solar panels

There is an awful lot of information available after just a brief search on energy efficency in properties and the grants available from France. Although not as easy to read as the Swedish website France is very encouraging towards energy efficency and promotes it much more that the UK does.

Once again interesting to find out what other countries are doing to reduce their carbon footprint and encourage and promote energy efficency within dwellings.

Energy efficiency in the USA?

I was browsing through the internet again (not really I have a bee in my bonnet now about finding out what other countries are doing re EPCs) and found this blog: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/11/energy-efficiency-real-estates-next-granite-counter-top

" Often on the vanguard, Boston-based Conservation Services Group is working on an idea to make home efficiency more tangible. It is a surprisingly simple idea. One that is likely to leave a lot of people saying, ‘Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?’
You might say CSG is making energy efficiency the next granite kitchen counter top of the real estate business.

Through a $348,000 grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, CSG is working on a metric to describe a home’s energy efficiency value. When a homeowner lists a house for sale, the metric would be included in the multiple listing service (MLS), right along with the home’s price, number of bedrooms, square-footage and location. Suddenly, efficiency is tangible, something that can be quantified and can add or detract to home value.It’s not yet clear what that metric will look like. It might be a numerical score or a certification like the Energy Star label. Figuring that out is part of CSG’s task, as it puts in place a program for New York over the next two years. “You can imagine the pitfalls in establishing what this score would be,” said David Weitz, director of CSG’s Applied Building Science Division. “How do you present it in a way that is accessible to the greatest number of people.  Unfortunately, there is no right answer.”

Well there is an answer - look at what the UK has had in place since 2007 and what Australia is putting into place in 2011. Talk to Elmhurst (based nr Lutterworth, Leicestershire) who are incredibly forward thinking and have been in the industry since the year dot. Or pick up a phone/write an email and talk to me (power of positive thinking - or wishful thinking).

I blogged today about the problems Australia is currently undergoing and the fact that training providers are still lurking all around the UK, the UK also don't know at the moment what will happen with the home energy advisors (please let it be open for DEAs first and only) and am now hoping that America does learn from what has happened here and in Australia and doesn't let training providers run riot, caps the amount of assessors there can be, promoted the energy assessment thoroughly and sets the fee to stop undercutting etc.

Energy efficency can be tangible, it is a selling point and it should be valued more than it is.

Eco friendly houses

So are eco friendly houses a blot on the landscape? Will they make you cringe as you drive past them regardless of how energy efficent and self sufficent they may be? Or could they be individually designed properties that look stunning and save you money on your energy bills?

I have had a quick search on the internet to see what I could find on eco friendly houses and what they look like and have been amazed at the results I have found. There are some incredibly stunning properties that make me green with envy simply because of the design of the building and that was before I got to see how energy efficent these properties were.

One of the most breath taking properties has been built at Playa Carate, Peninsula de Osa, Costa Rica, created by Robles Arquitectos and is 100% self-sufficient. The house uses water from the forest, which also serves as a power source thanks to two low-impact hydroelectric turbines that generate 800kWh. Photovoltaic Solar panels on the roof provide up to 10,800kWh of electricity, whilst additional solar thermal panels heat up the water. The house is so isolated from civilization that it has no access to public power cables, sanitation, or water.Everything in the house has been designed to be energy efficient and easy to maintain, and all the building materials were tested in order to gauge their impact on the environment.

There was a fascinating photo of a house built of glass bottles in Nevada, the air in the bottles acts as insulation and that was constructed in the 1920s!

Going straight from the 1920s' into the present day would take us to the fabulous village currently under construction in Dubai -  "Dubai's Vertical Village", consisting of residential, hotel and entertainment facilities, is covered in an impressive array of solar panels. The construction is expected to earn an impressive LEED Gold certification when it is completed. Each building is positioned to reduce the heat from sun exposure—whilst the massive bed of solar collectors on the south side of the building automatically adjust orientation to the sun's position for maximum efficiency. The village also features a solar roof that helps to transport energy and break the solar field up into more manageable segments.

A lovely website, http://www.livingvillage.com/Home.html, is all about The Wintles in Shropshire which was set up to research eco building and sustainable communities. Its a very good website and shows it is possible to practise what you preach!

Have actually found a website dedicated to the sale of eco friendly properties:- http://www.greenmoves.com/ and then there is this website:- http://www.thelittlehousecompany.co.uk/eco-friendly-homes.htm which goes on to explain how to stay green when buying and selling a home and has a page full of advice on how to do it.

So it is possible to build properties that are "eco friendly" and that don't scare the neighbours, I for one am looking forward to seeing more of them.

Middlemen v's the self employed DEA

If I had to get an EPC for my property I must admit I would probably either go with the estate agent who I was selling/letting my property through or, as many people would, just google EPC.

The minute you put EPC into a search engine you get 1000s' of results - training providers (bah humbug) and the middlemen and further down the self employed DEA.

The middlemen advertise well - they have the funds for it and probably a marketing manager. Self employed DEAs don't have the flashy website or the high ranking on the page.

The middlemen are offering EPCs at £39. The DEAs are offering to quote you a price.

The middlemen have a place for you to order now. The DEAs want you to ring or email.

The middlemen can take card payment. The self employed DEA can often not accept card payment.

So which option do you choose? Looking at it like that its probably easier to chose the middleman.
   
                                                       BUT.....................

The middleman charges you VAT and you are put through to a call centre if you have any queries. The self employed DEA probably doesn't earn enough to be VAT registered and you speak directly with the professional DEA for any queries. The DEA contacts you directly and organises everything with you.
The price the self employed DEA quotes is a final figure no hidden extras, the middleman is charging you VAT.
In the long run, although it is probably an extra 10 minutes work you will get a better final price from the self employed DEA, a more customer focused service, professional, NO call centre and better local knowledge. So when you look at it like that it is better to spend that extra time and get the better service and better price from a local self employed DEA.