Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Energy Saving Proposals For Homes
The Scottish Government intends to introduce a Scotland-wide energy improvement for housing in order to 'cut climate change emissions'.
This is nothing new although the summary accompanying the video says the SG will provide more than £2 billion to help make the nation's homes more energy efficient, although there's little detail on how this money will be distributed.
More than 500,000 homes still require cavity wall insulation and more than 600,000 homes with solid walls. The blurb also states that 'the investment will be delivered over the next ten years in a national programme that will transform aging houses.
I am no believer of climate change 'science' but I do believe in sensible actions which save energy; thus saving money.
Part of the problem of so many homes still not being well insulated may well come from the current energy websites which offer advice. The old tenements have solid walls and along with other solid wall homes, cavity wall insulation is not an option. To insulate a solid wall home is very expensive, as I know to my cost when I insulated one small room a couple of years ago. I could never afford to do other rooms and anyway there are no grants available for me to do so.
Insulating solid wall properties is not only costly but messy. The upheaval involved is extensive and redecoration a necessity.
At the time I was considering insulating my small room I enquired about a grant for cavity wall insulation which would be suitable for another part of my home. The adviser told me the grant doesn't apply to a 'part' of a home but the full home and I would have meet the full cost. Surely that attitude is not encouraging people to do their best to reduce their bills and heat loss?
In the latest consultation I hope the SG will consider the many who live in 'combination' homes and introduce grants for both forms of insulation to be available to these. It will be interesting to see if such dwellings are part of the plan or if the intention is to concentrate on older council housing stock.
Note: Did you notice Alex Neil's deliberate mistake? I hope it was one.
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14 comments:
Solid wall insulation isn't messy if you go external, plus the solid walls then act as thermal storage, which evens out the temperature rise and fall within the house.
“… to increase energy efficiency and incorporate appropriate renewable technologies.”
‘Scottish Sustainable Housing Strategy’
Oh God! – does this mean more of these interminable phone calls –
Hello; are you a geriatric old wrinklie? Then the SG has asked us to offer you a great opportunity. We have a fantastic scheme just for wrinklies like you; it’s one which will keep you as cosy as toast.
Sounds great.
But on closer examination one finds that it is a scheme in which the Scottish Government pays only part of the costs. The remainder would have to be met by the likes of this geriatric old wrinklie; the net result would mean an arm, a leg and a significant proportion of the pension – gone.
I do hope the SG learns (quickly) that it is not just the road to a ‘Sustainable Housing Strategy’ that is paved with good intentions.
It's a bit disheartening seeing our Scottish leaders going on about 'fighting climate change'. If they spent just half an hour reading the facts they would know that we can't fight climate change. Climate will always change.
Where were all the CO2 pumping cars and factories during the medieval warming period a thousand years ago when it was warmer than today ?
Where are the promised 'long hot and dry summers and cold wet winters without snow ' that they promised a few years ago ?
The whole global warming scam will see us spend billions on useless windmills and rising fuel bills.
The costs will eclipse any house insulation savings.
I don't blame the SSE / Scottish gas guys. They're just following the money and have to use a percentage of renewables by law.
I blame the SNP Government for being badly misinformed.
".....the SG (Scottish Government) will provide more than £2 billion to help make the nation's homes more energy efficient......."
So, a government (which has no money) extorts cash from taxpayers, to subsidise home-owners/occupiers, so the latter can enjoy reduced energy bills.
Lets forget the PR / EcoLoon waffle about saving CO2, or even saving energy; the prime driver is saving money. Spending someone else's, to save mine.
/rant
Statistics are't everything. Many solid walled houses - in England anyhow - are the older terraced houses. There are rows of them in many towns. But the door and windows are all front and back and the much larger area of side walls shared, there is actually not a lot of outside wall to be worth insulating. The end people are the only ones who have a problem.
Like JRB I am pestered by calls asking if I have claimed my free insulation.
The first contact was a personal door-step visit by Eaga. Nice old chap, almost as wrinkly as me. I explained that I had myself insulated the loft right up to the top of the beams and that the previous owners had installed cavity wall insulation. He opined that the wall insulation could do with topping up, and assured me it wouldn't cost me a penny. OK I said, go ahead. A few weeks later, an Eaga team arrived to 'instal cavity wall insulation'. They then announced that my existing insulation could not be topped up because it is a foam material.
Since then I have had many calls from Eaga and others keen to instal my free insulation.
I wonder how much auditing is done on the claims these companies make on the public purse.
In your clip, it amuses me how the power companies proclaim that they want to help customers reduce their energy consumption. That's like Cadbury mounting a campaign to help people eat less chocolate.
In many buildings, the problem is not just cold but damp. Cavity wall insulation does nothing to combat damp, and may exacerbate it.
Often the only remedy is to keep the house warm.
Rightwinggit, I had a few estimates for solid wall insulation and none involved external. Perhaps that's because it's stone built rather than brick.
JRB, don't you get these phone calls already? I do. My answer is "Sorry but this is a listed building." Of course that's a lie but at times lies are essential for the good of your blood pressure.
If it's anything like the loft insulation for us seniors (I prefer that because it has a hint of distinction!), then it's a bit of a scam.
The company which came to survey my attics (via the grant system) quoted what I thought was a large sum. I was told I would receive (only) 10% discount because I was a wrinklie who didn't claim any benefits.
I shopped around and had it done by a reputable, small local company for over 25% less than the grant company price.
I agree RM but they won't back down now. Too much relies upon the climate change scam now.
Got it in one Joe.
The most expensive to insulate in Scotland will be tenements I'm told Woodsy. Even though most have flats above, below and either side, old tenement flats can be cold places.
Or Shell mounting a campaign against car drivers Hamish.
I know a little about Eaga and doubt if there is any accurate auditing done. Their record keeping is appalling too.
The structure of the roof in most traditional buildings (no or small overhangs) make exterior cladding non-viable - then of course there's the planning and listed restrictions to contend with.
Subs, our bungalow is rendered in old concrete, they just got bigger drills out.
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