Solar powered homes mandatory
In a bid to escape the bitter Brexit debates this week, I cast my reading net further afield and was pleasantly surprised by some brighter news from across the Pond. The item that caught my eye? It’s official: any new homes built in California after 2020 will have to be at least partially solar powered. The […]
From puddings to packaging: Inside the UK’s Christmas waste problem
While the Christmas decorations have been taken down and everyone is immersing themselves at work again (and many on diets!), our friends at Edie have shared with us the sustainability cost of the festive season and given us food for thought in relation to the waste associated with this time of year. With plastics action […]
Upholding environmental standards if there’s no Brexit deal
The government has issued guidance around the potential impact of a ‘no deal’ Brexit on environmental standards in the UK, affecting areas including waste, air quality, water, and protection of habitats and species. A large body of existing EU environmental law currently covers these areas and some of this legislation also delivers the UK’s commitments […]
Brexit White Paper: Everything you need to know about the UK’s environmental aspirations
It’s understandable if large numbers of the UK population have switched off from the whole Brexit debate and the ‘will we, won’t we’ keep any ties at all to our European counterparts after March next year. A few ears seem to prick up when news of another resignation leaks out or former Cabinet members take […]
ESOS reminder issued
Organisations have been urged to plan ahead and measure their energy use to comply with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS). Under ESOS, eligible organisations have to complete their compliance with Phase 2 by December 2019. Total energy use has to be measured over a 12 month period to include the qualification date of December […]
Syntegra seeks to strengthen its top team
Two new senior management profile roles have been created at the multi-discipline sustainability consultants Syntegra Group as they seek to expand ahead of the new post-Brexit energy environment. Umer Uzair has been promoted from his post of Associate Director to the newly created post of Director of Energy & Sustainability and vowed to put customers […]
Budget 2017: Chancellor takes action on air quality, electric vehicles and plastic waste
22 November 2017, source edie newsroom Chancellor Philip Hammond has today pledged to build an economy “fit for the future” by announcing new air quality funding, tax incentives for electric cars, and measures to combat plastic waste in his 2017 Autumn Budget. Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered the 2017 Autumn Budget to a jubilant House of […]
Boost for house building in London as figures show increase in demand for eco-friendly designs
A number of recent reports have struck us here as we move from layering up our clothes to turning up the dial on the heating now that the clocks have gone back and the long winter stretches ahead of us with thoughts of energy bills dominating the headlines, and both domestic and business budget holders. […]
Clean Growth Strategy
Much has been trailed about the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy since its launch last week. But is it all hot air or are there some nuggets in there which will energise the debate about our country’s future direction and place on the world stage when it comes to putting the environment at the heart of […]
Brexit Boasts Business As Usual For Building Services
The building services industry should assume that European regulations that currently affect the UK will still be in force immediately after Brexit in 2019, says CIBSE technical director Hywel Davies. ‘Brexit will change nothing immediately – at least in terms of legislation that affects our industry,’ said Davies, who supplied a list of regulations that […]
Coal-fired power stations cease by 2025
Prior to the announcement of the General Election, the Government vowed to see all ‘unabated’ coal-fired power stations cease operation by 2025 – those without carbon capture equipment. The Government gave an undertaking to spend £730 million in support of renewable electricity projects during the Parliament’s lifetime. It remains to be seen whether that pledge […]
Why the UK is Better Off Inside the EU Internal Energy Market Post-Brexit
Access to the single energy market was one of the priorities identified by energy professionals during a Question Time-style debate hosted by The Energy Institute in relation to Brexit negotiations. KPMG head of power and utilities Simon Virley also believes the key negotiating point in relation to energy is continued access to the Internal Energy […]
Building cladding under the spotlight
Unfortunately, the issue of building cladding is currently in the headlines for all the wrong reasons – and it looks set to stay there for a while. Cladding is essential to the exterior of a building and plays a variety of roles in the overall efficient construction. First and foremost it keeps the building weatherproof […]
Syntegra shortlisted for industry award
The Syntegra team has been shortlisted for an architectural industry award for one of its projects. Consultants worked on the retrofit development of Print Works House in Great Titchfield Street in Fitzrovia, London, providing advice on issues of mechanical and electrical design, acoustics, energy and sustainability ahead of the planning application submission. The project comprised separate […]
Energy manifesto review
Syntegra energy sector manifesto review Energy costs and regulation plus attitudes to climate change and renewables feature in all the main political party manifestos for this week’s election. Here we offer Syntegra’s unbiased review of some of the key themes relating to this policy area plus a selection of comments from the Parties around their […]
Energy Sector Emissions Fall But Household Levels Rise
Greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the energy sector in the UK fell by 12 per cent in 2015. Emissions from business in general fell by three per cent but emissions from households rose by four per cent and from transportation by two per cent. Transport is set to overtake energy as the biggest source of […]
Heat Network Case Studies Published
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published case studies showing the targets and positive impact of implementing a heat network. Cranbrook and Skylark in East Devon is one of the largest district heating systems outside London. When the development is completed in 2031, 8,000 homes, shops and businesses and 20,000 people will […]
Business As Usual For Building Services
The building services industry should assume that European regulations that currently affect the UK will still be in force immediately after Britain leaves the European Union (EU) in 2019, says CIBSE technical director Hywel Davies. ‘Leaving the EU will change nothing immediately – at least in terms of legislation that affects our industry,’ said Davies, […]
Welcome To The UK’s First Eco-Town
The UK’s largest array of domestic solar panels covering 17,500 square meters of roofspace to generate electricity is at the heart of the nation’s first eco-town where homes are all timber-framed – many of them being built off-site as the community developed. All buildings in North West Bicester had to comply with the Code for […]
Electricity Storage To Stabilise Grid
As increasing volumes of power are being generated by renewables across the UK, research and investment is moving towards finding a solution to keep the grid stable as production levels and usage with wind and solar fluctuate dramatically. One answer could be electricity storage – switching availability from time of production (daytime for solar) to […]
Tests To Assess Impact of Solar Power on Fuel Poverty
London councils have received funding from the Green Investment Bank to pilot a project assessing the impact of solar power on tackling fuel poverty. Camden, Islington and Waltham Forest are collaborating on a scheme to install solar panels and batteries in 41 low income homes to see how they affect fuel consumption and costs. Part-funded […]
Chance for businesses energy saving
Businesses have the opportunity to save money on their energy bills thanks to a new regulation forcing them to have half-hourly meter readings. P272, approved by Ofgem, means accurate data will be recorded from medium/large companies to more accurately reflect usage. Every business using an electricity meter has an electricity profile class from 01 to […]
Change of direction as wind power overtakes coal in EU power generation
For the second consecutive year, the UK was Europe’s biggest investor in wind energy with €12.7bn spent on the construction of new onshore and offshore wind farms, new figures reveal. This accounted for 46% of the total wind energy investments in 2016 and brings the total number of turbines in the UK to 14,452 compared […]
Your water, your choice
It’s that time of year when you turn on any TV or radio news channel, one of the headlines is the cost of gas and electricity and how we should all switch suppliers. And apparently last month record numbers of us, ever keen to cut costs, did just that. Maybe it’s something in the title […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.