DOCSLIB.ORG

Audit Report 737 Rugby Road, Bryn Mawr, PA

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Audit Report 737 Rugby Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 109 Saint Pauls Road Ardmore, Pennsylvania 19003 ! February 15, 2011 Mrs. Sandrine Pal 737 Rugby Road Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 Reference: Energy Audit Report 737 Rugby Road, Bryn Mawr, PA Dear Sandrine and Andrew: I am pleased to provide the attached report for your consideration. This information was gathered through discussions with you and a detailed energy audit of your house. This energy audit was done in conformance with the Building Performance Institute (BPI) Technical Standards for the Building Analyst Professional. This attached report includes the following information: • Summary and Background including information provided by you and data collected during the energy audit; • Findings and Recommendations - Presentation of the data collected including general observations regarding equipment, insulation, air leakage, moisture issues, blower door testing, and infrared imaging. Recommendations and cost opinions for repairs or upgrades are provided. • Cost Opinion Summary and Conclusions • Funding Opportunities I appreciate the opportunity to audit your house and trust you will find the enclosed information helpful. If you have any questions regarding the information enclosed or finding contractors to perform work, please contact me at (484) 416 0161. Sincerely, Eric C. Lowry, P.E. Attachment www.lowryeco.com (484) 416-0161 [email protected] Fax (484) 840-5263 ! Energy Audit Report Date: February 15, 2011 Subject Property: 737 Rugby Road Bryn Mawr, PA Prepared for: Mrs. Sandrine Pal www.lowryeco.com (484) 416-0161 [email protected] Fax (484) 840-5263 ! I. Summary An energy audit was performed of your house on February 10, 2011 and we offer the following major points for your information. A detailed description of the energy audit observations and recommendations regarding possible repairs and upgrades is provided below. • Blower door testing and infrared imaging indicated that the house is very leaky; • The walls are not insulated and should have insulation installed where possible; • The attic is under insulated and should have additional insulation installed; • The attic and basement should be air sealed to reduce air flow into the living space; • The duct systems are leaky and should be air sealed (both systems) and insulated (in the basement); • All hot water and radiator piping should be insulated; • The basement ceiling should be insulated but coordinated with any plans to finish part or all of the basement. II. Background The subject property is a single-family detached house with an unfinished basement and a finished attic. Audit Date 2/10/11 Building Information Year Built: 1928 (Approximately) Building Area: 2,428 Square Feet Building Volume: 19,555 Cubic Feet Heating Fuel: Gas Water Heating Fuel: Gas Air Conditioning: Central Water: Public Sewer: Public Weather @ Time of Audit Sunny Temperature, 23 OF @ 0900 hours Light wind Mrs. Sandrine Pal 2/15/11 Page 2 ! III. Findings & Recommendations A. Recommendations The recommendations provided in this report are for your consideration in selecting possible repairs, improvements or upgrades for your house. Often times, multiple repairs or upgrades may be performed by the same contractor or at the same time if you do-it-yourself, such as insulation and air sealing. However, it is important that any improvements you select be done in an order that does not cause problems for later improvements, such as installing blown insulation over ductwork that will later need to be repaired. The recommendations offered above are not listed in order of importance. The Cost Opinion Summary lists the recommendations in order of importance from most important to least important in terms of safety and possible energy savings. B. Infrared Camera Images Infrared images were taken using a thermal imaging camera and indicate areas of lower and higher temperature. The darker blue color indicates cooler temperatures while the red/yellow/orange/white colors indicate progressively higher temperatures. Each photograph includes a description of the image. These images are provided throughout this report to better aid explanation of each topic. C. Annual Energy Usage Based on your utility bills, your annual energy usage is as follows: Gas (PECO) 1,282 CCF (hundred cubic feet) Electricity (PECO) 7,979 kilowatt-hours (kWh) Note that these values are for 10 months as the homeowner has only been in the house that long. In 2008, the average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential utility customer was 11,040 kWh. In 2010, the average annual natural gas consumption for a U.S. residential customer was 750 CCF. Sources: http://www.eia.doe.gov/ask/electricity_faqs.asp http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/feature_articles/2010/ngtrendsresidcon/ ngtrendsresidcon.pdf Mrs. Sandrine Pal 2/15/11 Page 3 ! D. Carbon Monoxide Testing We tested your house for the presence of carbon monoxide (CO) and found zero (0) parts per million (ppm) during the energy audit. Your house does have combustion appliances including the gas boiler, gas water heater, and gas oven. If these operate inefficiently or malfunction, they could give off CO. CO is a colorless and odorless gas that results from the incomplete combustion of fuels including natural gas, propane, wood, and oil (any fossil fuel). CO can sicken or kill people. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has two primary standards for exposure to carbon monoxide. The first is a level of 9 ppm averaged over 8 hours and the second is a level of 35 ppm averaged over 1 hour. The recommendation is to not exceed either of these levels more than once a year. http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html Recommendation: We recommend all clients install at least one CO detector. Preferably, one CO detector should be installed on each floor of the house. Cost Opinion: $20 to $60 each depending on the model and features. E. Radon Testing Exposure to radon in the home is responsible for an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Radon is a health hazard with a simple solution. Read "A Citizen's Guide to Radon" which may be found at this website along with other information regarding testing and radon reduction systems. http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html Your house does have a radon reduction system. You should retest your house for the presence of radon every two years. Radon test kits may be purchased online and in many home improvement stores. The short-term test kits are simple to use and generally include a return shipping label and laboratory testing fee. Kits may be purchased at the following website: http://www.radon.com/ Mrs. Sandrine Pal 2/15/11 Page 4 ! F. Lead Paint Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead can also be emitted into the air from industrial sources and leaded aviation gasoline, and lead can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk. Any house built before 1978 may contain lead paint. A contractor performing any renovation, painting or construction work in these houses that disturbs more than 6 square feet or replaces/removes windows MUST be lead certified and MUST provide you with a copy of the EPA brochure “Renovate Right”. The following internet link provides more information. http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf! ! Source: http://www.epa.gov/lead/! G. Knob and Tube Wiring We observed knob and tube (K&T) wiring in the basement. Based on our simple test, the wiring was live, but this should be confirmed by an electrician. K&T wiring must be air-cooled and covering it with insulation could pose a fire hazard. If the K&T wiring is in operation, it must be removed or replaced before covering it with insulation. H. Air Leakage Testing Air leakage in a house is generally considered a normal fact and is the result of natural and man-made effects. Air leaks both in and out of our houses through intentionally and un-intentionally created openings. This air movement carries moisture, heat, and contaminants both into and out of a house. The Stack Effect created by warm air rising in the house creates positive and negative pressures and causes warm air to exit the house and cool air to enter the house. Figure 1 below indicates the Stack Effect with red arrows indicating warm air movement out of the house and blue arrows indicating cool air movement into the house. Mrs. Sandrine Pal 2/15/11 Page 5 ! Figure 1 – Stack Effect and Common Air Leaks Mrs. Sandrine Pal 2/15/11 Page 6 ! Additional causes of air leakage in our houses include wind, chimneys and exhaust fans, and leaky air conditioning ducts. Our goal is to understand the location and relative size of the air leaks in your house and potentially recommend air sealing and/or insulation in order to reduce the amount of air leakage, thereby saving energy and money. In an effort to promote acceptable indoor air quality, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) have established a Building Airflow Standard (BAS) for houses. ASHRAE Standard 62-89 recommends that houses have air leakage of 0.35 Air Exchanges per Hour OR 15 Cubic Feet per Minute per occupant (whichever is greater). The air leakage in your house should be between 70% and 100% of the BAS, both of which are noted below. Blower Door Test A blower door test was performed on your house resulting in an air leakage rate of 8186 cubic feet per minute @ 50 Pascals. Based on the volume of your house, air leakage should be in the range of 970 to 1386 as indicated by the blue and red areas in Figure 2.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reduce Your Ecological Footprint
    Practice compassion: Reduce your ecological footprint We present 100 wonderful ways to engage in the Practice of Compassion – and save our world. First, rejoice that there are so many different ways to choose from, as well as the opportunity to maybe one day do them all. Now start learning how you can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Then, take the required action, followed by a dedication to all sentient beings whose suffering has been reduced by the action. Note: The following information was mainly compiled by FPMT members in the UK and lists many UK-specific examples and websites. The recommendations listed can be easily applied beyond the UK, especially among developed nations which constitute both a disproportionately-large ecological threat to the world as well as enormous capacity and resources for change. A list of several international websites, as well as U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand-specific sites can be found at the end of the article. WHAT YOU CAN DO 1. Switch from traditional incandescent light-bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps (C.F.L.). If every household in the U.K. replaced three regular bulbs with C.F.Ls, the electricity saved could power the U.K.'s street lighting for a year. A 30-watt C.F.L. produces about as much light as an ordinary 100-watt bulb. Although the initial price is higher, C.F.Ls can last twelve times as long. C.F.Ls are available at most hardware shops and can be ordered over the Internet.
    [Show full text]
  • Effect of Plastic Tunnel Equipment on Its Thermal Balance Components
    Technical Sciences, 2016, 19(4), 313–324 EFFECT OF PLASTIC TUNNEL EQUIPMENT ON ITS THERMAL BALANCE COMPONENTS Sławomir Kurpaska Faculty of Production and Power Engineering University of Agriculture in Krakow Received 21 June 2016, accepted 26 October 2016, available online 2 November 2016. K e y w o r d s: plastic tunnel, thermal screen, thermal transmittance coefficient, convert rate of solar radiation. Abstract The paper presents results of research conducted in a standard plastic tunnel equipped with thermal screens measuring 144 m2. During the experiment the thermal screens in the tunnel were either in a folded or unfolded position (both during the radiation weather and at night), whereas vents were closed. Parameters of the ambient climate (the temperature, wind velocity, air humidity and solar radiation intensity) were measured during the experiment, as well as the parameters of the microclimate inside the objects (the temperature and air humidity).Thermal balance including: the change of heat accumulated inside the object, heat gains from the substratum (through radiation and penetration), heat gains from solar radiation and the heat flux loss were formulated for the discussed cases. In result of the analysis the differences of internal temperature were stated for the object with and without thermal screens. It was found that for the identical values of the ambient climate parameters the temperature inside the object without the thermal screen was c.a. 4.0% higher than in the object equipped with the thermal screen. The thermal transmittance value through the object casing was determined and the convert rate of solar radiation to heat causing increase in the internal temperature in the objects both with and without thermal screens.
    [Show full text]
  • How Local Initiatives Help to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas
    1 HOW LOCAL INITIATIVES HELP TO MITIGATE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CONSULTANCY REPORT – JUNE 2019 AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SOESTERKWARTIER, AMERSFOORT Authors: T. Addisu, C. Dereux, I. Noordegraaf Supervisor: B. van Hove Commissioned by Fokke de Jong Supported by: from: 1 1 Wageningen Environmental Research P.O. box 47 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0)317 48 07 00 Fax: +31 (0)317 41 90 00 This project was led in the context of an Academic Consultancy Training from Wageningen University, by students as part of their MSc Climate Studies. It is not an official publication of WUR and the content herein does not represent any formal position or representation by WUR. In 2003 Wageningen Environmental Research has implemented a certified quality management system, according to the standard ISO 9001:2008. Since 2006 Wageningen Environmental Research works with a certified environmental care system according to the standard ISO 14001:2004. All rights regarding this research proposal and all knowledge and information contained therein shall remain with Stichting Wageningen Research. Wageningen Environmental Research1 does not accept any liability for damages, if any, arising from the use of the results of this study or the application of the recommendations. Copyright © 2019 Stichting Wageningen Research, Wageningen Environmental Research All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise
    [Show full text]
  • Saving Energy at Home
    Saving Energy at Home Nicola Terry Nicola.qeng-ho.org Energy-surprises.blogspot.com Energy and Carbon Emissions: the way we live today Transition Cambridge – Cambridge Carbon Footprint This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- ShareAlike 4.0 Intternational License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Why do you want to save energy? • Reduce energy bills • Reduce carbon emissions Does it matter? How can we save energy? Services Savings • Space heating • Reduce waste • Water heating • Reduce requirement • Cooking • Increase efficiency • Lighting and appliances Space heating – Reducing heat loss Measure Savings Easiness Loft/cavity insulation +++ ++ Solid wall insulation +++ + Floor insulation ++ ++ Double/secondary glazing ++ +/++ Secondary is easier Curtains/blinds + +++ Fix draughts +++ +++ Heat recovery ventilation ++ + Humidity controlled ventilation ++ ++ Shock ventilation ++ +++ Space heating – Reducing heat loss Measure Savings Easiness Loft/cavity insulation +++ ++ Green Solid wall insulation +++ + Deal Floor insulation ++ ++ Double/secondary glazing ++ +/++ Secondary is easier Curtains/blinds + +++ Fix draughts +++ +++ Heat recovery ventilation ++ + Humidity controlled ventilation ++ ++ Shock ventilation ++ +++ Simple home heat loss model http://nicola.qeng-ho.org Space heating – Where are the draughts? • You tell me Space heating - Where are the draughts? • Doors/windows • Floorboards • Skirting • Pipes and cables that go through walls, floors, roofs • Loft hatch • Cat flaps/letter boxes • Chimneys
    [Show full text]
  • Overcoming the Barriers to Green Walls in Urban Areas of the UK
    Overcoming the barriers to green walls in urban areas of the UK Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Doctor of Engineering Technologies for Sustainable Built Environments Centre School of the Built Environment Faye Thomsit-Ireland September 2018 Declaration: I confirm that this is my own work and the use of all material from other sources has been properly and fully acknowledged. Faye Thomsit-Ireland September 2018 i Abstract Green infrastructure is seen as a tool to mitigate a host of environmental challenges in urban areas. Vertical greening solutions such as direct greening are gaining popularity due to relatively low cost and the fact that they have a minimal ground footprint. There are still, however, a range of barriers to their uptake, including worries about potential wall damage (physically and via RH increase). This research had sponsors from multiple disciplines and as such covers a wide range of topics aimed at reducing barriers to installations of direct greening. The impact of several popular and widely-used plant species (Hedera helix (English ivy), Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston creeper), and Pileostegia viburnoides (climbing hydrangea)), on the internal/external temperature and relative humidity (RH) of replicated experimental model ‘buildings’ (three per plant species, plus bare buildings) was studied over two summers and winters. All the plant species reduced both the air temperature internally/externally during the summer daytimes by at least 1 oC (Hedera produced the greatest cooling effect internally and externally, 7.2 oC and 8.3 oC reduction, respectively). All plant species reduced the daily ‘variation’ (morning to afternoon) in external RH, and external and internal temperature during summer (Hedera reduced variation most and Pileostegia least).
    [Show full text]
  • WO 2018/222569 Al 06 December 2018 (06.12.2018) W !P O PCT
    (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2018/222569 Al 06 December 2018 (06.12.2018) W !P O PCT (51) International Patent Classification: KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, C01B 3/00 (2006.01) MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, (21) International Application Number: SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY,TH, TJ, TM, TN, PCT/US20 18/034842 TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (22) International Filing Date: (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every 29 May 2018 (29.05.2018) kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, (25) Filing Language: English GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, (26) Publication Langi English TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, (30) Priority Data: EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, 62/5 13,284 31 May 2017 (3 1.05.2017) US MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, 62/5 13,324 31 May 2017 (3 1.05.2017) US TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, 62/524,307 23 June 2017 (23.06.2017) US KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
    [Show full text]
  • Exploratory Study with Regard to Ecodesign of Thermal Insulation in Buildings (Lot 36)
    Distribution: Restricted Final report Exploratory study with regard to Ecodesign of thermal insulation in buildings (Lot 36): MEErP tasks 0, 1 and 7 (partly) Spirinckx Carolin (VITO), Peeters Karolien (VITO), Debacker Wim (VITO), Vandevelde Birgit (VITO), Geerken Theo (VITO), Durand Antoine (WIKUE), Götz Thomas (WIKUE), Lemeire Caroline (VITO) and Lust Arnoud (VITO) Study accomplished under the authority of DG ENERGY, under specific contract No ENER/C3/2012-418-Lot1/02/SI2.652413, within the multiple framework service contract No ENER/C3/2012-418-Lot 1, preparatory studies and related technical assista nce on specific product groups 2013/TEM /R/38 February 2014 2013/TEM/R/38 All rights, amongst which the copyright, on the materials described in this document rest with the Flemish Institute for Technological Research NV (“VITO”), Boeretang 200, BE-2400 Mol, Register of Legal Entities VAT BE 0244.195.916. The information provided in this document is confidential information of VITO. This document may not be reproduced or brought into circulation without the prior written consent of VITO. Without prior permission in writing from VITO this document may not be used, in whole or in part, for the lodging of claims, for conducting proceedings, for publicity and/or for the benefit or acquisition in a more general sense. Distribution List DISTRIBUTION LIST European Commission: . Toth Andras, DG Energy, ENER.C.3.001 Energy efficiency of products, Policy Officer – contact person Commission . Acedo Juan Moreno, DG Energy, ENER.C.3.001 Energy efficiency of products, Policy Officer . Bennett Michael, DG Enterprise, ENTR.B.1. Sustainable Industrial Policy and Construction, Policy Officer .
    [Show full text]
  • Top Energy Efficiency Tips for Heating
    Top energy efficiency tips for heating 1. Set the temperature correctly • The recommended indoor temperature during cold weather is 21°C (70°F) in main living areas and 18°C (64°F) in other rooms, including bedrooms. • Turning the central heating down by one degree when the room is at a comfortable temperature will help cut the heating bill. 2. Warm-up and cool-down times It takes time for a house to warm up and cool down. Keep this in mind when setting the heating controls. • During winter, set the heating to switch off a short while before going to bed – that way it will still be warm, but the heating will not stay on unnecessarily once the household is in bed. • Likewise set it to switch on just long enough before waking up for the house to be warm by the time the household gets out of bed. It does not need to stay switched on until everyone leaves the house – the house will take a while to cool down again, so try setting the heating to turn off half an hour before the household leaves the house. 3. Boilers • Make sure the boiler gets an annual check. This will help ensure it is working efficiently and safely. • If the boiler is over 10 years old, it is worth considering replacing it with a more efficient model. 4. Radiators • Most radiators now have temperature valves (TRVs) on them. These can be kept high in your main living spaces such as the living room and bedroom and turned down in any unused rooms, so it is warm enough to prevent damp.
    [Show full text]
  • The Challenges of the Thermal Design of Bepicolombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter
    46th International Conference on Environmental Systems ICES-2016-212 10-14 July 2016, Vienna, Austria The Challenges of the Thermal Design of BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter Andrea Ferrero1, Domenico Battaglia 2 and Tiziano Malosti 3 Thales Alenia Space, I-10146 Torino, Italy Daniele Stramaccioni4 European Space Agency (ESA-ESTEC), NL-2200AG Noordwijk, the Netherlands and Jürgen Schilke5 EADS Astrium, D-88039 Friedrichshafen, Germany BepiColombo is the first European mission to Mercury. It will send in orbit around the planet two separate spacecraft: Mercury Magnetosphaeric Orbiter (MMO), provided by the Japanese Space Agency, and Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), provided by the European Space Agency. The transfer from Earth to Mercury will be ensured by a dedicated module, Mercury Transport Module (MTM), which will provide. MPO, the subject of this paper, is the European scientific contribution to the BepiColombo mission. Its orbit around Mercury will be 3-axis stabilized, planet oriented, with a planned lifetime of 1 year, and a possible 1- year extension. The mission will perform a comprehensive study on Mercury, by means of several instruments, including a laser altimeter, different types of spectrometers, a magnetometer and radio science experiments. The subject of this paper are the complex challenged faced by the thermal design of MPO. The very harsh thermal environment experienced by the Module changes from a relatively cold condition after the launch (1.15AU distance from Sun) to a very hot condition orbiting Mercury (0.3AU distance from Sun at aphelion plus the infrared heat load from the Planet). The TCS is based on the shielding effect of a High Temperature High Performance MLI and on the particular radiator design, capable of reflecting most of the infrared flux coming from the Planet.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence Submitted to the Royal College of Physicians Working Party on the Lifelong Impact of Air Pollution
    Evidence submitted to the Royal College of Physicians working party on the lifelong impact of air pollution February 2016 Audit report title © Royal College of Physicians 2016 1 Overview – organisations that submitted evidence 1 Blizard Institute 2 British Heart Foundation 3 Cancer Research UK 4 Client Earth 5 Improvement Academy, Bradford 6 Global Action Plan (GAP) 7 Greater London Authority 8 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 9 Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 10 Sustrans 11 UK Health Forum 1 Blizard Institute Submitted evidence: • Changing personal exposure to air pollution within a city – PowerPoint • Changing personal exposure to air pollution within a city – abstract Changing Personal Exposure to Air Pollution Within a City Y. Ma, K. Miu, A. Whitehouse, N. Mushtaq, J. Grigg Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry Black carbon There is currently no Results data on how much of Mean exposure to Black Carbon . Main constituent of inhalable a reduction in Each student did 11 walks over 60 days. Mean exposure to BC walking on a side road (N=11 trips) was 11974 ± fossil fuel-derived particulate Start personal exposure to 3741 ng per m3/min as compared to the main road of 38415 ± 35301 ng per m3/min. p=0.0226). matter (<10μm in aerodynamic carbon black can be diameter) (PM10) achieved by 4500 4500 . Taken up by airway choosing to regularly 4000 4000 macrophages (AMs) 3500 3500 move through cities . Inverse relationship between via routes with lower 3000 3000 Figure 1: Airway macrophages (AMs) imaged amount of AM black carbon and levels of locally 2500 2500 lung function1 and mortality2 under light microscopy.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy Saving Recommendations for Householders
    Energy Saving Recommendations for Householders In December 2011 Green TEA (Transition Eynsham Area) entered the LEAF (Local Energy Assessment Fund) competition run by the government aimed at helping villages and other communities raise awareness about reducing energy use in the home. Part of this funding has enabled Green TEA to employ energy and building consultants to survey 20 homes and give advice on how to make homes more comfortable and reduce the amount of energy we use. Following the 20 household energy surveys, which covered a wide range of construction types and demographics, this document presents a summary of the energy reduction advice given to those householders. Much of the advice revolves around common sense and thrift. The funding also enabled Green TEA to: buy a community thermographic camera that shows heat loss from homes; conduct 50 air-tightness tests that highlight draughts; insulate the solid stone walls of an Eynsham home as a demonstration project; train half a dozen local people to conduct energy surveys train one builder to install solid wall insulation. If you would like to have your house surveyed by the assessors that have been trained during this project, book a thermographic survey or need any advice on the above issues then please contact GreenTEA for more information. Thermographic surveys A thermographic camera takes a picture of your house but, instead of recording colours, it records temperatures. The use of thermographics in this project has been enormously useful for two reasons: It helps people understand the areas of their individual homes that are most worthwhile to tackle, in terms of reducing energy use It changes the conversation people have from something abstract like climate change to something immediate and personal like wasting money Background on energy use In the UK, on average, the largest proportion of energy used in our home goes on heating.
    [Show full text]
  • Biofortification of Potato (Solanum Tuberosum) Using Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Karen Elizabeth Davies
    Biofortification of potato (Solanum tuberosum) using metal oxide nanoparticles Karen Elizabeth Davies A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Nottingham Trent University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy This research programme was carried out in collaboration with AHDB Potatoes and BBSRC 2018 Biofortification of potato (Solanum tuberosum) using metal oxide nanoparticles This work is the intellectual property of the author, BBSRC and AHDB Potato (Note: if there are other owners of the IP, they must also be named here). You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non- commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed in the owner(s) of the Intellectual Property Rights.” 1 Biofortification of potato (Solanum tuberosum) using metal oxide nanoparticles Abstract The project aimed to increase the phytoavaiablilty of calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in order to fortify tubers for human consumption to aid the reduced global micronutrient malnutrition (MNM). Simultaneously improve quality of tubers (dry mass), reduction of disease occurrence (soft rot), and uniformity of tuber size. There are three strategies commonly adopted to improve plant fortification: enhanced fertilisers, breeding and nutritional genetic modification. While genetic modification has produced some interesting results, the commercialisation is hindered by public perception and legislation, therefore selective breeding programmes are now being developed to circumvent these issues and help address the global issue of micronutrient malnutrition.
    [Show full text]