Choosing a greener car can have a direct financial benefit for you as well as helping to conserve our environment for all Australians and future generations. Buying a vehicle that is more fuel efficient can save you thousands of dollars on fuel bills and many tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the vehicle's life.
As a new car buyer there will be a range of factors that are important in making your final choice of vehicle. As a major financial investment and a decision that will be with you for a number of years, it is important to purchase the car that best meets your needs.
Assess your needs carefully. In doing so, consider your day-to-day transport requirements, eg. passengers carried and cargo capacity required, and match these requirements to a vehicle that can provide them (or a good compromise).
You may wish to draw up a list of the features you want in a car. Then think about what other factors will influence your decision, and add these to the list. How important is each of these in coming to your final decision?
Consider how often, if at all, you may need certain features, such as off road capacity or a larger engine for towing. These features may come at an extra financial cost and an extra cost to the environment. Given that many of these costs will be ongoing for the life of your car/s, it is important to make the right decision.
Research all possibilities, ask friends/family about cars, visit car dealers to look at various models and search the Internet for relevant websites, including those set up by manufacturers, motor magazines, and motoring clubs, etc. Ask questions! If there are any 'car terms' you don't understand, now is the time to ask.
Before buying a new vehicle, refer to the Green Vehicle Guide ratings. Detailed information helps identify individual vehicle models, including the make, model and variant name, engine and transmission, body style, seating and fuel type. Further information to help you compare each vehicle's impact on the environment includes the - Greenhouse Rating (based on CO2 emissions); Air Pollution Rating (based primarily on emission standards); an overall 'Star' Rating (a combination of the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating); and Fuel Consumption (in L/100km). You can use the Green Vehicle Guide to identify the vehicle with the highest ratings which meets your needs.
Remember, larger cars and those with bigger engines often consume more fuel, which not only increases your fuel bills, but increases the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Commercial style vehicles and large off road vehicles are usually built to less stringent emission standards than "regular" passenger cars, so produce more air pollutants. If you are in a showroom, look for the Fuel Consumption Label on the front windscreen, which provides information on fuel consumption and greenhouse emissions from the vehicle.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Passive Solar Energy For heating
Mention solar technology and most people automatically assume that solar panels are involved in one way or another. While this is generally true, the concept of passive solar energy has been used from thousands of years to heat structures. The trombe wall is one form of low tech used in passive solar for heating a home at night.
To understand how the trombe wall functions, it helps to first contemplate how passive solar energy works as a heating process. A simple example suffices. Imagine you drive to the grocery store. You park in the parking lot and head inside. You are there for no more than 30 minutes. When you come out to the car, what has happened? It has turned into an oven! This is passive solar at its finest. The sunlight has heated up every dark surface in the interior of the car, which then radiates heat. During the summer, sitting down on the seats can be a delicate maneuver, particularly if you are in shorts!
What if you could capture this heat during the hottest periods of the day and slowly release it at night when temperatures drop? This is exactly what the trombe wall is designed to do. The average trombe wall is between 8 and 16 inches thick. It is typically made of concrete. On the exterior face, the wall is covered with a heat absorbing material. This can be a painted on dark color or absorbent material. A double layer of glass is then placed about an inch outside of this and forms the exterior of the structure. It looks a little odd to have a wall inside of glass, but the heating impact is significant.
As sunlight penetrates the glass, it heats up the surface of the concrete wall. The wall then absorbs the heat at a rate of about an inch an hour. By the end of a sunny day, you have a concrete wall that is heated up much like the rocks in a sauna, although obviously not as hot. The double glass serves to insulate one side of the wall. Once the temperature in the area starts to cool below the heat level of the trombe wall, it will start to emit heat. The heat rises. Vents and small fans can be put in to circulate the warm air into the interior of the home where it can be funneled to rooms in use. This can be done day-after-day so long as the sun hits the wall.
Solar power is a complex energy platform and involves much broader techniques then just solar panels or water heaters. Passive solar can be a powerful way to deal with heating issues and the trombe wall is one example of this.
To understand how the trombe wall functions, it helps to first contemplate how passive solar energy works as a heating process. A simple example suffices. Imagine you drive to the grocery store. You park in the parking lot and head inside. You are there for no more than 30 minutes. When you come out to the car, what has happened? It has turned into an oven! This is passive solar at its finest. The sunlight has heated up every dark surface in the interior of the car, which then radiates heat. During the summer, sitting down on the seats can be a delicate maneuver, particularly if you are in shorts!
What if you could capture this heat during the hottest periods of the day and slowly release it at night when temperatures drop? This is exactly what the trombe wall is designed to do. The average trombe wall is between 8 and 16 inches thick. It is typically made of concrete. On the exterior face, the wall is covered with a heat absorbing material. This can be a painted on dark color or absorbent material. A double layer of glass is then placed about an inch outside of this and forms the exterior of the structure. It looks a little odd to have a wall inside of glass, but the heating impact is significant.
As sunlight penetrates the glass, it heats up the surface of the concrete wall. The wall then absorbs the heat at a rate of about an inch an hour. By the end of a sunny day, you have a concrete wall that is heated up much like the rocks in a sauna, although obviously not as hot. The double glass serves to insulate one side of the wall. Once the temperature in the area starts to cool below the heat level of the trombe wall, it will start to emit heat. The heat rises. Vents and small fans can be put in to circulate the warm air into the interior of the home where it can be funneled to rooms in use. This can be done day-after-day so long as the sun hits the wall.
Solar power is a complex energy platform and involves much broader techniques then just solar panels or water heaters. Passive solar can be a powerful way to deal with heating issues and the trombe wall is one example of this.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Eco-Friendly Home Buying Tips
Buying an eco-friendly home is not as difficult as you might think, and in the long run it can save you a lot of money, as well as having less of an impact on the environment. An eco-friendly home is one that is energy efficient and saves you money, but it also can mean it is a home made from recycled materials and one that makes much better use of space. When buying an eco-friendly home you will still need to consider the same things that you do when buying a normal home, such as going through the right channels to borrow money and paying additional fees like stamp duty and conveyancing fees.
Building methods
You can start thinking eco-friendly even before you start building the home. Choose an architect that is familiar with eco-friendly homes and have them design a home that is suitable for your block. Think about creating a home that takes up less land space, leaving as much room for trees and plants as possible. Leave room around the home for water tanks and a vegetable garden. Think about where on your block you build the home too. Make sure it is in a position so you can make use of natural light, and it is facing a direction so you get the warmth of the sun to increase the energy efficiency.
Building materials
You can even be eco-friendly with your choice of building materials. Any timber in your home should be recycled from other sources. You will find that you can buy bricks from homes that are being torn down. You could also choose to build with eco-friendly materials like mud or stones, or even build a straw bale home.
Energy efficient
One of the main purposes of your home is for it to be energy efficient. Make sure that it is well insulated so it stays warm in winter and cooler in summer. You can also put in double glazed windows and have solar panels installed so you rely on the sun to power your home. Solar power can also heat your water so you can save on gas as well as electricity. Solar panels are not as expensive as they used to be and many new homes that aren’t eco-friendly are being built with solar panels to heat their water.
Appliances
Within your home you can be more eco-friendly by choosing the right appliances. When you buy a dishwasher, washing machine, fridge or even a clothes dryer you will see the energy rating listed on the item through a star rating system. The more stars an item has the more energy efficient it is. You can also buy dishwashers and washing machines that use less water. You can also be more energy efficient when lighting your home by choosing to use power saving light bulbs. Another way to be eco-friendly is to watch your energy consumption, so turn off lights in rooms that are not in use, switch appliances off at the wall and don’t heat or cool rooms you are not using. Having blinds or curtains on your windows will help keep your house warm in winter and block out the heat in summer.
Building methods
You can start thinking eco-friendly even before you start building the home. Choose an architect that is familiar with eco-friendly homes and have them design a home that is suitable for your block. Think about creating a home that takes up less land space, leaving as much room for trees and plants as possible. Leave room around the home for water tanks and a vegetable garden. Think about where on your block you build the home too. Make sure it is in a position so you can make use of natural light, and it is facing a direction so you get the warmth of the sun to increase the energy efficiency.
Building materials
You can even be eco-friendly with your choice of building materials. Any timber in your home should be recycled from other sources. You will find that you can buy bricks from homes that are being torn down. You could also choose to build with eco-friendly materials like mud or stones, or even build a straw bale home.
Energy efficient
One of the main purposes of your home is for it to be energy efficient. Make sure that it is well insulated so it stays warm in winter and cooler in summer. You can also put in double glazed windows and have solar panels installed so you rely on the sun to power your home. Solar power can also heat your water so you can save on gas as well as electricity. Solar panels are not as expensive as they used to be and many new homes that aren’t eco-friendly are being built with solar panels to heat their water.
Appliances
Within your home you can be more eco-friendly by choosing the right appliances. When you buy a dishwasher, washing machine, fridge or even a clothes dryer you will see the energy rating listed on the item through a star rating system. The more stars an item has the more energy efficient it is. You can also buy dishwashers and washing machines that use less water. You can also be more energy efficient when lighting your home by choosing to use power saving light bulbs. Another way to be eco-friendly is to watch your energy consumption, so turn off lights in rooms that are not in use, switch appliances off at the wall and don’t heat or cool rooms you are not using. Having blinds or curtains on your windows will help keep your house warm in winter and block out the heat in summer.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Tips for greener motoring
Your driving habits, the type of vehicle you drive and the conditions under which you drive will affect your vehicle's environmental performance. Follow these tips for greener driving.
Minimise your vehicle use
Think about your travel needs prior to your travel. Planned travel decisions will result in fewer trips and more efficient/cheaper travel than unplanned decisions made 'on the go'. Some travel planning tips:
Plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than several trips and save both time and fuel (for the first couple of minutes of a car trip the engine is cold and this results in an increase in fuel consumption per kilometre).
Patronise shops near to you whenever possible to reduce the distances you travel by car. Walk or cycle to your local shops if you can.
Avoid peak-hour traffic whenever possible.
Use alternative transport, eg. public transport (bus, train, tram or ferry), walking or cycling. These alternative methods of travel are often cheaper, and may provide other benefits including increased fitness.
Drive in high gear
The engine runs most efficiently between around 1,500 and 2,500 rpm (lower in diesels). To maintain these low revs you should change up through the gears as soon as practical and before the revs reach 2,500 rpm. Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
Drive smoothly - avoid unnecessary acceleration
Drive at a good distance from the car in front so you can anticipate and travel with the flow of traffic. You will be able to see such things as traffic lights changing or cars turning and minimise your fuel use through braking and accelerating back up to full speed.
Minimise fuel wasted in idling
Minimise fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period of time. By having the engine switched off, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.
Speed kills economy
High speeds result in high fuel consumption. At 110 km/h your car can use up to 25% more fuel than it would cruising at 90 km/h.
Minimise aerodynamic drag
Additional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks and spoilers, or having the window open, increases air resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by over 20%.
Look after your vehicle's tyres
Inflate your vehicle's tyres to the highest pressure recommended by the tyre manufacturer and make sure your wheels are properly aligned (remember to keep your spare tire inflated as well). Looking after your tyres will not only reduce your fuel consumption it will also extend tyre life and improve handling.
Travel light
Don't carry more people or cargo than you have to. The more a vehicle carries the more fuel it uses.
Service your vehicle regularly
Keeping your vehicle well tuned will minimise its environmental impact.
Minimise your vehicle use
Think about your travel needs prior to your travel. Planned travel decisions will result in fewer trips and more efficient/cheaper travel than unplanned decisions made 'on the go'. Some travel planning tips:
Plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than several trips and save both time and fuel (for the first couple of minutes of a car trip the engine is cold and this results in an increase in fuel consumption per kilometre).
Patronise shops near to you whenever possible to reduce the distances you travel by car. Walk or cycle to your local shops if you can.
Avoid peak-hour traffic whenever possible.
Use alternative transport, eg. public transport (bus, train, tram or ferry), walking or cycling. These alternative methods of travel are often cheaper, and may provide other benefits including increased fitness.
Drive in high gear
The engine runs most efficiently between around 1,500 and 2,500 rpm (lower in diesels). To maintain these low revs you should change up through the gears as soon as practical and before the revs reach 2,500 rpm. Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
Drive smoothly - avoid unnecessary acceleration
Drive at a good distance from the car in front so you can anticipate and travel with the flow of traffic. You will be able to see such things as traffic lights changing or cars turning and minimise your fuel use through braking and accelerating back up to full speed.
Minimise fuel wasted in idling
Minimise fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period of time. By having the engine switched off, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.
Speed kills economy
High speeds result in high fuel consumption. At 110 km/h your car can use up to 25% more fuel than it would cruising at 90 km/h.
Minimise aerodynamic drag
Additional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks and spoilers, or having the window open, increases air resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by over 20%.
Look after your vehicle's tyres
Inflate your vehicle's tyres to the highest pressure recommended by the tyre manufacturer and make sure your wheels are properly aligned (remember to keep your spare tire inflated as well). Looking after your tyres will not only reduce your fuel consumption it will also extend tyre life and improve handling.
Travel light
Don't carry more people or cargo than you have to. The more a vehicle carries the more fuel it uses.
Service your vehicle regularly
Keeping your vehicle well tuned will minimise its environmental impact.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Incorporate Green Sustainable Architecture Into Your Existing Home
As more people around the world try to find more ways of reducing their carbon footprint, environmentally conscious homeowners are turning to ideas for the incorporation of green architecture into their existing homes. Sustainable architecture is based on the idea that the design of a building or home should have the least impact on the environment as possible. Green architecture therefore creates a cleaner living environment, while using cost effective energy saving building techniques.
In order to incorporate sustainable green architecture into your already existing home, you will first need to contract the services of a sustainable architect to bring to reality your dream for greener living. A sustainable architect knows that every component in a building can comprise of sustainable architecture, such as renewable building materials, building design, active and passive heating and cooling, water conservation methods as well as natural and artificial lighting. The architect will be able to advise you on how best to incorporate green architecture into your home through the use of sustainable materials for your home finishes. For instance, you may include sustainable materials for your wall surfaces, countertops and flooring with finishes such as salvaged steel, recycled plastic as well as locally mined and produced tiles and stones.
When it comes to paint, opt for the low toxic paints and finishes to coat both the exterior and interior of your home. Install a low flush toilet which will enable you to conserve water usage. As you do your shopping, always check the product labels and only buy home building products that contain low levels of volatile organic compounds. Be sure to conduct an energy audit of your home where it will be inspected for any spots with leaks which require added insulation. Remember that a tightly sealed home which is properly insulated will help you save on heating bills and usage.
In order to incorporate sustainable green architecture into your already existing home, you will first need to contract the services of a sustainable architect to bring to reality your dream for greener living. A sustainable architect knows that every component in a building can comprise of sustainable architecture, such as renewable building materials, building design, active and passive heating and cooling, water conservation methods as well as natural and artificial lighting. The architect will be able to advise you on how best to incorporate green architecture into your home through the use of sustainable materials for your home finishes. For instance, you may include sustainable materials for your wall surfaces, countertops and flooring with finishes such as salvaged steel, recycled plastic as well as locally mined and produced tiles and stones.
When it comes to paint, opt for the low toxic paints and finishes to coat both the exterior and interior of your home. Install a low flush toilet which will enable you to conserve water usage. As you do your shopping, always check the product labels and only buy home building products that contain low levels of volatile organic compounds. Be sure to conduct an energy audit of your home where it will be inspected for any spots with leaks which require added insulation. Remember that a tightly sealed home which is properly insulated will help you save on heating bills and usage.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Green Building:Construction And The Environment
This is a conclusion to our series of articles on ways in which construction affects the environment. Green building is a concept in construction which aims at creating environment friendly construction. The aim here is to reduce the impact of construction on the environment as well as coming up with remedial measures to resuscitate the already chocking environment. Below are just examples of green construction practices.
· Using renewable energy sources in buildings for example solar and wind energy in the place of electricity and fossil fuels.
· Coming up with designs that require minimum energy supporting systems like maximizing on day lighting in buildings as opposed to electric lighting.
· Reducing the use of timber in construction, especially rare and deciduous types, and in their place using fast growing species like bamboo and softwoods in controlled forests and plantations.
· Reusing timber as well as timber wastes like saw dust to make timber replacements.
· Tapping into rainwater and other precipitation for use in buildings to replace or supplement water from other sources.
· Reducing water wastage by making use of pressure control valves, low flush cisterns and the like.
· Reusing grey water (all used water in the house, other than from closets, bidets and such).
· Using porous materials in parking and general surfaces to allow for percolation of water for replenishing sub surface.
· Incorporating gardening and greening in built up areas, including the introduction of green roofs.
· Reducing earth-moving activities for construction works.
· Avoiding construction in environmentally fragile areas for example water catchment areas.
· Reducing the wastes from buildings that end up in land fills by ensuring sorting at source. A good example is where biodegradable wastes are put in different bins and used as fertilizers.
· Rehabilitating derelict land and mine fields by planting trees and such environmental conservation measures.
All these and many other similar measures will definitely nurture the environment. They will however need a lot of deliberation and forward planning so as to make success. It is also worth noting that green building is usually more expensive upfront but could be affordable in the building life cycle. Furthermore, the extra cost in money will be compensated in a sustainable environment.
Green construction is a collective responsibility and should be sought by all and sundry. Architectural association and building regulatory boards the world over should put all the necessary efforts to have their jurisdictions adopt green construction. Governments should also demonstrate green building in their projects to have their subjects easily accept them. Learning institutions and training institutes should also put enough emphasis on these procedures. Green construction materials and equipment should also be zero rated to reduce costs as well as create a preference.
· Using renewable energy sources in buildings for example solar and wind energy in the place of electricity and fossil fuels.
· Coming up with designs that require minimum energy supporting systems like maximizing on day lighting in buildings as opposed to electric lighting.
· Reducing the use of timber in construction, especially rare and deciduous types, and in their place using fast growing species like bamboo and softwoods in controlled forests and plantations.
· Reusing timber as well as timber wastes like saw dust to make timber replacements.
· Tapping into rainwater and other precipitation for use in buildings to replace or supplement water from other sources.
· Reducing water wastage by making use of pressure control valves, low flush cisterns and the like.
· Reusing grey water (all used water in the house, other than from closets, bidets and such).
· Using porous materials in parking and general surfaces to allow for percolation of water for replenishing sub surface.
· Incorporating gardening and greening in built up areas, including the introduction of green roofs.
· Reducing earth-moving activities for construction works.
· Avoiding construction in environmentally fragile areas for example water catchment areas.
· Reducing the wastes from buildings that end up in land fills by ensuring sorting at source. A good example is where biodegradable wastes are put in different bins and used as fertilizers.
· Rehabilitating derelict land and mine fields by planting trees and such environmental conservation measures.
All these and many other similar measures will definitely nurture the environment. They will however need a lot of deliberation and forward planning so as to make success. It is also worth noting that green building is usually more expensive upfront but could be affordable in the building life cycle. Furthermore, the extra cost in money will be compensated in a sustainable environment.
Green construction is a collective responsibility and should be sought by all and sundry. Architectural association and building regulatory boards the world over should put all the necessary efforts to have their jurisdictions adopt green construction. Governments should also demonstrate green building in their projects to have their subjects easily accept them. Learning institutions and training institutes should also put enough emphasis on these procedures. Green construction materials and equipment should also be zero rated to reduce costs as well as create a preference.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Best Eco Friendly : Old Vs New Homes
People are the one responsible in the negative changes that we have seen in the environment today. That’s why we human being should be aware of our choices every now and then. By being careful with our choices we can make the earth a better, full of life and healthier place to live in.
We created to progress and live life in advance and the modern way. Along with the progress caused negative impact and degradation to the environment. However, with the climate changes and calamities that we have experienced, people are now much concerned with the environment. The government and the rest of the world are making moves that will help lessen the environment degradation process.
Thankfully, there are so many methods to save the mother nature nowadays. We can start it with our home by transforming that into an eco-friendly property. That way you can save energy and helps preserve the environment. But what type of home is best for eco-friendly updates, is it a new home or an older one?
New Home Advantages
Insulation is very important a home must have as it helps maintain the temperature inside that could save energy. Modern homes come equipped with effective energy saver insulation.
With the modern homes, bathroom equipments like, faucets and shower heads are designed to use less water compared to their older counterparts.
Windows installed in the new homes will save you a lot of energy, prevent any heat leakage, damage or any problems associated with the older windows. They will remain in good condition for long time as they were built to last.
New Home Disadvantages
Formaldehyde-containing particle board are usually found in new homes.
Sometimes base models of newly-built homes are with low-end features, like vinyl counter tops and wood laminate flooring.
Old Home Advantages
When looking for quality craftsmanship, real wood flooring and architectural design that much different from others, can have it all with the old homes.
Parts of the house will deteriorate as the time goes by that needs a remodeling job that will greatly increase its energy efficiency.
Old Home Disadvantages
Being exposed too much to the minerals called asbestos may cause several health problems and illness. Old homes may contain this kind of hazardous minerals, and workers may put their life at risk of being exposed during remodeling process.
Older homes may cost you a great amount of energy usage. Energy efficient windows, bathroom equipments and appliances are rarely found in this home.
We created to progress and live life in advance and the modern way. Along with the progress caused negative impact and degradation to the environment. However, with the climate changes and calamities that we have experienced, people are now much concerned with the environment. The government and the rest of the world are making moves that will help lessen the environment degradation process.
Thankfully, there are so many methods to save the mother nature nowadays. We can start it with our home by transforming that into an eco-friendly property. That way you can save energy and helps preserve the environment. But what type of home is best for eco-friendly updates, is it a new home or an older one?
New Home Advantages
Insulation is very important a home must have as it helps maintain the temperature inside that could save energy. Modern homes come equipped with effective energy saver insulation.
With the modern homes, bathroom equipments like, faucets and shower heads are designed to use less water compared to their older counterparts.
Windows installed in the new homes will save you a lot of energy, prevent any heat leakage, damage or any problems associated with the older windows. They will remain in good condition for long time as they were built to last.
New Home Disadvantages
Formaldehyde-containing particle board are usually found in new homes.
Sometimes base models of newly-built homes are with low-end features, like vinyl counter tops and wood laminate flooring.
Old Home Advantages
When looking for quality craftsmanship, real wood flooring and architectural design that much different from others, can have it all with the old homes.
Parts of the house will deteriorate as the time goes by that needs a remodeling job that will greatly increase its energy efficiency.
Old Home Disadvantages
Being exposed too much to the minerals called asbestos may cause several health problems and illness. Old homes may contain this kind of hazardous minerals, and workers may put their life at risk of being exposed during remodeling process.
Older homes may cost you a great amount of energy usage. Energy efficient windows, bathroom equipments and appliances are rarely found in this home.
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