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Posts Tagged ‘CO2 emissions<’
Posted in Bricklaying on Sep 29
 Exquisite brickwork on the refurbished St Pancras Station “Brick is Beautiful” was a slogan used by the Brick Industry in a successful advertising campaign in the 1980s. There are many local bricklayers in London who believe that there should be another campaign with the slogan “Brick is Still Beautiful”. It is worth taking time to consider whether or not this slogan would be valid considering the very different context in which properties are built today.
Whilst in the 1980s it was sufficient for brick to qualify as beautiful by offering an attractive, durable finish that mellowed with age, today people expect much more from a material for it to be considered “beautiful”. In the 1980s the building industry had little concept of sustainability, whereas today every material is expected to trumpet its sustainability credentials whilst taking a sideswipe at the claims of others.
 Inventive use of brick in London´s Docklands The Brick Industry grasped the point of sustainability in 2001 when it became one of the first industries to issue its sustainability strategy. This contained a set of Key Performance Indicators covering social progress, effective protection of the environment, prudent use of resources, and the development of economic factors. These targets and the progress towards them are reported annually. Some people choose to compress sustainability into a consideration of energy use defined as the emission of CO2. The Brick Industry measures this annually and also reports on it under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Competing materials claim that this is the Achilles heel of the Industry, but if you were to spread the CO2 emissions from the brick in a square metre of brickwork over a life of 120 years it comes out as 0.000232 tonnes of CO2 / sq metre / per annum. This carbon isn’t “locked up” to be released at the end of life. It has already been expended and the longer the building exists, the better the value.
 Longetivity - The Mary Ward House in Tavistock Square from 1898 Longevity is a valuable asset, but when it is coupled with future-proofing and easy adaptability, it is even more valuable. Studies have shown that as global warming increases lightweight structures are likely to require air-conditioning to maintain reasonable internal conditions, whilst the thermal mass inherent in heavyweight structures can be used to moderate temperature changes. Masonry structures have proved to be easily adaptable and therefore able to fulfil new functions extending the life of the building. A responsible designer will take these points into consideration when thinking about the sustainability of a proposed building and will appreciate that brick fulfils the requirements “beautifully”.
 The new can take the appearance of the old as this Docklands chimney illustrates In order to find bricklayers in London, please visit our Tradesmen´s Directory or use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of each page.
Photo Acknowledgements (Top to Bottom)
St Pancras Midland Road – Image courtesy of: Flickr user amandabhslater. Original image
London Docklands Blue Brick – Image courtesy of: Flickr user Jenniferboyer Original Image
Mary Ward House Tavistock Sq – Image Courtesy of George P Landow Victorianweb.org
Dockland Red Chimney – Image courtesy of: Flickr user DavidReber Original Image
Tags: air conditioning, Brick & Stone, Brick is Beautiful, bricklayer, bricks, brickwork, CO2 emissions, environment, Find a Bricklayer in London, global warming, masonry, Sustainability, Tradesmen´s Directory
Posted in Bricklaying | Comments Off
 As reported in many trade journals, the Health and Safety Executive and the Building Control Alliance have signed an agreement to work more closely to improve health and safety standards on construction sites. The arrangement means that the HSE and building control professionals will co-operate to help and support each other by providing health and safety advice to on-site builders in London.
Philip White, HSE’s chief inspector of construction, was quoted as saying “Today’s agreement does not change a duty holder’s responsibility to protect workers health and safety, but has created another opportunity to get potentially life-saving advice to those responsible for health and safety standards on construction sites.” Meanwhile Diane Marshall, group head of building control at NHBC, was equally as gushing -“Building Control professionals are ideally placed to raise awareness of health and safety issues on construction sites during the course of their inspections. This agreement creates a mechanism for Building Control professionals to discharge their professional duty of care in a simple and straightforward manner by working closely with our HSE colleagues.”
However, builders in London, although keen to make any health and safety improvements in their industry were not so enthusiastic about the proposals. Commenting in the online builder.co.uk magazine, Colin McNeil wrote –
“Great, another feather in the cap for the great and good who govern Building Control, when was the last time that any of these people went on site? So as a Building Control Surveyor you are supposed to have good technical knowledge of Structures and structural stability, have a intimate knowledge of fire safety and means of escape, thermal performance and CO2 emissions and access into and around buildings for people with disabilities, a comprehensive knowledge of damp protection and prevention of water ingress, methods of preventing sound transfer, drainage systems and knowledge of staircases and guardings. Together with a good knowledge of boiler systems and building services generally, Then there are the requirements to check planning conditions etc all this for the generous salary of about £30000 to £35000 a year. (sic)”
It does seem to be that building control surveyors already have enough on their plates, and with three new sets of building regulations coming into force this week will find it difficult to integrate health and safety regulations into their already overloaded schedules. Maybe Mr White and Ms Marshall should get their patent leather shoes out of their ivory towers and have a look at what actually goes on at ground level.
Tags: builder, Building Control, building regulations, CO2 emissions, Construction, Construction Safety, damp proofing, drainage system, Find a Builder in London, General Builders, health, Health & Safety Executive, safety standards, thermal performance
Posted in General Building, Handyman Services | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Aug 10
 London's old buildings are notorious for letting too much hot air escape! London´s notorious autumn winds can make living in an older house or flat pretty uncomfortable – and more than a little chilly. Although draughts can get into your home through doors, letter boxes, cat flaps and even key holes, windows provide the most noticeable access to the cold breeze as it whistles through gaps between the window and its frame, and your curtains sway in time with each new gust of wind.
Rather than just snuggle up underneath a blanket and turn the thermostat up, draught proofing your windows is a cost-effective way of being comfortable when the winds begin to howl. It can also save you money on heating bills, which in turn makes its own small contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. You can seek the assistance of a local handyman in London (as two pairs of hands are always better than one) or you can attempt this job yourself.
Depending on your type of window, you should find a suitable insulating tape at your local DIY store. Normally coming as a roll of self-adhesive foam rubber, strips should be placed on the frames of outward opening windows so that the window compresses the foam when it is closed and forms a seal. Care must be taken to ensure that the foam is not too thick, or the window will not close. The same principal applies to old-fashioned sash windows, although this is a much tougher job to manage alone, and it is recommended that your local London handyman gives you a “hand” with draught proofing sash windows.
Single glazed windows that do not open but somehow manage to let draughts in, can be secondary glazed by the application of window film. Although the primary function of window film is to add privacy to your home and create an attractive appearance, it can also provide a barrier to draughts. There is also secondary glazing film available in selected DIY stores, which is applied with self-adhesive tape and then shrunk to fit with a hair-dryer. Glazing film however, is incredibly easy to a) fit incorrectly and b) damage once applied, so is only suitable as a short-term fix.
If you have draughts coming through double glazing installations, it is quite possible that a seal within one of the units is broken. In this case, it would be better to consult with a local window fitter in London to obtain a replacement seal rather than installing any of the substitutes on the market which may not have been specifically designed to be effective on your type of window units.
Most window draught proofing jobs can be done from inside, but if you have a London handyman helping you out, ask him or her to check the exterior masonry (if it is accessible!). What you or they are looking for is gaps between the window frame and surrounding masonry. These gaps can allow draughts to enter the building and, if big enough, will also permit rain water to accumulate – which will eventually rot your window frames – or worse still, damage your brickwork through the freeze-thaw process.
Your London handyman will be able to offer a quote to repoint areas of your external masonry which are damaged, and you can use the Mr Skill “Post-a-Job” facility to compare their estimate of the work required against other London handymen quotes from tradesmen featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Tags: CO2 emissions, draught proofing, energy efficiency, Energy Saving Trust, environment, find a handyman in London, freeze-thaw, Home Maintenance, Insulation, masonry, mortar, repointing, save money, Window & Door Fitting, window film, windows
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
Posted in General Building on Aug 06
 In April 2010, changes were made to Part L of the Building Regulations to accelerate the drive towards zero carbon house construction by 2016. All local builders will be familiar with the guidelines laid out in Part L1A (2006) and the new changes (which come into effect on October 1st 2010) aim to reduce CO2 emissions in newbuild dwellings by a further 25% and keep in line with the government´s “Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3”.
As well as introducing new limits for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, good builders will be pleased to discover that the document is clearer than in 2006 in distinguishing between “Regulation” and “Guidance”. This should help builders and developers in London better understand what is required of them, and give building control clearer guidance on how to check for compliance. Furthermore, the new requirement to provide a “design submission” as well as “built submission” – with a list of amended specifications during construction – will enable Building Control to confirm that what has been built aligns with the claimed performance and eliminates the “Performance Gap”
For the full details in respect of the changes in the Building Regulations relating to the conservation of fuel and power, please click here. If you are a homeowner who is considering making changes to a property to reduce your “carbon footprint”, please visit our trademen´s section to find a builder in your area. All of our recommended tradesmen are prepared to offer a no-obligation building quote on a number of environmental improvements that can be made around your house. Alternatively you can leave an enquiry in our “Post-a-Job” section and have our highly rated tradesmen contact you.
Tags: Building Control, Building Regulations Part L, built submission, CO2 emissions, Code for Sustainable Homes, design submission, environment, Performance Gap, zero carbon
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
Posted in Building A-Z on Aug 05
 As the government pursue their initiative to reduce CO2 emissions, the discontinuation of traditional incandescent light bulbs means that many homeowners will discover that they have no choice than to switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Although the savings in terms of operating costs are to the advantage of the homeowner, many local tradesmen have reported that there is a reluctance to “make the switch” due to the perception that the new CFLs are unsightly, inefficient and potentially hazardous.
Modern energy saving light bulbs fit into most existing light fixtures and emit the same amount of visible light whilst only using a fraction of the power compared to traditional light bulbs. Since they first appeared on the market, technological advances have led to CFLs becoming smaller in size (in line with traditional incandescent light bulbs), quicker to light and more compatible with dimmer switches (which used to cause the CFL to flicker).
The phasing out of the old “A-type” bulbs has already started with 60w and 100w no longer available on our shelves, and 40w bulbs to follow suit in January. It is estimated that there are still 600 million incandescent bulbs in use in the UK and if each household in the UK replaced just three 60-watt bulbs with light efficient equivalents, the pollution savings would be equivalent to taking 3.5 million cars off the road plus save in excess of £87million in electricity bills.
There is a great “Questions and Answers” section on the Energy Saving Trust web site or, if you would rather, you can put any question you may have to our database of electricians in London by using the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page. They will be happy to visit your property and offer a no-obligation electricians quote on converting your existing incandescent light bulbs to the more efficient CFLs. Although there ultimately will be a charge for the work if you choose to proceed, the money you save on electricity in the first year should more than likely cover any cost.
Please note: There is a very slight risk to health through chemicals contained in CFL light bulbs and, if you should have a broken bulb in your home you should refer to our article on How to Remove a Broken Compact Fluorescent Light or speak to a local electrician listed in our Tradesmen´s Directory. More information about CFL light bulbs can be found on the DEFRA (Department of Environment) web site.
Tags: CFL bulbs, CFL light bulbs, CO2 emissions, compact fluorescent light bulb, dimmer switch, electric current, electrical circuit, electricity, Energy Saving Trust, incandescent light bulbs, pollution, save environment, save money, ventilation
Posted in Building A-Z | Comments Off
Posted in General Building on Jul 21
A joint initiative from the Carbon Trust and the Strategic Forum for Construction has urged builders across Britain to take measures to reduce CO2 emissions by 200.000 tonnes per year. A spokesman for the initiative claims that site cabins are a major source of CO2 and waste energy because of poor insulation and lack of heating controls.
 New proposals suggest all site cabins should be this colour Overall the savings to the industry would be £45 million in electricity and water bills. David Vincent, the Carbon Trust’s director of projects, said: “As much as 25 per cent of the carbon reduction target can be achieved – and tens of millions of pounds saved – by putting an end to the wasted heat and lighting from thousands of site offices across the country.”
Although a trend is growing for building contractors to use modular buildings rather than the traditional site cabins, these too can be insultaed to prevent the loss of heat and needless waste of fuel.
Tags: Carbon Trust, CO2 emissions, Construction, electricity, environment, fuel saving, Insulation, site cabins, site offices, Strategic Forum for Construction, water
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
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