Archive for housing
Difference between behavioural change and efficiency
Posted by: on December 21, 2007 in Tags: Efficiency, Energy, housing, transport 
In my article on the clean alternatives to coal I was mentioning that the first thing to implement before any other was behavioural changes and energy efficiency.
Indeed, I believe we need both as they are complementary and very different. Indeed one has a sociological approach when the other refers to pure economics.
Energy efficiency is well known and is becoming more and more talked about, but behavioural changes aren’t. This article will explain what could be their tenets. Continue reading »
A record breaking electricity consumption in France
Posted by: on December 18, 2007 in Tags: Energy, Europe, France, housing
The current temperatures in France are six degrees below average and this led to a record-breaking electricity consumption.
Last night the level of energy consumption rose to 88 960 MW, compared to the previous record of 86 280 MW in January 2006.
It is estimated by the Réseau de transport d’électricité that when temperature decreases by 1°C, the electricity consumption increases by 1 700 MW.
The low-carbon revolution starts at home
Posted by: on December 4, 2007 in Tags: Efficiency, Energy, Europe, housing
Since the writing of my Master’s thesis, I am aware that huge savings of CO2 emissions could be achieved by insulating our homes and shifting toward energy-efficient appliances.
This feeling is strongly reinforced by the views of the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) which is part of the renowned Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
In its latest publication, Home Truths, the ECI states that UK can decrease by 80 percent the CO2 emissions of its housing sector by using various means.
Comment réduire facilement ses factures de chauffage
Posted by: on November 6, 2007 in Tags: Efficiency, En Français, housing
Les températures hivernales arrivent petit à petit dans nos contrées et avec elles les premières gelées matinales.
Au même moment, les prix du pétrole ne cessent de grimper vers les 100 dollars [En] ce qui pour nombre de ménages signifie des notes de fioul ou de gaz qui s’alourdissent.
C’est donc le moment idéal de vous proposer des moyens simples mais efficaces de diminuer ses notes de chauffage.
Green roofs and walls, a brilliant idea
Posted by: on November 2, 2007 in Tags: Climate change, housing, Sustainable development
Some ideas are very promising to help us in mitigating climate change and among them are green roofs and walls.
Planting grass or trees like in Manhattan (cf. picture) on top of buildings have many advantages as it decreases the air pollution, the local temperature of cities and greenhouse gases emissions and so on.
In this article I will review the various specificities of green roofs and walls and what they can bring to large and medium sized cities.
Cutting the energy consumption of collective housing
Posted by: on October 3, 2007 in Tags: Efficiency, Energy, housing
Last night Arte, a Franco-German TV network, broadcast a documentary on two buildings in Karlsruhe, Germany, which comprise 64 apartments for low income people.
The goal of this show was to demonstrate that energy efficiency and renewable energies can be implemented quite easily to collective housings.
A very important thing was that the costs couldn’t be supported by the tenants but solely by the administration of the buildings. An impossible mission ?
German federal governement to insulate buildings
Posted by: on June 26, 2007 in Tags: Efficiency, Energy, housing, Sustainable development
Germany is willing to tackle the millions local buildings that are lacking insulation. This will lead to savings of nearly half of the energy consumed by this sector by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels).
The goal of the Federal Government is to insulate every year five percent of total housings and buildings.
This would concern the buildings buit before 1978, as the ones built after this date are considered already energy efficient.
A global response to cut the energy use of buildings
Posted by: on May 23, 2007 in Tags: Climate change, Energy, housingRead last week on IHT.com and in Le Figaro. Some of the world’s largest cities, with a few companies and banks are willing to decrease the energy consumption of large cities worldwide. This is indeed very good news.
Article en Français. De l’isolation des logements
Posted by: on May 17, 2007 in Tags: En Français, Energy, housing
Pour mon premier article en Français pour ce blog, je vais parler d’un sujet qui me tient à coeur depuis la rédaction de mon mémoire de Master.
L’isolation des logements est ainsi selon moi une priorité dans la lutte contre le changement climatique.
Nous verrons ici pourquoi.
Following what I wrote there, I am finishing this topic. I now focus on the various financial helps provided by the French government for households willing to insulate their apartment or house.
We will also have a look at the solutions to the problem posed by the lack of thermal insulation and the effects of such policies occurring at various levels
Below is a short version of my Master’s Thesis, or should I say the most interesting findings and ideas. I updated the part on the States financial aids to better reflect what is done now.
