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The UK government has taken a leading role in the fight against carbon emissions and global warming. Its strategy is partly reflected in the Code for Sustainable Homes. Among other issues discussed in the Code, it touches upon domestic water heating which will have important ramifications on the British heating industry both for new build homes and in re-development projects. New properties already have to meet part L1A of the building regulations in force. This part determines a set target for carbon emissions that every new property has to meet. The property developers have to prove in advance that once fully built the property will generate CO2 emissions which is less than (or equal to) the target. Part L1A was set out in 2005, calling for a reduction of 20% in carbon emissions in new buildings. However the Code defines six levels of reduction in carbon emissions with level one demanding 10% up to level six which demands 'Zero Carbon' dwellings. The government has set a target that by 2016 all new homes will have to comply with level five, which states 100% reduction in emissions. The scoring for the dwellings is done according to a points system, in which every component of the home is scored based on its energy efficiency and carbon emissions. A score of 57 points is required for level three, while level six requires a score of 90 points. Experts believe that the demands from the new Code for Sustainable Homes may pose a challenge. Although currently available systems can meet the demands of the middle levels of the Code, there is still some progress to be made in order to meet the demands of the highest levels of the Code. In order to reach the new targets, some developers are voting for renewable energy technologies. For example a solar water heating system generates hot water with almost no carbon emissions. The system can be further enhanced by a high efficiency boiler or a hot water cylinder with an immersion heater to provide a reliable backup for the winters (with short and cold days). Experts argue that the Code should be applied not only to new buildings but also to retrofit projects. Installing an energy efficient boiler or a hot water tank would benefit not only the environment, but also the home owners through reduced heating bills. A high efficiency boiler (such as an A rated condensing boiler) converts more than 90% of the input energy into usable energy, improving on previous boilers by around 30%. Similarly, a well insulated hot water cylinder will reduce heat loss during the night to near zero levels, compared with poorly insulated old cylinders. It is likely that the Code for Sustainable Homes will influence the building regulations that are planned to be launched in 2010. As such, it is crucial that the Code is carefully worked out and that the UK heating industry is fully prepared for it well in advance to ensure a successful roll out. The know how and technological skills in the UK are of a high level, which should help the introduction and implementation of such high efficiency technologies. The latest renewable technologies promise great efficiency at a reasonable price thus making more appealing to the wider population.
Article Source: http://www.ezine-directory.info
Tal Potishman, member of Heating Central, writes articles on boilers, Kensington plumbers, Central Heating, heat pumps and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating
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