More eco-bollox ...

Arfa Daily · 2009-02-26T09:28:21+00:00

My wife is just buying another cafe nearby. It's getting towards the end of the process, so all of the paperwork is starting to slop around the system between the solicitors. Yesterday, we received a copy of a bloody "Energy Report" for the building. I have never read such a waste-of-time crap in all my life ! Some of the recommendations about replacing decorative light fittings and so on with types to take a CFL are little short of ludicrous. They even recommend that we dismantle any flourescent lights, and replace the ballasts with more efficient 'electronic' types. Yeah, right. Like anyone is ever going to do that ...Each of their silly points has an 'impact' rating attached to it. The final conclusion is that the building falls exactly into the band that you would expect it to for one of that type and age. Well now, there's a surprise ...How much has it cost the poor sods who are selling us the business, to have these 'consultants' along to produce this report ? I dread to think. I wonder how many politicians are on the boards of these companies, and are then working it back the other way as 'advisors' to the government to get all this nanny legislation nonsense on the statute book ? I really hate what this country is becoming.Arfa

Feb 26, 2009 24 Replies

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John Rumm 17 years ago

For heating this is true generally. For hot water it is also true, but since the amounts involved are far less, it is less relevant.

Well, it depends on your point of view; A gas multipoint or combi would have produced cheaper hot water probably, although it would take a very long time to get any payback.

I figured that a quick look about the property would identify how the water was heated, and also display an absence of space heating boiler in the flat. A chat with a neighbour or freeholder would confirm the communal heating. Hardly something you need a "consultant" for.

clueless and probably still don't care.

Shame is someone is paying for the information that could could work out for yourself in five mins, and probably has little if any bearing on your decision to buy a particular property.

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The Natural Philosopher 17 years ago

A heat pump is about even-stevens with fossils right now, and better carbon footprint.

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Doctor Drivel 17 years ago

Air sourced heat pumps are not. Only well installed ground sourced heat pumps are and then it depends on the installation.

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Andrew Gabriel 17 years ago

Just did a check on mine, and it beats fossel fuel just, if you take a gas boiler to be 100% efficient. Given that even a condensing boiler isn't 100% efficient, then the air sourced heat pump is actually doing better than just the fuel usage would indicate. However, we're only talking of something like a 20-30% difference, not factors of two, or orders of magnitude. Mine is part of a 12000 BTU/hr aircon unit; larger units will be more efficient (and conversely, smaller ones are less efficient).

I suspect a ground sourced heat pump would be more viable for more of the year (i.e. at low outdoor temperatures, where air sourced ones have to start running defrost cycles).

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Doctor Drivel 17 years ago

What cost over a year? Taking one snatch does not tell all the story. As you noted defrost when it works in reverse and low outdoor temps when resistance heaters need to be used to top up. There are also good and bad ASHPs.

As general guide ASHPs do not compete with good condensing gas boiler in running costs. GSHP's are generally equal. Then there is the higher capital costs of heat pumps - although some makers are saying ASHPs are compatible with boilers.

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