Your home’s windows, walls, and floors can be designed to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and  reject solar heat in the summer. This is called passive solar design or climatic design. Unlike active solar heating systems, passive solar design doesn’t involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices, such as pumps, fans, or electrical controls to move the solar heat.

Passive solar homes range from those heated almost entirely by the sun to those with south-facing windows that provide some fraction of the heating load. The difference between a passive solar home and a conventional home is design. The key is designing a passive solar home to best take advantage of your local climate.

You can apply passive solar design techniques most easily when designing a new home. However, existing buildings can be adapted or “retrofitted” to passively collect and store solar heat.

The Passive House concept represents today’s highest energy standard with the promise of slashing the heating energy consumption of buildings by an amazing 90%

A Passive House is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized. Any remaining heat demand is provided by an extremely small source. Avoidance of heat gain through shading and window orientation also helps to limit any cooling load, which is similarly minimized. An energy recovery ventilator provides a constant, balanced fresh air supply.

Direct gain is the simplest passive solar home design technique. Sunlight enters the house through the aperture (collector)—usually south-facing windows with a glazing material made of transparent or translucent glass. The sunlight then strikes masonry floors and/or walls, which absorb and store the solar heat. The surfaces of these masonry floors and walls are typically a dark colour because dark colours usually absorb more heat than light colors. At night, as the room cools, the heat stored in the thermal mass convects and radiates into the room.

An indirect-gain passive solar home has its thermal storage between the south-facing windows and the living spaces.

The simplest and most reliable sunspace design is to install vertical windows with no overhead glazing. Sunspaces may experience high heat gain and high heat loss through their abundance of glazing. The temperature variations caused by the heat losses and gains can be moderated by thermal mass and low-emissivity windows

The concrete industry has the slogan “concrete built is better built” – how did they get away with that claim? Sustainable Energy Ireland say ” If a timber frame house is built to the same building regulations as a concrete house (i.e. the u-value of the wall is the same, u-value of the roofs are the same etc) then both houses will perform identically. After that it is preference that decides which house is for you”

Here is the concrete industry’s side of the story about concrete versus timber frame houses.
1) Strong : Concrete home building materials, including concrete blocks have excellent environmental credentials. Firstly, they are among the most durable of building materials. Concrete blocks will not warp, rust or rot and require little or no maintenance. Steel and timber on the other hand, consume considerably more energy in their maintenance and often require the use of toxic paints and preservatives to extend their service life. Whereas, many materials which are perceived as environmentally friendly lose their structural strength after a short number of years, the concrete block used in the construction of your home is likely to get structurally stronger with age. Concrete’s extremely long service life means not having to return to the environment for more materials and energy to repeat the task.

2) Noise:  Concrete homes invariably have solid concrete block walls between neighbouring homes. These “party” walls give good soundproofing, complying with the requirements set down in the building regulations. However, some lightweight timber framed homes have only timber stud (plasterboard) partitions as separation walls between neighbouring homes.
Shrinkage: Timber shrinkage causes other problems in homes. For example, timber joists which support upstairs floors will shrink when the heating system is turned on. This frequently causes separation between the tiles in bathroom showers and the shower base, causing cracks to appear in sealants which have been used to prevent water from seeping under the shower base. This can cause considerable damage, particularly where chipboard has been used as a flooring material. With concrete floors this type of severe shrinkage does not occur.
DIY Problems One of the most basic DIY tasks must surely be putting up curtain rails, cupboards and shelves. Its as easy as pie – drill some holes in the wall
- apply shelves and hey presto!
Or so you would think – but it isn’t necessarily so!
Of course there’s no problem if the wall is solidly built of plastered masonry, but the situation is less satisfactory where timber studwork and plasterboard are concerned. Firstly, you will have to locate the timbers behind the plasterboard if the item being fixed to the wall is going to carry any weight.
Locating supports may not be critical if just basic shelving is being installed. However, when you come to install a new kitchen, or to put up brackets to support a TV or curtain rail, a couple of centimetres in one direction or the other may well be critical to your plans and the nearest supporting timber can be as much as half a metre away from where you want to fix the screw.

Timber Frame or Concrete Block?  This is the choice many self builders have to decide on. Both methods have their good and bad points – here is the
Timber Frame industry version of why to build a Timber Framed House:

1) Timber Frame can dramatically cut your heating bills. Timber is a natural insulator and due to the thickness of the inner leaf timber wall, you get more insulation as standard than with a Block house. Savings of between 30 and 40% on heating bills are fairly typical.2) Timber Frame buildings are strong and durable. In fact there are many Timber Frame buildings across the UK and Europe dating back many hundreds of years, some as far back as the thirteenth century.

3) Fire Resistance. Timber Frame houses perform excellently in cases of fire. It is perhaps natural for people to think otherwise however, as we all know that timber is hard to beat when placed in your stove. However the timber in a Timber Frame home is treated, as well as being covered by fire resistant dry lining board. Timber Frame buildings need to meet the same exacting standards and regulations as any other method of construction, and they meet these regulations comfortably.

4) Speed and accuracy of construction. The average Timber Frame home is weather proof in five days or less. This means that tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians can get to work on the inside of your house from virtually the outset. You can be moved in within six to eight weeks. That is an incredible saving in time, which can mean big savings in rental and storage costs as well as a faster return on investment. Also due to the modern technology and equipment used in the controlled setting of the factory, the accuracy of the walls can be measured to +/-1mm accuracy, making laying carpet or installing kitchens trouble free. That really sets the standards for other building methods to follow.

5) Timber Frame is very environmentally friendly. The timber used comes from managed forests, mainly in Scandinavia, Canada and Ireland. Replanting of these forests ensures that every tree that is cut down is replaced. In fact there is a net growth in the number of trees planted in these forests each year. Timber uses far less energy and creates much less CO2 than concrete or steel to bring it to its finished state. In fact Timber acts as a carbon sink, storing CO2 which it takes from the atmosphere. Another spin off is that as you use less energy on heating a timber frame home which is an enormous benefit to the environment.

6) Flexibility of Design and future Modification. Timber Frame is a very adaptable form of construction and has already been utilised in Ireland to build Hotels, Office blocks, nursing homes, apartment blocks, as well as large housing developments. Buildings as high as seven stories are being produced. Extending a Timber Frame building is a very easy and clean process as well, making it a wise choice for people who want to start small and let the house grow along with the family. Finally, a Timber Frame building can be clad with many different materials including brick, block, timber, cement board or stone amongst other materials. In other words, the building can look as traditional or different as you like.

7) Better build quality. As each building is an engineered solution which utilises the latest CADCAM systems, consistency of build quality is extremely high. This leads to a higher customer satisfaction rate, fewer call backs and less dependency on site skills.

Reduced material handling and waste. Timber Frame buildings arrive on site in panellised form, labelled and stored in order of erection, which in turn reduces the need for handling. Also, as the structure is for the most part manufactured in a factory environment, there is far less on site waste, which leads to a safer and tidier site.

9) Timber Frame buildings are very suited to the Irish climate. In Scotland with whom we share a very similar climate, Timber Frame accounts for approximately 65% of all new homes. The growth of Timber Frame in Ireland has been phenomenal, growing from just 5% of all new buildings in the mid 1990?s to around 25% at present. Many industry commentators expect this figure to reach 50% in the next 5 to 7 years.

10) EU Directive 2002/91/EC on the Energy Performance of Buildings. This directive was recently passed into European and Irish. Essentially its? purpose is to ensure higher standards of energy efficiency in all buildings Europe wide. All buildings are to have an energy Audit, and will be given an Energy Rating similar to what you would find on a new fridge. Whenever a building is to be sold or rented an energy rating certificate must be presented to the buyers or tenants, which will enable them to estimate their annual heating costs. It is expected to have an impact on the speed at which property is sold and it is quite likely to affect the price of a building as well, especially in a downward market. The benefits of Timber Frame Technology will really be brought to light in the face of this new directive. The Timber Frame Industry in Ireland is perhaps not surprisingly calling for an early implementation of the directive.

These days – with many more people out of work – more homeowners are doing the little jobs around the house themselves. If you know what you are doing – and use good tools – DIY can save you hundreds of Euro as well as keeping you busy.
To get good priced tools and DIY equipment – you can shop online and get them delivered. For good prices try these UK online shops that all deliver to Ireland.

Amazon sell a big range of tools, hand tools, power tools and other DIY materials. Free delivery to Ireland available on orders over £25. You can also buy some great books and guides on DIY.

Tooled Up also sell tools for all jobs – from drills to saws , sanders and sockets, spanners and spades. Delivery charges  to Ireland depend on the order weight – but range from about £10 to £25

Anglia Tool  Centre do free delivery to Ireland and the UK on orders over £100. (£5 on orders under £100) . They specialise in power tools and also sell other  items for your home such as Mira showers, Karcher Pressure washers. House alarms etc.

Maplin also sell a range of tools – power and hand tools , soldering tools, tool boxes etc. Delivery to Ireland is just £8.78 per order.

Mira Showers are probably one of the biggest selling showers in Ireland.
If you want to get a Mira approved service agent to repair your Mira shower in Ireland  – you need to contact

Customer Services & Spares :

Modern Plant Ltd (Dublin)

Telephone: 01 4591344

Mon to Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm

E-mail: sales@modernplant.ie

Fax: 01 4592329

When you are building a house or moving house – getting the telephone line connected is one of the important things to remember. In Ireland – Eircom is responsible for the telephone infrastructure and connections.
Normally – getting a land line connection may involve Eircom charges from €25 euro up to €121 Euro for a new house where new  line work has to be carried out. If the previous owner or tenant asked for the line to be disconnected – there will be a charge to reconnect.
Until January 28th 2009 – Eircom are offering FREE connection for all telephone lines.  to take advantage of this offer.

Solar water heating

An average household can save about 50% of the annual cost of hot water using solar panel.

There are two main types of solar water heating panels - flat plate and evacuated tubes (referring to the way in which water interacts with the panel). Evacuated tubes are more efficient than flat plate versions, so are often smaller but generate equal amounts of hot water.

Choosing a solar water heating system

When choosing a solar water heating system, you’ll need to consider a number of factors including your average hot water usage, the area of south facing roof, the existing water heating system and your budget.

You’ll need roughly one square meter of collector area per person in the household. Each metre of panel area will need between 30 and 60 litres of water tank volume.

If you use a less efficient collector (like flat plate solar water heating panels), you’ll need to cover a larger area than if you use a more efficient collector (like evacuated tubes). You’ll also need to select system components (like a hot water cylinder, controls and pipe work) and choose the location for your panels considering shade, pipe runs, roof pitch and future access.

Solar water heating can provide about a third of your hot water needs
Pros

* Solar water heating can provide you with about a third of your hot water needs and about £40 a year off your hot water bills, depending on the fuel replaced.
* Solar energy is free, plentiful and clean.

Cons

* Provides hot water but not electricity.
* An unshaded, south-facing location is necessary to install solar panels.
* Initial costs are higher than conventional electric and gas-heater systems.
* Solar panels can be heavy, so your roof must be strong enough to take their weight, especially if the panel is to be installed on top of existing tiles.
* Solar panels are expensive compared to the amount of electricity they’ll produce in their lifetime.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels

PV solar panels generate electricity from the sun’s energy rather than just heating your water. You’re more likely to see these on offices or large developments than on homes.

You can use PV systems for a building with a roof or wall that faces within 90 degrees of south, as long as no other buildings or large trees overshadow it. Less energy will be generated if the roof surface is in shadow for parts of the day.

The are three basic types PV panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline (or multicrystalline) and amorphous. All are made from silicon, but differ in the way the silicon is cut and treated to create collar cells.

To install a system you need to decide how much electricity you want to generate. After submitting details of your property, a PV installer should help you to conduct a site survey and discuss your options with you.
Pros

* Only daylight is needed to create energy – not sunshine.
* Can cut average household electricity bill by about 30%.
* Solar energy is free, plentiful and clean.

Cons

* A large roof area is needed to generate lots of energy.
* Significantly more expensive to buy and install than solar water systems.
* Solar panels are expensive compared to the amount of electricity they’ll produce in their lifetime.
* The efficiency of solar panels depends on the number of solar light hours and climate.
* Initial costs are higher than conventional electric and gas-heater systems.
* An unshaded, south-facing location is needed for installation.
* Solar panels can be heavy, so your roof must be strong enough to take their weight, especially if the panel is to be installed on top of existing tiles.

With BER – Building Energy Ratings coming iinto force for all house sales in January 2009 – Insulation is an easy way of increasing your property’s BER.

Each type of insulation is fitted differently but most insulation can be installed as a DIY project. Whatever type of insulation you choose, you’ll need to make a few preparations before you start.
Before installing insulation

When you insulate your loft you’ll need to insulate pipes and tanks too

Wiring needs to be dealt with safely. Wires should be kept above the insulation but not stretched if they don’t comfortably reach. An electrician will be able to re-route any problematic wiring – see our guide to hiring an electrician.

All pipe work and tanks in the loft space should also be insulated correctly since there will no longer be the same amount of heat escaping into the loft space to protect pipes from freezing.

Insulation must be installed following the manufacturer’s instructions to achieve the full benefit.
Fitting blanket insulation

Blanket insulation is sold in rolls of different widths so start by measuring the distance between joists and buying the nearest size.

Ideally it should fit neatly between the joists. To calculate the right amount, measure the length of the floor space to be covered. Don’t stretch or tear blanket insulation – use scissors if it needs to be cut.

Unroll the insulation blanket and lay it flat between loft joists. If possible add a further layer of blanket insulation across both the joists and the lower layer of insulation. Boards can then be placed over the insulated space for easy access in the roof space.
Fitting loose fill insulation

Work out the floor space in square metres – you’ll need approximately 200 litres of material to cover each square metre to a depth of 200mm.

Before laying the material, ensure the space between the joists is relatively dust-free and that the depth of the joists is sufficient to hold an acceptable level of loose fill insulation.

The material should be poured between the joists in the roof space, ensuring there are no cracks or holes in the ceiling. Brush or rake between the joists to ensure the fill is consistently level.

If you’re not fitting boarding over the loose fill, check the level of the material during winter months as high winds can unsettle loose fill insulation and blow it around the roof space.

To insulate a loft hatch, it’s best to use blanket material held in place by plastic or an old sheet.
Fitting sheet insulation

This type of insulation is fixed between the rafters rather than between joists, and like blanket insulation it can be cut to fit or bought in pre-cut packs.

To avoid condensation build up, always allow sufficient space between the insulation and roof slates or tiles to allow for ventilation.
Fitting blown fibre insulation

In most cases you’ll need to hire a professional to install this type of insulation as it needs to be blown into place with specialist equipment.

PTSB have launched a Green Mortgage – basically any PTSB Irish mortgage applicant can ask for the Green Mortgage – and get  the following

1. 10% off a Botanic Greenhouse at www.botanicgreenhouses.ie

2. €1,000 discount off a Shomera at www.Shomera.ie

3. 15% off a new bicycle at www.cycleways.com

4. Free electricity meter (worth €42) when you spend €150 at www.ecoshop.ie

5. 10% off all solar powered needs at www.solartechnology.ie

6. 10% discount and free delivery of all water collectors at www.ecoshop.ie

7. A tree planted in the mortgage customer’s name by the Tree Council of Ireland.

8. A chance to win one of 50 home energy surveys from National Energy Assessors .

Once customers have completed the tie breaker question on the Green Mortgage Form they will be in with a chance to win an Energy Assessment.

National Energy Assessors will conduct an assessment of the winning customers’ homes and advise them of any energy saving methods they could adopt into their home.