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Undoubtedly one of the most well-known and popular ways for homeowners to embrace renewable energy comes from the sun. Solar panels are now more affordable than they ever have been, and they can be found on the rooftops of houses across the UK. As a relatively tried-and-tested form of home renewable energy, this can make a great introduction to green power for your property.
Advantages of solar panels:
• Solar panels typically need little in the way of maintenance and may last more than 30 years without needing repairs or replacement
• It may be possible to get help to pay for the panels through government schemes and incentives
• You can look forward to return on investment – over time the panels will pay for themselves
Disadvantages of solar panels:
• The initial cost of having panels installed is high and in can take a long time to get a meaningful return on investment
• Clearly panels are only effective in areas with plenty of sunlight, this means they aren’t suitable for all properties depending on the type of home you have and its location
• They have a distinctive look that may not suit a number of different styles of property
Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) is typically thought of as being a form of renewable energy that can only be used by large commercial buildings or property developments, but they are actually increasingly being used by private homeowners as a form of renewable energy. They extract heat from the ground using a system of pipes. See this helpful guide to how GSHPs work.
Advantages of GSHPs:
• Unlike many sources of renewable energy, GSHPs are invisible as they are buried beneath the ground
• The system requires very little maintenance once it has been installed
• GSHPs utilise renewable energy efficiently
Disadvantages GSHPs:
• You need to have a suitable space in your garden for a loop of pipe to be buried – this means the ground also needs to be suitable for digging a trench
• GSHPs produce heat at a lower temperature, so it is important to have a well-insulated home to get the most out of this form of renewable energy
• GSHPs provide much less warmth during colder months.
Wind power is most often associated with large scale wind farms, but you might not realise it is fairly common now to have residential wind turbines connected to roofs. In a country like the UK, strong winds are often just as likely as sunshine, so utilising wind power can provide you with a lot of renewable energy.
Advantages of wind turbines:
• No running costs
• Wind turbines pay for themselves relatively quickly
• A true renewable source – wind turbines have no carbon footprint
Disadvantages of wind turbines:
• Certain models and designs can make a lot of noise
• Some homeowners don’t like the visual appearance
• Ideally need to be installed in an exposed positon, such as an on top of a roof where they are most visible
Solar power can be used for more than just electricity generation – there are multiple ways the sun can be used as a renewable source of power. A great option is a solar water heater in which the sun’s rays heat a water tank to provide you with hot water.
Advantages of solar water heaters:
• Ideal if you have an area of your property that gets a lot of sun
• Less visually obvious than solar panels
• The system requires relatively little maintenance
Disadvantages of solar water heaters:
• An expensive investments – can take a long time to repay
• A large system that is only used for one purpose – heating water
• Not suitable for all types of property
The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report shows builders’ merchants’ value sales in October were up +1.2% compared to the same month last year.
Posted in Articles, Bathrooms & Toilets, Bricks & Blocks, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Building Systems, Civil Engineering, Cladding, Concrete, Cement, Admixtures, Drainage, Drainage Services, Floors, Garden, Hand Tools, Hard Landscaping & Walkways, Health & Safety, Heating Systems, Controls and Management, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC, Information Technology, Interior Design & Construction, Interiors, Landscaping, news, Paints, Paints, Coatings & Finishes, Pipes, Pipes & Fittings, Plant, Equipment and Hire, Plumbing, Power Tools, Publications, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Site Preparation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency, Timber Buildings and Timber Products, Walls, Waste Management & RecyclingKids’ Village is delighted to have partnered with GEZE UK as their 2025 charity of the year – find out more via the article…
Posted in Access Control & Door Entry Systems, Architectural Ironmongery, Articles, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Charity work, Doors, Facility Management & Building Services, Health & Safety, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Security and Fire Protection, WindowsThe Encon Group, the leading independent distributor of building materials, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded Silver membership of The 5% Club by the 2024/25 Employer Audit Scheme.
Posted in Articles, Awards, Bricks & Blocks, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Regulations & Accreditations, Building Services, Building Systems, Civil Engineering, Cladding, Concrete, Cement, Admixtures, Facades, Hard Landscaping & Walkways, Health & Safety, Insulation, Landscaping, Plant, Equipment and Hire, Recruitment, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Site Preparation, Training, WallsLocated in Charlton, South London, SWA member West Leigh was established during the Blitz, in 1943. During the destruction in London, the company helped in repairing windows and facades that had been damaged by bombings throughout the city.
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