Zero Carbon Homes - Thermal Insulation - Essay Example

Running Head: Zero Carbon Homes - "Thermal insulation" Zero Carbon Homes - "Thermal insulation" Introduction The world is currently suffering from rapidly rising temperatures. This issue is brought about due to excess carbon discharge in the environment, with carbon dioxide being the most predominant. Emission of these gases into the environment usually brings extremely harmful effects to the immediate environment. It causes a steady increase in temperature across the globe, which in turn causes death of the natural biodiversity. In this case, humans are not spared; they too experience adverse climatic conditions like drought (Planet Green 2011). In order to bring remedy to this situation, many countries are adopting different measures that can reduce carbon emissions from industries and homes. There are several legislations that countries have adopted including implementation of international agreements towards the same. The dream of having a carbon free society therefore remains a top international agenda. To this effect, many inventions and innovations are still being welcomed. Everybody has an equal share in environmental management. Every person should contribute towards making a clean environment (Balkau et al 1999). The government does its efforts to bring legislations that can complement people’s efforts. The goal of new homes being built currently is to ensure that zero carbon standards are strictly achieved. Through this step, the immediate environment will be saved from dangers of carbon emissions. This will be a great achievement of the international goals towards the same. Discussion Reducing carbon emissions is a collaborative effort of many countries. Every country tries to adopt measures that can reduce overall global temperatures and create a green society. Are there any benefits that are associated to reduction of carbon emissions? Perhaps this should be the reasoning behind efforts employed by nations. We need to understand that reducing carbon emissions reduces social and various economic costs. When everybody takes up the efforts on a serious level, we are bound to avoid extreme damages and irreversible risks into our environment. The headache to policy makers is how much to pay for the costs of reducing the harm Vis a Vis the costs of managing the harm to be suffered (Orszag 2007.) In narrowing down to the adoption of zero carbons, we need to find out the particular energy consumption proportions in various homes. It is important to note that the amount and intensity of energy consumed in homes various from one home to another. This situation is determined by the number of households a particular home has and the type of home itself. People’s occupations and use of warm water systems also determine their overall use of energy (NHBC 2006). It is projected that a home which is built following the current standard consumes has few energy requirements compared to a similar one built before. Why is this so? It’s because it is established with more reliable insulation systems in its structure. Its external and internal walls as such that they do not allow leaking of heat to the outside environment. Fuel from fossils used in homes releases carbon emissions into the environment. There is a projection that all the new homes that are being built by 2050 will reduce overall carbon emission by up to 5%. This will only be achieved if the houses will live to the new standards. The responsibility of building zero carbon houses is currently the responsibility of many governments. If this process can be achieved, then it is possible that houses alone will be reducing overall carbon emissions by great percentages. We have to keep to the fact that carbon emissions are a result of industries and households. In order to achieve the objective of zero carbon homes, governments are struggling to adopt approaches that are cost effective and efficient to manage. One of the approaches is building homes according to modern regulations. The idea of modern regulations for building homes was proposed back in 2006. There were several proposals that were made on the regulations required for building homes. Under these new proposals, new homes are needed to bring about zero carbon systems for all the forms of energy used in the homes. All energy appliances and household works are to meet these new standards. This understanding proves to be a turning point in the building industry. So far, there have been several policies proposed in order to reinforce the standards. It should be understood that this policy holds for all houses being built for public and private use. All new homes must follow the latest building standards. The adjustments made into modern styles of building houses have been tested and proved to have the capacity to reduce carbon emissions. The building regulations also project the possibility of upgrading the houses that were established under old standard. This will mean demolishing some them and setting up new ones. It is the duty of the government to make reviews of all the houses that have been established and make recommendations on the kinds of houses that will have to be upgraded. (NHBC 2006). The other approach deemed important towards this goal is the “Code for New Homes.” This approach was proposed and adopted in 2006. This approach evaluates the status of new homes showing whether they are adhering to the set standards. New homes established are supposed to meet certain standards with regard to environment conversations. This method seems to underpin the first one. It is believed that once the building regulations have been put into place, there is need for an oversight policy that is to ensure that the new homes are put in place according to the set standards. This method gives ratings for the new homes. The ratings range from the first level which is termed as 1st star to the 6th level, termed as 6th star. In general, there are nine basic classes of sustainable design. Among the nine classes, “energy and emission” happens to be the most important. This is because it spells out requirements for energy levels that are to be consumed in the house, as well as those that need to be reduced. For all the levels, there are certain obligatory requirements of performance and levels of emissions set. These levels are designed so that they can improve on the overall carbon dioxide emission into the environment. The following table shows the levels according to NHBC report 2006. Code for sustainable Homes mandatory energy and emission performance levels Code level Improvement over AD L1A 2006 (%) Level 1 10 Level 2 18 Level 3 25 Level 4 100 Level 5 Zero carbon Level 6 According to the requirements for this approach, there are no minimum requirements for every level. The homes found to have been built in violation of these codes are slammed with a “nil certificate.” This means that they are not contributing to reductions of carbon emissions. It is projected that by the year 2015, all the homes that will have been established will meet the sixth level as prescribed in the table. It is the duty of the code to spell out penalties to be taken against homes that conform to the prescribed standards. All people that are looking forward to building their homes are expected to consult with this requirement. This will make them not to be slammed with a nil certificate and its related consequences. We also have the approach of cap and trade policy. This is a requirement that has been proposed by legislators towards the same goal of reducing carbon emissions. The legislation puts a maximum limit on the quantities of green house emissions to be released in the environment. The government’s duty is to avail permits to firms that adhere to the rules of carbon reduction. This will be done with an aim of ensuring that all firms in the economy are complying with the legislations. The legislations stipulate the kinds of measures to firms and companies responsible for various types of emissions. After a thorough assessment, they will have to allocate responsibility for carbon dioxide reduction to firms that are powered by coal or those that mine the coal itself. In addition responsibility will also be assigned to the transportation of fossil fuels either to refineries or to the companies that produce oil. The government will be forced to auction off allowances from emissions to any one that proves to offer the highest bid. Alternatively, it will have to give it out to those firms that will need them. The funds that will be realized from the highest bids will then be used to fund public projects on the same principles (Planet 2011). Those firms that will manage to lower their emissions by greater percentages at lower costs will have to sell their allowances at will to those that will be incurring heavy expenses in achieving the same. According to this approach, households will be forced to increase their costs on fuel costs that they use. This will have the effect of reducing the demand for the fuels and thereby reduce the carbon emissions in homes. (Center on budget priorities 2008) For achievement of zero carbons on homes, there is also a tax relief that has been proposed. In order to achieve this relief, new homes established will be required to meet the definitions spelt out for zero carbon. This is an approach that is expected to arouse interests of carbon emission reduction in people’s homes. Currently, there are very few homes that have managed to meet the requirements and enjoy this incentive. However, it is expected that as many people get to learn about the system, they will be motivated to adopt the regulations and establish zero carbon homes. In complementing the efforts of zero carbon homes, scientists are trying research into various technologies that can be used to insulate excess energy in homes and other installations. These types of technologies are expected to have efficient resistance to heat. They are also expected to be friendly to the environment and cheap so that people will acquire and use them in homes. For long term use, these technologies are meant to be long lasting, assuring sustainable maximum utility. Real examples include nanotechnologies. These technologies are the latest inventions in the building industry. They are tiny and can be managed at their molecular level. There are two nano materials that feature prominently in the construction industry, one is silicon dioxide. This nano material appears to be very common as far as the construction industry is involved. This material is useful in enhancing concrete strength. It’s very helpful in its monitoring too. The other material that works alongside silicon dioxide is titanium dioxide. This material serves a photocatalystic action in houses. When solar isolations are radiated to house windows, this material separates any impurities from the solar energy. This enables windows to develop a self cleaning characteristic. Titanium dioxide as used in nanotechnologies alters the surfaces of buildings such that they become efficient and inexpensive solar cells, with the ability to collect solar energy (Solutions for environment nd). Nanotechnologies are used to make coatings that have the ability clean themselves. This is the same way carbon monotubes are designed. At the moment, the technology is undergoing slow development due to cost factors and issues of their practicability. At the same time nanopaints are also being developed on the same concept. Good examples of nanopaints are emulsions which have the ability to reduce loss of heat in houses when applied on the walls and ceilings. During hot months, there are special technologies that are used to cool houses. For instance, garden walls have been used and found to be very effective in reducing temperatures in the air. When effectively used, they are able to reduce temperatures between 20c to 50c during hot and dry conditions of weather. Similarly they are also effective as sound barriers. Thermal insulation technologies have established themselves in the building industry. The flow of air in buildings has been found to be managed in natural as well as artificial air condition systems. This kind of understanding has led to the establishment of stack effect ventilations. The internal part of a building and the external part establish a special heat power that is referred to as a stack effect. This effect is mostly experienced during winter, a time when the difference in temperature in the internal and external air is significant. When a great pressure difference exists, the outdoor air forces the inner air out. The existing disparity in pressure builds up a stack effect between the walls to the inside and those outside. Buildings whose natural ventilation is enhanced have tall chimneys and with long shafts. These shafts are able to let in fresh air into the buildings. In the recent past there has been a sharp increase in the demand for buildings with stacked ventilations (Solutions for environment nd). Besides artificial technologies for thermal insulation, there are few natural systems that are also essential. A good example of this is wool derived from animals. Wool from sheep has the ability to soak moisture and emit it back to the environment without necessarily having to lose its thermal characteristics. This is a technology that does not need any demonstration or learning. Perhaps the kind of skill that goes along with it is shearing and putting into useful use. As regards construction, the hemp technology that is applied in making concrete is becoming popular too. Hemp concretes are able to regulate amount of dampness in buildings. By regulating the moisture content, it is able to insulate the house against excess energy from outside, keeping it cool and conducive during extreme weather conditions. Statistics have shown that at least 25% of the heat in the house escapes through the windows; this means that besides measures taken to reduce this heat into the environment through walls and other housing activities. The glass used in windows can be made in a way to insulate this heat. The government is at the forefront in tightening the rules needed to reduce the heat and energy levels released into the environment. Recent developments in the construction industry have seen the development of energy efficient glasses to be used in houses. Replacing the existing glasses can be both cheap and effective in reducing this energy to the environment. This glass technology has the ability to reduce energy levels being released to the environment by up to 75%; similarly it is able to reduce water heating bills by close to 25%. People have the option of creating new houses with these thermally insulated windows or simply upgrade the current windows that they have in their houses. In the UK markets, there are different kinds of this glasses which people are using in their houses. A good example of this glass technology is referred to as planitherm. Pilkington K Glass is the best known example that is so far gaining prominence (Pilkington 2013). This glass has so far become the best selling product in the UK market. In most construction activities, this glass is being used alongside Pilkington Optiwhite glass. The combination of these two glasses makes Pilkington energikare which now has a double glazing ability. Individually, these two glasses have special properties for energy saving to the glass units that are thermally insulated. For instance, the first one Pilkington K Glass is used in making the interior of the glass pane, this offers it a double glazing ability. Its main purpose in this position is to control by preventing any heat traces that tend to move out through the window by returning it into the house. On the other hand Pilkington Optiwhite is used to make the external pane. This glass has been made with special properties that make it appear very clear. This makes it able to allow to enough heat and light from the sun. With this great combination, Pilkington has been able bring about effective thermal glasses with the ability to fit into any window in any house. Their prices are something that everyone cane be able to afford depending on the size and capacity of the house. There is a range of different glasses that one can choose from in this category, for instance, we have Insulight, Optifloat and many other types of Pilkington glasses that offer great levels of insulation in houses and hence reducing energy loss into the atmosphere. Conclusion Global warming is a universal concern for all nations (Allen et al 2009). There is no one single approach to reducing global warming effects on the global; it takes the efforts of many countries. However, the main aim is always to reduce or stop the use of fossil fuels (West 2014). Global warming accounts for the globe’s changing climatic patterns. There are notable increases in sea levels and drought effects in many parts of the globe. The main challenge of this century is actually the issue of extreme carbon emissions. It therefore means that every person should make all efforts to alleviate this problem (Seaman 2009). The development and use of zero carbon homes by some countries is just one of the measures to help achieve this goal. When international treaties and agreements are implemented by all countries, achievement of a carbon free society is a dream worth achieving. References Allen, Robert D., Scott M. Seaman, and John E. DeLascio. (2009). "Emerging Issues: Global Warming Claims and Coverage Issues." Defense Counsel Journal 76.1 12-39. Balkau, Fritz, and Sarah Powell. (1999) "United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Fostering Environmental Awareness, Education and Management." Strategy & Leadership 27.4: 58-60. Center on budget priorities. (2008). Policy Basics: Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. P 1-2 Dixons et al. (1994). Carbon Pools and Flux of Global Forest Ecosystems. Vol. 263 no. 5144 pp. 185-190 Energy.Gov (2012). Types of Insulation. Retrieved from, http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/types-insulation NHBC (2006). Zero carbon homes – an introductory guide for house builders. Vol 1 p 2-22 Orszag P. R. (2008). Approaches to Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions before the Committee on the Budget U.S. House of Representatives. Pilkington, (2013). Thermal Insulation, Retrieved from, < http://www.pilkington.com/europe/uk+and+ireland/english/products/bp/bybenefit/thermalinsulation/default.htm> Planet G. (2011). Environmental Protection; How do carbon emissions affect the environment?. New York. Discovery communications. Market Analysis of the Global Wind Energy with Forecasts to 2020." Energy Weekly News 156. PSR (2009). Personal Actions to Reduce Global Warming. Washington Research and Markets (2009). Market Analysis of the Global Wind Energy with Forecasts to 2020." Energy Weekly News (2009): 156. Seaman G. (2009). 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