Hanover Centre in Brighton & Hove Eco Open Houses (Hanover10:10 event) - 18th (2-5pm) and 19th (10-1pm, 2-5pm) Link to Details Hourly tours, AND see Hanover10:10 group doing live Solid Wall Insulation! Meeting Room being transformed by volunteers, and guided by pro bono support from John of Cityzen Design
One Planet Living Public Meeting- Sat. 22nd June, 5.00-6.30pm, Hanover Centre (Main Hall) Pooran Desai O.B.E
Inspirational talks on One Planet Living coming to Hanover, Brighton!
We are delighted to confirm Pooran Desai .B.E. as keynote speaker as part of the Hanover Centre in Brighton Eco Open House 2013. Pooran is a co-founder of BioRegional (the architects of One Planet Living) will outline the concept, and the impact of Brighton becoming the first City in the UK to adopt One Planet Living principles. Don't missing this exciting and informative insight into the concept of One Planet Living. Come and consider what it means for you, Hanover and the City. Get the date in your diary now! Please download, print and display this POSTER Volunteer Insulation Event, Hanover Community Centre, 33 Southover St. 3rd March 2013, 10am-4pm insulating hot water pipes
We need you to contribute to the Hanover Centre Carbon RACE in an open volunteering event. Come and make a practical difference, meet others, and learn what can be done to insulate buildings at the Hanover Centre. We will be completing work on the installation of more secondary glazing, insulating hot water pipes and installing some LED lights.... but only with your help.
Please contact Jackie at Hanover1010@gmail.com to let us know if you can make it all day, morning shift (10-12.30) or afternoon shift (1-4pm) - and we can plan the work teams. Please bring a sandwich for a short lunch break (12.30-1.00pm) where you will get an update on the major works about to start in insulating the main roof :) |
Hanover joins Brighton Eco Open Houses 2013. Saturday 22 June 2-5pm (with cafe). Sunday 23 June 10-1pm & 2-5pm (with cafe)
End of the RACE. Hanover10:10’s ‘Carbon RACE’ project with the Hanover community centre is coming to an end in June. The end of 18 months work on ‘Reduction, Awareness and Community Engagement’ will be marked by the Centre’s entry into Brighton Eco Open Houses on 22-23 June. A weekend of events has been planned - making the Centre the first community centre in Brighton to open as an Eco Open House!
Over 2 days the Centre will exhibit works done on stunning graphic information boards, an exhibition of the works with volunteers and students, the securing £11,000 cash and local business support, and the future plans to sustain the carbon-reducing enviro-refit. We are delighted to confirm that: - we have a cafe (2-5pm each day) - 'bee hotel making' workshops (2-5pm Sunday). - VEG out in the community garden, talking about their work Other features include Brighton Eco Open Houses and the Brighton Energy Coop exhibitions. See Press Release (17/6/2013) Here Opening Times: Sat. 22 June 2-5pm; Sun. 10-1pm & 2-5pm More Information Keep in touch via Hanover1010 Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulinBrighton and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightonHanoverCentreEcoRefit and VEG Twitter @VEGGARDENBTN ‘Catching the Sun’ - Your options for sustainable energyHanover10:10 ran an 'energy extravaganza' event. We invited various speakers to talk about renewable energy feed-in tariffs, and local residents to talk about their personal experience of buying and generating domestic renewable energy
|
Launching the Carbon RACE...
Jon, Chris, Mark, Mark, Sam, Colette & Matt
In October 2011 we developed the Hanover Centre's Environmental Policy based on the One Planet Living principles of sustainability; this now provides the long-term guide for action. By November 2011 The Hanover10:10 Coordinator was named Team Green Hero by EDF Energy following the entry of the project into national sustainability competition - a chance for Paul's Pitch for £10,000 for the Hanover Centre. In January 2012 we secured funding from Community University Partnership Programme for a series of student work experience projects with the School of Environment & Technology from February-July 2012. February 2012 a Publicity Launch for the student projects - with University of Brighton student volunteer Sam Trott saying “This project has offered me the opportunity to work on a live project, to apply the skills I have learnt throughout my degree and to interact with the users of the building and the wider community with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint of the building”. (see Student Team). By March 2012 the government insulation funding enabled Brighton10:10 with Hanover and Hollingdean Community Centres to distribute energy saving packs, with 120 snapped up by Hanover residents at a workshop on fitting the measures (See photos of the event, or you may want to check out the How To Videos). The funding also enabled many to get a free full energy audit of their house (worth £400) providing information on both immediate measures to larger scale renovations.
This government Low Energy Assessment Fund has also funded:
This government Low Energy Assessment Fund has also funded:
- An Energy Audit of the Hanover Centre building by local architectural and energy consultancy firm Cityzen LLP.
- Small scale draft-excluding and insulation measures for the Hanover Centre
- A solid wall insulation scoping project in Hanover with environmental consultancy Phlorum & BBM Sustainable Design, on a typical Hanover Street. This provided key open source research on the issues faced, and residents views of, this key insulation issue for Hanover residents where many homes have no cavity walls. Final project brochure, and the dissemination event on 1st November: Warmer Hanover Houses? Considering Solid Wall Insulation.
Thurstan Selects a Renewable Energy Supplier
Click the file below for an overview of this presentation.
| HASL Renewable Energy Supplier Presentation |
Paul, Hanover Resident, installing Solar Hot Water Panels
Why? We wanted to cut our CO2 emissions, as we know that residential properties account for around a quarter of CO2 emissions in the UK. To reduce that, we have to focus on existing houses and renovate to a very high standard. We had to undertake a lot of renovation work on the property in any case to replace a very old boiler. So doing this work all at once, we knew we could make use of alternative energy, increase the comfort of our home and reduce energy use.
What did you fit? We decided on an oversized system for longer heating season. We went for an ‘unvented system’ - so one quite big main tank, that is always pressurised. On the roof there are 30 vacuum tubes (50% oversize) and in the house we have a 250-litre tank (20% oversize). We still have gas heating for top 100 litres if necessary from existing condensing boiler (and electric immersion heater as a last resort!). Financially, the £5,500 cost of installation was reduced by a £1000 council grant, and a £400 central government grant at the time. There are a range of grants available all should check out http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Easy-ways-to-stop-wasting-energy/Energy-saving-grants-and-offers/Grants-and-Discounts-Database. The regime of grants to encourage solar hot water is now being replaced by the Renewable Heating Incentive - http://www.rhincentive.co.uk. In terms of other costs then we can consider some resale value, and some maintenance once every 3 years, but in its 18 years of life it has been trouble free! |
How did it go?
We had to consider the best location for the solar panels or ‘collectors’, where the tank to go, and if structural works would be needed, and the pipe runs. If you are doing renovation work, then consider if you can combine a solar hot water system with other work, or leave provision for it. Also we also wanted to consider how we could reduce hot water use by the use of ‘low flow taps’ and showerheads. (Energy Saving Tips - http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Easy-ways-to-stop-wasting-energy/Stop-wasting-energy-and-cut-your-bills)
How has it worked? Estimated gas usage for water heating before solar was around 600m3 and we have saved 390m3 (830Kg reduced carbon!). The solar hot water system provided all our hot water need for 200 days, and provided some heating for the remainder of the year – meaning around £300 reduced gas bills over a year. The future? With the gas savings highlighted above we estimate a payback on our investment of 10-15 years. But for those considering this, you can look forward to additional regular income from the Renewal Heat Incentive (http://www.rhincentive.co.uk) , and don’t forget the extended life of your gas boiler, and a clearer conscience! |
Clare, Hanover resident, installing photo-voltaic (PV) panels
Why? We have a large south facing roof and had already done loft and cavity wall insulation. The combination of last opportunity for grant plus the introduction of Feed-In-Tariffs (http://www.fitariffs.co.uk) and changes in planning regulations made it possible to go ahead. Fitting solar panels to the roof of a house is likely to be 'permitted development' so there is no need for planning permission. There are important exceptions, so check the Planning Portal: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/solarpanels
Any issues? We found that panels on a building should be sited to minimize the effect on the appearance of the building and effect on the amenity of the area. When no longer needed they should be removed. In practical terms, panels should not protrude above the ridgeline and be no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface. If the property is listed, building installation is likely to require an application for listed building consent, even where planning permission is not needed. In terms of Building Regulations then the ability of the existing roof to carry the load (weight) of the panel will need to be checked and proven, and possibly strengthened. This and approved electrical installation will be checked and done by your accredited panel installer. http://www.microgenerationcertification.org
How did it go? In our case we started to organize about 3 months in advance (applying for the grant), and were able to install 12 panels on our roof (its quite big!), which took a few days but caused no major inconvenience or mess. There is a meter in the loft to measure total generation and so now we are a registered power station! So when the sun is out we can use our own electricity free of charge, we also get the Feed–in-Tariff of 42p for every unit we produce, and an additional amount of 3p per unit for the estimated 50% that is fed into the National Grid. If we are not generating enough, we access the electrical supplier in the normal way.
How affordable is this form of renewable electricity? Our electrical supplier estimated that savings on buying electricity, income for the FIT, income from unused ‘exported’ electricity would give us an annual ‘net income’ of around £850 each year. It’s tricky to work out in practice, but we calculated our first year at around £750 p.a. This is based on the current FIT rates (set for a 25-year contract) which are the most generous, as they will start to reduce for new sign-ups from March 2012 (so time to act!). Installation costs are coming down all the time, and electricity prices are rising, so it would be reasonable to estimate payback within 10 years.
The future? With 12 panels we would only hope to generate about one third of our electricity consumption but we need to try and use it as its generated, meaning we time the use of washing loads etc. carefully! But our challenge is still to use less electricity overall!!
Any issues? We found that panels on a building should be sited to minimize the effect on the appearance of the building and effect on the amenity of the area. When no longer needed they should be removed. In practical terms, panels should not protrude above the ridgeline and be no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface. If the property is listed, building installation is likely to require an application for listed building consent, even where planning permission is not needed. In terms of Building Regulations then the ability of the existing roof to carry the load (weight) of the panel will need to be checked and proven, and possibly strengthened. This and approved electrical installation will be checked and done by your accredited panel installer. http://www.microgenerationcertification.org
How did it go? In our case we started to organize about 3 months in advance (applying for the grant), and were able to install 12 panels on our roof (its quite big!), which took a few days but caused no major inconvenience or mess. There is a meter in the loft to measure total generation and so now we are a registered power station! So when the sun is out we can use our own electricity free of charge, we also get the Feed–in-Tariff of 42p for every unit we produce, and an additional amount of 3p per unit for the estimated 50% that is fed into the National Grid. If we are not generating enough, we access the electrical supplier in the normal way.
How affordable is this form of renewable electricity? Our electrical supplier estimated that savings on buying electricity, income for the FIT, income from unused ‘exported’ electricity would give us an annual ‘net income’ of around £850 each year. It’s tricky to work out in practice, but we calculated our first year at around £750 p.a. This is based on the current FIT rates (set for a 25-year contract) which are the most generous, as they will start to reduce for new sign-ups from March 2012 (so time to act!). Installation costs are coming down all the time, and electricity prices are rising, so it would be reasonable to estimate payback within 10 years.
The future? With 12 panels we would only hope to generate about one third of our electricity consumption but we need to try and use it as its generated, meaning we time the use of washing loads etc. carefully! But our challenge is still to use less electricity overall!!
