Solar panels

[jocelyn plummer]

We have just viewed a barn conversion, no placcy , real flagstones, sympathetic treatment, but over the top with the carbon footprint. Gas rayburn supplyingcooking heating and hot water,and a gas 5 oven range cooker, far too many lights illuminating the driveway into the complex, too many ensuites - one per bedroom ( yes, converted when these things were all singing and dancing, bells and whistles).

We are aware that barn conversions are restricted by existing openings, and wondered if we could exchange the skylights for solar panels, or whether we would be able to add them.What sort of consents would be required? The barns are not listed, and were skilfully designed and converted about 15 years ago. The builder lives in the one we have seen and he made a few changes over recent years such as adding the 4 ensuites to accommodate his now grown up family.

As the barn is unique and absolutely stunning we would like to consider making an offer, but I do need some ideas as to how we can be more carbon friendly. Just changing the lightbulbs is not going to make much of a dent.!

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Pford75]

Removing windows will reduce natural light which I would imagine is a less desirable option. Is there enough land to have solar panels in the grounds? They don't have to be on a roof.

 

[Lime]

Just changing the lightbulbs is not going to make much of a dent.!

Nor are solar panels if judged either on value for money or their carbon footprint and their lifespan is short too.

 

[middi]

Even if you install a couple of acres of solar panels it will be useless for the 5 oven gas cooker and gas heating Jocelyn. :wink:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

but I do need some ideas as to how we can be more carbon friendly. Just changing the lightbulbs is not going to make much of a dent.!

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Jocelyn - if you'd like to send me a truckload of cash, I'll plant some trees for you in some of my fields. They're pretty much the most efficient CO2 munchers yet developed... :wink:

 

[Roger H]

Velux do a solar thermal panel that matches their rooflights. http://www.velux.com/Better_living_environments/Solar_energy/
Might be a good idea to post this question on http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/ for some technical advice.

 

[Moo]

Joss - don't be put off by the five-oven range: we have one, and most of the time only use a couple of the burners (often only one of them, since we started doing our vegetables in a steamer), so it's really not more energy inefficient than a smaller cooker. But on the odd occasion it's jolly useful to have those extra burners and a second oven.
And you'll only be using one of the bathrooms most of the time, but with a houseful of guests (a PPUK weekend?) all the other ones would come in really handy.

Your care for the environment is admirable, of course, but for goodness sake don't pass up your dream home on moral grounds.

xxx M

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Hi Folks,

Thank you, that puts it all into a nutshell and certainly reveals that I am far more comfortable and au fait with a good old Georgian cube which has a fireplace in every room . It's easy to be brain washed!

Unfortunately 'im indoors' has a real thing about oil and gas supplies eventually becoming a political tool and thinks that it will gradually become more and more expensive.

So--- yes, I shall do the second viewing with a mind set that looks just for the normal daily fuel consumption for two people and know that the carbon footprint would be no different from our tiny, grotty rented.

Of course there will be that PPUK weekend when we shall indulge-------------------


xxxxxxx

 

[Flyfisher]

I agree with Moo. What's done to the house is done, but you would be in control of the actual energy consumption. No need to switch on the extensive outside lighting for example.

I've never quite understood the modern obsession of having more bathrooms than bedrooms but, even so, it's the occupancy of the house that will primarily determine water consumption (and other utilities).

Beware the carbon-footprint implications of ripping out perfectly serviceable systems and replacing with something completely new. The carbon payback period (never mind the financial payback) could run into many decades.

I loved FamilyWiggs' suggestion though and I'd also be happy to help anyone offset their carbon footprint by planting trees for them :wink:

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

Wise words from the forum so far.

Like many I've been looking into the green/carbon thing and I'm far from convinced about financial merits of small scale solar installations. It is important to distinguish between solar electricity generation (photovoltaic panels) and solar hot water systems which give full or partial water heating. In my opinion pV panels are not currently a viable option for domestic installation - this may change in the future as the technology improves. Solar water heating probably is worthwhile if installed as part of new build, but to retrofit it into an existing system may be prohibitively expensive. It's the one I keep coming back to though.

In the barn conversion you describe probably the best thing you can do is to replace the rayburn with a high efficiency condensing CH boiler, but also fit wood stoves for local space heating. If you have access to plenty of wood then a wood-fired equivalent of the rayburn (e.g. the wood fired Esse) could run the CH and hot water. Wood is the way to go.

For the rest of the house just concentrate on bog-standard green (or should that be Brown) measures like insualtion, low-energy lightbulbs, draught proofing etc. All those bathrooms are a waste of space, but only an environmental problem if they encourage you to have more baths than you did before.

Don't beat yourself up about your personal carbon footprint. Individual action is important, but it's a drop in the ocean compared to the impact of industry and aviation. Aim for maximum economy, and you'll find that environmental benefits are a welcome side effect.

 

[MdB]

You don't mention if your solar panels are for heating water of for generating electricity. The solar water heaters are worth looking into but generating electricity from the sun in the UK is currently very ungreen due to the amount of energy required to make the panels in the first place compared to the amount of energy they generate over their lifetime. This is changing though with new technologies making them more and more justifiable. I have yet to hear of the solar photo voltaic manufacturing plant that is powered by its own products though which must say something.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

No longer relevant! Higher offer already accepted, unbeknown to us----- must point out that this area still has plenty of disposable income earners around. (MK, Luton, London, Bury St Edmunds, average age 35-40 I should think), and still the mindset to present a property with ensuites etc.

 

[Penners]

I agree with Moo.

Me too. The size of your cooker and the number of bathrooms isn't relevant to the carbon footprint of your use of the house (although it is to the footprint of its original construction - but there's nothing you can do about that).

What matters is how much cooking, bathing, loo flushing, etc. you do. Cooking for two people on a five-oven stove shouldn't use any more fuel than cooking for two people on a one-oven job.

Sorry you missed it. Better luck next time.

 

[Moo]

Oh, what a shame!

Never mind - it must mean that the perfect house* is waiting in the wings.


* and much cheaper, too, because it won't have all those unnecessary extras that rich young things seem to require.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Better luck next time, Jocelyn. You can still send me money to plant trees if you want!

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Thanks Family wiggs, I love trees-- good thinking!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Thanks Family wiggs, I love trees-- good thinking!

I'd love to claim the credit for the idea of CO2 munching trees in equilibrium with O2 breathing/CO2 producing animate life-forms - but sadly it's all down to 4.6bn years of entropy-driven evolution.

Pretty nifty solution though!

I'm pretty keen on people paying me to plant apple and pear trees to offset their 500W security lighting and 4x4s - because I quite fancy making my own cider!

 

[Edwardia]

Solar panels are not the only option, the Govt hands out grants for several kinds of low carbon heating see http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk You could use the carbon footprint calculator on the Energy Saving Trust website to get suggestions to lower your footprint http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk There is also a grant finder tool which is useful. I discovered that Kent has a grant scheme KASH (Kent Action to save Heat) http://www.kentenergycentre.org.uk and that my local council is also handing out grants.