NEF VACANCY – Building Energy SpecialistAdvisory Council meetingScotland targets energy efficiency in public and social housing buildingsFunding not enough to tackle fuel poverty and more...
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eNews
Issue 447
Wednesday 28 September 2016
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Advisory Council meeting
At our annual Advisory Council meeting, attendees were given an update on various recent, current and future NEF activities. Further details are in our latest annual Impact Report, which was launched at the meeting.

There were also contributions on the future of domestic refurbishment in the UK; breakout sessions to discuss a number of important issues; and a very useful update from Dr Peter Bonfield on his forthcoming Each Home Counts review of consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

NEF awarded ISO 9001 for Quality Management Systems
We're proud to have been awarded ISO 9001 by the British Standards Institution for our Quality Management Systems; thereby providing external verification and assurance to our customers and project partners that we're placing their satisfaction at the forefront of our operations.

NEF VACANCY – Building Energy Specialist
We are looking to strengthen our technical capability and build on our capacity to provide robust and innovative solutions that help to improve the use of energy in both non-domestic and domestic buildings. If you are enthusiastic and self-motivated with excellent written and verbal communication skills, and want to make a difference in the energy use and comfort of existing and new buildings, this role could be for you.

Although we are ideally looking for someone with knowledge and experience in a number of areas, we are prepared to appoint a recent graduate who shows potential; in which case we would adapt the role and responsibilities appropriately and provide training and professional development. Closing date: 5pm on Friday 30 September.

NEF welcomes merger of EPC accreditation schemes
The National Energy Foundation congratulates Elmhurst Energy Systems and National Energy Services following their agreement to merge their EPC accreditation schemes.

Residents’ energy savings fund local school’s new energy and weather monitoring system
Our Chief Executive, Kerry Mashford, and Director of Households & Communities, Gabby Mallett, were on hand with representatives from Loughton & Great Holm Parish Council and Loughton School plus Milton Keynes’ Deputy Mayor and Mayoress to formally open the school's new energy and weather monitoring system.

The system was funded through a grant awarded by the parish council following the 'Less is More' project.

EMEX (Energy Management Exhibition). London. 16-17 Nov
EMEX is one of the UK’s principal energy events and meeting places for the energy-saving supply chain. Attendees include Energy Managers, Facility Managers and anyone involved in energy bill reduction and procurement. On the first day, our Senior Energy Specialist, Thomas Whiffen, will be presenting on the findings from two case studies from a novel BEMS installation for small and temporary commercial buildings, and which utilised TerOpta’s innovative BEMS, specifically adapted for small-scale modular implementation.

Getting ready for HECA
Dale Hoyland, our Strategic Development & Affordable Warmth Manager, considers the next round of Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) reporting, the deadline for which is 31 March 2017. He looks at how the National Energy Foundation can help councils report on their actions from their last reports, set out their energy-saving ambitions and targets, and outline the key actions and partnerships needed to deliver them.

The Retrofit Academy Retrofit Coordinator Diploma courses
The Retrofit Academy provides Retrofit Coordinator Diploma courses on the following subjects in London, Manchester and Milton Keynes:
  • Assessing Dwellings for Retrofit.
  • Building Fabric and Solid Wall Insulation.
  • Building Services for Retrofit.
  • Introduction to Domestic Retrofit.
  • Retrofit Building Physics.
  • Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management.
  • The Business Case for Retrofit.
  • Ventilation and Air Tightness for Retrofit.
Government approves Hinkley
The Government gives the go-ahead for the development of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station but some reckon it’s a policy gamble based on out-of-date, flawed and expensive technology.

Nuclear power is risky and expensive; here's a better idea
After the Government approves the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, an alternative view argues that it makes more sense to invest in renewables, energy efficiency and storage.

Government policies move the UK from fossil to renewables
Government policies over recent years have resulted in a loss of 11.4GW of coal and gas generation capacity but also a surge in renewables.

Scotland targets energy efficiency in public and social housing buildings
A new Scottish energy efficiency scheme is set to save up to £30 million per year on energy bills in the public and social housing sectors by retrofitting buildings.

Latest ECC Committee report on Scotland identifies good progress
The fifth report from the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee on Scotland’s progress towards meeting it emission reduction targets notes excellent progress in installing community and locally-owned energy projects, and describes energy efficiency policy as well-developed.

£10m for pre-energy efficiency household repairs in Scotland
A new £10 million pilot scheme in parts of Scotland is to provide loans to repair homes ahead of improving their energy efficiency.

Insulation measures sharply down
The Government’s latest Household Energy Efficiency National Statistics show an 80% decline in insulation measures between 2015/16 (170,000) and 2011/12 (860,000).

Dash for gas
In line with the UK Government’s policy of using gas as a back-up/transition fuel, the country’s first gas plant goes live in three years.

Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee to go
With the Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee set to be disbanded on 17 October, there will still be a need to continue to hold the Government to account over its green policies. Number 14 on the edie wish list.
Smart Energy Code and licence amendments
BEIS launches consultation on changes to the Smart Energy Code, the gas and electricity supply licence conditions and the Data and Communications Company Licence. Consultation closes at 5pm on Monday, 17 October.
Funding not enough to tackle fuel poverty
The Government’s Committee on Fuel Poverty identifies “significant shortfalls” in the funding needed to tackle fuel poverty in UK and meet its national targets.

Charge cap for prepay meter installation
Ofgem proposes to cap the charges made for installing prepayment meters in a move to prevent further debt and help the most vulnerable customers.

Elderly need lessons in heating control
A specialist company urges installers to educate elderly on how to use heating controls in an effort to reduce fuel poverty and keep people warm and well during the winter.

Customers to be able to ‘fill up’ with energy
Big Six supplier, Scottish Power, is to launch a novel approach to energy retailing – a system which will allow customers to buy gas and electricity like they buy petrol for their cars.

Investigation into energy company’s sales techniques
Ofgem launches an investigation into the sales practices used by Economy Energy after concerns about the way it recruits new customers.

Fuel Poverty Monitor
The very useful and comprehensive 'UK Fuel Poverty Monitor 2015-2016: A review of progress across the nations' from the National Energy Action charity.
Scotland needs ambitious domestic refurbishment
A Scottish housing coalition calls for an ambitious programme of low-carbon refurbishment of the nation's homes in an effort to combat fuel poverty.

From ordinary house to SuperHome
The owner of what looks like an ordinary house in Bristol has cut his energy bills by two-thirds as a result of a whole-house retrofit.

Georgian whole-house retrofit
A four-storey Georgian terraced house is refurbished to nearly EnerPHit standard.
Technology
Ultra-high efficiency PV arrays for residential market
A Swiss company is using high technology to make ultra-high solar PV efficiency levels of over 40% more cost-effective for the residential sector.

New technology used to store solar
A new device allows solar energy to be stored as hydrogen to be either used as a fuel or to generate electricity, thereby providing a consistent flow of power even when the sun isn’t shining.
UK’s first gas power plant in three years goes live
In line with the Government’s policy of using gas as both a back-up fuel to renewables and a transition fuel in its progress to low-carbon, the first UK gas power plant goes live in three years.

Pilot scheme of cheaper green loans and mortgages
Thirteen banks across Europe plan a pilot scheme to offer cheaper interest rates on mortgages to people buying energy-efficient homes and on loans to homeowners who intend to insulate their properties.

East Midlands council to expand heat networks
Leicester City Council looks to expand its green heat networks after receiving a share of £2.8 million Government cash.

Delivering low-carbon future energy
The Energy Technologies Institute publishes industry perspectives on how to deliver efficient networks for a low-carbon future energy system

Career reflection
The Sustainability Manager at London Metropolitan University reflects on her career in energy management.

Guided tour of EU energy statistics
This new tool developed by Eurostat is aimed at those who are not familiar with the energy sector (but who would like to better understand the challenges the Energy Union initiative is facing) and is based on information presented as statistics, infographics, videos, etc.

Green produces better performance
A US study finds that people perform significantly better on cognitive tests when in green building conditions.

Importance of Open Homes in promoting household energy efficiency
Many people put up with living in cold and wasteful conditions because they’re unaware of the improvements that are available. Open Homes provide visitors with information about improvements they can make, and also offer useful practical guidance on which tradesmen they can reliably approach to do the work.

FMs, energy and the performance gap
Facility Managers should be more hands-on in an effort to make sure that buildings are able to perform as required, and to avoid the energy performance gap.

A building that provides personal heating for each occupant
A building that could end the war over who controls the office thermostat provides each occupant with underfloor heating at each desk.

Bright future for renewables
A poll among installers reveals a number of insights into the impact of legislation and customer requirements on the renewable energy market, and also predicts a bright future for the sector.

Tarmac advances in energy efficiency
Tarmac reports on its progress on energy efficiency as a result of its roll-out of on-site technologies, uptake of demand-response, and development of an energy management system to help measure, monitor and improve efficiencies across the business, It has also achieved the ISO 50001 energy management standard across its estate.

New Cheshire turbine goes into production
A new £5.5 million turbine for Tata Chemicals at its Cheshire combined heat and power plant will provide energy for the company’s sites across the county, local businesses and households, and the National Grid.

GM to go for 100% renewable electricity
The global motor manufacturer, General Motors, commits to 100% renewable electricity by 2020 at its 350 operations across 59 separate countries.

Predicted £1m from DSR for news group
National newspaper group, Trinity Mirror Group, is to earn up to £1 million from demand side response during this financial year.
Jobs across the UK
Various energy-related jobs across the country are available on the following websites. Take a look at:
Policy Analyst (London or Newcastle)
£33,768 - £36,739 + £3,300 London weighting, if applicable.
NEA, the national energy efficiency and fuel poverty charity, is recruiting for an experienced, enthusiastic and self-motivated Policy Analyst. Working in partnership with central and local government, fuel utilities, the health sector, consumer groups and NGOs, NEA aims to eradicate fuel poverty and promote energy efficiency to low-income and other vulnerable households.
Low-carbon energy revolution: How to turn buildings into power stations. Swansea. Tue 4 – Wed 5 Oct
An opportunity to meet like-minded people in the building evolution and the energy revolution ecosystem, and hear from industry experts on:
  • The big energy challenges.
  • Regional excellence.
  • The Active Classroom.
  • Networking to meet innovators and potential collaborators.
  • Research excellence.
UK SMART Energy. London. Mon 10 Oct
The speakers at this Central London Energy Managers Group event will cover every aspect of SMART energy solutions, and will talk about how their UK SMART energy projects are already making a difference. Find out how the UK is rolling out the 'world’s largest SMART energy project' and how IS platforms are interactively managing the energy performance of hundreds of buildings, making utilities cleaner, more affordable and reliable for everyone.

Energy, Waste & Water Efficiency Course For Charities, Voluntary and Community Groups in Brighton & Hove. Brighton. Thu 20 Oct
A practical and focused course designed to help organisations save money through improving energy, waste and water efficiency at their premises. Delegates will create Action Plans detailing the practical things they can do at their organisations, to reduce utility costs and environmental impact, helping to calculate potential savings and payback periods so that measures for implementation can be prioritised

Modernising the UK's Energy Network: Delivering a Smart Power Revolution - Interconnection, Energy Storage, Demand-Side Response and Local Network Management. London. Tue 1 Nov
This forum brings together representatives from across the UK's energy sector to discuss the progress made by government and industry on the recommendations made in the Smart Power Report, published by the National Infrastructure Commission in March, after which a minimum of £50 million of funding was promised for smart technology over the next five years.

Sustainable energy in building services (Building Services Summit). London. Wed 23 Nov
The difficult challenge of meeting legislation on energy efficient buildings is shared by the whole construction sector. Around 80% of a building's lifetime costs are in the operational period, but the focus is often on cutting costs at the outset, which can make buildings less comfortable for occupants and more difficult to run. The Building Services Summit 2016 will return to the original theme of '10-80-10' and host a wide cross-section of voices to open up the conversation and find a way forward together. 

Retrofit Advocacy. Manchester. Sat 22 Oct and Sat 5 Nov
This participatory Carbon Co-op course is aimed at enabling householders, volunteers and professionals to confidently discuss energy efficiency and inspire others to find out more about retrofit. Early bird tickets end on Friday 30 September.

DIY Retrofit for Homeowners. Location TBC. Sat 12, Sun 13 and Sat 19 Nov
This Carbon Co-op course is for DIY enthusiasts, self-builders and practitioners. It tackles the key areas of fabric upgrades applicable to most homes.

Routes To Retrofit: Seminars on planning and procuring home retrofit works. Location and date TBC
This Carbon Co-op course will be aimed at anyone looking to commission largescale energy efficiency building works on their home. It will be delivered by architects and experienced retrofit practitioners, and will include seminars that will guide delegates through the planning and procurement process. Date to be confirmed. Please email to register an interest.

 
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