Carbon rationing

[Monika]

With global warming etc. there is more and more talk about going off grid and carbon rationing and the plans/devis  for our house in France are full of totally environmentally not friendly stuff, like heating the water by electricity (we want a bath), and electric panel heating (plus a wood burner).

How can we go more environmentally friendly, we are having a site meeting in January. Advice much appreciated!  

[Deimos]

Try looking on http://www.ademe.fr/ (the French “Environmental

Agency – or something close).  They have

a lot about environmentally friendly/renewable resources stuff.  If you are a French taxpayer (i.e. fill out

a French Tax Return), there is quite a lot of grants and the like to help you

install environmentally friendly/renewable resource systems.

Being simplistic, I think of things in terms of where you

use significant energy: heating (house and water).  There are loads of different solutions (solar, geothermal,

aerothermal, micro-hydro, wind, etc.) and the best suited one(s) will depend on

where you live, and loads of other factors. 

You thus need to discuss with a “suitably minded” architect, plumber,

etc.

Ian

[bejay]

Do  make sure that the dull basic stuff is done. The first essential to good environmental design is good insulation. It isn't easy to get the best possible levels of insulation in an existing building but you have the best chance during  a renovation program. and it will certainly be worth an extra cost.

You might consider installing the pipework for underfloor heating if floors are being relaid. This system works well with geothermal/heat pump technology and would be very difficult to install at a later date.

Direct solar heating is also very effective, this of course takes the form of some sort of conservatory but it does need to be designed to achieve this heating function.

With insulation and solar heating it is perfectly possible to heat a house very economically by electricity.

bj