The modern solution to having a fire in the home without the massive heat loss of an open fire. Wood-burning and other fuelled home stoves have become very popular in our houses in recent years, as people realise the problems with open fires and the associated ventilation heat losses, even when not in use. Home […] More
Air source heat pumps are the most common in Ireland today. But ground source is well worth considering for your new build, even though it’s more expensive to install. In this article we cover: Why choose a heat pump? As the ROI government plans to ban oil and gas boilers from new builds, in 2022 […] More
Changes to the ventilation and energy efficiency requirements come into force on the 1st of November 2019 in ROI for new and existing homes; here’s what you need to know. In this article we cover: There has been a continuing ramping up of minimum energy standards in buildings over the past 15 years as a […] More
The NI Department for the Economy launched a Call for Evidence to inform the development of a new Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland, in December 2019, to reach the target of net zero emissions. In June 2019 the UK passed laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. This ‘net zero’ emissions target […] More
Burning wood might not be as environmentally friendly as you think. In fact, burning solid fuels of all kinds is making us sick. The environmental world has come a long way since I wrote an article for this magazine on heating/energy choices for both new builds and occupied homes. In 2015 I did not mention […] More
Making your home cheaper to run this coming winter is likely to be on your radar and if so, chances are you’ve been thinking about replacing your boiler with a heat pump. In this article we cover: The first question to ask is whether an insulation upgrade alone, which you would need to do anyway […] More
Changes to the ventilation and energy efficiency requirements come into force on the 1st of November in ROI for new and existing homes; here’s what you need to know. In this article we cover: There has been a continuing ramping up of minimum energy standards in buildings over the past 15 years as a response […] More
Biomass is organic matter used as a fuel. It covers everything from fish oil and bone meal to wood and energy crops; for your home it’s likely to mean a log, wood chip or a wood pellet burning boiler or stove as other fuel sources are not yet feasible on a small scale. Almost everyone […] More
Your guide to installing PV panels in Ireland including types of systems, sizing, installation and battery options. This article covers: Benefits of PV What a PV system looks like Finding the right size PV system for your home Storing excess electricity Battery types, ratings and capacity, lifetime and AC DC coupling The ROI Department of […] More
How Denise and Matt Donoghue’s research led them to devise an innovative heating and hot water system. When Denise and Matt got married over a decade ago they set up their base on Matt’s family agricultural holdings, and lived in the farmhouse that had been on the land for over 100 years. The couple carried […] More
A boiler is a device that heats water for space heating and hot water. The most common fuel for a boiler is natural gas. But diesel oil, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), electricity, biomass, heat from the air or the ground, and even logs or coal can be used as fuels. This article covers: For safety […] More
The most widespread standard to building a house that doesn’t require a centralised heating system comes from the Passive House Institute in Germany. Here are the basic precepts. This article covers: To qualify as a passive house from the Passive House Institute in Germany, you need to heat your home with very little energy, roughly […] More
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