The scourge of the UPVC window and energy efficiency

Restored sash windows

An interesting piece in the Financial Times weekend edition (24/25 March) by Dr Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage.

Dr Thurley presents the challenge faced by this country to reduce energy use in housing. He points out that 27% of our CO2 emissions come from burning fossil fuel to heat our homes. Significantly he warns us that by 2050 only a third of UK housing will have been built since 2007, presumably one would hope, to reasonably good standards of energy efficiency.

The remaining two thirds will be just as leaky and inefficient as they are now, unless something is done to improve them. Unfortunately there seems to be no sign whatsoever of this happening.

Dr Thurley comments on the ability of traditional buildings to be energy efficient as long as one understands how they work. He is particularly scathing on the use of plastic windows.

In my view these are particularly disastrous for older houses both aesthetically and technically. They are a sure-fire way to disfigure a harmonious Victorian facade whilst providing an inferior solution from an energy efficiency standpoint. Dr Thurley shows that properly maintained traditional windows with shutters or thick curtains can be just as, or more efficient, at keeping in the heat as plastic.

Critically, owners of plastic windows will never recover their outlay by energy savings because the windows are designed to last only about 20 years. Good sash windows can potentially last for centuries, and do not involve intense energy use or harmful chemicals in their manufacture.

I can vouch for all this having lived in a large Victorian house (ca 1885) and found it in a sorry state, having been 'modernised' by previous owners. All that was required to make this house extremely pleasant and comfortable was to repair the sash windows, eliminate draughts, ensure proper ventilation, and reinstate the fireplaces (a more appropriate decor helped too). Having done all this and changed the boiler we reduced our heating costs by half.

Third Rock from the Sun

Venus (brightest) and Jupiter in the evening sky

If by chance you happened to look westwards at dusk recently you would have been treated to the wonderful spectacle of Venus and Jupiter apparently in close proximity above the setting Sun.

This was a fine opportunity to see, from our vantage point on the third rock from the Sun, the second rock and first gas giant from the Sun, together in the same area of the sky. This happens only rarely, so make the most of it.

Grape Futures

This photograph shows the embryonic flowers which in a few months will have been transformed into grapes. They were formed during the last growing season and have emerged along with the first shoots, spurred on by the lengthening days and higher temperatures. It is on these delicate forms that the vine grower's season depends, threatened as they are by late frost, bad weather at flowering and many other hazards.

Everyday Drinkers (2)

This is the second in the series of posts about wine for drinking every day, or at least occasionally during the week, in exchange for relatively little money.

This Zalze 2010 from Kleine Zalze winery in Stellenbosch, South Africa is available at £4.99 (although discounted from £6.69) and represents very good value at this price.

The blend of grape varieties (Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier) featuring strongly on the label is not one which one would normally expect to find, and so intrigued was I that could not resist placing a bottle in the trolley.

The initial impression of alcohol is not unsurprising, given an ABV of 14.5%, but after a short time in the glass it is resolved nicely and the wine appears rounded and ample. There is dark fruit in abundance with some vanilla notes and good balancing acidity (not excessive as in some New World wines), as well as more leathery notes (probably the Mourvèdre showing) and perhaps a tinge of 'burnt rubber' or coffee.

We enjoyed it with a mature Camembert.

To my taste an interesting and impressive wine showcasing the good value wines now coming out of South Africa.

Imported by Stevens Garnier, Oxford
http://www.kleinezalze.com/Our_Wines.htm

Q.E. money is like manure, it should be spread out

I have come to think that a much more effective use of the funds created by the Bank of England in its 'quantitative easing' programme would be to distribute them to the ordinary tax-paying people of this country. The money would have been spent or invested, all £325 billion of it.

Instead of this the banks have taken them up, swapping 'assets' for cash, which they have since held on to or whatever else they do with it. So ineffective has been this deluge of cash that we have not even seen any inflation, let alone any investment or lending to companies...

What could you do with your share of Q.E. ?

The Sap is Rising

Can Spring now be far away ? This view of a just pruned vine shoot shows a droplet of sap emerging from the cut.

The vine has awoken from its slumber, the buds have swollen, and new shoots sprout fully formed.

NB - this vine is in a very sheltered location !

Nuclear subs

Full marks to Private Eye ( Keeping the lights on - No 1308) for exposing the current administration's total incompetence in all things related to energy, particularly the 'greenest' form of energy, that is, energy saving.

Using analysis carried out by the Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE) 'Old Sparky' shows how the government prefers to squander money on subsidising PV and nuclear power stations totally ignoring its own data on the cost-effectiveness of conserving energy and the expense of nuclear power. The early promises by this government it would be the 'greenest' ever have not, and never will be, delivered.

It can only be supposed that all this talk was only old flannel designed to woo vaguely environmentally aware voters. A classic greenwash ploy.

Nuclear subs(idies) are revealed to be the leaky buckets they truly are, demanding vast quantities of public funds which disappear into a black hole for no tangible benefit to anyone but the recipients of the said funds.