As the recession sees more frustrated would be homeowners turn to self build, they could be the people to lead the way in sustainable building.

For any budding self-builder or renovator, the choice to build and live ‘green’ can take up a lot of energy! Deciding which methods are the ‘greenest’, researching which products will save energy and calculating carbon footprint can be confusing.

However, for anyone committed to a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient way of living, the Big Green Home Show at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre is a great place to learn about building and living ‘green’.

The National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon will host its second Big Green Home Show in October (23rd – 25th), aimed at prospective homebuilders baffled by all the eco jargon and green technology.

The three-day Show will look at all aspects of green homebuilding and eco-friendly lifestyles, with an array of hands-on demonstrations, leading industry experts and professionals, and an opportunity to see and learn about the latest ‘green’ products and systems.

The Big Green Home Show will demonstrate that a green lifestyle isn’t just about putting a giant compost heap in the back yard, or sticking a wind turbine on the roof.

Building and creating an environmentally-friendly house requires good planning and budgeting, and it’s important to understand all the different options available.

As well as eco experts, visitors to the Show can also hear from people who have built their own eco-homes, tour the EDF Energy Renovation House, to discover how to renovate to improve energy efficiency, and check out the latest materials and products to help minimise carbon emissions and reduce energy consumption.
Visitors can also bring their plans to life with the help of the CAD design team.

To book free tickets or for more information, please visit the Buildstore website.

Tel: (01506) 409 616.

As the Government’s green agenda urges us all to green up our homes, it’s never been easier at B&Q; its range of sustainable products will help you to ecovate your house and save you money by cutting your household bills.

Have a look at the wide range of eco products available from B&Q with their house plan and make them your port of call for all things green.

There’s something for everyone - take a tour of their website and be inspired to make a difference to your life and your home:

For example: Save Energy with Loft and Piping Insulation.

Insulating your loft is a straightforward energy efficient measure, which also saves you money on your heating and cooling bills.

B&Q has developed its own brand Recycled Plastic loft insulation, made from an average of 86 plastic bottles; it is ideal to lay during the warmer months as you don’t need masks, overalls or goggles to install the product.

B&Q offers great deals on loft insulation throughout the year and is currently offering (from 3rd September for two weeks) a triple roll of DIY top up loft insulation for £10.

With an average house needing just nine triple packs that’s a cost of just £90, which, according to the Energy Savings Trust, could save you around £150 a year on your heating bills, if you don’t currently have loft insulation.

It’s not so difficult to lay insulation as you might think and to help make it even easier B&Q has produced a DVD, ‘How to Insulate Your Home’, priced at £1.98.

For further great ideas for Ecovating your home visit:

Web:  http://www.diy.com

Did you know you could be making money from the electricity generated by your renewable technology installation?

If you have installed, or are thinking about installing, a renewable technology, which produces electricity, such as a Solar Electricity (PV) system, you may be able to receive payment for the electricity produced.

The most common way to do this, is to sign up to a buy back scheme with an energy supplier. There are two main tariffs available to do this:

Export tariffs: You are only paid for the electricity that is exported back to the electricity network.
Generation tariffs: You are paid for all of the electricity that your system has generated, even if you use it in your own home.

There are also some Set Price Tariffs available, where the energy supplier, based on the type or capacity of your installation, pays you a fixed amount.

You can also use the Energy Saving Trust’s ‘buy back tariff search tool’, to help you find the right tariff more easily.

Using this tool will allow you to see details of all the tariffs currently being offered by the energy suppliers.

Advice regarding choosing the right tariff is available on the website:

Web: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Sell-your-own-energy

Tel: (0800) 512 012

Bernard Rhodes, B&Q’s Category Manager for insulation says: “We aim to make it easier for people to save energy within their homes; we have products available to help them discover how much energy they are using and offer energy saving solutions, to enable them to reduce their consumption and their energy bills.”

The Next Step – Once you know how much energy you are using, and have done everything you can to reduce your energy wastage and still wish to do more, then you have the option to harness natural energy.

B&Q stocks a range of products, which allow you to exploit natural energy, so that you can create your own energy and reduce your reliance on purchasing energy.

A Windsave wind turbine (£1,898 including installation) helps homeowners create their own energy and reduce their property’s CO2 emissions:

The Windsave WS1200 is a revolutionary micro-wind turbine system, designed to supplement the supply of electricity drawn from the National Grid; it connects directly into the ring main of the property via a fused spur outlet.

The turbine is a professionally installed wall-mounted system, which uses specifically designed anti-vibration bracketry.

Solar Panels (from £2,198 excluding installation) enable you to generate your own hot water, and there is no need to worry about the lack of British summer time – the panels only need daylight to work, not direct sunlight.

Solar panels can be integrated into most types of hot water systems including combi boilers; available supply only or supply and fit.

Web: http://www.diy.com

Tel: (0845) 8500175

Powergen, part of E.ON, has from 14th May, become the only major UK energy supplier to offer a 100% green dual fuel energy product - Go Green and aims to become the biggest green energy supplier to UK homes.

Go Green offers a unique combination of 100% renewable electricity, from wind farms and hydro power stations, plus offset gas through carbon reduction programmes, to help users minimize their impact on the environment.
 
Every unit of electricity used by Go Green customers will be matched with one produced by a renewable source and supplied to the national grid.

Powergen has also teamed up with Climate Care, to offset the carbon emitted when customers use gas in their homes, through funding sustainable energy projects around the world.

Go Green customers also receive:

• CO2 information on their online bill, a carbon calculator and an annual energy efficiency check.
• 1,000 Tesco Green Clubcard Points a year (500 per fuel).
• Exclusive discounts on energy efficient products e.g. Electrisave consumption monitoring device for £40 (normally £70), an energy saving EcoKettle for £25 (normally £30).

Prices for Go Green include a small premium of 2% against standard Powergen products, which reflects the higher price of renewable electricity and some of the cost of carbon offsetting gas.

This premium, which equates to around £17 per year or 5p per day, can be counterbalanced by simply fitting two low energy light bulbs, or by turning down the thermostat by one degree.

Go Green is available for new and existing customers - to sign up visit:

Web: http://www.powergen.co.uk/goinggreen

Or Tel:  (0800) 092 9729

The new Ecohomes Show is part of The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the NEC 22nd to 25th March and aspires to help us with our efforts to win the ‘Green War’ in our homes.

Our homes are currently responsible for 30% of all UK emissions and the Government is aiming for carbon-neutral houses by 2016, but is this a realistic target?

How can we do our bit to create energy-efficient homes whilst producing energy for heating, hot water and electricity using only eco-friendly on-site technology?

“The Ecohomes Show will offer a practical approach to achieving these goals”, said Nick Noble, Show Director. “Improving domestic energy efficiency has to be a good idea, whether you are building a brand new home or making your current home more efficient.”

Featured at the show will be a wide range of products and services ranging from the familiar, such as solar and other alternative heating systems, through to recycled building materials, natural paints and insulation materials.

Also on offer is a free daily seminar – A Guide to Ecological Home Design and Sustainable Construction, plus a day devoted to Eco Master-classes.

Never before has building a home for the future required quite so much thought!

Tickets are £8 in advance or £12 on the door.

For more information and tickets visit:

Web: http://www.homebuildingshow.co.uk
Tel:  (0870) 906 2002

Watch this space for articles about the other shows in the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show series!

Climate change is something we are all concerned about as the evidence of its increasing affect on our planet becomes obvious both at home and abroad.

We can personally do something to reverse this potential catastrophe by making our homes more energy efficient, which could dramatically reduce the amount of harmful carbon dioxide gas we release into the atmosphere.

This Autumn B&Q will make it easy to save energy around your house with its practical and exciting new range of energy efficient products, including wind turbines, solar panels and innovative heating and insulation products.

Due to the recent ever-increasing rise in energy prices, there has never been a better time to invest in your own power sources, such as B&Q’s new Windsafe Wind Turbines.

They are easily attached to your home and provide a supply of 230V electricity for the house, with no need for batteries or complex wiring and a potential reduction on your electricity bill of up to 30%.

The Windsafe turbines are priced at £1498 including installation.

In addition, why not generate your own hot water by installing a Solar Power Panel?

The new panels don’t need direct sunlight to work, as daylight is sufficient to produce up to 70% of the hot water requirement for a standard three or four bedroom house. This means the system could effectively pay for itself within six years.

The solar panels also retail at £1498 excluding installation.

More good news; the UK Government provides grants for renewable energy projects of up to 30% of the installed cost. Find out more at:
www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Web: www.diy.com
Tel: For your nearest B&Q Store  (0845) 850 0175