At Gecco Interiors, we have always carried a range of beautiful, soft and vibrant hemp fabrics that worked equally well for curtains as domestic upholstery – Hardy Organic Hemp. Recently we launched our 2^nd hemp fabric range, this time a textured, hard wearing yet gorgeous upholstery fabric mixed with wool – Hemp Plus. We thought it was time to examine the wonderful properties of this amazing plant for it is slowly becoming known as an environmental hero.

History

The first recorded piece of canvas is made of hemp fibres from 8000BC and it survives to this day! The Chinese created paper using hemp over 2000 years ago. During the great days of discovery almost all ships set sail using hemp ropes and sails. Pioneers crossed the newly found American frontier beneath wagons covered in hemp canvas sheets. Hemp seed was a mainstay in bread making in this country before wheat came along. It seems that hemp has always been a supercrop and yet it has been left behind with the advent of the industrial revolution and the introduction of foreign crops and fossil fuels, but all that may be changing.

Global Warming

As scientists and researchers look into new products to help tackle climate change, hemp, one of our oldest recorded crops, is taking centre stage. Here are a few key facts about this amazing crop

Pesticides & Pollution – Hemp can grow anywhere and needs much less pesticide control than other crops especially when compared with cotton which uses 25% of the world’s pesticides every year! Even more incredible is that hemp actually draws up toxins from the earth, almost cleaning it through a process called phytomerediation (1^st-ecofriendlyplanet.com)

Erosion – due to the long roots of the hemp plant, soil suffers less erosion when a hemp crop is grown

Carbon Emissions – according to a recent report for LBJ, an acre of hemp has been recorded to remove up to 10times the amount of C02 from the atmosphere as an acre of trees.

High Yield – the same acre of hemp can produce fibres to make four times the amount of paper that the acre of trees can produce. One hectare of hemp can produce 1 tonne of fibre which in turn can create 5,400metres of hemp fabric.

Fast Growing – Hemp is one of the fastest growing crops on Earth reaching 3 metres in just 120 days, making it much more sustainable to farm than trees which can take up to 25years to reach the same height.

Low Irrigation – Hemp does not need anywhere near the amount of water demanded by thirstier crops such as cotton

Clean production – both paper and cotton industries are a huge source of pollution not least of all due to the fact that their fibres must be bleached, traditionally with chlorine. Hemp fibres do not need bleaching which makes for a much cleaner manufacturing process.

Biofuel potential – the hemp seed itself is high is oil content that is easily converted into hemp plastics and bio fuel similar to ethanol, thereby reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. It also releases much less carbon dioxide when burned and almost no sulfur dioxide compared with burning fossil fuel.

It seems that there is no end to the environmental advantages of this supercrop and the industries now using hemp in their own manufacturing grows daily, here are just a few:

Fuel

Plastics

Cosmetics

Construction

Paints

Medicines

Health and Well-being

Paper

And of course……Fabric!

Hardy Organic Hemp is suitable for curtains, blinds and domestic upholstery, comes in 13 vibrant shades and costs £79.00/m

Hemp Plus is suitable for all kinds of upholstery and curtains, comes in 31 gorgeous colours and costs £32.00/m

The applications are endless but the choice is yours!

Gecco Interiors Limited is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

This trip to Nicaragua is part of NSC’s work promoting solidarity between UK and Nicaraguan community activists and environmentalists working on community solidarity, increasing food self sufficiency and protecting the environment.

Participants will spend one week living in a rural community and working on an organic gardening programme, and a second week visiting community and government food security and environment protection programmes. The climax of the trip will be participating in the National Fair for the Earth to celebrate world environment day .

For more details:
www.nicaraguasc.org.uk

Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Bristol-based wholefood manufacturer and distributor Essential Trading has invested £100,000 in a new solar PV electricity system from Solarsense at its Fishponds warehouse in its latest effort to minimise its impact on the environment.

Essential Trading is an ethical company committed to the welfare of the planet. The installation of solar power panels at its factory HQ in Fishponds is the next logical step for this business that is keen to harness all environmentally friendly advances in technology.

Essential chose Backwell-based Solarsense to supply its 44.64 kWp system that comprises 186 solar photovoltaic panels mounted on the roof of its warehouse.  The solar PV (photovoltaic) technology captures the clean, natural energy of the sun.  When the sun hits the panels, it creates an electrical field within the layers of the panels.  This electrical field is converted to AC (usable) electricity and is taken up by the various demands for electrical power within the factory, warehouse and offices.

Essential is paid 32.9p/kWh for all electricity that is generated and is then free to use this energy. Any surplus electricity is then exported onto the grid and Essential is paid 3.1p/kWh for this.

The solar PV at Essential Trading will generate an estimated 38000 kWh of electricity per year.  This represents a saving of approximately 513 Tonnes of CO2 over the 25 year life of the FIT (Feed in Tariff – the Government scheme where businesses and home owners are rewarded if they invest in renewable electricity).  The cooperative borrowed the money to fund this project from ethical bank Triodos.  With the Government’s Feed in Tariff, the cash generated from the system will mean it pays for itself during the 10-year loan payback period and will thereafter be a source of income.

“We are delighted to have our solar power panels up and running now after all the months of planning,” says Eli Sarre, marketing manager for Essential Trading.  “We strive to produce the most sustainable food and non-food products and check the source of each ingredient rigorously,” she says.  “So it makes perfect sense for us to tap into the world’s source ingredient for life – the sun – to power our business naturally.”

About Essential Trading

Essential Trading is a worker co-operative established in 1971 and based in Bristol.  The company wholesales, manufactures and distributes organic wholefoods across the UK and internationally and has over 6,000 lines of healthy options, quality nutrition and ecological products.  80% of its products are certified organic and all are vegetarian or vegan.  An increasing number are fairtrade and gluten-free, thus able to meet the changing ethical and dietary demands of consumers today. With a turnover of approximately £12 million and employing around 85 people, Essential is one of the largest successful worker co-operatives in the UK.

www.essential-trading.coop

Essential Trading Co-operative Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

First published on the YouGen blog

The REAL Assurance Scheme* has received a surge of complaints about solar PV installers, leading it to assert that rogue traders are taking advantage of the expanding solar panel market to make a killing before the Government adjusts the Feed-In Tariff in the spring.

While they haven’t yet specified what actual numbers constitutes a ’surge’, it is enough to cause them considerable concern. The complaints indicate that some companies are using aggressive, high-pressure and sometimes illegal selling techniques to persuade consumers to sign contracts. These are tactics that blighted the double-glazing industry in its early days, and many of the traders have their origins there.

As a result REAL Assurance has developed some straightforward steps you can take to avoid being taken for a ride. I’ll come to those in a minute – they are mainly about the sales process and contract, and are valid and useful things to bear in mind. However, my advice would be to not let any of these companies step over your hearth.

My clues for how to identify companies you won’t want to let into your house:

- they cold call you, or knock on your door, out of the blue

- a leaflet drops through your letter box

- they offer a discount if you put a sign outside your house / sign the contract on the day

- they ask if your husband/wife/partner will be present at the initial meeting

- they want you to sign up at the first meeting

- it is difficult to get them to leave your house

If you’ve got any more clues to add let me know.

REAL’s top tips to avoid being ripped off

- Only approach companies that are members of the REAL Assurance Scheme.

- Only sign a contract with a company that is certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) for the technology you are looking to install. If a company is registered for Solar Thermal but not Solar PV, their PV installation won’t qualify.

- Check the Energy Saving Trust website for objective information and target prices. Their online Cashback Calculator will tell you how much solar panels could earn on your roof [and YouGen of course - ed].

- Read REAL’s guidance carefully before you sign a contract or pay a deposit.

- Get at least three quotes before you decide which company to contract with.

- Make sure any testimonials you rely on are genuine and were not paid for; contact the people yourself and ask them any questions you might have.

- Before you sign a contract or pay a deposit make sure the company gives you a quote in writing, including a standard performance estimate specific to your property and a full breakdown of what will be supplied; make sure it’s all-inclusive.

- Before you sign a contract or pay a deposit make sure the company gives you their standard terms and conditions in writing.

- Before you sign a contract or pay a deposit make sure you read all the information carefully and you understand it.

- Never pay more than 25% of the contract price upfront and check it will be protected with insurance.

- Remember you have the right to cancel the contract within seven days with no penalty; make sure you don’t waive this right by signing a waiver.

- If you make any changes to the contract make sure these are agreed in writing and added to the contract.

- If the company makes any changes to the contract make sure you agree them in writing; remember if you are not happy with them you have the right to cancel the contract within 7 days with no penalty.

- Remember to send REAL your feedback once the job has been completed – it can act on tip-offs too.

*All MCS accredited installers must sign up to the REAL Assurance Consumer Code

About the author: Cathy Debenham, Founder of YouGen – Renewable energy made easy.

YouGen is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Knowing what your impact is, is the first step to doing something about it. A carbon footprint is the volume of carbon emissions or other greenhouse gases (like methane if you’re a cow!) associated with a certain activity. Here at Life Size Media we look at all the emissions associated with your business, from the electricity you use to how much stationery you’re buying.

Knowing your environmental impact means you can start taking steps to reduce it. Our carbon audit reports are designed to help you understand, communicate and reduce your impact. You will get:

• A breakdown of your carbon emissions by activities;
• Benchmarking against similar organisations;
• Tangible comparisons;
• Key reduction recommendations and targets for the future.

A standard company audit costs £1500*, sometimes a bit more if you’ve got factories dotted all over the place.
*We offer a 30% discount to charities and social enterprises, because your footprint matters too!

The process is very simple, just a few hours from you to gather the information and a few days from us to pull it all together and do the calculations.

We also offer the option to offset your impact through supporting a sustainable development or wildlife conservation project. Let us know if you’re interested in going carbon neutral and we’ll tell you all about the inspiring projects you can choose from.

To find out more click here.

Life Size Media is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Introduced in 2008; Display Energy Certificates (DEC) were originally required in all public sector buildings/offices larger than 1000m2; that are frequently visited by the public. DECs were not made compulsory for private sector property.

The aim of the DEC is to display the rate of the operational energy efficiency and performance of a building, rating from A to G, they should be prominently displayed where all public visitors will be able to see them. There are large financial penalties for failure to display a DEC at all times, in a prominent place.  For example, a maximum fine of £5,000 may be imposed dependent on the nature of the breach of regulations.

With the government’s plan for delivering a low carbon construction and building services sector being broadly welcomed by the industry; the Low Carbon Construction Innovation and Growth Team (IGT), led by chief construction adviser Paul Morrell have proposed several recommendations to green construction.  One of which is to create an existing homes hub that will monitor and enforce the mandatory use of DECs in all public sector buildings, not just those that are larger than 1,000 m2.   In May 2011 Construction Minister, Mark Prisk, hinted that the government would back this recommendation and ensure DECs were rolled out.

The UK Government target of an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050 (as outlined in The Climate Change Act 2008) has the full commitment of the independent Committee on Climate Change, who has suggested that we should be reaching the 50% point by 2025.

A barrier to the construction industry lowering their carbon emissions has been the issue of there not being a common method or rating system for the measurement of operational energy use in all non-domestic buildings: if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

DECs provide data on how a building is performing which is essential to allow the design and implementation of an effective energy reduction strategy. Savings of between 5 and 30% can be made through simple, low cost changes to the way a building is managed and occupied, and mandatory ratings based on actual energy use, are a crucial first step.

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) along with the UK Green Building Council supports the wider roll out of DEC.  CIBSE’s Technical Director, Hywel Davies, states that “There is now a clear industry consensus around making more use of Display Energy Certificates to identify potential energy and cost savings”.

The Energy Bill, according to the Government, “has been designed to provide for a step change in the provision of energy efficiency measures to homes and businesses”. In order to achieve that aim, we need to know how much energy is being used in the first place.

A mandatory roll-out of DECs would address this in a way that would bring significant economic, as well as environmental, benefits.  In fact, some large property companies have chosen to carry out DECs on their buildings as part of their sustainability strategy and out of choice. These companies found that DECs can help provide them with information on which to base investment decisions.

The Energy Bill to recognise the benefits of DECs for all

DECs also provide a common methodology for measuring energy efficiency in buildings and could therefore also form the basis for monitoring other property-related policies, such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment and the Green Deal for Business and in the long term reducing the overall cost of compliance.

Corporations have championed the efforts of Conservative MP, Zac Goldsmith, to amend the Government’s Energy Bill.

Goldsmith tabled a new clause, named clause 22 and published in June 2011, which would see all commercial buildings require Display Energy Certificates (DECs) – A-G ratings for energy performance – a requirement which currently only applied to public buildings of more than 1000m2.  Zac Goldsmith states his intentions of the new clause: “mandatory A to G ratings are the crucial first step in helping businesses understand how to reduce their energy use”.

Buildings are responsible for over 40% of the UK’s total carbon emissions, with non domestic buildings accounting for 17%.  In addition, it is estimated that 75% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 have already been built, which means that we must take action to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emission from existing buildings.

Whilst the carbon plan published in March 2001 includes a commitment to extend DECs to commercial buildings by October 2012, in order to fulfil that commitment the Energy Bill must be used to introduce the necessary enabling legislation, giving the Secretary of State the power to extend DECs through regulations.

The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) fears that if the Energy Bill is not used to introduce DECs they will not be adopted in time be able to reach the Government target, outlined in The Climate Change Act 2008, of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2025 and by 80% by 2050.

Paul King, Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council supports clause 22 and said: “there is widespread business support for the extension of DECs to commercial buildings because they help companies save money on energy bills and they provide a level playing field for comparing the market. This is an ideal opportunity for Government to fulfil the commitment it gave in March.”

Going a step further, members of the UK property industry also support clause 22 and have asked for the Energy Bill to include legislation for the roll out of DECs for all buildings.

Commercial property agents Colliers International have also signed up to support the amendment to the Energy Bill. In addition, International Sustainability Recruitment Consultancy, Allen & York, who specialise in recruiting for the energy and building services industry also suggest that “rolling out DECs to all public buildings could provide better data on energy use in non-domestic buildings. This information enables better building management and results in energy, carbon and financial savings”. Nikki Clark, Senior Recruitment Consultant, Energy Management – Allen & York

To conclude, the roll out of DEC’s for all commercial buildings will aid the increase of workplace efficiency and cut carbon emissions – therefore making a significant step towards The Climate Change Act 2008 targets of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025.

There is substantial business support for the roll out of clause 22 in The Energy Bill and in regards to the progress within government; a Report is initially required in order to draft legislation and procedures that will enable the roll out of DECs for all.

Allen & York are a leading international Sustainability Recruitment consultancy, offering jobs in Environment, CSR & Sustainability, Renewable Energy and Carbon Management, plus Health and Safety Management. For more information, please visit www.allen-york.com

Allen & York is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

When you buy something that is set to benefit you over a period of years, you want to make sure you can trust the company you are buying it from. With regards to solar PV, it is important to make sure that your installer is MCS certificated.

What is MCS certification?

Good question! MCS stands for Microgeneration Certification Scheme and registered companies have to prove their commitment to quality and pass a set of rigorous assessments. The scheme is recognised in many countries all over the world and is universally known as something that marks a company out as being of a very high standard.

How does the MCS certification benefit me?

Getting your solar panels installed by an MCS registered company means that you are guaranteed immense quality and a very high standard. Because it promotes quality assurance, customers can rest assured in the knowledge that their installer is committed to excellent quality and results.

One solar PV installer that is MCS certificated and better than the rest is The Energy Conservation Group.

Who is The Energy Conservation Group?

The Energy Conservation Group is a solar PV installer based in the sunny county of Dorset. They are passionate about providing customers with installations of the highest quality. Because they choose the components very carefully, they can offer an amazing 12 year guarantee on their installations. This shows their commitment to quality and excellent customer service.

TECG will also monitor your installation and

notify you of any issues immediately.

They do not forget you once they have installed your system and will be there for help, advice and reassurance when you need it.

Contact them now at http://www.tecg.co.uk.

The Energy Conservation Group is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

First published on the YouGen blog.

For many, fireplaces are the embodiment of the British household, with the hearth taking pride of place in the home. With the advent of climate change awareness, people are looking to reinstate period features such as these, whilst using an appliance that is efficient, economical and environmental.  This explains why wood pellet stoves are enjoying a growth in popularity; but what should you be looking for as a potential buyer?

1. Temperature Control
One thing we love about pellet stoves is their controllability. You can set the temperature with a precision approaching that of a gas or oil heating system. Unlike most traditional room heaters, pellet stoves have an electronic thermostat which can be set with an impressive degree of accuracy.

2. Self-Ignition
Most pellet stoves will have the ability to self-ignite, turning themselves on and off as required. This is not done by the owner, but instead via an inbuilt computer that regulates its operation. This means that the stove functions independently, with minimal user intervention needed.

3. Fuel Feed System and Burn Time/Duration
Pellet stoves are fed from an integral fuel hopper (see image) by a motorised feeding screw which supplies fuel to maintain the small fire that heats the room. The size on the stove’s integral hopper in relation to the rated heat output of the stove will determine how often the appliance needs refilling. This is commonly referred to as the burn time and is sometimes quoted for the stove’s full output (the shortest burn time) and the stove’s minimum output (the longest burn time). In reality, the frequency of refilling will lie in between these two figures as heat demand will vary on a daily basis.

Some systems allow for this integral hopper to be filled automatically from a larger main store of fuel. Sensors in the appliance tell an auxiliary feed system that it needs topping up and it is then refilled accordingly. External fuel stores do require additional space so may not be suitable for everyone. However, this does mean that refilling is done automatically with larger stores holding enough fuel for a whole season.

4. Efficiency
As with all solid fuel appliances, greater efficiency means lower running costs and reduced environmental implications as well. You should always look for an appliance that is going to deliver the efficiency you require.  A typical pellet stove will operate at a gross efficiency of around 80%. We have a guide where you can compare the efficiencies of various appliances.

5. Storage
If you are planning to invest in this stove type, then you should be aware that correct storage of pellets essential. Pellets will absorb lots of moisture from the surrounding air and from damp on floors and walls. Bagged or loose pellets should be stored in an environment that protects against this. Wet pellets will damage appliances.

First published on the YouGen blog. For more information on renewable energy, please visit the YouGen website.

About the author: Laurence Jones is an energy expert at YouGen and marketing support officer at HETAS

YouGen is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

First published on the YouGen blog

Q: Can you use air source heat pumps for heating domestic hot water?

A: If you are reading this and looking for a quick answer, it’s yes!

For those of you who would like a little more information here we go…

Just because you can use a heat pump, should you?

Well, of course, while the sun is shinning a solar thermal  panel will produce domestic hot water far more efficiently than a heat pump, but obviously in the mid winter months you will probably need some additional heat source and using your heat pump will be far more efficient than using many other heat sources such as electric immersion heaters or oil boilers.

Required temperature

We normally bathe or shower using water around 38C to 42C and most air source heat pumps will have no problem in supplying this sort of temperature.

Word of caution

There is however, as always, a slight snag!

Let me try to explain the reason for the snag (if you’re not interested in the reason miss the next few paragraphs and go straight to the paragraph headed safety precaution).

The domestic hot water (DHW) is normally heated through some kind of heat exchanger allowing heat to be transferred from the heating water into the DHW. One way of doing this is to use a “tank in tank” – see illustration. Here the DHW tank is surrounded by the space heating water and therefore absorbs heat from the space heating water through the walls of the inner tank.

Given that many heat pumps (although there are of course exceptions) are only be able to supply water at a maximum temperature of around 50C the domestic hot water will have to be stored at below 60C.

What’s the problem?

Well what’s the problem I hear you saying?

You have already told us that we bathe around 40C so why does it matter that the water is stored at a temperature lower than 60C?

Well none … it it wasn’t for a bug or bacteria called Legionella. This bacteria breeds in warm water and if inhaled (in the tiny mist droplets you get in a shower for example), can cause a potentially fatal disease called Legionella disease. So to ensure every one is safe, we like to kill off this bug, which is possible by increasing the temperature of the water to over 60C. (At this temperature the bacteria dies within two minutes and at a even faster rate at higher temperatures!).

Safety precaution

Therefore, to keep every one absolutely safe, most installers will arrange for the DHW to be heated once a day to above 60C, usually by an immersion heater on a timer.

Given that the heat pump should take the temperature to over 45C, the DHW only has to be heated by a temperature rise of 15C.

This means that the majority of the heat energy is supplied by the heat pump for that one hour, and all of the energy, assuming it is not being used for heating, for your DHW requirements can be supplied for the rest of the day by the heat pump.

Controls

So by a very simple control scheme we can ensure that your DHW is perfectly safe.

If you have read the previous blogs you will know that the higher the water temperature the heat pump is required to produce, the lower its efficiency.

With this in mind I recommend that you make sure your installer includes controls that only require the heat pump to supply high flow temperatures when there is a DHW demand.

For the rest of the time, when only space heating is required, the controls should then allow your heat pump to run at a lower temperature and thus at increased efficiency levels.

Conclusion

With a purpose made storage vessel, or cylinder, and the right controls it makes perfect sense to heat your domestic hot water with a Heat Pump especially if you link in a complimentary solar thermal panel.

First published on the YouGen blog. For more information on renewable energy, please visit the YouGen website.

About the author: John Lightfoot is an energy exper at YouGen and also director at Thermal Energy Ventures Ltd.

YouGen is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

First published on the YouGen blog

Q: I just received a call from Anglian (0845 296 9668) who were offering an incredible 40% discount on their products. They were claiming you don’t need direct sunlight for solar PV, only daylight and that PV can be placed on a north facing roof. Is there someone who I could complain to, as I know that less aware people would believe their mis-selling.

A:  It’s interesting that this question came in on the same day that Which? published it’s latest investigation into the sales of solar panels. Anglian was one of the companies it names and shames.

Your first port of call for dodgy sales techniques for solar panels and other renewable energy technologies is the REAL Assurance Scheme Consumer Code, which all MCS accredited installers must sign up to. This covers all aspects of the installation before, during and after the contract. Mis-selling, and offering discounts if you sign-up on the day are both things that are covered in the code.

There is a section on the website about how to complain. You can either download a pdf form, or fill in an online form. There’s a rather convoluted flow chart on the page which shows you how your complaint will be dealt with.

There is currently a small loophole that allows sales companies to sell on behalf of MCS accredited installers without being members of REAL. This loophole is about to be closed. It is still worth reporting mis-selling by these companies to REAL, although they probably don’t have as much power over companies that aren’t a member of the scheme.

If that doesn’t bring you any joy, you can report the company to trading standards: enter your postcode here to find your local branch.

Misleading advertising can be reported to the Advertising Standards Authority, but I’m struggling to find an equivalent for dodgy telephone selling. So give REAL a try, and do let us know how you get on.

First published on the YouGen blog

About the author: Cathy Debenham, Founder of YouGen – Renewable energy made easy.

YouGen is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more