ReNew Issue 127
Keeping warm issue
Issue 127 April-June 2014 is out now! As always, ReNew comes overflowing with articles to satisfy both the technically and the not-so-technically minded. Regardless of whether your interest is photovoltaic cells, recycling, or even environmentally responsible building techniques, there is something for you in this issue.
ReNew 127 has ‘keeping warm’ as its focus. Inside you’ll find:
- Who needs fossil fuels? (part 2)
- Sourcing green products
- Enter the eco-city
- Cash flow Which water saving technologies also save money?
- Rainwater harvest: keeping it clean
- Winter comfort: not just a heater choice
- Cool-climate build
- Fresh air without the heat loss (or gain)
- Mind the gap
- Case study: the benefits of insulation
- Insulation buyers guide
- Low-power, low-cost computing
- DIY solar hydronic
- Product review: pellet heater
- The Pears Report: Peak demand and ‘enoughness’
- Salvage It: Espresso coffee machines
- Member profile Stephen Whately is ReNew’s dedicated proofreader and ATA member
Issue Contents:
ReNew 127 has ‘keeping warm’ as its focus. Inside you’ll find:
Who needs fossil fuels? (part 2)
Energy will flow from the sun, the brakes and even the shock absorbers in the SolarX solar car, writes Clint Steele.
Sourcing green products
There are ways to stop the ‘too-hard’ feelings when choosing green building materials, writes Elizabeth Wheeler.
Enter the eco-city
Peter Reefman takes us on a tour of China’s amazing and vital eco-cities
Cash flow
Which water saving technologies also save money? The ATA reports.
Rainwater harvest: keeping it clean
Dennis Boon describes best practice to keep your tank water clean.
Winter comfort: not just a heater choice
There’s more to consider than just the choice of heater when aiming for winter comfort. Alan Pears searches for the ideal solution.
Cool-climate build
Designing a house to be as energy efficient as possible is one thing; actually achieving this can be another task altogether. Meg Warren and Fraser Rowe describe their building challenges and eventual rewards.
Fresh air without the heat loss (or gain)
As we seal up our homes for better energy efficiency, mechanical ventilation becomes important, writes Clare Parry.
Mind the gap
David Coote is on a mission to increase the energy efficiency of his house as well as provide a roadmap for others to follow. Here, he looks at the (lack of) data available and one approach that does help: a draught-proofing audit.
Case study: the benefits of insulation
Richard Keech found many hidden benefits from plugging the last thermal ‘hole’ in his house
Insulation buyers guide
Is your home hot in summer and freezing in winter? Lance Turner takes a look at how insulation can help fix these problems.
Low-power, low-cost computing
If you need to be energy frugal, you can still have a real computer for real tasks that won’t cost the earth. Lance Turner shows you how.
DIY solar hydronic
Chris Hooley describes his experiment with building a solar hydronic heater.
Product review: pellet heater
Many people in rural areas use wood heaters, but there are cleaner options. Lance Turner looks at a heater that can use several different fuels.
The Pears Report: Peak demand and ‘enoughness’
Why should we expect unlimited access to energy when we can take responsibility for how much energy we use, asks Alan Pears.
Salvage It: Espresso coffee machines
See an espresso coffee machine being thrown away? Grab it, writes Julian Edgar!
Member profile
Stephen Whately is ReNew’s dedicated proofreader and ATA member. He talks to Beth Askham about his favourite places and zero carbon house.
