Bournemouth
Renewable Energy
Solar electric systems or wind electric systems
A renewable energy system can be used to supply some or all of your electricity needs. Planning for a home renewable energy system is a process that includes analysing your existing electricity use (and considering energy efficiency measures to reduce it), looking at local codes and requirements, deciding if you want to operate your system on or off of the electric grid, and understanding technology options you have for your site, Contact eco earth builders for your new renewable energy system.
If you’re designing a new home or renovating your home, work with eco earth builders to incorporate your renewable energy system into your whole-house design, an approach for building an energy-efficient home using solar electric systems or wind electric systems.
Ground & Air Source heat Pumps
Geothermal energy from heat inside and outside the earth. Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps
There are three main types of heat pumps connected by ducts: air-to-air, water source, and geothermal. They collect heat from the air, water, or ground outside your home and concentrate it for use inside.
Air-Source Heat Pumps
The most common type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air. Today’s heat pump can reduce your electricity use for heating by approximately 50% compared to electric resistance heating such as furnaces and baseboard heaters. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months. Air-source heat pumps have been used for many years in nearly all parts of the United States, but until recently they have not been used in areas that experienced extended periods of subfreezing temperatures. However, in recent years, air-source heat pump technology has advanced so that it now offers a legitimate space heating alternative in colder regions.
Geothermal (ground-source or water-source)
Geothermal (ground-source or water-source) heat pumps achieve higher efficiencies by transferring heat between your house and the ground or a nearby water source. Although they cost more to install, geothermal heat pumps have low operating costs because they take advantage of relatively constant ground or water temperatures. Geothermal (or ground source) heat pumps have some major advantages. They can reduce energy use by 30%-60%, control humidity, are sturdy and reliable, and fit in a wide variety of homes. Whether a geothermal heat pump is appropriate for you will depend on the size of your lot, the subsoil, and the landscape. Ground-source or water-source heat pumps can be used in more extreme climates than air-source heat pumps, and customer satisfaction with the systems is very high.
Absorption Heat Pump
A relatively new type of heat pump for residential systems is the absorption heat pump (AHP), also called a gas-fired heat pump. Absorption heat pumps use heat or thermal energy as their energy source and can be driven with a wide variety of heat sources such as combustion of natural gas, steam solar-heated water, air or geothermal-heated water, and therefore are different from compression heat pumps that are driven by mechanical energy. AHPs are more complex and require larger units compared to compression heat pumps. The lower electricity demand of such heat pumps is related to the liquid pumping only.
Advanced Features to Look for in a Heat Pump
A number of innovations are improving the performance of heat pumps.
Unlike standard compressors that can only operate at full capacity, two-speed compressors allow heat pumps to operate close to the heating or cooling capacity needed at any particular outdoor temperature, saving energy by reducing on/off operation and compressor wear. Two-speed heat pumps also work well with zone control systems. Zone control systems, often found in larger homes, use automatic dampers to allow the heat pump to keep different rooms at different temperatures.
Some models of heat pumps are equipped with variable-speed or dual-speed motors on their indoor fans (blowers), outdoor fans, or both. The variable-speed controls for these fans attempt to keep the air moving at a comfortable velocity, minimizing cool drafts and maximizing electrical savings. It also minimizes the noise from the blower running at full speed.
Some high-efficiency heat pumps are equipped with a desuperheater, which recovers waste heat from the heat pump’s cooling mode and uses it to heat water. A desuperheater-equipped heat pump can heat water 2 to 3 times more efficiently than an ordinary electric water heater.
Another advance in heat pump technology is the scroll compressor, which consists of two spiral-shaped scrolls. One remains stationary, while the other orbits around it, compressing the refrigerant by forcing it into increasingly smaller areas. Compared to the typical piston compressors, scroll compressors have a longer operating life and are quieter. According to some reports, heat pumps with scroll compressors provide 10° to 15°F (5.6° to 8.3°C) warmer air when in the heating mode, compared to existing heat pumps with piston compressors.
Although most heat pumps use electric resistance heaters as a backup for cold weather, heat pumps can also be equipped in combination with a gas furnace, sometimes referred to as a dual-fuel or hybrid system, to supplement the heat pump. This helps solve the problem of the heat pump operating less efficiently at low temperatures and reduces its use of electricity. There are few heat pump manufacturers that incorporate both types of heat in one box, so these configurations are often two smaller, side-by-side, standard systems sharing the same ductwork.
In comparison with a combustion fuel-fired furnace or standard heat pump alone, this type of system can also be more economical. Actual energy savings depend on the relative costs of the combustion fuel relative to electricity.
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is a simple strategy by which rainfall is gathered and stored for future usage. The process involves collection and storage of rainwater with help of artificially designed systems, that runs off natural or man-made catchment areas e.g. rooftop, compounds, rocky surface, hill slopes or artificially repaired impervious/semi-pervious land surface. The collected rainwater from surfaces on which rain falls may be filtered, stored and utilized in different ways or directly used for recharge purposes. Rainwater Harvesting is unrestricted from any kind of impurity, with relatively less storage cost and no maintenance cost involved except for periodical cleaning.
With depleting groundwater levels and fluctuating climate conditions, this measure can go a long way to help mitigate the adverse effects rising water scarcity. Reserving rainwater can help recharge local aquifers, reduce urban flooding and most notably, ensure water availability in water-scarce zones.
There are two major techniques of rainwater harvesting.
Surface runoff harvesting
In this method, rainwater flows away as surface runoff and can be stored for future use like from your roof.
Groundwater recharge
Groundwater recharge is a hydrologic process where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater or diverting your roof water.
Groundwater is the primary source of freshwater that caters to the demand of ever-growing domestic, agrarian and industrial sectors of the country. Over the years, it has been observed that the necessity for the exploitation of groundwater resources for various everyday needs, like toileting, bathing, cleaning, agriculture, drinking water, industrial and ever-changing lifestyles with modernization is leading towards tremendous water wastage.
Though many technological devices are being developed to minimize the water wastage, the impact will be greater if every individual contributes to water conservation by minimizing or optimizing groundwater usage for daily activities. Today, water conservation at individual level has become very critical.
Our water resources are depleting each year. Additionally, we cannot generate artificial water and must depend on water sources available on our planet earth. Due to population boom and excessive need of water to suit our ever-expanding modern lifestyle, water scarcity is felt all over the world. This has given rise to major concerns over water conservation.
In this context, adopting rainwater harvesting and recharging groundwater is one of the simplest and best measures in conserving water globally. This practice can efficiently be implemented in lieu of traditional water supplies that are currently on the verge of tapping out.
