Isramart llc: Our actions can provide a carbon-saving impact

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Isramart llc news:

Most climate change policy addresses long term options such as the promotion and use of low carbon energy technology with industry adapting to a cap-and-trade regime for emissions trading. Across the EU governments are using behavior approach to achieve potential short-term reductions in carbon emissions by changes to the way we travel and the way we use the available green technology in our homes. Intervention by governments is necessary to promote change with regulatory measures and policy decisions decided by the EU. To promote change there has to be a reward to start with so that is why we have a Greener Home Grant Scheme to promote renewable energy for existing homes.

Our new home buildings will have to conform to the newer regulatory measures without any grants because of the newer legislation that now covers the building industry. The availability of the Grant Scheme is to improve the energy ratings of older housing stock by providing much-needed funds to help with the additional cost of retro-fitting.

The newer Home Energy Saving Grant Scheme promotes energy saving measures for houses built pre- 2006 and offers the necessary incentives to make improvements. The Government and the EU have had to promote the need for change in Ireland. With an EU target of 20 per cent reduction to be achieved in carbon emissions by 2020 being very important, the real need for change to the homes that we live in is to slowdown climate change across the EU, for the future.
Global greenhouse gas emissions and associated climate change have increased and accelerated rates over the last 30 years. The atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration increased from 1.5ppm/year between 1980 and1999 to 2.2ppm/year between 2000 and 2007. The focus on short-term options with substantial potential for reductions in carbon emissions will alter the situation much more quickly than the long- term measures. It will also help us to avoid overshooting our carbon emission targets at lower cost and buy us much needed time to develop new technology to reach even lower long-term emissions.

The changes involving energy use in the home, for travel to work, school or amenity use needs to happen now without waiting for new technology to deliver the significant short term reductions and because households release 30 per cent of the total carbon emissions.

Changes to legislation indirectly address measures that effect energy use in the home and for travel. New regulatory measures will change light bulbs to low energy type and the cost of car tax is now based on the emissions. NCT (national car testing) has minimum target emissions for a car engine to pass a certificate of road worthiness. Domestic appliances must have an energy rating displayed and a house offered for sale or rent must also have a BER energy rating displayed which is a very important piece of information, this is part of new regulations that we all adhere to now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In America a study by the Michigan State University focused on 15 household and behavioral actions that would achieve major reductions of greenhouse gases over the short term. The first measure was insulating the home and 70 per cent of householders asked in the survey said that they intended to undertake some measures before the end of 2010.

Upgrading to a more efficient domestic hot water system and buying low energy appliances are some of the most important measures to save energy in the home. Most of the other measures got a 30 per cent positive response of the intention to consider driving a more fuel efficient car, routine service of a car, using a lower laundry temperature, of adjusting the heating downward by 1-2º, reducing the use of standby electricity, getting heating controls fitted, to consider using a clothes line and to adjust driving behavior to save on energy in 2010. The poorest response was to carpooling with 15 per cent saying that they thought it was a good idea.