The Conservative Government is reducing the FIT rate by half from December 12th 2011. Any solar PV panels installed and also registered with an energy company will qualify. So it is no good booking it in as the waiting times are long, as there is now a rush to sign up. There is always a delay in physically fitting the panels (6 weeks is very short time).

Also the energy companies ar ein no hurry to register your panels for the increased FIT rate – as they have to subsidise it as part of some energy reduction deal.

Comment
This is typical of the start-stop approach to anything green by both the recent Labour and current Conservative governments. They don’t really have any interest in green issues, it is just a lot of noise to fool the public. Plenty of money can be found for almost anything else – current spending cuts are a drop in the ocean of UK debt.

If a green initiate is successful, it has to scaled back or stopped, in case it is… too successful. So what is the point of that?

DIY Building save energy ratings

Location:
The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, off M4 in Swindon
When:
Saturday 16th July 2011
10.00am to 5pm
Tickets are free in advance

Find out about recent Government changes to tariffs, ratings etc. Many experts will be there including David Hilton and reps from 4 other eco companies.

• Micro Renewable Energy Solutions (represented by Eco Living)
• Heating & Hot Water Solutions (Glow Worm)
• Air & Ground Source Heat Pumps (Greenheat)
• Solar Thermal Panels & Exhaust Air Heat Pumps (Nibe)

Plus even more experts:

• Eco Architect Paul Richards
• SAP Assessor Sue Dewhirst
• Environmental Building Systems adviser Ian Jones
• Project Management expert Bob Harris
• Eco Materials specialist Joe Wild

And it is free. Get your tickets from here >

See our DIY and Building Green and Eco pages here >

And saving energy with solar power pages here >

Make the most of this weekend and the most of your home at The Homebuilding & Renovating Show, Surrey!

When?

THIS Weekend!
Join us Saturday 10am – 5pm &
Sunday 10am – 4.30pm

Where?
A venue close to home: Sandown Park Race Course, Esher KT10 9AJ
Easy access by car, rail or air.

Why?

NOW 200 companies! 50 more expert companies to compare than last year

Save Money by comparing 1000s of products and services

Gain confidence when you Ask an Expert for free advice

Make the most of your plans -
Ask an Architect for FREE

Unmissable seminars to help you plan your project

Must see masterclasses
to help you stay on time and on target

Discover Tricks of the Trade with the
DIY Doctor

Discover eco-efficient products and
new technologies

How?

Book Now! The Box Office closes at 3pm on Friday – book now to get advanced tickets for ONLY £5!

Tickets are £8 on the door, and all under 16s go in free

Workshops on renovation, DIY, remodeling, building for amateurs.

There are Masterclasses and also open format Ask the Experts sessions.

Masterclasses are on:

9.30 to 10.15 am Walking Tours – Self Build & Renovation
These are on all day and comprise an expert walking and talking around the many standing exhibits in the centre.

10.30 to 11.15 am Is It For Me?

Some jobs are too big for beginners. So get an idea of the scope of a job before you create a disaster.

11.30 to 12.15am Finding and Funding Your Project
This covers financing for land, construction, materials, workers, insurance etc.

1 to 1.45pm Design, Planning & Sustainable Building

Just get it in budget. This is a hard one as things get added (let’s have a wine cellar!), or the spec improves (you are buying flooring and suddenly decide the better version is what you want) so always add a bit – perhaps 50%.

3.00 to 3:45pm Project Management

Don’t made horrible expensive mistakes. Hire an expert to run your job – you can still be hands-on.

4 to 4:45pm Walking Tours – Self Build & Renovation

More walk and talk with the experts.

Go here for Tickets and more details >

We have already published one article on this topic at:

Laptops, netbooks, ereaders, tablets and trade use >

Computing Enters a New Age – Part 2

Win 7 Mobile Phone

Microsoft has been somewhat struggling to find its pace with the advent of the new generation of tablet computers and smartphones. Windows has been in the tablet scene since early 2000 but Apple’s breakthrough with its iPad has caused problems for Windows relating to its legacy design and use. With that said, Microsoft is collaborating with hardware giants like ASUS, MSI and Samsung etc to break into the tablet computer and mobile market and deliver the iPad and iPhone beater.

Windows Phone 7 – Hit or Miss

Microsoft has refrained from using Windows Phone 7 as its tablet operating system and kept it to use with smartphones only. Instead Microsoft has chosen to use Windows 7 Home Premium and above versions. Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft’s next attempt after Windows Mobile at breaking back into the smartphones race currently being spearheaded by Android and iOS. With WP7 Microsoft (new release called ‘Mango’) has tried to abandon its keyboard and stylus strategy and replace it with a total touchscreen experience.

To be continued soon…

Coming soon, 3 weeks away, this event is a practical guide to what to do to renovate, refurbish and generally spring build your home.

Building DIY advice tips materials

With 200 exhibitors, many workshops and master classes with real experts. There are Buildstore (the sponsors) Finance (mortgages, grants, loans etc), Land Finding (with planning PP or with ouline planning OPP or none), and Materials Purchasing (wholesale and normal) experts. Also available to discuss your project are architects, project managers, building control officers, planners and planning officers, green and eco advisors and sustainability experts.

Amazingly, you can bring along drawings and sketches for the experts to comment on. That should be fun!

There are also many proper workshops.

Sat. 16th April 2011
10am to 5pm (doors open 9.30 am).
Parking: There is a big car park at the rear of the building, drive past the front, turn right and right again. It is basically a huge warehouse.
Or get a bus from Swindon Bus Station. See their website for details.

Self Build and Renovation Workshop 1
Talk to the experts. Ask questions, Get practical answers. Whatever you level – DIY, builder, enthusiast – this will be very useful.

Sun. 17th April 2011
10am to 5pm

Self Build and Renovation Workshop 2
As above. The Masterclasses are the same schedule each day,.

See the website for for free tickets or they are 10 UKP on the door.

See also DIY building advice and tips, information and topics >

Hans Hause prefab modular building

There are new Hans Hause going up in Fife, Scotland and Guernsey in the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Plus many others. Note none of these is in a large city. Excellent houses though.

There is also a new Hanse Haus DVD. This is a educational journey, and although aimed at the customer (obviously) it is also useful for students finding out about sustainable development and housing, modular buildings, prefab building, and that sort of area.

The DVD goes through these stages:

• fact-finding visit to their German offices and factory
• tour state-of-the-art factory
• see each home being constructed using advanced manufacturing technology
• see the house being assembled
• finally constructed on site in the UK

There is also a new image gallery of housing projects in the UK website.

They have also added a rolling news feature but this is a bit of overkill for a housing company – a blog is fine.

There are also customer stories about their builds. Very good stuff to learn about the process and get an inside view before you take the plunge.

Hans Hause buildings use passive heating (from people’s bodies, pets, lighting etc) and use very low amounts of grid energy to heat. Add a solar panel or two and you could be zero rated.

Have a look at Hans Hause new UK website >

And see our pages on DIY Building and Green building >

Also DIY recycled building materials >

Also have a look at Property development grants and finance >

Try Garden buildings and garden rooms and offices > as this is a related activity.

Building site materials construction - sand

There are many small and large builders merchants all over the country which are happy to do small sales, as it is all money comin gin. Architects and trade people often get a discount (10% or so) from these places, but if you are regular or friendly you too might get a discount. We will be starting an online building supplies directory so keep a look out for that.

We will be adding:

• wholesalers
• building supplies
• green building materials
• green technology
• green roofing
• green house materials
• fabric wholesale for interior decoration and refurbishment and remodeling
• wholesale furniture
• online wholesale supplies
• construction material
• eco building
• wholesale wood and timber

This new section will address building materials and construction, with a green eco slant, as is usual for this site. Buy cheap wood, bricks, slabs, windows, frames, glass, roofing… the list is almost endless. Garden supplies and garden materials will also be included, as you can get through a lot of wood, timber, bamboo, decking, slabs etc doing up a garden.

Save money and get more satisfaction from your building projects.

We are excited by this addition and will let you know what is coming in this building and DIY blog.

See our section on Building Materials and Wood for some information >

Ecobuild 2011

Attraction in the lecture series are:

• Human rights campaigner – Bianca Jagger
• Professor Brian Cox
• Tim Smit of the Eden Project
• Baroness Susan Greenfield
• Many others

Taking a look at the built environment from a different perspective, Ecobuild’s lectures are inspiring, provocative and entertaining and consider

• The age of unreason: the psychology of climate change
• Socially Big
• the role of social enterprise in the regeneration of civil society
• Can science save us?
• Many others

And there is even more:

• Very large exhibition – over 1,300 exhibitors – with many experts to answer practical questions
• Beyond Construction and Design
• Architecture and sustainability
• More than 130 free seminars
• Special attractions:
• Cool workspace
• NaturalZED
• Solar hub
• Many others

For Ecobuild tickets click here >

We have removed the Christmas articles on trees, decorations, green Christmas and presents.

We are adding articles on

• fireplaces
• double glazing
• insulation
• snow clearance

These will be online in the next week.