Author Archives: Julia Hayes

Feed In Tariff WA

What does the future hold for feed in tariffs in WA? The Sustainable Energy Association of Australia has summarised the outcomes of a recent forum. Please click on the image to download the full report and feedback from participants.

Forum report Aug 2011

Ceasing the Feed in Tariff WA Will Negatively Impact the Entire Solar Industry

Amongst the key industry messages from the forum is the warning the cessation of the feed in Tariff WA will impact the solar PV industry negatively. The affected industries will be not only the wholesale, retail and installation companies but those supplying and servicing each of these sectors. When policy changes without well co-ordinated transition from one system to the next, entire industries can collapse. In NSW some companies have lost 75% o their staff and job losses in the sector are estimated to be over 3,700 people.

Resetting the Level of Feed In Tariff

The forum discussed setting a fair price and was clear that a level of $0.07 would be seen to benefit Synergy and unfairly impact the consumer. What is a fair margin on the price of energy? Back in 2007 APVA suggested a fair price to be between $0.13 and $0.16 per kWh for exported energy. Four years later a fair price for feed in tariff WA should be higher.

Investments Need Clear Policy Directives

Setting different rates for exported energy according to when an installation was made, is seen as unsatisfactory and inequitable to the consumer. To avoid boom and bust cycles the solar industry needs a degree of certainty in policy direction from government. This has not been the case with the policy decisions regarding feed in tariff WA.

Action to Review the Ceasing of Feed In Tariff WA

Calls to action include an industry and consumer petition for a committee enquiry into renewable energy and feed in tariff WA. The Association would welcome a meeting with state governent officials to present the view of the solar industry and offer solutions. In all an improved mechanism is called for and a demand that the voice of the consumer be heard on this matter.

The industry is seeking an extension to the feed in tariff WA cap until a longer-term solution can be achieved.

See the full report Feed In Tariff WA and review articles on related topics; solar industry budget cuts, solar energy rebates australia, carbon tax and passive solar homes.

Green Home Plans

If you are planning an environmentally-friendly new building, or are looking to add renewable energy technology to an existing property, you are not alone. In recent times, the importance of designing in accordance with green home plans has really gained popularity. It is important to start by getting the orientation of the building right. This varies from location to location, so to understand the the sun’s angles and the climatic region of your planned location, it is important to have scientifically correct data on which to base your decisions.

Climatic Regions Map

Changing Traditional Building Methods

People are beginning to understand the damage caused to the environment by traditional building methods and they are actively looking for green architects to undertake their new buildings, extensions or upgrades to existing homes. For details on architects and building methods please view our other articles under the Consumers Section of this website.

Using Renewable Energy

Millions of homes and businesses across the world are using renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind power, to harness the planet’s natural resources and reduce our dependence on expensive and depleting fossil fuels.

Buying Green Building Products

Many people now view the purchase of green building products as a long-term investment, reducing the running costs of a property, while also helping to reduce their carbon footprint. Green building supply companies are booming and an increasing number of energy efficient devices are becoming available on the market.

Whether you are adopting green home plans for an entire property, an extension, a greenhouse, garage or planning to retro-fit an existing building, there is a wide choice of building products available to help you complete your project. Read the article on ‘green building products’ on this website.

Choosing Green Building Materials

If you have specific green home plans prepared already you will now be able to find a wide range of construction materials to choose between for the best environmental results. However, a little preparation will be required to ensure that any green home plans are executed for the best results in energy efficiency, climate control and comfort.

Green Home Plans Data Sheets

While shopping shopping for eco-friendly building materials, it’s important to consider the many natural materials available, including but not limited to earth, wood, straw, bamboo or stone. The choice is now vast – new environmentally sensitive products are being developed for the market continually, in a bid to satisfy the demand from green building projects. Our expert green building design guide “Low Energy Buildings in Australia” is now available in the solar-e.com shop. We recommend you research the information in this guide to help you select the orientation of your building, the placement of windows, your choice of building materials and their contribution to a successful low-energy building design.

Adopting Sustainable Architecture

Ideally, you will need to find a balance between practicality and great aesthetics. Green building incorporates many different elements and should always embody a high level of sustainable architecture. Many people use the services of a specially trained environmental architect to help them plan and design their projects and turn their green home plans into viable and sustainable options.

Obtaining The Stamp of Approval

Your architect can also advise you on ways to obtain green building certification on your property, which can be extremely beneficial when it comes to selling your home.

Considering The Cost

When you are working with your architect or designer on your green home plans it’s vital to consider your ongoing requirements, before commencing with any building work. This will ensure that you get the best possible results to suit your lifestyle and needs.

Carefully reviewing the number of rooms you think you need may lead to a guest bedroom doubling as a multi-purpose room. Reducing the number of rooms or their dimensions will reduce building costs and ongoing energy consumption.

Searching For Help

There is now a vast range of websites available to help you get any green projects off the ground. Using the internet, searching websites and special interest forums will uncover tips and ideas for the implementation of new technologies in a practical and cost-effective way. Use the ‘search’ button on this site for a subject you wish to read in more detail or contact us with your questions.

As increasing numbers of people look towards the use of renewable energy sources as a way to make a positive contribution to the planet, there will be increased demand for specific green home plans and architects and designers will add energy efficient design training to their skills.

Perhaps now is the right time to research your options, get your green home plans underway and look forward to a brighter future. Please contact us if we can assist you with any specific queries on designing a passive solar or low energy building.

Green Building Products

Green Building Supply

There’s no doubt that the sun is very powerful indeed – we’ve been using it for the drying of clothes and cooking of food for years. However, in recent years, new technology has allowed us to really harness the power of the sun and use it for the generation of domestic and non-domestic power. Although the sun is around 150 million kilometres away from the earth and just a small fraction of its energy actually reaches the earth, this amount alone is enough to meet all of the world’s power needs many times over.

Rebates and Government Grants

To encourage the use of solar power, there are a variety of government grants available, depending on your country of residence, to help you install solar power systems. Solar panels are not difficult to maintain and with the correct care, can last you a lifetime. Following the initial installation phase, you may look forward to receiving a healthy reduction in your energy costs in the years to come. Photovoltaic panels are usually installed to supply energy back to your local grid system. The energy you use during the hours of sunlight is deducted from that which you produce and the surplus fed into the grid and credited to your account.

Range of Green Building Products

Grey Water Filter

The range of products now readily available in the market has grown tremendously in recent years but it will require a little extra research to find those that suit your project. A typical shopping list of green building products will include:

solar panels or components
photovoltaic panels
sun control shade systems
non-toxic building materials
smart-power meters
cabinet coatings and laminates without formaldehydes
low energy light fittings,
laundry and grey water recycling system
low odour eco-friendly oils and paints
eco-friendly termite control
rainwater tanks

Rain Water Tank

Green architects specialising in energy efficient building design or simply offering green home plans, should be able to provide you with a list of green building supply companies offering a range of products suitable for installation into their building design. There are many websites offering green building products to cater for your needs.

Switch to Renewable Energy and Save Money

Across the globe, millions of homes and businesses are making plans to switch to renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and solar hot water systems. In doing so, they can harness the planet’s natural resources, reduce their dependence on expensive and depleting fossil fuels and save on running costs for their homes and businesses. In particular, solar energy is becoming a very popular option for the powering of homes and wind power is gaining in popularity for commercial or remote area sites where the wind is strong.

To meet this significant increase in worldwide demand, green building supply companies are proliferating – resulting in a larger selection of green building products, sustainable materials and environmentally friendly options. The majority of manufacturers or agents selling these products will be able to advise you on the best choice for your project, according to your budget and preferences. Your architect should also be able to advise you about green building certification once you have completed your building project.

Eco-Development Website

Eco-compound Using Green Building Products

If you are looking for a green building supply company – take a look online, visit the many websites available and compare the choices, the range, guarantees offered and prices. Refer to this eco-development website for a suggested list of suppliers and products used in an award-winning eco-compound created for two families in Western Australia.

Ask For Recommendations

Ask for referrals: if you know someone who has recently undertaken a successful green project, for example installing photovoltaic panels or a solar hot water system, ask them who they used. With a little research, you could soon be on your way to reducing your carbon footprint and making a real difference to our planet by joining the worldwide trend to using green building supply products. In addition to restricting use of toxic substances indoors, with attention to your outdoor landscape you can create a healthy eco-system for birds and frogs.

Image Green Building Products Eco System

Healthy Eco-System

For more information on energy efficient architecture and how to build a green building, check out the green home building books and dvds available in the solar-e shop.
The more you know about the principles of low energy building design, the more appreciative you will be of the design process. We highly recommend the user-friendly green building design guide “Low Energy Buildings in Australia”.

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Green Architects

As we all become more aware of green issues and the impact that that our lifestyles and consumption patterns have on our environment, many people are examining their living patterns and the way their homes are constructed, in order to reduce their energy demands.

Green Architects Professional Training

As this interest has increased, the architectural profession has responded with specific environmental architecture training courses to enhance the skills of those interested in becoming green architects.

Natural Comfort

When new buildings are designed by experienced green architects, using the latest energy-efficient principles, owners enjoy reduced energy consumption and a more naturally comfortable environment. Owners of non-energy efficient buildings may ‘retro-fit’ their existing buildings to reduce energy loads and achieve greater comfort.

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