For a long time they’ve been one of those things that would be available sometime in the future. Well they’re available now in an Australian company Phase Change Energy Solutions.
The product – BioPCM appears to be coming out of the US by a company of the same name (more details on their US website).
When it’s hotter inside your home than it is outside (for example summer evenings) simply pumping the cooler air into your home represents a much more energy efficient option than air conditioning.
A range of insulating paints and additives are on the market providing an additional opportunity to insulate your home. Insulating paints can be applied to ceilings and walls where insulation is required. Insulating paints are also available for external applications to roofs to reduce heat entering the home during summer.
Water saving shower heads have historically provided a far less comfortable shower than high flow shower heads. New technology has vastly improved the experience and in some cases present negligible differences.
If you’re not the DIY type but still want to do a sustainable renovation finding a green designer, architect and/or builder is a crucial first step.
The list is limited to organisations whose sole focus is working only on sustainable projects.
Your floor is typically responsible for 10-20% of heat loss in your home.
Options for insulating it include:
A significant amount of heat can build up in your roof cavity, reducing the temperature in this space reduces the load on your roof insulation and hence helps keep your home cooler.
Windows are both a major source of heat loss and heat gain in any home.
Options for reducing unwanted heat loss or gain through your windows:
Wall insulation is required in news homes but is rarely found in older homes. Brick cavity and brick veneer walls offer only relatively low levels of insulation from the external environment.
Roof insulation is readily available via a large number of vendors in Australia.
When installing roof insulation consider:
