05 Dec 2025
By Carl Dodd

Electric cars are going the distance

2025, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, biodiversity, Carl Dodd, circular economy, decarbonisation, diesel, ecosystem, electric vehicle, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, EV, EVs, green sector, heat pumps, housing, hybrid heat pumps, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, motorhomes, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, petrol, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, transport, van life
Sustainable technology is leading the way There's a new spark of good news in the world of sustainable technology - and this time, it's about how long our vehicles are lasting. A recent study published in Nature Energy has found that electric vehicles (EVs) nearly match petrol cars in lifespan and comfortably outlive their diesel counterparts. On average, electric cars now last 18.4 years, compared to 18.7 years for petrol models and 16.8 years for diesels. For years, one of the quiet reservations surrounding EVs has been longevity - particularly the durability of their batteries. Would electric cars stand the test of time, or would early adopters…
Read More
07 Nov 2025
By Carl Dodd

How on-demand transport will support an ageing UK population

15-minute cities, 2025, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, banger economics, bangernomics, bangers, Carl Dodd, damp, draught-proofing, electric bike, electric vehicle, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, EV, EVs, floor insulation, housing, lifestyle transformation, loft insulation, low impact, low carbon living, mould, Net Zero Carbon, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sustainable living, tenants, tiny homes, transport, ventilation
Designing cities for the future: the changing cost of independence The way we move around our towns and cities is going to change dramatically over the next 20-25 years. Ageing populations, technology shifts, climate pressures and rising costs will reshape not only how we travel, but how our neighbourhoods function. For millions of people, mobility is more than a practical question - it is the foundation of independence, dignity and community life. For years, the sustainability debate has been dominated by discussions about vehicles: EVs, emissions standards, charging infrastructure, and the decline of the combustion engine. Yet the real transformation…
Read More
17 Oct 2025
By Carl Dodd

Retrofit and decarbonisation: it’s time to rethink the route to scale

affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), biodiversity, carbon sequestration, Carl Dodd, circular economy, decarbonisation, ecosystem, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, green sector, heat pumps, housing, hybrid heat pumps, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, mindfulness, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, rewilding, shading, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, ventilation, water neutrality, weatherproof
Retrofit with purpose: rethinking decarbonisation and design Across the UK, the call for mass retrofit grows louder by the month. Buildings account for around 40 per cent of our carbon emissions, and if we are serious about meeting net zero targets, large-scale retrofit is non-negotiable. Yet despite the ambition, the path we are currently paving could make true scale impossible. From May 29, 2025, new rules in England require all new Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) installations to comply with the MCS 020a standard, but the new rules will not come into effect until May 29, 2026. From this date, all air source…
Read More
05 Sep 2025
By Carl Dodd

Richest look set to produce 13x more transport emissions by 2035

15-minute cities, 2025, air pollution, air quality, bangernomics, Carl Dodd, decarbonisation, electric vehicle, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, EV, EVs, housing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, motorhomes, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, petrol, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sustainable living, transport, van life
Photo Credit: Kyle Bushnell Calls for policies that tackle flying and private car use Transport emissions in the UK are not just an environmental issue - they are a question of fairness. A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals a stark inequality: by 2035, under current government policies, the richest Britons will be producing 13 times more domestic transport emissions than the poorest. And, when international travel is included, the gap grows to 22 times. This isn't simply about carbon footprint - it's about who can access the benefits of mobility, and who bears the…
Read More
01 Aug 2025
By Carl Dodd

The rise of van life

banger economics, bangernomics, bangers, biodiversity, campervans, Carl Dodd, decarbonisation, electric vehicle, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, EV, EVs, forest bathing, housing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, motorhomes, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, petrol, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tiny homes, tiny houses, van life, wind power, wind turbine
500,000 - and rising... Did you know that over half a million people in the UK live in either vans or campervans? And, it's a rising trend: there are over 16,000 motorhomes registered each year. To understand why they have chosen such a nomadic lifestyle, we thought we'd take a deep dive into what life is like when the holiday never ends. The promise of an easier, trouble-free life? Is it perhaps the allure of a 'freer' life, the call of spontaneous adventure, or the embrace of a minimalist lifestyle that has propelled van life into a prominent cultural phenomenon? Whatever…
Read More
04 Jul 2025
By Carl Dodd

On the brink: why climate resilience can’t wait

2025, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, Carl Dodd, climate resilience, climate whips, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, Droughts, ecosystem, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, Floods, green sector, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, hydroelectricity, KLB – Scottish NZC, lifestyle transformation, London Climate Resilience Review, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, rewilding, shading, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, Urban Heat Island, ventilation, weatherproof, wind power, wind turbine
The UK's weather is no longer just 'unpredictable' The UK's relationship with weather has long been one of mild fascination, but the days of gentle unpredictability are fading fast. We are now firmly in the age of climate disruption - and it's getting worse. From overheating cities to flash floods, droughts, wildfires, and infrastructure failures, the UK is no longer insulated from extreme weather. These events aren't 'one-off's' either - they're part of a volatile new normal. What we are seeing are climate 'whips' (hydroclimate whiplash) - sudden swings between extremes, such as torrential downpours following long dry spells, or…
Read More
20 Jun 2025
By Carl Dodd

Bangernomics: putting the older car economy in the driving seat

2025, banger economics, bangernomics, bangers, Carl Dodd, diesel, electric bike, electric vehicle, emissions, energy sufficiency, Environment, EV, EVs, green sector, hydroelectricity, KLB – Scottish NZC, lifestyle transformation, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, petrol, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, reduce carbon footprint, sustainability, sustainable living
Become part of the practical transport philosophy 'Bangernomics' - the art of running inexpensive older cars, is for some a lifestyle decision that balances cost, practicality and even nostalgia. For others, it's simply the most viable financial option. The term, coined in the early 1990s by motoring journalist James Ruppert, reflects a growing counterculture within the automotive world. A key criticism of Bangernomics is the carbon cost of running older petrol or diesel cars. While EVs are designed with emissions standards and tech that reduce pollution, older vehicles may have failing or outdated systems. Pre-2001 cars, in particular, can struggle…
Read More
02 May 2025
By Carl Dodd

Greenwashing gets costly: why UK regulators are cracking down

Carl Dodd, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, food, green sector, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, mindfulness, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, recycling, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sustainability, sustainable living, up-cycling, waste less food
What is greenwashing? This is a personal bug-bear of mine, as PRL prides itself on zero tolerance of companies that greenwash. We are living in an era where sustainability has become central to consumer choice, corporate strategy, and public trust. In the midst of this, a dangerous trend has flourished in the shadows: greenwashing. It's the practice of exaggerating or fabricating a company's environmental credentials, and until now, firms have largely got away with it - facing minor penalties or none at all. I am very glad to say that is going to end. UK regulators have begun to gain…
Read More
17 Apr 2025
By Carl Dodd

Finland ahead of schedule on coal phase out

affordable warmth, air pollution, Carl Dodd, ecosystem, electric vehicle, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, EV, green sector, heat pumps, hydroelectricity, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, solar array, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, wind power, wind turbine
Finnish company P2X Solutions' commercial green hydrogen production at its facility  'Green power' in Finland has more than doubled since 2020 The recent closure of a coal power plant in Finland brought the country to the brink of a full coal phase-out - four years ahead of schedule. Power utility company Helen officially decommissioned its Salmisaari plant in Helsinki on April 1st, dropping coal to a less than 1 per cent share of the country's energy mix. Alongside reducing emissions and increasing energy independence, it says the switch is also helping it to cut customers' electricity bills. "We have been…
Read More
21 Mar 2025
By Carl Dodd

£180m solar investment for school and hospitals

2025, affordable warmth, Carl Dodd, circular economy, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, hospitals, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., recycling, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, schools, solar array, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living
Massive solar investment Hundreds of schools and hospitals across the UK are set to receive £180 million for solar panels from the government's new state-owned energy company. The first major investment from Great British Energy was recently announced as part of government efforts to reduce the country's planet-warming emissions. The move was welcomed by the school leader's union and NHS providers who said it would also help to manage the "enormous financial pressure" of energy bills. The government also hopes that the project, to provide solar panels for 200 schools and 200 hospitals, will reduce the use of fossil fuels…
Read More