13 Sep 2024
By Carl Dodd

August was the UK’s greenest ever month

Carl Dodd, ecosystem, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Heatwave, hydroelectricity, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, solar array, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, wind power, wind turbine
August 2024: a record-breaking month The UK's electricity grid had its greenest ever month in August, when the amount of power generated by fossil fuels fell to a record low. Data shows that both wind and solar produced more electricity than gas throughout the month. The amount of power generated by fossil fuels dropped to 3.6 terawatt-hours (TWh). By comparison, even in lockdown, it never fell below 4TWh. The figures come as the UK's last coal-fired power plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar prepares to close on September 30th, marking the end of coal-fired power in the UK. At its peak, coal provided more than…
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19 Jul 2024
By Carl Dodd

How to keep your home and garden cool during a heatwave

air pollution, air quality, bees, biodiversity, Carl Dodd, ecosystem, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, forest bathing, heat pumps, Heatwave, houseplants, housing, humidity, KLB – Scottish NZC, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Nature, one planet living, organic, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, rewilding, Shinrin-yoku, solar array, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, ventilation, wind power
The retrofit approach As climate change drives increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves across the UK, keeping our homes cool has become a growing concern. However, the traditional approach of using air conditioning and relying on artificial cooling methods is not only energy-intensive but also environmentally unsustainable. As we are all committed to reducing our carbon footprint and living in harmony with nature, it's good to know that there are greener, more ecological ways to keep our homes cool during a heatwave. In this Blog, I explore the sustainable strategies that focus on making your home and garden work with nature…
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19 Apr 2024
By Carl Dodd

Protecting your home: weatherproofing tips for all eventualities

affordable warmth, Carl Dodd, damp, draught-proofing, Droughts, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Floods, floor insulation, furniture, Heatwave, housing, humidity, loft insulation, mould, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, sustainability, sustainable living, weatherproof
Our unpredictable weather With the UK's weather continuing to shift from being intensely cold to predicted April/May heatwaves (with talk of snow flurries in between) we thought that now would be a good time to post some tips that could help you to protect your home... whatever the weather. Preparing for cold weather Proper insulation is key to keeping your home warm and energy-efficient during the cold weather. Whilst the autumn-winter season is ordinarily the perfect time of the year to take care of these fixes, it's never too late - or too early - to put things in place.…
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03 Oct 2023
By Carl Dodd

It’s never too early to winter-proof your home

Carl Dodd, Droughts, energy efficiency, Floods, furniture, Heatwave, housing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., recycling, reduce carbon footprint, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants
  The perfect time of the year to plan ahead There are better ways to keep warm than simply turning up the heating. This is PRLs guide to making your home more energy-efficient. Even though we are about to enter another heatwave (in October!) there has never been a better time to make positive, winter-proofing changes. Draughts You need to find out where heat escapes from - and cold air enters. Places that may let in draughts include windows, doors, floorboards, chimneys and loft hatches. Hold a candle near windows, doors and other areas to see if the flame dances…
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09 Jun 2023
By Carl Dodd

The importance of energy sufficiency in achieving a sustainable future

Carl Dodd, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Heatwave, housing, hydroelectricity, KLB – Scottish NZC, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, wind power, wind turbine
An introduction to energy sufficiency The term "energy sufficiency" refers to the societal need for access to enough energy resources that don't cause environmental damage. In order to achieve a sustainable future, it is important to become energy efficient and use renewable resources. Many individuals and businesses are now beginning to understand the importance of energy sufficiency in order to achieve sustainability. Achieving energy sufficiency will require a major shift in how we produce and use energy. It is essential that we move away from our dependency on fossil fuels and towards using renewable energy sources that are environmentally friendly.…
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24 May 2023
By Carl Dodd

One Planet Living: How to tread lightly on the Earth

Carl Dodd, circular economy, Heatwave, hydroelectricity, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., recycling, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, wind power, wind turbine
Just how low can you go? How can you have a low impact, low carbon lifestyle, without sacrificing comfort or principles? You can make a start by using the WWF Carbon Footprint Calculator.  WWF: "Our world is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it…" We all know that we need to take steps towards a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle, but how do we go about this? One answer is 'treading lightly', an increasingly popular philosophy for reducing our carbon footprint and…
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02 Oct 2022
By Carl Dodd

The Retrofit solution to climate change

Carl Dodd, Droughts, Floods, Heatwave, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., Retrofit PRL
From record-breaking heatwaves... to biblical flooding The effects of Climate Change are definitely being felt around the world. Think about the floods of biblical proportions, and the annual forest fires that can't be controlled. Each record being broken is a step closer to an environmental collapse. Do you think that 2050 is too distant to care about? It's not, but you would not think that if you listened to the world leaders. Their soundbites are constructed to relay a very optimistic message: '...there is no climate emergency'. The analogy of the Boiling Frog springs to mind here. If searingly hot,…
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