Independent Consultants?

GerryM

I wonder if anyone knows whether such people exist in the market here as a genuine, expert independent consultant/advisor who could give me chapter and verse of what I need to turn my horrendously energy inefficient house into a green, less oil dependent, environmentally responsible one?

I rang a couple of suppliers of solar panels, wood burners etc who offer an 'audit' but I have grave suspicions that the result will simply be that I should buy their products! It would never be in the interests of, say, a solar panel company to tell me that what I really need is a domestic wind turbine that I should buy from someone else, or that what I really need is an evacuation tube solar panel as supplied by their competitors!

Given that there seems to be some wild overcharging going on in the renewables solutions sector (I was quite shocked by what I read here http://wood-pellet-ireland.blogspot.com/ ) I'd also like someone who not only knows all the products and suppliers but how to get them at the best price. Someone who could perhaps tell me also that I'm using the wrong kinds of bulbs, or that I need different insulation...maybe who understands about these lights that go off automatically after a time and come on when you move!!

In short a real expert in energy efficiency who takes perhaps a few hundred quid for his/her services and has no vested interest in selling you any particular supplier's product, and that few hundred quid will save me thousands in buying the wrong stuff from the wrong people.

Are there such people and where would I look to find them?

Thanks

Gerry

Do-more

Gerry - There's an old saying that "there's no such thing as free advice" if your not paying, then someone else is...

Even if you are paying someone for advice, how can you know they are not getting kickbacks from those they recommend?

You could make some enquries with www.energyaction.ie also there are a number of "Energy Centres" around the country which are (part) funded by local Government, I know of one in Meath and one in Galway. I have never used the services of any of the above, but I have come across a couple of people who spoke highly of the guy that runs the Galway Energy Centre. I imagine these are your best bet for "independant" advice.

Good luck and do post and let us know how you get on!

GerryM

Thanks Do-more,

Of course I wasn't expecting anything for nothing and would expect to pay an adviser/consultant. I took a look at the energyaction.ie site but it seems to be a charity for the elderly and needy addressing the problems of fuel poverty etc....I don't think I'd like to bother them.

I bought a new house a few months ago which had been built without much regard for eco or energy efficiency concerns (eg every time you flick a switch at least half a dozen halogen bulbs come on and it's like that in every room...turn on a tap for five seconds and an electric pump comes on for five minutes...crazy gas bills for water and heating...cat passes within a hundred yards and four powerful lights come on all around the outside! I could go on. I know I can just knock some of these things off of course...but I mention them just as illustrations that the whole set-up is inefficient, un-green and costly.

So I was hoping that there might be some people in business as green/efficiency advisers who'd audit the set-up and steer me wisely. If there aren't, it seems to me that there must be a business opp. for those appropriately qualified....there must be a lot of people like me who are being driven by a combination of social concern for our environment as well as a personal concern about spiralling energy costs to consider solar panels, pellet burners, wind turbines, motion sensor lighting, insulation etc etc but don't want to have to research all of these options from scratch and figure out what combinations would work best for themselves.

People like me google 'solar panels' only to be confused by the range of different types that are out there...we find blogs telling us that pellet burners offered by Irish suppliers can be up to several thousand euro more than you'd pay for the same one in the UK and that suppliers are exploiting the existence of the grants to facilitate profiteering. We ring a company and they only want to talk about whatever they happen to sell.....and so on, so you can see where an energy doctor who can expertly diagnose the problems and prescribe the cures from his comprehensive, expert knowledge of the available solutions on the market would come in handy!

Gerry

GG66

Not sure where you're based but:

Peter Schneider
Toberscarden, Co Sligo
Tel: 071 91 85595

Can't vouch for him personally, but from what I know he concentrates on consullting and training on installation. He may help source products too. Worth checking.

GerryM

Many thanks GG - I'll give him a call. I'm in Dublin, but maybe he works beyond his local area.

Thanks

Gerry

shakeydude

Hi gerry,

I was at a talk on how they implement the EPBD in Denmark, the energy rating of buildings that will be coming into Ireland soon. Basically they rate how efficient your house is that will be used if you are selling or renting. The SEI are to train suitable people, I am an engineer and hope to qualify, so soon I would imagine there will be a lot of qualified people.

Also, as part of the service in Denmark the house owner will also be told of measures that can improve the efficiency of the house. Look at the SEI website for EPBD and you should get the info.

GerryM

Thanks for that SD - I'll check it out.

Gerry

rooferPete

Hi GerryM,

This event may be of interest to you,

Regards,

Peter.


Energy Proofing Your Home
Cultivate Green Building Forum with Duncan Stewart
In Association With EASCA

Saturday October 7th 10am - 5pm
Cultivate Centre, Temple Bar, Dublin
Duncan Stewart, the award-winning architect and well-known TV presenter,
will host this timely and thought provoking forum exploring how we can save
energy and money by making our homes more energy efficient . Duncan will
lead a public conversation with experts in the fields of green building,
insulation options, ecological design and renewable energy systems. This
event will help you make the right choices by demystifying all aspects of
sustainable construction and renovation.
In the context of rising energy prices and climate change, we will explore:
· Home insulation options
· Demystifying U-values
· Wind and air tightness
· The hidden energy in building materials
· Design and installation of renewable energy systems
· Heating systems
· Energy use in the home
· Grants
This event will feature a product and service exhibition and a marketplace
to help the public find the right design professionals and builders.

t: +353 (0) 1 6746396
m: +353 (0) 87 6340697
w: http://www.sustainable.ie

Boggle

Well gerry,

pm me an I'll pass you a number you can call me on. I work for a (no-bull) renewable company so I know the real story about what's available and what's worthwhile.

Its worth a chat anyway... If I can help, great. If not its just a wasted phone call.

Good luck...

ardara1

Hia Gerry - Unbiased advice is hard to come by -
Go to www.est.org.uk (Energy Saving Trust)for best advice on renewables and building energy efficient homes. SEI material is mostly out of date.
New DEAP regs in ireland based on SAP 2005 UK - Download Low or Zero Carbon Energy Sources - a strategic guide form the ODPM in UK - you'll get accurate information on benefits (or not )form renewables, figures used then in SAP (Or DEAP)

WOWFACTOR

Most of this type of information is availabe at www.wowenergy.ie

jones085

Speak to justin conway at igloo energy. Indipendant consultant thats not as expensive as name might suggest.

Have used him on number of occassions. Very good.

Regards

kerrymaninld

Your nearest energy agency should provide with all the free info and advice you need, thats what they are for, and you tax dollars are paying for them to be there!


There are energy agencies in many counties (or spread across a couple of counties...)


Look at www.aiea.ie to get a full list of them.

Good luck