Sussex-based Vent-Axia Wins Industry Award for Energy Efficient Heat Recovery

Sussex-based Vent-Axia, a leader in low carbon technology, is celebrating winning the Air Movement Product of Year category in this year’s prestigious H&V News Awards. Scooping the industry award for its revolutionary Lo-Carbon Tempra, the company received the accolade at an awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. Attended by over 1,000 influential heating and ventilation specialists from across the whole supply chain the event was hosted by TV stand-up comedian and writer Simon Evans.

The H&V News Awards recognises and rewards the achievements of the UK’s diverse heating and ventilating sector with the winners selected by an expert panel of judges. After a rigorous judging process, Vent-Axia won the award for Air Movement Product of the Year for its pioneering Lo-Carbon Tempra single room heat recovery unit which offers the benefits of both continuous ventilation and heat recovery.

Part of the company’s innovative Lo-Carbon™ initiative, Vent-Axia’s revolutionary Lo-Carbon Tempra is the UK’s first single room heat recovery unit which can be simply retrofitted through a 100mm diameter hole in the wall. This allows standard traditional inefficient extract fans to be easily replaced with this discreet, low energy, continuously running alternative that also offers affordable heat recovery.

Lee Nurse, Marketing Director at Vent-Axia, commented: “We are very proud to have been acknowledged for our pioneering Lo-Carbon Tempra. Britain has the oldest housing stock in the developed World with 8.5 million properties over 60 years old therefore offering significant opportunities to improve indoor air quality and building performance while cutting carbon emissions. Single room heat recovery makes heat recovery more accessible and affordable for existing homes and so offers huge potential carbon reductions.”

Providing up to 80% heat recovery, the Tempra is the only unit of its type which can be retrofitted through a 100mm diameter hole in the wall. This enables standard bathroom, kitchen, toilet or utility room fans to be easily changed for a Tempra without the need to make the hole any larger, saving substantially on installation time and cost.

Central to the Tempra’s compact footprint required to fit in a 100mm diameter hole is its double wheel motorised impellers. The innovative technology allows for just one motor to be used with an extended shaft to drive two impellers to achieve double flow requirements, resulting in a very energy efficient solution. The unit’s performance, taken together with Tempra’s integral Lo-Carbon™ DC motor, brings significant energy savings and will help reduce a home’s carbon footprint.

Discreet and quiet in operation, Tempra can be set to run continuously at 6 l/s or 9 l/s, boosting up to 13 l/s if required. For intermittent extract applications, the unit can be set to operate at 15 l/s. It also incorporates a manual summer setting to ensure that when it is warm outside, it operates on extract only. This eliminates the risk of the home overheating in hot summer weather.

The Tempra is part of Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon™ collection. The aim of the Lo-Carbon initiative is to offer the latest low carbon ventilation technology in order to reduce building energy consumption and so carbon emissions. For further information on all products and services offered by Vent-Axia telephone 0844 856 0590.

Fossil fuel subsidies triple – driven largely by rising energy prices

The mind boggles…. Global Trends latest industry brief analyses the trends driving change in the energy sector, considers the facts and asks the tough questions about the future.

Every day, New York City consumes the same amount of electricity as all sub-Saharan African nations combined, excluding South Africa. Royal Dutch Shell’s 2011 revenues exceed the GDPs of Austria, Argentina and South Africa while ExxonMobil’s exceed the GDPs of Thailand and Denmark. {{Worldwide fossil fuel subsidies almost tripled in 2010 -- up US$409 billion in 2010 from US$110 billion in 2009}}, driven higher by rising energy prices. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts total world consumption of energy will increase by a staggering 53% from 2008 to 2035.

Tracey Keys, Director, Global Trends said, “Meeting future energy and electricity challenges requires a radical rethink of how we produce energy, from what feedstock, how the power grid is organized and managed, where investments are made – geographically and in terms a mix of traditional and renewable sources. It’s a complex landscape that requires long-term planning and a global overview.”

Designed to help industry leaders prepare for the future, Global Trends’ latest brief analyses the trends driving change in the energy sector and surveys the geopolitical landscape. Exploring how these trends are reshaping the energy market landscape – and outlining how these require industry, governments and end users adapt to and adopt new business models and technologies. Spotlights include:

• How a growing population and increasingly affordable energy-using devices for the world’s emerging middle class is driving demand.
• How distributed energy and other innovations impact the way we produce and gain access to energy – energy that is increasingly cleaner and more sustainable.
• How growing environmental concerns are driving the energy industry and changing consumer behavior.
• How the world’s governments could redefine the future of energy and power politics.

Released today, Global Trends energy industry brief surveys an increasingly complex and competitive landscape and identifies the players and their roles – all within the context of the trends impacting the industry globally.

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Green, green vac of home. British-designed Vax cardboard vacuum cleaner up for top award

A British-designed cardboard vacuum cleaner, produced by Vax, the UK’s best-selling floor care brand, has reached the final cut of the 2012 International Design Excellence Awards.

Built from cardboard and other sustainable materials, the Vax ev ’eco vac’ is designed to reduce the burden on landfill. After winning a number of design awards in the UK, the ev is now set to take the US by storm as a finalist at the prestigious IDEA awards, hosted by the International Design Society of America. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Boston on 18th August.

The ev is the brainchild of Jake Tyler, an upcoming young British designer, who developed the vacuum cleaner while studying Industrial Design at Loughborough University. After working at Vax’s design labs in Worcestershire on a year’s placement, Jake collaborated with the company for his final year project, which focused on reducing waste by making vacuum cleaners more sustainable. Since graduating with a first class honours degree in 2011, he has joined the team at Vax as a full time engineer.

“Every year around 100 million tonnes of waste is put into landfill in the UK and we’re running out of space to put it all. So we need to find new ways to make the consumer goods we need, without creating so much waste, ” said Jake.

“The Vax ev is a fully functioning, high powered vacuum cleaner but, as it’s made from recycled and recyclable materials, it’s totally sustainable too.”

Using corrugated cardboard means nothing is wasted, as the Vax ev’s flame-retardant panels start their life as part of the retail box it’s sold in. They just ‘pop’ into place around the motor housing, without any need for glue. The panels cost just a tenth of the price of plastic and can easily be replaced if they get damaged. They can also be customised using nothing more than a pack of felt-tip pens.

The Vax ev is currently a fully functioning prototype. Vax is now exploring a limited production run in Europe and investing further R&D in sustainable product technologies. For more information visit www.cardboardvax.com

Being Green Shouldn't Mean Higher Electricity Costs Says Green Energy UK

During recent discussions at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Meeting in London, David Cameron commented that green energy will be ‘cheap within years’. However, despite misconceptions green energy needn’t cost more than a regular tariff says one of the UK’s leading green energy suppliers Green Energy UK.

Despite the continued research and development surrounding the industry, the cost of renewable and green energy is continually competitive with traditional ‘brown’ tariffs, with some suppliers able to deliver eco-friendly energy at the same price as customers’ regional electricity companies.

Doug Stewart, CEO of Green Energy UK commented; “Today’s speech from David Cameron stating that green energy will be ‘cheap within years’ casts an unfair aspersion that green and renewable energy is expensive in the UK. There is a general misconception that green energy means expensive energy, however, that doesn’t always have to be the case. Becoming ‘green’ does not need to mean you have to construct a wind farm in your garden, instead it may just mean opting for a renewable tariff from a green energy supplier.

With a number of smaller energy suppliers breaking into the market, the utilities industry is becoming more competitive. Smaller suppliers are able to offer value for money due to lower overheads and are still able to offer the advantages of UK-based customer support.

“At Green Energy UK we want truly clean power sourcing to become mainstream, enabling us to distance ourselves from overseas production and utilise home-grown energy.

Green Energy UK is one of the country’s leading green energy suppliers. Certified as environmentally friendly, Green Energy UK only buy green electricity from Ofgem approved green and renewable suppliers. For more information about Green Energy UK visit www.greenenergyuk.com or call 0800 783 8851.

Opus Energy says smart meters are the big industry innovation

Opus Energy | smart meters

New research from independent UK business-to-business energy supplier, Opus Energy, suggests that UK SMEs are turned on to the benefits of having smart meters installed in their premises, supporting the company’s ambitious target to install 40,000 smart meters at customer sites by the end of this year.

15% of the SME business leaders polled said they currently had a smart meter installed, compared to 25% (16,000) of Opus Energy’s existing SME customer base that are already operating on smart meter technology.

Of the panel of 500 leaders questioned by Opus Energy, many saw the benefits related to having a device installed:
• 38% thought the main benefit of installing a smart meter was that it provided real time visibility of their business’ energy consumption;
• 36% saw the main benefit as accuracy of meter readings and bills; and
• 31% believed smart meters encourage business owners to think more about energy saving.

Charlie Crossley Cooke, Managing Director, Opus Energy, commented on the findings: “Smart meters are the big industry innovation for the next decade. Customers with smart meters are five times less likely to have a complaint as a result of bill transparency. This means that we can reduce our service delivery costs, in turn enabling us to continue to offer competitive prices to our customers.”

TriRunning, a Northampton-based sport and athletics shop, was a start-up business when it signed up to Opus Energy. Gabrielle Deere, Managing Director of TriRunning, wanted to know how much TriRunning should budget for its energy consumption, and so was keen to install a smart meter. Using this data, Opus Energy will bill TriRunning for its actual energy consumption every month.

Gabrielle comments: “As a start-up business I didn’t know what to expect my energy bills to be. Everyone knows that estimates can be wildly under or over actual energy usage, so I wanted to make sure I was in control of my energy bills right from the start. But how can you get control of your energy usage if you don’t know what it is you’re controlling? That’s why I wanted to get a smart meter installed as soon as possible, so I could plan my usage. Opus Energy’s offering really suited me because they installed the smart meter for free.”

Opus Energy is ramping up its smart meter installation programme for SMEs, with the ultimate aim to install meters in all customer premises, and is offering free smart meters to existing customers who have not already converted.

Crossley Cooke concluded, “Our research also shows that more than half – 59% - of our panel of business owners are looking to their energy providers to seek information about switching to a smart meter. Due to the success of our own ongoing smart meter roll-out, we were surprised that more SMEs haven’t yet made the switch.

“It’s only when the industry can be seen to be working together to roll-out smart meters that we’ll see a more dynamic energy market offering customers the control they need over their usage and pricing.”

More information, including an FAQ and details on costs, can be found on Opus Energy's dedicated smart meter website.

RWE npower Energy Challenge won by Birmingham undergraduates

A team of undergraduates from the University of Birmingham has won the prestigious RWE npower Energy Challenge by coming up with an innovative energy solution for future generations.

RWE npower Energy Challenge is an international competition which tasks students with devising a solution to the biggest challenge facing the energy sector: "How can an energy company respond to climate change, maintain a secure supply and more importantly ensure that energy bills are affordable?"

The Birmingham-based team, calling themselves Green Grid Consultancy, won the competition for their innovative idea to use a hybrid wind and wave generator. The project involved combining two forms of generation at the same site, this could reduce operating costs, improved power output and has no carbon emissions. Each member of the winning team was awarded £1,250, and £5,000 for Birmingham University.

The RWE npower Energy Challenge has been running for five years. With hundreds of students across the UK taking part, this year the competition had an international feel with two teams from Eindhoven University in Holland making the final.

Ayekame Tseja, captain of Birmingham's Green Grid Consultancy team said: "We're thrilled to be winners of the RWE npower Energy Challenge, and that our ideas stood out against such a strong field of competitors. Taking part in a competition that's challenged us on such an important topic has been a great experience, and we're thrilled that our hard work has paid off."

The judges, comprising of senior board members from RWE npower including Volker Beckers, CEO of RWE npower were impressed with the unique nature of the team's solutions.

Volker said: "The Green Grid Consultancy presentation was excellent and stood out due to the original way the team tackled the challenge of cutting emissions, whilst ensuring clean energy provision for the future. We’d like to congratulate them on winning the competition.”

"Among the goals of the Energy Challenge is encouraging and rewarding young people studying engineering and science, and attracting new students to these important topics. We’ve been impressed with all the entries to this year's challenge, but special congratulations must go to our winners."

Recent research from the Science for Careers Expert Group report has indicated that there could be a major shortage in science-skilled workers in the UK workforce, with a shortfall of 324,000 workers with the relevant skills by 2014. npower believes competitions like the Energy Challenge can play an important role in helping science undergraduates into industrial jobs and filling this skills gap.

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Virgin Trains and Version One steam ahead with Green IT Awards success

Virgin Trains and Version One win ‘Environmental Project of the Year’ category

Virgin Trains, in partnership with document management and imaging software author, Version One, fought off stiff competition to win the ‘Environmental project of the year’ category in this year’s Green IT Awards. The award was presented during a prestigious ceremony held at London Zoo on 19 April 2012.

This is the third consecutive year that Version One’s software has been honoured at the Green IT Awards.

The Green IT Awards recognise outstanding environmental products, suppliers and projects and highlight the companies and teams that have made significant contributions to improving the IT industry’s environmental performance.

Virgin Trains and Version One won ‘Environmental project of the year’ in recognition of Virgin Trains’ document imaging project. Using Version One’s document imaging solution, DbArchive, Virgin Trains has streamlined its financial processes, considerably reducing its environmental impact. Since the implementation of DbArchive, the production of 150,000 A4 sheets of paper per annum has been eliminated, equating to approximately 600 trees. Virgin Trains has also saved 149 tonnes of CO2 by cutting the printing, photocopying and posting of financial documents.

Andy Cross, Business Support Director for Virgin Trains, says, “At Virgin Trains, we firmly believe that rail has a clear role to play in sustainable transport and we’re keen to lead the charge throughout our business operations to minimise our negative environmental impact. The use of Version One’s software supports this sustainable drive and highlights the importance of a green approach off as well as on the tracks.”

Greg Ford, Version One’s Managing Director, says, “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award in partnership with Virgin Trains. To be honoured for a third time in these highly sought-after awards demonstrates how our innovative solutions are helping organisations to significantly reduce their impact on the environment.”

Version One's portfolio of document management and imaging solutions enable the electronic creation, storage, retrieval, management, delivery and authorisation of business documents. By implementing Version One's systems, businesses significantly reduce their paper consumption, cutting costs and improving process efficiencies whilst supporting their environmental agendas.

Last week, the government announced its plans to aid the poorest of households to ensure their homes were more energy efficient. It is a well known fact that an energy efficient home can reduce energy bills and carbon footprint and this week, PVC Windows is offering homeowners advice and reasons as to why an installation could be the right choice for them.

In the average household, 25% of heat is lost through windows and doors. Installing double glazing and low emissivity glass into the home allows heat and light from the sun to flood into the home easily and prevents heat from leaving the room. Not only does this reduce heat loss but also ensures the home is relaxing and comfortable all year round.

Most double glazing windows have effective draught proofing systems which guarantee to reduce cold draught and winds. Especially useful during the winter months, homeowners across the country have seen increased energy efficiency in their homes.

PVC Windows from PVCWindowsUK.com all come from a six point high security lock, reinforced frames and toughened glass as standard. Offering high levels of security, homeowners can rest assured that their homes will be burglar proof all year round.

In terms of maintenance, PVC windows require very little. The PVC can be wiped clean with ease and can withstand the elements thus proving a popular choice in Britain. It is a common misconception that all PVC windows are bright white. Those looking for variety will find plenty of choice at PVCWindowsUK.com. In a range of styles, designs and colours, homes are instantly transformed.

As double glazing becomes increasingly popular in UK homes, PVC Windows UK steps up its commitment to bringing customers a service that is second to none. The friendly staff are always happy to help and offer homeowners help and advice on the benefits and installations of double glazing PVC windows in the UK. Fill out the quote form on the homepage today and PVCWindowsUK.com customers could save up to 75% off.

ABB makes major investment to support Imperial College’s new carbon capture teaching facility

ABB has invested close to £1 million and signed a 10-year agreement with Imperial College London to support a new carbon capture pilot plant teaching facility located at the university’s central London campus. 

Further supplemented by a series of sponsorships for Imperial’s chemical engineering undergraduates, ABB’s investment and involvement in the project signals the company’s commitment to shaping the next generation of industrial engineers.

Using a combination of ABB’s instrumentation, drives, motors and process automation equipment, the control room provides students with hands-on experience of pilot-scale industrial plant operations and is the only facility of its kind in an academic institution in the world. The pilot plant will be used in undergraduate teaching with the aim of equipping students with the practical skills needed for a career in industry.

The agreement between ABB and Imperial gives the university access to the most advanced control and instrumentation technology available from any supplier, as well as life cycle services and support for the installation. In return, ABB has access to the carbon capture pilot plant for its own use and will use the facility for customer demonstrations and training, staff learning such as inter-divisional training, hands on experience for its apprentices and product testing and software evaluation.

“The pilot plant is a global showcase for the latest and best process control and instrumentation technology in use at one of the world’s leading engineering institutions,” says Martin Grady, General Manager, Oil, Gas and Petrochemical - UK, ABB Ltd. “We will be able to trial new technology in a low risk, well-managed environment to gather Beta site test data. It also gives ABB a great platform to train its staff and customers on a real pilot plant. Quite simply, there are very few industrial companies that have utilised all the leading-edge technology that Imperial College is featuring within this pilot plant.”

To further support its involvement with Imperial, ABB is providing four summer placements of eight to ten weeks per annum in its UK operations. In addition a summer placement in Brisbane, Australia will be awarded to a student on the university’s exchange programme, after spending their third undergraduate year in Australia. One final year student will be selected from previous summer students to have their final year tuition fees paid by ABB.

ABB’s involvement in the project is aimed at raising the awareness among chemical engineering graduates of the benefits of a career in control and instrumentation engineering. The investment is seen as a shop window for presenting the opportunities available throughout the ABB organisation, particularly at one of its main execution centres for oil, gas and petrochemical automation in St Neots, Cambridgeshire and its measurement products activities in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire and Workington, Cumbria.

“By investing in the pilot plant and the awards, we are effectively investing in our own future, by making sure that ABB will have ready access to a stream of bright young engineers,” says Grady. “One of our biggest problems is finding enough suitably qualified engineers to fill the ever growing range of opportunities we can offer. Obviously if engineering in the UK flourishes, then we flourish too.

“The move by ABB is partly in response to government initiatives aimed at rebuilding the manufacturing base of the UK and re-establishing the important contribution that engineering makes to people’s everyday lives. The UK needs to increase its base of skilled engineers if it is to grow its manufacturing sector towards its potential. We believe that the pilot plant will support education by giving tomorrow’s engineers hands-on exposure to real-life technology. This pilot plant really brings the real world into the classroom for the first time.

In recognition of ABB’s support for the new carbon capture pilot plant, Imperial has named the hi-tech centre-piece of the installation the ABB Control Room. The ABB Control Room houses the extended operator workplace (EOW) and the distributed control system, System 800xA, from where operators can control and supervise the plant.

With many international students also studying at the College, the facility will help to position the UK as the global centre of excellence and expertise for engineering education. For ABB, there is the added attraction of building awareness of its technologies and capabilities across a global audience.

“The increasingly global nature of the projects we are working on, particularly in the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors, means that engineers from the UK and elsewhere are being called on to work in many different regions worldwide,” concludes Grady. “Our aim is to use the plant to create a lasting association between the real-life problems that students will encounter once they qualify and the technology and capabilities available from ABB that can help solve them.”

“The pilot plant contributes to making Imperial the leading international centre for practical, hands-on chemical engineering education and training,” says Dr. Daryl Williams, Director of the Pilot Plant Project at Imperial. “We were looking for a global control and instrumentation partner to work with us on the carbon capture pilot plant. The opportunity for both parties was immense. It provided a once in a lifetime opportunity to influence the training and education of thousands of young chemical engineers over the next 20 years at one of the world’s premier chemical engineering departments.”

For more information on ABB and the new carbon capture pilot plant teaching facility please email moreinstrumentation@gb.abb.com or call 01925 741 111 quoting reference “Imperial".

Advanced Business Solutions scoops Green IT Award

Advanced’s cutting edge Carbon Accounting system wins top award

Advanced Business Solutions (Advanced), a top business applications and services provider has won the ‘Environmental Accounting & Management Software of the Year’ category of the Green IT Awards 2012. Document management subsidiary, Version One, also scooped the ‘Environmental Project of the Year’ award in partnership with Virgin Trains.

Advanced was presented with the Green IT Award at a ceremony on 19 April held at London Zoo.

Now in their third year, the Green IT Awards showcase and reward the technology, as well as the companies and organisations that have made significant contributions to improving the IT industry's environmental performance.

Advanced fought off tough competition from five shortlisted businesses to scoop the award for its Carbon Accounting system, which is a comprehensive and sophisticated carbon tracking solution.

The Carbon Accounting system, which is integrated with Advanced’s financial management system (OpenAccounts), enables businesses to measure carbon emissions quickly and easily and to more effectively budget for emissions thanks to the solution’s tight integration with OpenAccounts’ budgeting system.

Using Carbon Accounting, the captured carbon emissions data is automatically recorded in the general ledger and relevant project ledgers, providing instant transparency while cutting time-consuming manual processing.

Simon Fowler, Managing Director of Advanced Business Solutions (Commercial Division) says, “We are proud to have won a Green IT Award. This achievement puts the spotlight on the quality of our Carbon Accounting system, which is already proving popular with customers. It also highlights our dedication to helping businesses to measure and reduce their carbon emissions, while improving business performance."

FACTFILE:
 Now in their third year the Green IT Awards look to showcase and reward the technology, tools and solutions as well as the companies and organisations that have made a significant contribution to improving the IT industry's environmental performance over the past 12 months. http://www.greenitawards.com/

About Advanced Business Solutions www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs

CloudApps shortlisted for BusinessGreen Leaders Awards 2012

CloudApps, a leading sustainability software provider, has been shortlisted for the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards 2012 under the prestigious ‘Green IT Project of the Year’ category and are seeking to build on the recognition they recently gained at the Greenbang Awards, winning the Efficiency Award for Cloud Computing.

After accounting for 1300 sources from Salesforce’s global portfolio, CloudApps is using social business techniques to engage over 8000 employees. The Sustainability Momentum (SuMo) app is being rolled out to add a “bit of spice and competition” between employees in reducing individual footprints.

The BusinessGreen Awards will be judged by a panel consisting of, amongst others, representatives from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, World Wildlife Fund and Confederation of British Industry. They offer a fantastic opportunity to celebrate trail-blazing firms that are pioneering new and more sustainable ways of doing business.

“The BusinessGreen Leaders Awards received over 200 entries this year and selecting the shortlist was a huge challenge,” said BusinessGreen editor James Murray. “All of the companies and individuals shortlisted have displayed genuine green leadership and are pioneering the kind of innovative sustainable technologies and business models we need to build a successful green economy.”

Peter Grant, CloudApps CEO is looking forward to the event and said “It feels fantastic to be nominated by such an influential publication, not only on the sustainability agenda, but on such an important customer and employee engagement project also. It recognises and adds support to our belief that we are are improving businesses nationally and internationally.”

The event will take place on the 4th July at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.

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Free Documentary Solves Global Debt Crisis in 48 Minutes

The Venus Project (TVP) today announces its 'Paradise or Oblivion' documentary, to provide prime ministers, presidents and other world leaders with the means to not only resolve spiralling national debt but also end poverty, war, crime, and inequality forever; simply by investing less than one hour of their time, just like the 175,000+ individuals that have already viewed the film.

This ground-breaking documentary not only identifies the root causes of many major global problems, but also recommends the steps that our species can take to solve such issues. 'Paradise or Oblivion' is available on the internet for free, in more than 24 different languages to ensure availability to all humans; race, colour or creed.

'Paradise or Oblivion' is the culmination of an astonishing 75+ years of research performed globally by what is now known as The Venus Project; founded and directed by Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows.

Based largely on anthropology, the documentary also spans almost all scientific and economic fields of study in order to provide a comprehensive solution to the problems of planet Earth and its inhabitants.

The documentary is the next step towards TVP's goal of an international motion picture, for which directors and scriptwriters are currently being considered.

The Venus Project is an organisation that proposes a feasible plan of action for social change working towards a peaceful and sustainable global civilisation. This scientific company operates out of a 21-acre research centre located in Venus, Florida.

www.thevenusproject.com

PVC-Doors.net Informs Homeowners on Government’s Plan for Energy Efficiency

As the government reveals its plans for energy efficiency, PVC-Doors.net announces its money saving offer online. This week, Nick Clegg joined leading environment and industry figures and told of the government’s plans to help the poorest and most vulnerable in society to reduce energy bills and ensure homes across the UK are more energy efficient.

The news came this week that the government’s Green Deal will improve the nation’s poorest and least energy efficient homes at no upfront cost. For those that required extra financial help, energy companies would supply the loan which would allow them to upgrade their homes.

Nick Clegg announced that at least £540 million would be set aside for the government’s home energy efficiency programme and around £250 million of this would go towards the installation of heating and insulation in homes. An estimated 270,000 low income and vulnerable homes are expected to be helped by 2015.

As the government works towards a more energy efficient Britain, PVC-Doors.net continues to offer its support to homeowners who look to install double glazing in their homes. PVC doors and windows are available from PVC-Doors.net and each of which is fitted with double glazing as standard to ensure the home is energy efficient all year round.

For those that wish to find out more about PVC doors prices with up to 75% off, simply visit PVC-Doors.net where more information can be found.

Celebrating 15 Years Of Organic Lifestyle with Green People

Green People has been pioneering organic personal care products since 1997 and to celebrate their 15 year anniversary they are delighted to introduce new additions, improved formulations, handy travel sizes and stylish new packaging.

Innovation and dedication has been the backbone of Green People's success. The ongoing quest for new developments in plant ingredient research enables them to remain at the forefront of certified organic beauty and offer performance products.

2012 sees Green People's passion for natural and organic skincare continue with the introduction of 'Phyto Science' - plant performance without compromise. Maximising the power of nature whilst working in synergy with science to introduce the latest and best, certified organic, high quality products whilst also caring about environmental issues and sustainability.

New product additions to the range include; Cooling Hydrating Mist, Sun & Sports Shampoo and Conditioner with UV protection, limited edition make-up and Hydrating Firming Serum.

New handy travel sizes offer the perfect solution to travelling light and hassle free packing. Ideal travel essentials for holidays in the sun, short weekend breaks or simply taking to the gym.

Stylish NEW packaging gives the brand a 'fresh' new look and reflects the company's progression. Clear, defined labelling makes it easier to identify products according to product category and skin concern.

Green People products are packed with over 90% active ingredients to nourish, rebalance and restore optimum skin health. Key ingredients include Perilla Oil, Squalane and Jojoba Esters to repair and protect, feed the skin with fatty acids, reduce trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), restore elasticity, increase skin hydration dramatically, be soothing, softening and give a silky, smooth skin-feel.

New and improved formulations offer an enhanced range of natural and organic skincare essentials. We have reformulated the range to contain a skin-matched complex of phyto-actives. These are highly nutritive botanicals working together to balance, strengthen, soothe and protect skin. This makes the products even more suitable for those suffering with eczema, psoriasis or rosacea.

For stockist details please call 01403 740350 or visit www.greenpeople.co.uk

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The National Trust acts now to save children's relationship with the outdoors

A new National Trust report has found evidence of a long-term and dramatic decline in children's relationship with the outdoors is 'overwhelming' and urgent action is needed to bridge this growing gap before it's too late.

In his Natural Childhood report naturalist, author and TV producer Stephen Moss charts years of academic research and a steady stream of surveys on the subject, highlighting how a generation of children is finally losing touch with the natural world. 

The report outlines a clear need to tackle the rise of 'Nature Deficit Disorder', a term coined by the US based writer Richard Louv, to describe a growing dislocation between children and nature.

Report author Stephen Moss, said: "We all know the benefits being outdoors can bring, and as parents we want our children to spend more time outdoors than they do.

"But despite this overwhelming evidence and the different initiatives and schemes run by organisations across the UK, our kids are spending less and less time in the outdoors.

"The time to act is now, whilst we still have a generation of parents and grandparents who grew up outdoors and can pass on their experience and whilst there remains a determination to do something positive in this area."

A two-month inquiry, facilitated by the National Trust, will take evidence from leading experts and the public to look at how we can reconnect this and future generations of children with the natural world.

The National Trust is working alongside Arla, the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and film-makers Green Lions, to organise a summit this summer to bring together a range of experts to develop a roadmap for reconnecting children and nature. 

Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust, said: "Getting outdoors and closer to nature has all sorts of benefits for our children. It keeps them fit, they can learn about the world around them and, most of all, it's fun.  

"That's why it's so worrying so many children today don't have the opportunity to experience the outdoors and nature. Building a den, picking flowers, climbing trees - the outdoors is a treasure trove, rich in imagination. It brings huge benefits that we believe every child should have the opportunity to experience and there are huge costs when they don't."

During the last decade conservation groups, academics, social and health professionals and the media have charted the rise of so-called 'cotton-wool kids' and countless examples of what is going wrong.

Authority figures and layers of bureaucracy have combined in a climate of 'don’t do that' to create an environment where fewer children play in the outdoors. This has led to a situation where kids having fun in the outdoors are painted as showing signs of anti-social behaviour.

The research shows that capturing children before they enter the teenage years is crucial with the research clearly showing if kids get hooked before they reach twelve years old, they will develop a lifelong passion for the environment and outdoors activities.