Ha! Gotcha! However since you’re here here’s an update on what the STEEV project’s been up to. On Tuesday 26 April Fiona and I held a Skype telecon with Simon at Cardiff University. Simon demonstrated the background to the energy efficiency model and explained the construction of the building clusters which assigns each building (houses) into a particular cluster or category according to a number of criteria including building dimensions, fabric performance, appliances, solar gain, space heating etc.
As a result of our discussion the Cardiff team are revisiting issues relating to the raw building data and the subsequent clusters with a view to developing a simpler modelling technique which would allow different fuel scenarios to be modelled more quickly. As part of this exercise we have established that a functional specification is required pertaining to the visualisation tool detailing purpose, scope, objectives, database structure, GUI, internal and external interfaces etc. The formalisation of this aspect will offer clarity on both utility and content delivery.
As an aside there’s an interesting and interactive web tool hosted by Department of Energy and Climate Change, Sciencewise-ERC and Delib. Basically it’s a modelling tool for the general public to play around with to try and get carbon emissions below 20% of 1990 levels by 2050…
2050 Web tool – http://my2050.decc.gov.uk/
Ah it’s a good tool/game. I’m not sure all the sliders are equally comparable, but it seems fuel is the really big problem for carbon emissions and the only way to solve that is for people to change how they travel. More cyclists like myself!
Gregory – thanks for the comment. I’m sure you’re right regarding fuel being a major constituent both in terms of consumption and carbon emissions. We can only hope that through projects such as STEEV and the work done at Cardiff through the Welsh School of Architecture, in addition to user friendly tools and informative debate, that the subject of energy efficiency and energy usage/wastage can be highlighted thus raising its profile in the public consciousness.