Green Building Accreditation Systems Explained
There are many different organisations around the world who offer green building accreditations. These are independent rating systems that measure the building’s “green” credentials against closely defined criteria. The mains ones are Breeam (UK), Leed (USA), DGNB (Germany) and CASBEE (Japan). In Spain we use the Spanish version of the Green Building Council which isContinue reading
Air Source Heat Pump: Is this Just Hot Air? How Does it Work?
Intuitively we can understand how a log fire works, electric radiator or an oil fired boiler but heat from the air seems counter intuitive so how does it actually work and is it reliable? Well you already own a heat pump. Your fridge is a heat pump. Heat is extracted from the fridge and expelledContinue reading
Living off-grid in Spain: Is total freedom from mains services possible?
Living off-grid in Spain is often cited as a path to both escaping the rat race and saving money on hefty monthly bills to heat and cool your home. Eco Vida Homes clients are increasingly asking if we can design a home with all mod-cons that is not just off-grid, but totally independent from mainsContinue reading
On Site Sewage and Waste Water Management
What are our options if we are off the main sewerage system? With all these options we must bear in mind that the regulations in Spain are increasingly strict and the authorities may want to have a great deal of detail about the drainage arrangements. In all cases the appropriate solution will be limited byContinue reading
Biomass Heating Systems
As the price of fossil fuels jump to record highs and climate change focusses people’s attention on CO2 neutral fuels biomass heating systems are increasingly popular and effective. Biomass is organic material which has stored solar energy in plants from sunlight in the process of photosynthesis. Biomass fuels in Spain include fun things like oliveContinue reading
Why its More Comfortable Living in an Energy Efficient Home
John Wolfendale talks for 3 minutes on why its more comfortable living in an energy efficient home. Open up the blog post to access the video.
Continue readingEnergy Efficient Homes in Spain – Less Is More
The misconception that energy efficient buildings will cost more to build is almost impossible to shift. Most people in this area seem to miss the point. For the most part energy efficiency in the home isn’t about technical solutions such as wind turbines, photovoltaic, heat pumps and the like. There’s a danger that these gadgetsContinue reading
In the Heat of Summer: passive cooling in Spain
It’s spring! Jackets are put away and terrace cafes are filling up. Soon the covers for the swimming pools will be removed and children are counting down to the school holidays as Spain prepares itself for the summer season. Right now we all enjoy the temperature with doors and windows open and lots of lovelyContinue reading
