Hotshot greens caught wasting home heat

[Mimixxx]

THEY may shout their green credentials from the rooftops, but some of Britain’s most prominent environmental champions are living in homes that produce up to half a ton of excess carbon dioxide a year.

 

An audit of properties, measuring heat loss, has revealed that Chris Martin, the pop star, Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, and Sir David Attenborough, the broadcaster, are among those who reside in homes that are “leaking” energy. Some lack even the most basic energy saving measures such as cavity wall insulation and double glazing.

 

Thermal images of the residences of 10 high-profile green campaigners found that their heat loss was either worse or no better than that found in the average family home.

 

Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat energy and climate change spokesman, owned the least energy-efficient property. He bought his £150,000 flat in Southwark, south London, 25 years ago but has failed to fit it with any significant insulation. Only last week Hughes unveiled plans to make every home in Britain energy efficient within the next decade. He could start with his own flat.

 

According to IRT Surveys, which analysed the thermal images for The Sunday Times, an estimated 1,812 kilowatt hours of heat a year seeps out through the walls and windows. The extra heating needed to make up for this loss produces 471kg of CO2 This weekend Hughes said he was planning to move. “I’m conscious that the house does need some more work to be as well insulated as possible,” he said. “If I stay, it will have a full survey and anything that’s necessary. In theory it doesn’t waste much energy because for large parts of the day there’s nobody there.”

 

The IRT analysis assumes the property is in use the whole year round. However, Steve Howard of the Climate Group, which advises businesses and governments about reducing emissions, said: “Even a poorly paid MP can afford cavity wall insulation - it will pay for itself in three years. It’s a no-brainer.”

 

Johnson is a late convert to the environmental cause and has sought to enhance his reputation by offering Londoners discounted home insulation.

However, his five-bedroom Victorian house in Islington, north London, loses 1,388kWh of energy a year - equivalent to - largely because of “excessive heat loss” around 360kg of CO2 the upper and lower windows.

 

Jenny Jones, a Green party London assembly member, said: “It’s all very well to advise the rest of London how to behave, but if you’re going to be credible you’ve got to do it yourself. He has to put his own house in order.”

 

A source close to Johnson claimed that energy saving measures would be too costly to implement in such an old property, which has neither a loft nor cavities in the walls. The mayor also plans to move soon.

 

Experts say having a period property is no excuse and suggest the internal cladding of walls, draught-proofing and solar water heaters as ways of improving energy efficiency.

 

Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, and his wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress, have both championed green issues. Paltrow backed the American “Act Green” energy conservation campaign, while Martin tried to offset CO2 emissions produced by his band’s second album by planting a forest of mango trees in India.

 

Yet the couple's £2.5m home in Belsize Park, north London, wastes 1,020kWh of heat a year. A spokesman for Martin refused to comment.

 

Attenborough, the veteran naturalist and broadcaster, has lived in the same Georgian villa in Richmond, southwest London, for 40 years. Despite the installation of new boilers and insulation of the roof, the windows remain single-glazed because the property is in a conservation area.

 

As a result, it loses 1,107kWh of energy a year. “I’m talking to people about solar panels,” Attenborough said. “The property is 200 years old so we are limited [in what we can do].”

 

Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, who denounced flying as “a symptom of sin” two years ago, lives at the Old Deanery near St Paul’s Cathedral. The property loses 518kWh and burns 134kg of CO2 a year in extra heating. A spokesman for the bishop said the grade I listed building had recently undergone an environmental audit and further improvements would be made to reduce heat loss.

 

John Sauven, director of Greenpeace, admitted that he had also struggled to make his £500,000 London home more energy efficient because of its age. To compensate, he has installed draught-proofing and solar panels. He also drives an electric car and no longer flies when going on holiday. Sauven is considering taking out a second mortgage to install double glazing, which costs more in a conservation area.

 

The audit, using a camera provided by Flir, which makes thermal imaging equipment, found Hilary Benn, the environment minister, Ed Miliband, the climate change minister, and David Cameron, the Tory leader, had the most energy efficient of the 10 properties.

 

Lost energy

 

Sir David Attenborough, broadcaster: 288kg

 

Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the Environment Agency: 186kg

 

John Sauven, director of Greenpeace: 158kg

 

Richard Chartres, Bishop of London: 135kg

 

Hilary Benn, environment secretary: 126kg

 

Ed Miliband, energy and climate change secretary: 121kg

 

David Cameron, Tory leader: 21kg

 

Figures assume round-the-year usage of the property

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5734082.ece

[ImLovingGuyBerryman]

uh-oh :confused:

[Lizzybear]

hahha Chris planted a forest of mango trees in India to help..:P hhaah

 

he better get house worked on now!! :laugh3:

[Cobalt]

:dozey:

 

I have nothing to say to this. Typical...

[Cobalt]

dp

[chuck kottke]

Well, I think what happens is often a person gets so wrapped up in an issue, but looses sight of their own place on the map.. It's the point of observation that throws us off track - we read, act, and get involved, but then haven't connected the dots to our own place on the planet. This took me a while to realize as well.

The single glazing in a 'conservation area' can be remedied by window insulator kits on the inside of the windows, or with "pop ins" to put into the window frame. Attenborough needs to insulate his nest! There's really no excuse for wealthy owners in older homes not insulating, as there are ways to retrofit all older homes with insulation (why don't they call me - I'll show them how!).

Martin's oversight is just that - I believe he and Gwen really do care a great deal, and were probably unaware of the matter. Besides, all truth be told, insulating, proper ventilation, and new doors and windows if needed actually makes a home so incredibly more comfortable, and air-to-air heat exchangers bring in plenty of fresh air, with very little energy loss. These changes will even make them wealthier, as the energy savings pay for the upgrade pretty quickly, and the extra cash can be used to, for instance, plant more mango trees!:P (and hey, who doesn't like Mangoes?);)

[LoversInJapan]

Buy a Martin Mango right now!:laugh3:

Oh well.. He should plant more mango tree's... :P

[Mimixxx]

To be honest, Chris and Coldplay's "green credentials" went out the window when they started using a private jet.

 

Yes it's ten times faster but if it was something they really cared about they'd just put up with the long bus journeys, or fly on scheduled flights.

 

They'd also get more involved in the touring schedule.

 

Take these next few weeks for example, they flew out to LA did the Grammys, flew to Japan, they're then flying back here, before flying to Australia.

 

The flight between Japan and Australia is nothing compared to flying all the way back to the UK and out again a week later. That could have easily been avoided.

[The Escapist]

Chris is going to hell for this one.

[chuck kottke]

To be honest, Chris and Coldplay's "green credentials" went out the window when they started using a private jet.

 

Yes it's ten times faster but if it was something they really cared about they'd just put up with the long bus journeys, or fly on scheduled flights.

 

They'd also get more involved in the touring schedule.

 

Take these next few weeks for example, they flew out to LA did the Grammys, flew to Japan, they're then flying back here, before flying to Australia.

 

The flight between Japan and Australia is nothing compared to flying all the way back to the UK and out again a week later. That could have easily been avoided.

Maybe the jet burns bio-diesel?:P Well, perhaps they're flying to the UK to see their families?? Seems unnecessary, but then having global concert schedules is too - rather strenuous being on a bus all the time as well.

I think perhaps we all need to approach the problem not from a restrictive austerity view, but more from a view of comfort and convenience. Perhaps the right approach is how can we have our cake, and eat it too?

I've been thinking about this issue as well - and it appears that if the efficiency of aircraft is improved as well, then there's less to be concerned about regardless of where the aircraft takes you.

Perhaps the answer is with advanced solar planes, augmented with high-power lithium batteries? Slower would save a great deal of energy, so long as it's not too inconvenient.

But consider that the concert demand puts them in the position of going all over the globe in the first place, promoting change that's far more beneficial than the energy costs & CO2 emissions of the plane trips will be. All things in life have trade-offs generally speaking, and we have to work with the tools we're given until something better comes along.

 

[Prospekt.]

Lol....

 

Whatever.

[Carlaatje]

shame on you Chris tsk tsk tsk *shakes head* :P

[Jayzo]

Well to be honest, I am sure they pay to offset their emissions as well, its not like they are strapped for cash :P.

[busybeeburns]

I'm surprised he even needs the heating on, they're hardly every there :thinking:

[Zeya]

maybe those are the automatic ones which goes on and off by itself..:thinking:

[Cobalt]

The kids are, Ian, and little kids get cold easily

[Mimixxx]

Maybe the jet burns bio-diesel?:P Well, perhaps they're flying to the UK to see their families?? Seems unnecessary, but then having global concert schedules is too - rather strenuous being on a bus all the time as well.

I think perhaps we all need to approach the problem not from a restrictive austerity view, but more from a view of comfort and convenience. Perhaps the right approach is how can we have our cake, and eat it too?

I've been thinking about this issue as well - and it appears that if the efficiency of aircraft is improved as well, then there's less to be concerned about regardless of where the aircraft takes you.

Perhaps the answer is with advanced solar planes, augmented with high-power lithium batteries? Slower would save a great deal of energy, so long as it's not too inconvenient.

But consider that the concert demand puts them in the position of going all over the globe in the first place, promoting change that's far more beneficial than the energy costs & CO2 emissions of the plane trips will be. All things in life have trade-offs generally speaking, and we have to work with the tools we're given until something better comes along.

 

 

I wasn't criticising them, I'm hardly an eco-warrior myself.

 

I was just saying that apart from the carbon neutral thing, I don't know where this perception as him/them being green activists came from, when they're obviously anything but :)

[cpfan50]

Unfortunately that is typical losses for a traditional London house. Unless you have a brand new built house you are not going to get the very high heat savings. It's stupid to try to compare the two. There are strict controls on altering houses in some areas of London so putting in modern super double glazed windows often isn't an option for older London buildings.

 

Anyway, how the hell do they know what kind of insulation they have put inside their roof and walls? It's all speculation based on the type of house they live in.

[marie/pims]

Unfortunately that is typical losses for a traditional London house. Unless you have a brand new built house you are not going to get the very high heat savings. It's stupid to try to compare the two. There are strict controls on altering houses in some areas of London so putting in modern super double glazed windows often isn't an option for older London buildings.

 

Anyway, how the hell do they know what kind of insulation they have put inside their roof and walls? It's all speculation based on the type of house they live in.

 

it's abit scary....do they go through their bills or what?

 

The heat thing is the same for my house.It's old.So even when you put the heat on it takes for ever for the house to heat.

[Mimixxx]

No rubbish bin rooting or anything equally as sinister. It's explained in the article:

 

 

Thermal images of the residences of 10 high-profile green campaigners found that their heat loss was either worse or no better than that found in the average family home.

 

According to IRT Surveys, which analysed the thermal images for The Sunday Times, an estimated 1,812 kilowatt hours of heat a year seeps out through the walls and windows. The extra heating needed to make up for this loss produces 471kg of CO2 This weekend Hughes said he was planning to move. “I’m conscious that the house does need some more work to be as well insulated as possible,” he said. “If I stay, it will have a full survey and anything that’s necessary. In theory it doesn’t waste much energy because for large parts of the day there’s nobody there.”

 

 

:D

[Texasluvsjonny]

To be honest, Chris and Coldplay's "green credentials" went out the window when they started using a private jet.

 

Yes it's ten times faster but if it was something they really cared about they'd just put up with the long bus journeys, or fly on scheduled flights.

 

They'd also get more involved in the touring schedule.

 

Take these next few weeks for example, they flew out to LA did the Grammys, flew to Japan, they're then flying back here, before flying to Australia.

 

The flight between Japan and Australia is nothing compared to flying all the way back to the UK and out again a week later. That could have easily been avoided.

I agree! They should cancel that War Child show ASAP and just go to Oz. I'm sure you would gladly give up this show to save the planet, right Michie. :P

 

Gwyneth has been away........now what have Chris and Jonny been doing that's causing all that heat in that house. :sneaky:

[Mimixxx]

Hehe, I'm not fussed. As I said I'm no green activist myself. Was just pointing out that Coldplay are anything but green :P

[Texasluvsjonny]

Hehe, I'm not fussed. As I said I'm no green activist myself. Was just pointing out that Coldplay are anything but green :P

Jonny wears green and has pretty green eyes, does that count? :D

[Mimixxx]

Yes :D

 

Although they haven't been wearing the jackets in Japan :(

 

I do hope they wear them for the Brits and therefore the gig :bomb:

[Fixed]

I was just saying that apart from the carbon neutral thing, I don't know where this perception as him/them being green activists came from, when they're obviously anything but :)

This. Typical kind of catch-all, 'tree-hugger' mentality that some people have; "He's into Africa and Fair Trade and Oxfam, therefore he must be an environmentalist".