Here is as planned my first article towards sustainability. Since heating is behind an important part of the energy consumption of buildings, this is where we begin. As insulation is quasi inexistent in most constructions they can be considered as thermal colanders. (expression coined by the French energy and environment Minister, Jean-Louis Borloo). So this …
Even if I learned more than two years ago about the theory on passive housing for my Master’s Thesis at the Audencia Nantes Management School, the reality is little known to me. Even if I knew such houses don’t need any heater it seemed too vague a notion. But an interesting article from the New …
At a time where stock markets plummeted around the world, you may be looking for sound and profitable investments that will pay back for themselves quite quickly and last long. You might think about putting some money in a far away country’s companies or else. The ideal solution is nearer… as a matter of fact, …
The cornerstone of the environmental policy in France – the Grenelle de l’Environnement – has been facing wide criticism as it is not going as fast as it should be. Yet, interesting ideas arose in the last weeks on reducing the light pollution at night and providing financial aid to those willing to insulate their …
You perhaps remember the article I published last year on green roofs and how they enable to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and energy consumption. Now come white roofs, which according to Fortune and other sources, just provide the same advantages. However, these ones won’t purify the air of cities, as their counterparts do. As 90 …
Since the writing of my Master’s Degree thesis I am fully aware of how insulating housing is a vital part of solving both climate change and energy scarcity crises. By reading a New York Times’ article I learned that halving houses’ carbon footprint in only five years is feasible. This is the result of an …
Now than summer has arrived in the Northern hemisphere, some of you might be willing to put to an end to the excessive heat in your homes and offices. Naturally, air conditioning comes to mind. But as this solution is very energy intensive and releases HFC – very powerful greenhouse gases – alternatives are sought. …
Solutions to keep cool and keep the Earth cool too Read More »
By reading Ecogeek I get to know aerogel, a material that insulates 37 times more than fiberglass. The latter is largely used to insulate houses nowadays. Aerogel is the lightest solid known, extremely resistant, great for soundproofing, and yes, still very expensive : 1,300 USD (approx 800 €) per pound. But a team of researchers …
I have been writing it for months, and it seems that I am right as no other than the International Energy Agency is now urging to act on energy efficiency of buildings. Indeed, their latest publication is on this topic and their findings corroborate the ones I had in my master’s thesis. They also go …
Au sommaire de Terra Economica ce mois-ci, on peut lire entre autres une série d’articles très intéressante sur l’isolation des bâtiments en France. Un sujet passionnant pour moi depuis que je m’ intéresse à ce sujet primordial depuis la rédaction de mon mémoire de Master. Terra Economica prouve encore ce mois-ci qu’un autre monde, plus …
