Managing IT to deal with Climate Change
Posts tagged heating
Who Manages the Heat?
0Vertical borehole ground source heat pumps use heat stored in the ground, and groundwater. That heat comes from the sun, and, to a far lesser extent, heat generated within the earth as well as human-generated heat from buildings, underground railways and other constructions. It may also come from a cooling system, where heat from a building is discharged through boreholes to be stored underground during the summer before being extracted the following winter.
This heat can affect the underground environment including the geochemistry of the aquifer and microbiological ecosystems. When there are multiple systems in an area, they may interfere with each other, particularly if there is groundwater involved. Therefore there are two main policy concerns here – protection of the underground environment, and equitable use of the heat storage resource. With increasing numbers of these systems being installed in London(1), and their inclusion in the Renewable Heat Incentive, More >
Burning coal in central London
0The smoky coal fires of London were banished in the fifties and all that remains of that smog filled, grimy time are the blackened buildings of parts of Bloomsbury which haven’t been cleaned. Sunny days with blue skies are now common, but open fires very rare indeed.
Much to my surprise, coal burning is still possible. The Clean Air Act of 1993 makes it illegal to emit smoke in a designated Smoke Control Area, such as the London boroughs. You’re only allowed to use authorised fuels which include gas, electricity and anthracite – ie. coal.