• Introduction to renewables
•  

Introduction to renewables

Buildings depend on energy inputs for heating, cooling, lighting, computers and numerous other energy uses. Concerns about climate change, the depletion of fossil fuels and energy security have driven government policy, and also companies' corporate social responsibility policies, towards renewable technologies. 

Renewable energy describes power obtained from sources that are essentially inexhaustible. This covers energy supplies such as wind power, geothermal power, biomass, and solar power including photovoltaics. Some renewable supplies can also be used to create secondary fuels, such as hydrogen for use in fuel cells.

In addition to renewable energy technologies, this course covers some other low-carbon and water-saving technologies.
 

Designers, developers, contractors, project managers, facilities managers. No prior knowledge of renewable energy, low-carbon, water saving or building services technologies is required.

The technologies covered include:  

• absorption cooling
• biomass
• combined heat and power
• fuel cells
• greywater
• ground source systems
• photovoltaics
• rainwater recovery
• solar
• surface water cooling
• water conservation
• wind power

Registration and coffee will be at 0900.  The course will start at 0930 and finish at 1630

Delegates will gain: 

• a basic understanding of the way these technologies work and what their applications are
• an appreciation of the pros and cons of each technology, the costs associated and the issues involved
• an appreciation of the over-riding need to design, build, commission and operate buildings to be energy efficient
• an understanding of the drivers towards using these technologies
• an awareness of other sources of information for further study.
   

Delegates are provided with a copy of all the slides presented and BSRIA publication BG 1/2008 Illustrated Guide to Renewable Technologies.  Copies of this publication are available for purchase from the BSRIA Bookshop.

The Lecture -  David Bleicher
David has a background in building services design, with experience of mechanical and electrical design both in the UK and in the USA. He joined BSRIA in 2005 and has worked on research projects, design reviews and he also leads the BSRIA training programme.