Promoting energy efficiency in the private rented sector

The English House Condition Survey for 1991 demonstrated that levels of energy efficiency in private rented property are significantly below other sectors, even though energy improvements have tangible benefits for landlords. The low level of energy efficiency provision in the private rented sector indicates that landlords are unaware or unconvinced of these benefits and market barriers may have restricted uptake. Information regarding energy efficiency advice to the private rented HMO sector has focussed on offering good practice design guidance, and information about the level of fitness and overall characteristics of the sector. This research project evaluated the PRESS scheme, which encouraged landlords to introduce energy efficiency measures. A total of 78 private sector rented properties in Sheffield were analysed with retrofit measures to improve levels of energy efficiency. The results demonstrate that whilst market barriers exist, the PRESS scheme went some way to overcoming some barriers to energy efficiency.<br /

Voluntary waste industry protocol for the handling of early collected carbon charges in the landfill sector

The landfill industry, through the Australian Landfill Owners Association and the Australian Local Government Association, has developed this voluntary protocol to ensure that the early collected carbon charges are returned for consumer benefit. Individual landfill owners will have the option to accept to be bound by the protocol. Those who accept shall be identified on the Department of the Environment’s website. The protocol will not override contractual arrangements between landfill operators and their customers. The Minister for the Environment has issued a statement supporting the protocol and calling for wide participation by the landfill industry and other groups in the protocol. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has also encouraged landfill industry participants to work with the Government to negotiate an appropriate solution for the handling of early collected carbon charges

Going to waste? The potential impacts on nature conservation and cultural heritage from resource recovery on former mineral extraction sites in England and Wales

Scarcity of mineral supplies globally means that there is an international effort to examine the potential to extract resources from mine wastes. Such sites are often perceived as degraded and of little value. However, many sites are protected for their ecological, geological or historical significance. This paper examines the scale of the association between these designations and former mineral extraction sites in England and Wales. Around 69,000 mines (44%) are co-located with some form of designation; ranging from 27% of sand and gravel quarries in Wales to 84% of metal mines in England. Some designations are coincidental to mining and may benefit from resource recovery combined with remediation activities, others exist due to previous mining activities and may be adversely affected. This creates a tension in the long-term management of former mineral extraction, which should be considered when assessing the potential for, and desirability of, resource recovery

Review of Past Nuclear Accidents: Source Terms and Recorded Gamma-Ray Spectra

Airborne gamma ray spectrometry using high volume scintillation detectors, optionally in conjunction with Ge detectors, has potential for making rapid environmental measurements in response to nuclear accidents. A literature search on past nuclear accidents has been conducted to define the source terms which have been experienced so far. Selected gamma ray spectra recorded after past accidents have also been collated to examine the complexity of observed behaviour

Experimental Measurements and Computer Simulation of Fission Product Gamma-Ray Spectra

Airborne gamma ray spectrometry using high volume scintillation detectors, optionally in conjunction with Ge detectors, has potential for making rapid environmental measurements in response to nuclear accidents. An experimental investigation and computer simulation have been used to characterise the response of such detectors to short lived fission products. Small samples of 235U were irradiated in a research reactor for short periods, to generate fission product sources. Gamma ray spectra were recorded over a period of one year using both high volume scintillation detectors and semiconductor detectors. The main gamma emitting nuclides have been identified, and their associated signals in each detector defined. Simulation work has been used to calculate the corresponding spectra which would have been observed at airborne survey heights, or from fission product sources irradiated for a prolonged period. While Ge detectors can record a fuller range of isotopes, of interest in characterising release terms, the NaI spectra also have potential for providing data on a range of radiologically important isotopes at all stages