Eco Homes

Zero Carbon, carbon neutral,carbon offsetting and sustainable homes - with all the media coverage green issues are currently receiving, these phrases are now very familiar. But what do they mean?

Carbon Footprint

This is the measure given to the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) given off when fossil fuels like coal and gas are burnt in carrying out a process or making a product. In the home its the environmental impact of day-to-day activities such as heating, lighting, cooking and so on. These everyday activities , along with air travel, driving and the use of public transport are often linked to your 'Primary Footprint'. Whilst your 'Secondary Footprint'  is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products you use. Buying imported food, drink and clothes, products with a lot of packaging will all increase your secondary footprint.

Carbon Offsetting

After you have stablished your existing carbon footprint, you will have made efforts to reduce your carbon footprint by installing long life lightbulbs and maybe having cavity walls filled if they werent already. You then recalculate the to find out what your latest carbon footprint is. It is not normally possible to reduce this to zero so this is where carbon offsetting comes in. Simply carbon offsetting involves reducing greenhouse emissions in one place in order to 'offset', or counteract carbon emissions elsewhere.

Carbon Neutral

This means that any carbon footprint has successfully been 'offset'. In the case of running carbon neutral home, this means that you are not generating as much enery as you concume, but the difference has been offset. The term is often used with zero carbon.