Author Archives: Salman Zafar

About Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the CEO of BioEnergy Consult, and an international consultant, advisor and trainer with expertise in waste management, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, environment protection and resource conservation. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biogas technology, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. Salman has participated in numerous national and international conferences all over the world. He is a prolific environmental journalist, and has authored more than 300 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. In addition, he is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability through his blogs and portals. Salman can be reached at salman@bioenergyconsult.com or salman@cleantechloops.com.

Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency While Adding Value

  By | | ,
Leave a comment

You’ve spent the past year furnishing your home, selecting hand-crafted decor, and mixing and matching perfectly balanced wall colors. Everything appears perfect. But your utility bills tell a different story about your home. Your heating bill is through the roof and your electric bill never seems to come down no matter how good a job you do of turning off lights in rooms that aren’t occupied. Sound familiar? If it does, you’re not alone.

Of the $2,000 the average American spends paying for energy each year, $200 to $400 could be going to waste from drafts, air leaks, and outdated heating and cooling systems. If you are interested in reducing energy waste you should begin with a home energy evaluation. Also known as an energy audit, an energy evaluation will assess the way that your home consumes energy and identify what measures you can take to improve energy efficiency. From there, you will be able to choose which upgrades you would like to make.

how to improve the energy efficiency of your home

Upgrade Your Windows

The number one way to add value to your home while increasing the energy efficiency of your home is to upgrade your windows to double-pane Energy Star-rated windows. If you are going to make one feature of your home energy efficient you should prioritize your windows according to over 60% of real estate agents.

New energy-efficient windows help maintain a consistent temperature inside your home year-round. This alone can reduce your energy bills by as much as 15%. When it is time for you to sell your home, new Energy Star-rated windows will help you sell your home for a great price. According to the National Association of Home Builders, 89% of home buyers classified Energy Star windows as either an essential or desirable feature. A bonus that comes with installing Energy Star windows is the visual appeal that new windows add to both the interior and exterior of your home.

Insulate the Attic

Most homes have a layer of insulation in the attic, however, over time more insulation may need to be added. Heat loss through the attic is around 25% for most houses. Reducing that heat loss can save you money and create a less drafty home. To save approximately 15% on heating and cooling costs you can add spray foam insulation to your attic. A relatively affordable improvement that costs around $1,000 to $3,600 spray foam insulation recoups the majority of project costs with an average return on investment of 117%.

Upgrade to Energy Star Appliances

Outdated appliances that are over ten years old use up to 40% more energy than newer energy-efficient models. If you plan to upgrade your appliances you can begin in the kitchen. Appliance upgrades that are the most popular are refrigerators, dishwashers, stove/ovens, and microwaves. When you are looking for appliances choose ones that are stainless steel. According to 75% of real estate agents, stainless steel is the most popular finish among home buyers.

Add Solar Panels

When solar panels first became available to homeowners they were extremely expensive. Now, over a decade later the prices of solar panels have fallen by about 70%. On average, solar panels for residential homes cost between $15,000 and $25,000. Though the initial price tag of solar panels is high, so is their addition to your home’s value.

solar-leasing

For every $1 reduction in your annual energy cost, your home’s value increases by $20. So not only are you saving on your energy bills you are increasing your home’s value. Solar panel purchases are different in every area and so are the rebates and tax credits that may be available to you.

Upgrade Your Heating and Cooling Unit

In general, 43% of your home’s utility bill goes to heating and cooling. Keep your HVAC working efficiently by properly maintaining the unit and upgrading to a new one when it is time. The average lifespan of an HVAC system is 15 to 20 years. As HVAC ages, especially in the last five to ten years of its life, the system becomes less energy efficient. An older HVAC system will require more maintenance and will need repairs for parts of the system that are no longer functional.

air conditioner benefits

While installing an entirely new HVAC system will take extra money, it will benefit you when you are in your home and when you sell your home. A new HVAC unit with appropriate insulation can cut your energy use for heating and cooling by 20%. Houses with a new HVAC system have a home value increase of approximately 5-10% of the total value of the home.

Invest in a Smart Thermostat

A basic home thermostat will read and adjust the output of heat or cooling to match your desired temperature. If your thermostat is old or malfunctioning it may not read the temperature of your room correctly and wreak havoc on your heating and cooling costs. You can purchase and have a new thermostat installed or you can invest in a smart thermostat. Going a step beyond simply turning on and off your heating and cooling, a smart thermostat comes with remote sensors that are placed in different rooms around your house. These will ensure that your home can stay at a consistent temperature throughout your entire house.

Advanced smart thermostats will monitor your heating and cooling preference and after one week automatically set up a schedule to meet all your personalized needs. A smart thermostat will save homeowners anywhere from 8%-12% annually on their heating and cooling bills. They are also very popular among young homebuyers who are always interested in adding smart technology to their home.

Bottom Line

Small changes to your home can have a big impact on your energy consumption and your home’s overall value. Take the time to speak to a local real estate agent who can point you toward the best home improvements that will save you money on your monthly bills and add money to your home’s value.

How Can I Make My Business More Environmentally Friendly?

  By | | , ,
2 Comments

Climate change is quickly becoming a major issue. While it has long been a problem, we are starting to see the direct results of global warming. Each year is hotter than the last, we are losing wildlife, and many of the natural resources we need to survive are depleting faster than we can replenish them.

There is, unfortunately, no simple answer to this issue. There are many factors that impact the progression of climate change, meaning we can’t rely on a simple trick coming in at the last minute to save us.

Instead, we need to focus on doing everything we can across the board to slow climate change. With businesses being one of the biggest contributing factors in the current climate crisis, many business owners are curious how they can transition to more environmentally-friendly operations.

This article explores a few simple ways businesses can become greener and decrease their impact on the environment.

ways businesses can become greener

Consider Your Sourcing

One of the easiest ways a business can reduce its impact on the environment is to find green materials and manufacturers.

Many businesses rely heavily on materials that harm the environment. Plastic is a fantastic example. Plastic is made of petroleum, meaning that it is non-renewable. This alone makes it a bad choice for the environment. Compounding the problem, plastic doesn’t degrade. It lasts for an extremely long time.

This means we have to dispose of it by throwing it in landfills or the ocean. Once there, the plastic can cause further harm, trapping and killing wildlife or winding up in the food we eat and the water we drink.

Businesses that find more environmentally-friendly alternatives can radically reduce their impact on the environment.

This isn’t always viable though. Sometimes plastics and other somewhat harmful materials are crucial to producing a product.

In these cases, businesses should instead look to find the most responsibly-produced version of the material available. For instance, a business might source their plastic from recycling plants, allowing them to reduce the impact they have by using the material.

There’s also the manufacturing itself to consider. Choosing a factory or plant that runs on solar or another renewable energy reduces the net impact of your business operations on the environment.

Finally, there’s the shipping and distribution. Ordering more materials at once can help reduce the amount of fuel used for transportation. You can also find shipping services that emphasize environmentally-friendly practices.

All of these things can make your production process easier on the earth.

Work Remotely

We live in the age of the digital entrepreneur. People can now start and run a business entirely from the comfort of their own homes.

Not only does this have many monetary and lifestyle benefits, but it’s also an excellent way to reduce the environmental impact of your business.

Environmental Effects of Remote Work

Avoiding an unnecessary office rental means less electricity is used each day. The lights in your home office aren’t going to draw nearly the same energy as the lights in a commercial space.

Additionally, working from home lets you avoid commutes, keeping you from burning fuel when you drive to work.

Also Read: How Can Companies and Employees  be Motivated to Care For the Environment

Create Green Alternatives

Finally, business owners can make their businesses greener by creating green alternatives to existing products. There is growing demand for environmentally-friendly products. Unfortunately, there aren’t always green options on the market.

ecofriendly home

As a business owner, you are directly in control of your business offerings. You have the power to invest in developing green products.

Doing this can make your business better for the environment while also opening new market opportunities for you. It’s a true win-win situation.

11 Storytelling Tips To Make Your Videos Pop

  By | | ,
4 Comments

Video marketing is an excellent way to reach your target audience. Have you considered creating a series of videos that can be used on social channels? It is a great way to establish an audience and build engagement over time.

Video posts can demonstrate your creativity, knowledge, and abilities as a marketer, using storytelling techniques that will keep your audience coming back for more. This article provides insight into eleven storytelling tips that you might find helpful when creating videos for use on social channels. It also includes some ideas for how you can use these tips to produce engaging content. Start editing videos on an Online Video Editor and try adding voice overs to your videos using best text to speech software. It is the best and the cheapest way to start.

video marketing guide

Video Storytelling – A Complete Guide

1. Identify Your Goals and Target Audience

Carefully consider the goals you want to accomplish with your videos. What exactly do you want to convey? What do you want to make sure the audience understands? Make sure that your video aligns with your marketing objectives.

Also, consider who will be watching your video and what they already know. It will help you decide how to explain concepts and things in common terms rather than industry jargon.

2. Create a Storyboard

Storyboards are a great way to plan out the content of your videos by showing the audience exactly what you want them to see. By creating a draft, you can begin building your script, making sure the audience will follow along. You can then give it to your team for them to review and comment on.

3. Create Memorable Characters

Create characters that are easy to remember. One of the most important aspects of the video is the characters. They should instantly grab your viewers’ attention and will help them connect with the video. If they’re not interesting enough, viewers may get bored and

4. Create Emotional Value That Connects

Create videos that will interest your audience and that they will be compelled to watch. Each video should convey the emotion you want to inspire your audience, so they will feel something while watching it. It can be done by telling a good story, making good use of visuals, or by using only the right words to evoke feelings or emotions in your audience. Good visuals for your videos can be provided by Depositphotos.

5. Use Music Intelligently

Music can greatly enhance the emotional value that videos convey. Different songs evoke different emotions, but it is up to you which songs you use. Music can be used to create suspense, to make your audience feel anxious or threatened. Music can also be used to make them laugh or make them cry. You can also add music post video production by using an online video editor.

use of music in video marketing

Use the music in your video to enhance the emotion of the video, and help them immerse themselves in it more fully.

6. Use an Online Video Editor Trendy Video Editing

Video editing has become a very popular trend on YouTube and other social media. People use it to make videos more interesting and engaging. Although the trend may be growing, it is important to establish your style of video editing.

Don’t copy other people’s styles just because they’re popular, but do take inspiration from the popular video editing styles to help you create the distinctive style that will set you apart from others. You can find many trendy transitions on An online video editor. It will help you give direction to your video.

7. Pick A Video Style

When creating videos, it is important to choose a style for your videos. You can choose one that’s serious or one that’s funny. The most important part of any video marketing campaign is the goal.

If you want to drive web traffic, you’d probably use a different strategy than if you wanted to increase brand awareness. It depends on your overall objective and what your video needs to accomplish.

8. Add Humor To Your Videos

Videos that contain humor and entertainment tend to go viral more often. Humor can be used to make your videos more engaging and more appealing. Even if they’re not funny, adding comedy to your videos will help you stand out from the crowd by making your video stand out from the rest.

9. Use A Theme In Your Concept

You can play with colors and various themes on an Online Video Editor. Choosing a theme can help establish a consistent look for your videos. You’ll also be able to add special effects that will enhance the mood of your video and make it stand out from an otherwise blurry one. It will help establish an identity for your brand and make your videos more recognizable.

10. Keep Things Short And Snappy

Given that people often use their social media channels to relax and unwind, it is important to keep your videos short. It is ideal given the amount of time people are willing to spend on social media.

People are likely to be more engaged if you make your videos short, fast-paced, and fun; similarly, if you want your audience to engage with your video longer, make sure the content is engaging enough for them not to feel like scrolling away after a few seconds of watching it.

11. Understanding Video Impact On Various Social Media Platforms

When you’re creating videos for use on social media, you need to understand the media’s impact on different networks. Each platform is completely different from the others, and marketers need to understand this when deciding how to use videos.

video marketing tips

Videos work best on Instagram and Snapchat, and they can also be very effective on Facebook and Twitter. YouTube works well for longer videos, but most videos shared only get three seconds of viewing time before viewers move on to something else. It makes it essential for you to create high-quality content that gets people’s attention instantly so that many people will see your video.

You can find various video templates for different platforms on an Online Video Editor.

Conclusion

These tips can be implemented when making videos for any social media channel, but they are most suited to creating videos for Facebook and Twitter.

If you follow these 11 simple steps in creating videos for social media, you’re sure to get good results in executing your video marketing campaign. It would help if you learned to make the most of an online video editor to enhance your video furthermore.

There is a lot of money to be made in this niche, and if done right, video can help you build your brand and improve your conversions for whatever it is that you’re trying to promote.

Save Energy and Money – With a Heat Pump Water Heater

  By | | , ,
1 Comment

With the high cost of living today, everyone’s looking for a way to save money and if they can also save energy in the process and help the environment, even better. Installing a heat pump hot water heater is one way to do both at the same time. Here’s how:

benefits of heat pump water heater

What are Heat Pump Water Heaters?

Before you can understand how heat pump water heaters save money and energy, you need to know how they work and what makes them different from other types of water heaters.

Typical water heaters work by generating their own heat through electricity, which means they have to expend energy creating the heat that is then transferred to the water. Conversely, a heat pump water heater uses electricity to move heat from one place to another. Since it doesn’t have to create the heat, it’s up to three times more efficient than a traditional water heater.

A heat pump water heater draws in heat from the air around it, heats it to a higher temperature, and transfers it to the water in the storage tank. Heat pump water heaters come in various models, including standalone units, integrated units that include a storage tank, and retrofit units that can be added to a traditional storage water heater.

Saving Energy, Saving Money

The way in which heat pump water heaters save homeowners money is simple: they require less electricity to operate than traditional models. When you use less electricity, you spend less money on your energy bills. With a unit that is up to three times as efficient as a traditional electric water heater, you can save some serious cash each year.

Of course, this benefits the environment as well. When you use less electricity, you effectively reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which are a finite resource. While it might not seem like you’re doing a lot to help the environment just by changing the type of water heater you use, you are actually making a big difference. The more homeowners who make this switch, the better off the surrounding environment will be.

Climate Matters — Somewhat

Homeowners should be aware that heat pump hot water heaters don’t work as well in all climates. The year-round temperature should be between 40°F and 90°F so the pump has heat in the air that it can transfer to the water. In cold climates that dip below 40°F at least part of the year, heat pumps will not do a great job of heating the water.

In fact, by installing a heat pump in a space that has excess heat, such as in a furnace room or a stuffy attic, will increase its efficiency, since it has more heat to work with from the start. This doesn’t mean you can’t install a heat pump in a cooler climate because they will still work. They just won’t be as efficient as they are in a hot environment.

Conclusion

The next time you find yourself in the market for a new hot water heater, give a heat pump model a shot. You’ll be pleased with the savings you gain, both in money and in energy

The Function of Central Heating Radiators

  By | | , ,
5 Comments

Regular furnace tune-ups and maintenance just before the cold weather will help maintain your furnace and your HVAC system at top condition during the winter months. There are some common tips you can follow that will help ensure your furnace runs at peak efficiency through the long cold winter months:

heating-radiator

Help ensure your furnace runs

It is suggested that all of your HVAC equipment be cleaned and maintained before winter arrives. Beginning in early fall, have all of your cooling and heating equipment checked over thoroughly. Have a professional come out and check the furnace’s blower and ducts as well. In addition to ensuring that these are running smoothly, this will also help to prevent an increase in your home’s utility bills. If there is a problem in any of these components, you’ll need to replace them before winter fully sets in.

Finally, once your furnace has been turned back on, you’ll need to check your heat exchanger and duct for leaks. If the duct is leaking, then you may need to call a professional to take care of the leak or replace it with new ductwork. If your heater is not properly vented, then there’s a good chance that mold is growing behind the burner or behind the ductwork. You may actually be causing a foul smell from your furnace. Instead of calling a furnace service technician to come out and make you a furnace filter replacement, why not do it yourself?

First, get a flashlight and inspect your furnace’s ducts for blockages or clogs. A regular flashlight with disinfectant should work just fine. Take note of any spots that seem unusual where the air flows through. The spot could be a filter or the blower, depending on which system the furnace uses. If you see any areas with a thick black stain or smell, that’s a good indicator to clean or change the filter.

Getting furnace repairs

Once the furnace is checked and cleaned, you should conduct furnace service at least once a year. If you think you can’t do it yourself, call a reputable company in your area to get the job done. The costs for getting furnace repairs will vary depending on the make and model of your furnace and even the age of it. If you have an older model, you will probably spend more money than if you have a newer one. There are different ways to save on furnace service costs, so make sure to ask a professional about any suggestions you might have.

Remember that the experts say it is important to have regular maintenance on your furnace. However, this is not something you should take for granted. It is important to remember that the malfunctioning of your furnace could be due to the fact that there is a dirty duct where the oil or air gap gets filled up and causes the furnace to work hard to push out the air. In this case, hiring the services of a skilled and experienced furnace repairman in Calgary is essential so you don’t have to worry too much about the furnace’s condition.

If the problem with the burner is due to the presence of mold and mildew on the exterior portion of the heat exchanger, you can safely clean it yourself using a disinfectant spray made of chlorine and water. The spray must be used carefully so as not to damage the internal components of the heat exchanger and the burner. You should wear protective gloves so that you don’t spray the chemicals directly into the eyes. You can spray the area in a circular motion to avoid leaving streaks. This may also help in keeping the lining of the heat exchanger clear and free from dust, which is a common cause of friction.

Cleaning of heat exchangers by furnace service technicians is often recommended by manufacturers as an additional measure to prevent loss of refrigerant gas and to keep temperatures constant. A clean line allows for easier access when maintenance is necessary and prevents potential damage to the heating system itself. The cleaning process can take place during the summer, at night, or on days when there is little else that should be done.

Central heating radiators are available in a wide variety of styles to match any decor and to meet any budget. Whether a radiator is new or old, its function should be the first thing to be considered before buying. The more that the space heated by the radiator is heated by electricity, the more efficient the unit will be. Radiators will also heat the entire room, which could be a major plus depending on your budget.

The Role of Biofuel in Low-Carbon Transport

  By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment

Biofuels offer a solution to climate change that shouldn’t go ignored. In fact, the amount of biofuel used in low-carbon transport has to increase by a factor of seven in order to prevent climate catastrophe, a recent report on 1.5C warming by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states. The report also places biofuels in the same league of importance as electric vehicles when it comes to replacing unsustainable fossil fuels by 2050.

Biofuels are increasingly being used to power vehicles around the world

Electric cars: benefits and limitations

A typical gas-powered car emits roughly one pound of carbon dioxide per mile traveled. On the other hand, electric cars release zero tailpipe emissions. However, light-duty passenger vehicles represent only 50% of the energy demand in the transportation sector worldwide.

Heavy road vehicles and air, sea, and rail transport make up the rest — electrification of this remaining 50% would be an expensive task. Additionally, demand for transport is expected to increase in the future. Vehicles will need to use even less energy by 2050 to ensure the global transport sector’s total energy demand rises no higher than current levels (100 exajoules).

Biofuel: a necessary solution

Several sustainable, carbon-neutral synthetic fuels are currently in developmental and demonstration stages. For example, synfuels can be produced from carbon dioxide and water via low-carbon electricity. However, this also requires cheap and low-carbon power systems (similar to the ones already running in Quebec and Iceland).

Biodiesel

In 2013, Audi was the first automaker to establish an electrofuel plant — it cost €20M and produces 3.2 MW of synthetic methane from 6 MW of electricity. Additionally, synthetic biofuels can be made from woody residues and crop wastes, which has a lighter environmental footprint than biofuels made from agricultural crops.

Examples of eco-friendly cars

While biofuels continue to be developed, there are plenty of electric cars on the market right now — all of which can help us reduce our individual carbon footprints. For example, the Hyundai Kona Electric is an impressive electric car. This vehicle offers sleek exterior styling, plenty of modern tech features, and has an impressive range of 258 miles in between charges. The price starts at $36,950. Alternatively, the Nissan LEAF is another eco-friendly model priced from $29,990. It’s powered by an 80kW electric motor and runs for 100 miles per charge.

Electric cars and synthetic biofuels are both valuable technological changes. Focusing on developing both of these sustainable options should take utmost priority in the fight against climate change.

How To Help College Students With ASD?

  By | | ,
Leave a comment

Autism is basically a disease or rather a lifelong disability that a person develops with and normally appears in the early stages of childhood. On the other hand, ASD is more or less the same as autism but differs because ASD is brought about by differences that occur within the brain. It greatly impacts a person’s relationship, communication, social skills, and self-regulation.

Tips to To Help College Students With ASD

The common signs of autism include: delayed communication skills and speech, having a problem of understanding the emotions of other people, they greatly relying on routines and rules, and getting mad at minor changes. People with ASD usually have their way of learning, paying attention or even moving. How they perceive senses, how they move and learn, and how they cope with strategies are normally affected, d this might cause hidden challenges. Don’t freak to pay for research papers.

From the characteristics stated above, we can be able to know some of the issues these students might be facing. And with that, we can derive ways in which we can comfortably accommodate them.

First, they have a problem communicating: they find difficulties expressing and receiving communication. Some of these challenges may be minor. If not well looked they might easily lead to misunderstandings of how they receive communication; they may not understand jokes and sarcasm or might take longer to process verbal exchanges.

On the expressive part, they may find it hard to initiate conversations, turn-taking issues, stick to the topic or cannot follow the communication protocol. To cater to this, give them enough time to express their verbal cues, give them the teacher’s notes and when administering tests, provide them with a study guide on the same. It would also help the student if their teacher sought clarification from them instead of just making assumptions.

Movement skills

Can be affected by either fine or gross motor skills. When the fine motor is affected, activities such as writing, turning pages, drawing, playing instruments, using utensils, manipulating tiny objects and using keys and locks are affected. On the other hand, activities such as sitting, walking, running, swimming, and balancing might be affected when gross motor skills are affected. How a person places their body on the ground is a major concern when walking cause balance affects body movements and might cause difficulties with navigation.

To accommodate autistic students, in this case, make sure that learning takes place one step after the other. Ensure that you use models and other learning resources and provide extra time for assignments and tests. Also, for students taking physical education classes, ensure that you consider further accommodations that might prevent further complications. You can also allow them to use desktop computers to do their classwork, tests and assignments.

Learning styles

Learners with autism mostly have a very uneven learning style. They often do perfectly well in a non-conventional way. Their rote memory is normally long-term and excellent. They are normally said to be right-brained thinkers. To perform well in class, they first have to develop a liking and trust for that teacher. They suffer from attention problems. Repetition is boring; they wouldn’t want to hear it again once taught something.

Their sequential learning is very poor. Despite all these, these students e believed to perform pretty well in their academics. They produce outstanding grades and so the need to further their studies beyond secondary school level. To accommodate them, you need to give them extra time for submission of tests and assignments and provide for the use of calendars because students with ASD work best under organization tools. Always provide reinforcement and motivation at each opportunity. Use demonstrations, visuals and other teaching aids, for example, review sheets.

Coping skills

They are mostly affected by stress and anxiety arising from communication expectations, social anxiety and sensory sensitivities. These might force the student to portray certain behaviors that might be considered rude and disruptive. To students who have autism, this behavior is just okay and is calming. When they’re under stress, they might do activities out of the norm to relieve themselves. Some activities include chewing clothes, flapping hands repetitively, waving, pacing or even teaching topics they love the most.

They may also decide to quit a situation during or before the suggested time. To cater to or accommodate them, ask them if they need any help or want anything. Do not disrupt them unless the activity is extremely disturbing because it is not their intention. Teachers and lecturers should also be prepared to receive them. Allow them to have their sensory objects or anything they’d think is of help to them.

Social skills

Class discussion and group work is necessary and are equally as important when it comes to earning a good grade. This necessitates the application of social skills. Socially these students have a problem of understanding other people’s opinions, they cannot maintain eye contact, and at times they cannot share their space. They cannot interact well with their colleagues and cannot negotiate well with others or work in pairs and groups.

beating procrastination

To accommodate them, give them breaks at certain intervals and allow them to use certain objects that will act as a ‘ social buffering.’ They will at least have something to distract them, for instance, a book or a computer. Also, respect their eye contact level and provide written rules that you’ll use when asking and answering questions.

Sensory differences

Some of them suffer from extremely high sensitivity input, while others have extremely low sensitivity input to take in what is in the environment into their five senses, sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Some of them might suffer from synesthesia. Here the actual information is perceived differently and not the intended one. Florescent lights that produce different colors in a classroom setup may cause ‘overload.’ Some sounds are perceived to be painful, such as dragging desks.

Some ASD students are allergic to certain scents, of maybe perfumes and deodorant. In this case, to accommodate them, allow them to wear hats, sunglasses and tinted lenses for lighting and earphones and earplugs for painful sounds.

5 Home Improvement Projects That Add Instant Value to Your Property

  By | | ,
1 Comment

It’s no secret that home improvements add to your property’s value. You can get your house looking and performing better, and when you do, you can usually sell it for a higher price when you want to move on from it.

We’ll talk about a few home improvement projects you should consider right now before you start raising funds for your home improvement. If you haven’t done these yet, you may feel that they’re worth the price.

1. Eco-Friendly Upgrades

About 70% of homebuyers seek eco-friendly upgrades, so you should keep that in mind if you have money to spend on your house this year. You can probably think of dozens of eco-friendly home improvements if you put your mind to it.

mistakes when switching to solar energy

You’ll need to look at cost-effective ones. You’ll also need to consider whether you can do any of them yourself or whether you’ll need to hire a company to do them for you.

For instance, you might switch to solar energy. Many companies will now install solar panels on your roof. They don’t usually cost all that much, and they can reduce your electric bills.

You might add color with some eco-friendly paint, or you can start a compost pile in your backyard. You can hire a company that will do an energy audit for the property. They will identify anywhere you’re losing heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. Then, they can stop up all those cracks and crevices.

2. A New Roof

A roof can last you for twenty years or longer in some instances. At some point, though, you’ll likely need to do a total tear-off and put on a new one.

Unless you work professionally as a roofer, you probably can’t do this upgrade on your own. You will need to hire a company to do it. Make sure to talk to a few different roofers so you can get some estimates. You never know if one might give you a much better price than another.

You can pick a nice color for the shingles and get the company you choose to install the roof at a time of year when the weather’s not much of a factor. Once you have that new roof on there, you can point to it as a significant selling point when you’re ready to move.

3. You Can Get a Tankless Water Heater

You might get rid of your old, bulky water heater and install a new tankless one. You’ll probably want to find a plumber to do this, although you might try it as a DIY project if you feel ambitious.

Tankless water heaters are eco-friendly, and they don’t take up nearly as much space as an old-fashioned kind. You can stick them down in the basement, and you’ll barely notice they’re there.

They usually give you faster hot water when you run a bath or turn on the shower. Also, you can often get a government rebate when you install one, so the total expense should not come to more than a few hundred dollars.

4. You Can Install a New Deck

You might have a backyard with a deck overlooking it. An old deck isn’t very nice to look at, though, and it’s probably unsafe on top of that.

green-deck

If you’ve got kids that like to run all over your deck and play in your backyard, you want a sturdy structure that won’t collapse or stick out a rusty nail that ends up in a child’s foot. Installing a new deck isn’t cheap, but that’s another potential selling point when you get ready to move on.

You can enjoy your new deck once you install it. A new deck represents a commitment to the property, but you can also spend time out there during nice weather. The neighbors will want to come by, and you can have BBQs if you set up a grill. If you want to be the next master chef in your neighborhood, don’t forget to checkout our kamado joe buying guide.

5. You Can Install a New Fence

Maybe you have a front and backyard, but you don’t have a fence yet for either one. If so, you may think about installing one. If you put in a fence, you can allow the kids to play behind the house or in front of it, or you can let your dog out and know it won’t run out into the street.

You can look into different fence styles as well. A chain-link fence won’t cost you very much, but you might want to select a more elaborate option to improve your home’s aesthetic appeal.

Why Businesses Need to Reduce Their Carbon Output?

  By | | , ,
5 Comments

According to a recent Nielsen study, 81 percent of consumers feel strongly that businesses should be taking measures to reduce their impact on the environment. This passion is shared across generations, and it’s safe to say that businesses that have little regard for their corporate social responsibility are significantly less desirable to consumers.

Despite this, a 2018 survey by Carbon Credentials found that only 10 percent of UK businesses had strategies in place to cut carbon emissions. Of those that did, none had a set science-based target in their carbon reduction plan. We know that climate change will devastate the economy and drastically increase the cost of doing business. That’s not even mentioning how it will impact resource scarcity and the global population as a whole.

At the same time, businesses that take the initiative to reduce their carbon footprint can look forward to many more immediate benefits. Here’s why your business needs to conduct a full carbon audit to reduce its carbon output and do to highlight climate action in the sustainability reports.

Cost Savings

Naturally, your expenses go down with your resource usage. From using more efficient equipment to streamlining your transportation operations to recycling office supplies, there are countless measures every business can take to make this happen. Within the first month, you’ll have more money to allocate towards growth – instead of utility bills.

Regulatory and Tax Compliance

Year-on-year, laws are passed to penalise businesses that don’t make an effort to reduce their impact on the environment and reward those that do. In the UK, this includes the Climate Change Levy, the EU Emissions Trading System and capital allowances on energy-efficient equipment, among other schemes.

Public Image

A 2015 Nielsen study of 30,000 consumers found that 66 percent of them would pay more for sustainably manufactured products. Among millennials, that portion increases to 77 percent. Gen Z is known to be even more conscious in this regard. The more your business cares, the more your customers will care about your business.

Employee Morale

In a similar light, going green fosters positive feelings from your employees as well. This has many benefits. For one, your staff will be more productive and motivated to achieve if they know they’re working for a good cause. Additionally, turnover will be reduced as employees will be less compelled to leave a work community that cares.

The Bigger Picture

This should go without saying, but reducing your company’s environmental impact has lasting benefits for your community and the economy as a whole. The likelihood of your long-term success and prosperity is far greater if the environment is in better shape.

What You Can Do

The list of measures your business can take to become more environmentally conscious is quite frankly endless. Get started by taking a look at this post on Utility Bidder, an energy supplier comparison website, about some simple ways that businesses can reduce their carbon output. The internet serves as a wealth of information on this topic.

Implementing greener practises is extremely beneficial to your business and more often than not, it is a dead-simple process. Getting started today will help you reap the benefits and reach your business goals sooner.

Why Stop/Start Technology Saves Fuel?

  By | | ,
Leave a comment

If you have recently purchased a new vehicle that features stop/start technology, you might be wondering how exactly it can save you fuel?

In the past, many people were under the impression that switching your car off and starting it again while at a red light would use more fuel than letting it idle. This is actually not the case, and stop/start technology can make this process easier for you.

Read on to figure out just how this process actually works and why it can save you a lot of money on fuel.

Why Stop/Start Technology Saves Fuel

How much fuel does stop/start technology actually save you?

Many new vehicles like the Mazda CX-5 are fitted with stop/start technology, so there is clearly a reason for it; otherwise, manufacturers would not fit it into their newest vehicles.

Stop/start technology can actually save you a lot more fuel than you think if you regularly drive in the city or in heavy traffic. A recent study noted that using start/stop technology in heavy traffic can improve the fuel economy of your vehicle by up to 8 per cent.

While this may not sound like a lot on paper, these numbers begin to add up over time, which means you could save yourself a lot of money on fuel in the long run if you use a car with this feature.

How does stop/start technology work?

Automatic stop/start technology works in a very simple manner. When you come to a complete stop in your vehicle, the engine automatically shuts off to stop your vehicle from using any fuel and letting out harmful emissions.

This technology was previously only implemented in extremely fuel-efficient cars, such as hybrids, but has since become standard fare, as stop/start technology has made its way into nearly every new vehicle on the market due to how effective it can be at saving fuel.

How is stop/start different from me switching my car off manually?

In practice, you may think that you might be able to achieve the same effect in a vehicle that is not fitted with stop/start technology by switching it on and off manually, but, unfortunately, this is not the case.

If you don’t have this technology, it is not a good idea to switch your car on and off when you are in heavy traffic or driving in the city. This could possibly damage your starter motor and leave you with a hefty repair bill!

What changes do manufacturers make to vehicles to allow this technology to work efficiently?

Vehicles fitted with stop/start technology have sturdier starter motors in order to deal with being used more frequently. These vehicles are also generally fitted with crankshafts and rod bearings covered in a special coating in order for them to be able to handle more frequent restarts.

Electric pumps are needed to circulate coolant and keep a consistent level of hydraulic pressure in the transmission as the engine will be off. This will help to cool the engine despite it being off at the time.

Vehicles with stop/start technology also have to have their electrical systems laid out differently to vehicles without it, as; otherwise, your radio, air-conditioning system, and lights would switch off every time your car’s engine did!

Will stop/start technology have a long-term impact on a car’s engine?

While you may think that frequently turning your engine on and off can damage it or shorten its life span, this is not actually the case.

There are many situations in a traffic jam where you may come to a stop for a second before having to move forward again unexpectedly. While this would normally affect a vehicle using stop/start technology, many manufacturers have developed a workaround.

Many manufacturers fit their vehicles with a tandem solenoid battery, which allows this process to happen seamlessly without damaging your car.

This works by one of the solenoids engaging the starter motor, so it can equal the speed of your engine and avoid damaging it, while the other engages the gear that the driver selects.

When is stop/start technology most effective?

While stop/start technology has already been proven to save motorists fuel when they are driving in the city or in heavy traffic situations, it can be less effective in certain conditions.

If a motorist with this technology drives with their air-conditioning on in their car, it can reduce the amount of fuel that stop/start technology can save you quite substantially.