Not exactly. It was already my money. Bank in the UK just sent me a letter saying,” “we are shutting your account, you have a month to move it or it will be gone.” No explanation. No reasons given. Just, “we are useless, gormless twits, pointy headed morons, and no wonder there is a banking crisis here because we are imbeciles.” My friend the (former) lawyer even says the letter does not even give a legal number of days!
Moreover, it is weeks before Christmas, when mail stops, and, “because you have received the letter, you can no longer use telephone banking,” I am told over the long distance phone call I make. Things eventually happen (thanks to people who posted from Europe), and MY money is still with me. Just as well I guess, they are idiots, and I am glad they do not have my money.
Now, what to do with it? My money is suddenly in my hand. Instead of being safe (with those morons?) for a rainy day, it is here in front of me. I always wanted to be more energy conscious. But, it is an investment to save towards, since it is not small (not by my standards). Now, here, my ‘windfall’, is enough!
I investigate. Drive around. Check prices. Ask questions. Then buy a solar geyser (100 litre, Chinese), some LED lights (South African), solar panel, control box, team of plumbers to install, time off to get it done, time off to tweak it, some bits back, some bits forth, some taps on, different ones off, water flow out the door, different taps on again, and we are there. Installed in January, and all working.
One hundred litres of solar geyser is enough for one person to comfortably have a hot bath a day, wash dishes, and all those things one always expects hot water to be there for. And with solar it is always there. On overcast and dreary days, it is not as much hot as warm, but it is always there (when there is water). One hundred litres is not enough for more than one person.
LED lights – I always have light, even when the neighbours are stumbling around looking for the torches and candles. The light is not enough to fill a large room with enough illumination to read comfortably by and do the crossword. It is certainly enough light to fill the bathroom, and do what is necessary there. And it is definitely enough to keep the house illuminated for security while I am away at night.
But the best is, I am not paying for it. A noticeable, significant drop in electricity use. It is too early to really know savings, but so far… November and December last year I paid $40 a month for power. Installed solar in January. This year (what I have prepaid will take me to the end of April) I have paid $90 on power. $22.50 a month.
For simplicity (I did history, not mathematics!) I paid $1000 for the solar stuff and to have it installed. And I am saving $20 a month. Or $240 a year. So, for my investment in solar, I am getting a 24 percent per annum return. What bank in Zimbabwe (or the pointy headed morons in the UK) will give you a 24 percent interest rate? The money is not liquid, so I cannot use it to impress my girlfriends, but, the return! Thanks to the bank for shutting me out. I can make more money without you! And invest in solar!
2013年3月13日星期三
2013年3月12日星期二
Last year’s promises still unkept
Last year, the Chennai Corporation outdid itself. It made 100 announcements, raising residents’ expectations to a new high and allowing hope to bloom.
One year on, most of these promises remain unfulfilled, leaving residents frustrated and disappointed.
Announcements relating to stormwater drains, bridges, roads, parks, playgrounds, streetlights and pest control, for instance remain mostly on paper or have been begun but not finished, residents said.
“The Corporation announced the use of precast technology to complete drains quickly. Last month, they started digging for drains in some of the streets in our locality but are delaying the work now. This is causing a huge inconvenience to residents,” said M. Pushpa, a resident of St. Xavier Street in Mannady.
Of the estimated total expenditure of Rs. 2,922.73 crore in 2012-2013, the civic body allocated a considerable chunk — Rs. 404.53 crore — to the construction of stormwater drains and announced the introduction of precast technology to help avoid delays. But to date, the civic body has completed just 49 km of precast drains. The deadline for most of the projects has now been extended by the Corporation Council.
As many as 147.19 km of arterial drains, 229.37 km of feeder drains, and 95.61 km of collection drains were to be covered in the seven zones of the old city limits.
In his budget speech last year, Mayor Saidai Duraisamy announced the re-laying of 1,212 interior roads and 186 new concrete roads, which would be over 380 km in all. So far though, only 221 km of roads have been re-laid.
Another unfulfilled promise is the integrated call centre for the helpline 1913, meant to report civic issues. “We are still not able to report grievances properly. We have to repeatedly try the number to get through,” said N. Indirani, a resident of Chintadripet.
In 2012, the construction of seven small bridges was announced. Of these, work orders for six are yet to be issued. Also, the results of the feasibility study on seven grade separators have still not been tabled in the Corporation Council.
“Traffic congestion has increased considerably because of the improper planning of road junctions. It takes 20 minutes to cross junctions such as Sholinganallur, Tidel Park and Porur. Flyovers and bridges should be properly planned by the Corporation or at least coordinated with other agencies such as the Highways Department,” said V. Srinivasan, a resident of Adyar.
In an attempt to reclaim open spaces and make the city greener, the Corporation had also announced 100 parks and 50 playgrounds. But so far, work on just 24 playgrounds has been completed and a mere 23 parks have been readied.
A proposal to replace all tubelights in the city’s added areas too has fallen flat. These areas need over 1.1 lakh streetlights. The civic body though, has installed only 2,000 energy-saving lights and 101 LED lights.
The proposals are good residents say, but with incomplete constructions and endless delays, faith in the civic body is waning.
One year on, most of these promises remain unfulfilled, leaving residents frustrated and disappointed.
Announcements relating to stormwater drains, bridges, roads, parks, playgrounds, streetlights and pest control, for instance remain mostly on paper or have been begun but not finished, residents said.
“The Corporation announced the use of precast technology to complete drains quickly. Last month, they started digging for drains in some of the streets in our locality but are delaying the work now. This is causing a huge inconvenience to residents,” said M. Pushpa, a resident of St. Xavier Street in Mannady.
Of the estimated total expenditure of Rs. 2,922.73 crore in 2012-2013, the civic body allocated a considerable chunk — Rs. 404.53 crore — to the construction of stormwater drains and announced the introduction of precast technology to help avoid delays. But to date, the civic body has completed just 49 km of precast drains. The deadline for most of the projects has now been extended by the Corporation Council.
As many as 147.19 km of arterial drains, 229.37 km of feeder drains, and 95.61 km of collection drains were to be covered in the seven zones of the old city limits.
In his budget speech last year, Mayor Saidai Duraisamy announced the re-laying of 1,212 interior roads and 186 new concrete roads, which would be over 380 km in all. So far though, only 221 km of roads have been re-laid.
Another unfulfilled promise is the integrated call centre for the helpline 1913, meant to report civic issues. “We are still not able to report grievances properly. We have to repeatedly try the number to get through,” said N. Indirani, a resident of Chintadripet.
In 2012, the construction of seven small bridges was announced. Of these, work orders for six are yet to be issued. Also, the results of the feasibility study on seven grade separators have still not been tabled in the Corporation Council.
“Traffic congestion has increased considerably because of the improper planning of road junctions. It takes 20 minutes to cross junctions such as Sholinganallur, Tidel Park and Porur. Flyovers and bridges should be properly planned by the Corporation or at least coordinated with other agencies such as the Highways Department,” said V. Srinivasan, a resident of Adyar.
In an attempt to reclaim open spaces and make the city greener, the Corporation had also announced 100 parks and 50 playgrounds. But so far, work on just 24 playgrounds has been completed and a mere 23 parks have been readied.
A proposal to replace all tubelights in the city’s added areas too has fallen flat. These areas need over 1.1 lakh streetlights. The civic body though, has installed only 2,000 energy-saving lights and 101 LED lights.
The proposals are good residents say, but with incomplete constructions and endless delays, faith in the civic body is waning.
2013年3月11日星期一
When will buyers start warming to energy ratings?
Despite rocketing energy prices, there remains a reluctance amongst home owners and buyers to face the inevitability of the upward trend continuing.
Buyers will discuss running costs of properties they are buying, but it’s rare that anyone takes enough interest to look closely at the EPC. The fact is that running costs rarely feature as a priority when it comes to buying a new property. However, what is likely to be considered a deterrent is a property that comes with a green deal loan attached to it. And homeowners who sign up to the Green Deal and then want or need to sell, will face the prospect of having to “sell” an encumbered property.
I think that, in time, the Green Deal will become a mainstream option, and take-up will increase. But not before there’s more clarity and a raft of problems have been ironed out. And maybe fuel prices have to rise even more before homeowners can see the benefits of substantial investment in energy saving technologies.
Meanwhile, we are seeing a wider appreciation of the benefits of introducing low-cost energy-saving home improvements. Immediate changes that homeowners can make can be as small as using low energy light bulbs, insulation in the roof, draft proofing of windows and doors, extra lagging on the hot water cylinder, a thermostat on the hot water cylinder, and thermostatic radiator valves. All these are extremely effective and don’t involve large financial outlay.
And while it’s hard to make the case for upgrading an old boiler before it’s come to the end of its life with one that will be more economical, homeowners are certainly more discerning when replacements are essential, looking at all the options, including wood burners with back boilers, or more generally bio-mass boilers. If windows need replacing, homeowners are much more likely to consider double glazing than they would have been a decade ago.
So while there’s a great deal of scepticism surrounding the Green Deal, green issues are very much more on the radar of both home owners and house buyers. A quick glance at the roof landscape will reveal a growing panorama of solar panels; and our appetite for Agas has subsided due to their high running costs.
My advice to homeowners would be to look at introducing as many low cost energy saving improvements as possible, taking advantage of any grants that are available. If you’re making improvements to the property generally, take the opportunity to incorporate energy saving elements such as cavity wall insulation, double glazing, solar panels, and boiler upgrades where appropriate – it’s the most cost effective time for increasing energy efficiency. If you’re undertaking a large scale project, consider internal insulation, and ground source or air source heat pumps. And depending on where you’re situated, you could use a wood chip boiler for which there are good grants and healthy paybacks, especially if you have your own wood and the ability to store and dry it.
Whatever the future of the Green Deal, one thing’s for certain, the energy efficiency of property will become increasingly important to property buyers as the 21st century progresses, to the extent that a very low EPC rating will become a form of blight.
Buyers will discuss running costs of properties they are buying, but it’s rare that anyone takes enough interest to look closely at the EPC. The fact is that running costs rarely feature as a priority when it comes to buying a new property. However, what is likely to be considered a deterrent is a property that comes with a green deal loan attached to it. And homeowners who sign up to the Green Deal and then want or need to sell, will face the prospect of having to “sell” an encumbered property.
I think that, in time, the Green Deal will become a mainstream option, and take-up will increase. But not before there’s more clarity and a raft of problems have been ironed out. And maybe fuel prices have to rise even more before homeowners can see the benefits of substantial investment in energy saving technologies.
Meanwhile, we are seeing a wider appreciation of the benefits of introducing low-cost energy-saving home improvements. Immediate changes that homeowners can make can be as small as using low energy light bulbs, insulation in the roof, draft proofing of windows and doors, extra lagging on the hot water cylinder, a thermostat on the hot water cylinder, and thermostatic radiator valves. All these are extremely effective and don’t involve large financial outlay.
And while it’s hard to make the case for upgrading an old boiler before it’s come to the end of its life with one that will be more economical, homeowners are certainly more discerning when replacements are essential, looking at all the options, including wood burners with back boilers, or more generally bio-mass boilers. If windows need replacing, homeowners are much more likely to consider double glazing than they would have been a decade ago.
So while there’s a great deal of scepticism surrounding the Green Deal, green issues are very much more on the radar of both home owners and house buyers. A quick glance at the roof landscape will reveal a growing panorama of solar panels; and our appetite for Agas has subsided due to their high running costs.
My advice to homeowners would be to look at introducing as many low cost energy saving improvements as possible, taking advantage of any grants that are available. If you’re making improvements to the property generally, take the opportunity to incorporate energy saving elements such as cavity wall insulation, double glazing, solar panels, and boiler upgrades where appropriate – it’s the most cost effective time for increasing energy efficiency. If you’re undertaking a large scale project, consider internal insulation, and ground source or air source heat pumps. And depending on where you’re situated, you could use a wood chip boiler for which there are good grants and healthy paybacks, especially if you have your own wood and the ability to store and dry it.
Whatever the future of the Green Deal, one thing’s for certain, the energy efficiency of property will become increasingly important to property buyers as the 21st century progresses, to the extent that a very low EPC rating will become a form of blight.
2013年3月10日星期日
PCJ spends $5.6m on energy upgrade at 3 health facilities
Supporting the drive to reduce the public sector’s energy bill, the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) is currently upgrading the lighting facilities at the May Pen and Spanish Town Hospitals and the Jamaica Police Convalescent Centre a cost of approximately $5.6 million.
The PCJ says the three institutions are the latest public sector facilities to benefit as it increases use of energy efficiency technology by public sector entities
At the maternity ward of the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine, the PCJ is carrying out a complete overhaul of the internal lighting system. The ward is being retrofitted with fixtures and other equipment that will reduce the use of electricity at the 340 bed facility, the Corporation said in a release Sunday.
“The upgrade will cover restrooms, storerooms and general patient areas, most of which will be equipped with sensors to regulate lighting based on occupancy. The PCJ anticipates that the improvements will cut the Hospital’s energy usage by 36,000 kWh per year.”
Meanwhile, the outdoor lighting system at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon is being improved for greater utilisation of renewable energy. The PCJ said it is installing a solar photovoltaic system, rehabilitating old lighting poles and replacing existing halogen lighting with LED lamps. The LED lamps will provide a similar level of illumination with reduced wattage.
This upgrade is projected to result in energy saving of 29780 KWh per year which translates into cost saving of more than J$950,000 annually.
In addition, the Jamaica Police Convalescent Centre (JPCC) is set to reduce its energy usage by 17,000 kWh per year as a result of the lighting efficiency improvements recently undertaken at that institution. The PCJ installed an external solar lighting system at the Centre and also upgraded the internal and external lighting fixtures.
“The PCJ understands that rising energy costs can hinder public sector institutions from delivering quality services to the public; and an effective way to address this matter is greater utilisation of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology,” said Dr Peter Ruddock, Manager of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient at the PCJ.
“The three institutions that have benefitted from our latest round of projects should soon see cost savings as a result of the reductions in their energy bills,” he added.
The gap between the concept and the reality of net zero energy buildings seems largely a result of the shortcomings of most net-zero energy strategies.
Take Walgreens’ strategy for achieving the highly-sought-after net zero energy status at a new store under construction in Evanston, Ill. If all goes according to plan, the new store is projected to consume an estimated 200,000 kWh and generate an estimated 256,000 kWh annually, according to engineering calculations. To make this possible, Walgreens will equip the new store with more than 800 roof-top solar panels, two wind turbines, geothermal wells , LED lighting and energy-efficient building materials.
The PCJ says the three institutions are the latest public sector facilities to benefit as it increases use of energy efficiency technology by public sector entities
At the maternity ward of the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine, the PCJ is carrying out a complete overhaul of the internal lighting system. The ward is being retrofitted with fixtures and other equipment that will reduce the use of electricity at the 340 bed facility, the Corporation said in a release Sunday.
“The upgrade will cover restrooms, storerooms and general patient areas, most of which will be equipped with sensors to regulate lighting based on occupancy. The PCJ anticipates that the improvements will cut the Hospital’s energy usage by 36,000 kWh per year.”
Meanwhile, the outdoor lighting system at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon is being improved for greater utilisation of renewable energy. The PCJ said it is installing a solar photovoltaic system, rehabilitating old lighting poles and replacing existing halogen lighting with LED lamps. The LED lamps will provide a similar level of illumination with reduced wattage.
This upgrade is projected to result in energy saving of 29780 KWh per year which translates into cost saving of more than J$950,000 annually.
In addition, the Jamaica Police Convalescent Centre (JPCC) is set to reduce its energy usage by 17,000 kWh per year as a result of the lighting efficiency improvements recently undertaken at that institution. The PCJ installed an external solar lighting system at the Centre and also upgraded the internal and external lighting fixtures.
“The PCJ understands that rising energy costs can hinder public sector institutions from delivering quality services to the public; and an effective way to address this matter is greater utilisation of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology,” said Dr Peter Ruddock, Manager of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient at the PCJ.
“The three institutions that have benefitted from our latest round of projects should soon see cost savings as a result of the reductions in their energy bills,” he added.
The gap between the concept and the reality of net zero energy buildings seems largely a result of the shortcomings of most net-zero energy strategies.
Take Walgreens’ strategy for achieving the highly-sought-after net zero energy status at a new store under construction in Evanston, Ill. If all goes according to plan, the new store is projected to consume an estimated 200,000 kWh and generate an estimated 256,000 kWh annually, according to engineering calculations. To make this possible, Walgreens will equip the new store with more than 800 roof-top solar panels, two wind turbines, geothermal wells , LED lighting and energy-efficient building materials.
2013年3月7日星期四
Up, up and away ...
Sixth-graders in Shawn R. Wilson’s homeroom at Casa Grande Middle School are building a space module to send cameras and a global positioning system into the stratosphere.
The space module, made of Styrofoam packing material, will be carried 80,000 feet above the surface of the earth by a 5-foot weather balloon and returned to earth by parachute. Wilson said 80,000 feet is about three times higher than commercial jets fly.
Angela Mora, 12, said two or more video cameras, a cell phone with global positioning system, flashing LED lights, batteries, hand warmers and a fire alarm will be inside the module.
Gerard D’souza, 9, who is in a different homeroom, drew up his ideas about the module and joined the class to help with the project.“They were really good ideas,” Wilson said.
The weather balloon will be filled with helium and will lift the module so high they will not be able to see it, Angela said. “That’s why we’re using the GPS, because we never know where it’s going to land.”
Wilson plans to send his cell phone up in the module for the GPS tracking.“My wife’s not too happy about having my phone go up,” he added.
The module should land within 30 miles of the launch site, Wilson said, but with space research there is always a possibility of failure. Something could go wrong with the GPS tracker. The module could land on property they cannot enter. A jet could zoom by and suck it into an engine.
The students will use software normally used to find lost cell phones, “Where’s My Droid,” to locate the module after it lands, Wilson said. They should be able to track it to within 100 feet.
They are putting a ringing fire alarm in the module to help find it after it returns to earth, and a U.S. Border Patrol agent, who uses GPS every day, has agreed to help them locate it.
Michael Stanford, 11, said the balloon will burst at 80,000 feet because the air pressure inside the balloon will be so much greater than the pressure outside at that altitude. After it bursts, the fall will open the parachute.
Tyler Johnson, 12, said the LED lights will help them find it after dark. Hot Pockets hand warmers will keep the batteries warm so they don’t freeze in the stratosphere, where temperatures will reach 50 or 60 degrees below zero.
Michael picked up the space module and showed windows cut in the top and bottom for cameras. One camera will look up into the stratosphere. One will look down toward earth. The balloon will be attached to the parachute, which will be attached to the module.
Tyler said they also have to make sure the batteries on the camera and GPS are charged before they send them up or they could wind up with no video or no recovery.
They will test the system with something that looks like fishing line, said Tavian Johnson, 12, tie it to the space module and balloon, put one camera on it and let it go as high as a kite would fly. Wilson said that will probably be next week.
Tyler said they can’t send the module up on a rainy day because the equipment will malfunction if it gets wet. They can’t send it up on a windy day because the balloon could blow away.
The biggest issue now is finding enough helium to fill the balloon, Wilson said. Families donated helium for the low-level test, hand warmers for the batteries and a sewing kit to make the parachute.
The space module, made of Styrofoam packing material, will be carried 80,000 feet above the surface of the earth by a 5-foot weather balloon and returned to earth by parachute. Wilson said 80,000 feet is about three times higher than commercial jets fly.
Angela Mora, 12, said two or more video cameras, a cell phone with global positioning system, flashing LED lights, batteries, hand warmers and a fire alarm will be inside the module.
Gerard D’souza, 9, who is in a different homeroom, drew up his ideas about the module and joined the class to help with the project.“They were really good ideas,” Wilson said.
The weather balloon will be filled with helium and will lift the module so high they will not be able to see it, Angela said. “That’s why we’re using the GPS, because we never know where it’s going to land.”
Wilson plans to send his cell phone up in the module for the GPS tracking.“My wife’s not too happy about having my phone go up,” he added.
The module should land within 30 miles of the launch site, Wilson said, but with space research there is always a possibility of failure. Something could go wrong with the GPS tracker. The module could land on property they cannot enter. A jet could zoom by and suck it into an engine.
The students will use software normally used to find lost cell phones, “Where’s My Droid,” to locate the module after it lands, Wilson said. They should be able to track it to within 100 feet.
They are putting a ringing fire alarm in the module to help find it after it returns to earth, and a U.S. Border Patrol agent, who uses GPS every day, has agreed to help them locate it.
Michael Stanford, 11, said the balloon will burst at 80,000 feet because the air pressure inside the balloon will be so much greater than the pressure outside at that altitude. After it bursts, the fall will open the parachute.
Tyler Johnson, 12, said the LED lights will help them find it after dark. Hot Pockets hand warmers will keep the batteries warm so they don’t freeze in the stratosphere, where temperatures will reach 50 or 60 degrees below zero.
Michael picked up the space module and showed windows cut in the top and bottom for cameras. One camera will look up into the stratosphere. One will look down toward earth. The balloon will be attached to the parachute, which will be attached to the module.
Tyler said they also have to make sure the batteries on the camera and GPS are charged before they send them up or they could wind up with no video or no recovery.
They will test the system with something that looks like fishing line, said Tavian Johnson, 12, tie it to the space module and balloon, put one camera on it and let it go as high as a kite would fly. Wilson said that will probably be next week.
Tyler said they can’t send the module up on a rainy day because the equipment will malfunction if it gets wet. They can’t send it up on a windy day because the balloon could blow away.
The biggest issue now is finding enough helium to fill the balloon, Wilson said. Families donated helium for the low-level test, hand warmers for the batteries and a sewing kit to make the parachute.
2013年3月6日星期三
Council poised to install new street light bulbs
Spending 120,000 on installing new street light bulbs in the strath and other parts of the Highlands will save more cash in the long run, a senior councillor has predicted.
Highland Council is poised to convert several hundred streetlights in Nethy Bridge, Nairn, and other villages and towns in the Far North and Ross-shire into using low energy LED bulbs.
The local authority has faced increasing power bills for lighting in recent years and has run controversial trials switching them off in some areas to save cash.
The full council in Inverness will be asked tomorrow to approve a proposal to spend 120,000 on the major refitting scheme from extra money allocated by the Scottish Government.
Graham Phillips, chairman of the council’s transport, environmental and community services (TECS) committee, said the costs of providing streetlights in the Highlands and paying for their use was escalating.
“We have had very successful pilots of LED lights and this is about spending to save, over 15 years we are going to make money back,” he said.
“Long-term, all our street lighting will be heading in this direction but that will take a number of years.”
Each LED street light will be about be 50 per cent cheaper to run than conventional lanterns. About 600 will be replaced, if councillors give the green light.
TECS director Neil Gillies said he did not expect the public to object to the move.
“It is just as bright although they are a much lower wattage,” he said. “We have done some trials in Inverness and people haven’t really noticed the difference.”
As well as Nethy, bulbs will be replaced in John O’Groats, Castletown, Contin, along the Dingwall-Maryburgh link road, on Nairn’s Mill Road and Carnach Crescent and the Croy bypass route.
The council has about 50,000 street lights in the region and energy costs have partly increased in recent years because of new housing developments.
It had aborted trials which saw every second street light switched off in communities following residents’ complaints about road safety. Boat of Garten as well as locations in Lochaber and Skye were areas which had participated.
Substantial price hikes in the network power connection have put pressure on the council’s street lighting budget and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has taken up the issue with the energy regulator Ofgem in London.
I’m one of several students who want more lights in our small town. Some students have even taken action to bring attention to this important issue.
One such student, Erik Taylor, called for more street lighting after he was attacked in the south-campus neighborhood last year in April, according to an article from Chico News and Review.
As a result, Taylor created a Facebook page called “More Lights Safer Nights,” dedicated to the cause of lighting up Chico.
Taking action is what our community needs to bring the problem to the attention of our City Council and police officials.
Maggie Vorhes, a sophomore environmental science major, wants more street lights installed, she said.
“‘Rape trail’ might not be called the rape trail if there were more lights,” Vorhes said.
Students who live off campus should voice their concerns to the Chico Police Department and ask whether it’s possible to install phones that could connect people in need to the department or Campus Connection personnel.
Highland Council is poised to convert several hundred streetlights in Nethy Bridge, Nairn, and other villages and towns in the Far North and Ross-shire into using low energy LED bulbs.
The local authority has faced increasing power bills for lighting in recent years and has run controversial trials switching them off in some areas to save cash.
The full council in Inverness will be asked tomorrow to approve a proposal to spend 120,000 on the major refitting scheme from extra money allocated by the Scottish Government.
Graham Phillips, chairman of the council’s transport, environmental and community services (TECS) committee, said the costs of providing streetlights in the Highlands and paying for their use was escalating.
“We have had very successful pilots of LED lights and this is about spending to save, over 15 years we are going to make money back,” he said.
“Long-term, all our street lighting will be heading in this direction but that will take a number of years.”
Each LED street light will be about be 50 per cent cheaper to run than conventional lanterns. About 600 will be replaced, if councillors give the green light.
TECS director Neil Gillies said he did not expect the public to object to the move.
“It is just as bright although they are a much lower wattage,” he said. “We have done some trials in Inverness and people haven’t really noticed the difference.”
As well as Nethy, bulbs will be replaced in John O’Groats, Castletown, Contin, along the Dingwall-Maryburgh link road, on Nairn’s Mill Road and Carnach Crescent and the Croy bypass route.
The council has about 50,000 street lights in the region and energy costs have partly increased in recent years because of new housing developments.
It had aborted trials which saw every second street light switched off in communities following residents’ complaints about road safety. Boat of Garten as well as locations in Lochaber and Skye were areas which had participated.
Substantial price hikes in the network power connection have put pressure on the council’s street lighting budget and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has taken up the issue with the energy regulator Ofgem in London.
I’m one of several students who want more lights in our small town. Some students have even taken action to bring attention to this important issue.
One such student, Erik Taylor, called for more street lighting after he was attacked in the south-campus neighborhood last year in April, according to an article from Chico News and Review.
As a result, Taylor created a Facebook page called “More Lights Safer Nights,” dedicated to the cause of lighting up Chico.
Taking action is what our community needs to bring the problem to the attention of our City Council and police officials.
Maggie Vorhes, a sophomore environmental science major, wants more street lights installed, she said.
“‘Rape trail’ might not be called the rape trail if there were more lights,” Vorhes said.
Students who live off campus should voice their concerns to the Chico Police Department and ask whether it’s possible to install phones that could connect people in need to the department or Campus Connection personnel.
2013年3月5日星期二
Halo of light gets distracted drivers' eyes back
Auto supplier Continental has developed an eye-catching visual alert system in the battle against the menace of distracted driving, a battle that's an auto industry top priority.
The premise is simple: If your eyes are looking in the right direction, hazards are more easily avoided. So Continental created a string of lights that runs along the inside of the car and is turned on and off in a way that draws a distracted driver's eyes back to the road.
Continental's "halo" is just one of many attempts from various companies to crack the nut of distracted driving by creating a safety system.
Today's vehicles are laden with safety technology and sensors to read the surroundings and send messages to a car's electronic brain. There's automated braking, accelerating or steering on the driver's behalf if the person behind the wheel fails to do so often because the driver is daydreaming or otherwise distracted.
"Someone needs to find a way to put it all in one package, especially when different safety technologies come from different suppliers," said analyst Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific in Ann Arbor. "Whoever comes up with a solution, it will be a silver bullet."
With researchers at the University of Darmstadt in Germany, the Continental system was created and installed in a 2013 Cadillac XTS, now known as the Driver Focus vehicle.
"This really excites me," said Tejas Desai, head of Continental's Interior Electronics Solutions. Experts seem to agree that the work is imperative.
Each day, accidents associated with distracted driving lead to 10 deaths and 1,100 injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Much of the blame falls on cell phone use, especially texting, but drivers are also distracted as they attempt to eat, drink, or adjust the stereo, heat or navigation system.
"It is good that people are thinking creatively about the distracted-driving problem because it's not going away," said analyst Rebecca Lindland of Rebel Three Media & Consultants in Cos Cob, Conn.
Drivers are distracted when trying to process too much -- but also when they have too little stimulus to keep them from daydreaming, Desai said.
The industry has responded with technologies that alert drivers with an assortment of beeps and chirps or vibrating seats and steering wheels while taking evasive action such as slowing the vehicle to match the speed of the car ahead or providing a steering nudge to get back in the lane.
"Cars are doing a great job of telling us when we're doing something wrong, and many systems have been added in the last five years. There are sounds, lights, vibrations but there is not a clear way to reduce false positives or integrate the different systems into one warning now."
Drivers have more parts of the car to pay attention to, Sullivan said. "Continental is trying to come up with a formula to bring it all together while reducing distraction.
Modifying the Cadillac shows the system works with existing vehicles and technologies while providing a showcase to solicit future business.
But Continental will also have a variety of drivers test the XTS over the remainder of the year to collect data on how best to tackle the problem of distracted driving. The supplier will compile monthly snapshots of the findings and use the data to keep refining the technology.
The premise is simple: If your eyes are looking in the right direction, hazards are more easily avoided. So Continental created a string of lights that runs along the inside of the car and is turned on and off in a way that draws a distracted driver's eyes back to the road.
Continental's "halo" is just one of many attempts from various companies to crack the nut of distracted driving by creating a safety system.
Today's vehicles are laden with safety technology and sensors to read the surroundings and send messages to a car's electronic brain. There's automated braking, accelerating or steering on the driver's behalf if the person behind the wheel fails to do so often because the driver is daydreaming or otherwise distracted.
"Someone needs to find a way to put it all in one package, especially when different safety technologies come from different suppliers," said analyst Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific in Ann Arbor. "Whoever comes up with a solution, it will be a silver bullet."
With researchers at the University of Darmstadt in Germany, the Continental system was created and installed in a 2013 Cadillac XTS, now known as the Driver Focus vehicle.
"This really excites me," said Tejas Desai, head of Continental's Interior Electronics Solutions. Experts seem to agree that the work is imperative.
Each day, accidents associated with distracted driving lead to 10 deaths and 1,100 injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Much of the blame falls on cell phone use, especially texting, but drivers are also distracted as they attempt to eat, drink, or adjust the stereo, heat or navigation system.
"It is good that people are thinking creatively about the distracted-driving problem because it's not going away," said analyst Rebecca Lindland of Rebel Three Media & Consultants in Cos Cob, Conn.
Drivers are distracted when trying to process too much -- but also when they have too little stimulus to keep them from daydreaming, Desai said.
The industry has responded with technologies that alert drivers with an assortment of beeps and chirps or vibrating seats and steering wheels while taking evasive action such as slowing the vehicle to match the speed of the car ahead or providing a steering nudge to get back in the lane.
"Cars are doing a great job of telling us when we're doing something wrong, and many systems have been added in the last five years. There are sounds, lights, vibrations but there is not a clear way to reduce false positives or integrate the different systems into one warning now."
Drivers have more parts of the car to pay attention to, Sullivan said. "Continental is trying to come up with a formula to bring it all together while reducing distraction.
Modifying the Cadillac shows the system works with existing vehicles and technologies while providing a showcase to solicit future business.
But Continental will also have a variety of drivers test the XTS over the remainder of the year to collect data on how best to tackle the problem of distracted driving. The supplier will compile monthly snapshots of the findings and use the data to keep refining the technology.
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