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New:- Another 20,000 homes at risk from radon gas - See Radon Section
The inaugural meeting of HI-Borders was held recently at the beautiful Langley Castle in Northumberland The meeting was very productive, some of the attendees are pictured below
Energy Performance Certificates
As from August 1st 2007 it became mandatory for all non commercial property sales to provide a Home Information Pack (HIP) which must contain a Energy Performance Certificate. Initially for properties with 4 or more bedrooms, and from 10th September, properties with 3 bedrooms, and from 14th December 2007 - all properties
The Housing Health and Safety System came into force within the provisions of the Housing Act in April 2006.
The European Directive sets out the provision for the energy performance of buildings and the issue of Energy Performance Certificates.
These will apply to homeowners, operators and developers of properties. An Energy Performance Certificate will be required at the time of sale of the property.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate ?
An Energy Performance Certificates tell you how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuel bills - are in band A.
The Certificate also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings. The Certificate includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.
Sellers of newly built homes will have to provide a predicted assessment of the energy efficiency of the property, but a full Energy Performance Certificate should be provided to the buyer when the home is completed.
Radon gas linked to cancer deaths
Domestic exposure to radon gas is responsible for a significant number of lung cancer deaths, research has found.
The risk appears to be much higher for smokers.
The researchers conclude radon in the home causes approximately 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the European Union each year - about 1,000 in the UK.
The British Medical Journal study, funded by Cancer Research UK and the European Union, is the largest ever of its type.
The researchers found lung cancer risk to be raised by 16% for every 100 Bq/m 3 of radon present in the home.
Professor Darby said: "We also found that there is a detectable risk even in homes with levels below 200 Bq/m 3, which is the currently recommended 'action level' in the UK.
"Indeed we estimate that about ninety per cent of radon-induced lung cancers occurred in homes with levels of radon below 200 Bq/m 3."
Source - BBC News
Canada: Support for asbestos, but not for victims
The Canadian government spends millions promoting its asbestos exports, but isn’t so forthcoming when it comes to its own victims of asbestos disease. Almost 1,000 of the 1,500 people in Ontario who developed the asbestos cancer mesothelioma between 1980 and 2002 weren't compensated, according to a new research paper, which says this allowed the province's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to shortchange victims of the disease, and taxpayers, out of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Source - Hazards News
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