Posts by — richiemack

Hopkins (left) - Did he sell too cheap?

The  BBC’s top-rated TV show Dragons’ Den gave a cautious thumbs-up to Solar in the first show of its new series.  But the valuation they placed on the solar panel company in question was disappointing.
Chris Hopkins, owner of Ploughcroft Solar gave his sales speech to convince the panel as to the benefits ofsolar energy, and the financial rewards that can be reaped from the Government’s feed-in-tariff (Fit) scheme.Seeking £100,000 for a 10% equity share in his company, the entrepreneur received offers from all but one of the Dragons. But the eventual deal was so low as to be almost derisory. (See the pitch here) (more…)

Toasty Once you’ve tackled the insulation in your dwelling and achieved a decent level of heat retention, its worthwhile looking at ways to conduct heat from within.  Firstly we need to dispel all traditional notions of gas and electric heaters.  Vehicles, and other small dwellings need to be dealt with in a different manner to your grandmas front room, or the freezing conservatory you were forced into every Christmas to make room for the big family dinner.
(more…)

Let there be skylight Skylights offer ventilation and light to your vehicle, helping also reduce damp by circulating air. They are easy to install with a few simple tools. There is a variety of places on the internet, or local camping stores where they can be bought. Depending on your requirements they can cost anything from $50 to $000’s. The basic models offer a simple lift up method to allow air in. (more…)

The world is your sitting room Richie McCarthy reports back on his experiments:

If you’re dwelling in a van or even a car, or any other kind of vehicle, the right choice of well installed insulation will keep you warm during winter, and cool during summer. Most important, it will help keep the dreaded damp at bay.

Most types of insulation have been tried and tested by the building trade, and are used worldwide. But using these materials in vans or buses can alter their effect. I have explored five insulation methods , and will provide enough information for you to make the right choice. (more…)