Nothing Beats A TV Time

Everyday there is a time where all the family members and friends would gather around at the living room and spend the quality time together in front of the magic box. These tradition has been around since the invention of the magic box called television.

So what is television? If you check on the dictionary, it says "a system for transmitting visual images and sound that are reproduced on screens, chiefly used to broadcast programs for entertainment, information, and education." So from the definition, we know that television has became from a luxury into a basic necessities in our daily life. 

Types of Television

There are so many televisions that had been invented to suit the lifestyle of many different races and classes. Buying a TV can be frustrating if you’re not quite sure what you are looking at. So we shall focus on the 5 types of television.

CRT - Cathode Ray Tube is the old style ‘chunky TV’ (and monitor).  The reason it’s so bulky is because the box has to house a screen and a projector gun. An image is created by firing electrons through this ‘gun’ onto a screen, exciting the particles on it. These TV formats have been on the fall since the early 2000’s with the introduction of far smaller LCD screens.

LCD - LCD’s are thin displays, normally used in laptop computers and TV screens. The term ‘LCD’ Stands for ‘Liquid Crystal Display’. A liquid crystal display is a special flat panel that can block light, or allow it to pass. The panel is made up of segments with each block filled with liquid crystals. The colour and transparency of these blocks can be changed by increasing or reducing the electrical current. LCD crystals do not produce their own light, so an external light source like a florescent bulb is needed to create an image.

LED - Contrary to popular belief, LED TV’s are not a completely new format of TV- Instead they are simply an updated version of the previous LCD generation. LED use the same technology as an LCD TV, but instead of being illuminated by a florescent bulb from behind, they are lit by an array of LEDs (light emitting diodes). These are far more efficient and smaller in size, meaning the TV can be narrower. LED can be broken up into two further major categories Direct (Back-lit) LED and Edge-lit LED:

1. Direct LED -These displays are backlit by an array of LEDs directly behind the screen. This enables focused lighting areas – meaning specific cells of brightness and darkness can be displayed more effectively.
2. Edge-lit LED - As the name suggests have lights set around the television frame. Edge-lit models reflect light into the centre of the monitor, and are the thinnest, lightest models available. Since they have fewer lights in the centre of the screen.

LED is the most popular format of TV on the market now due to its cost, size and versatility, although it is not the highest quality image available.

Plasma - Plasma screens are made of 2 sheets of glass with a mixtures of gases stored between the layers. These gases are injected and sealed in plasma form during the manufacturing process, hence why we have the name ‘Plasma TV’. When charged with electricity, the gases react and cause illumination in the pixels across the screen. Plasma, is arguably superior to LCD & LED in terms of contrast and colour accuracy. However the format, due to costs, is restricted to larger screens sizes, usually 40-inch +.  In these larger screen sizes, buying the Plasma option tends to work out cheaper. It is also used in the super-sized 80-inch+ screens as the plasma screens are easier, and more cost effective, to produce over a larger size.

OLED - This is a massive leap forward in screen technology. Unlike its name suggests, OLED is nothing like LED. OLED stands for ‘Organic Light Emitting Diode’ and uses ‘organic’ materials like carbon to create light when supplied directly by an electric current. Unlike LED/LCD screens, an OLED TV doesn’t require a backlight to illuminate the set area. Without this restriction of an external light source, OLED screens can be super thin and crucially, flexible. As the individual areas can be lit up directly and not via an external backlight, the colours and contrasts are much better on OLED TV’s. On the whole, OLED is thinner, more flexible, faster at processing images, creates deeper colours and more crisp in contrast. It is, however, still very expensive and will not be seen on consumer TV’s at an ‘affordable price’ for at least another year.

Energy Efficient Television

ENERGY STAR certified televisions are on average, over 25 percent more energy efficient than conventional models, saving energy in all usage modes: sleep, idle, and on. The label can be found on everything from standard TVs to large screen TVs with the latest features like 3D and internet connectivity. Many models that earn the ENERGY STAR incorporate LEDs, the latest in screen backlighting technology.

Saving energy with ENERGY STAR certified home entertainment products helps protect the climate. A home equipped with TVs, a Blu-Ray player, a compact audio system, a cordless telephone and a home-theatre-in-a-box that have earned the ENERGY STAR, can save nearly RM500 over the life of the products. If each TV, DVD player, and home theatre system purchased this year earned the ENERGY STAR, we would prevent nearly 2 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions every year, equal to the emissions from more than 175,000 cars.

Financial Cost

When buying a new TV, as with any other electrical appliance, find out how much energy it uses, check out sust-it.net, before you buy. Taking long term running costs into your buying equation, makes sense. Look for ‘Energy Efficiency’ labels and, when you get it home, don’t leave it on standby.

Research done by Sust-it, the energy efficiency site for electrical hardwares, shows that TVs are now, on average, sixty per cent more efficient than they were five years ago.

When plasma and LCD TVs first arrived in the shops, we were dazzled by their stunning picture quality and screen size, and overlooked the fact that, compared with most tube televisions, these beasts were energy guzzlers – something the salesman, wowing us with bright colours and a 42-inch screen, would neglect to mention. In 2006 a 42-inch Plasma could have cost you RM474 per year to run (at today’s prices), now thanks to public awareness and advances in technology, a similar model uses nearly six times less energy, produces 264.90 kg less carbon and costs only RM84 to run per year.

Sust-it used its extensive energy usage data to compare the running costs of 1,800 televisions and found that since October 2006 and July 2011, there has been a decrease in the average amount of energy flat screen TV’s are using, and, in addition, the decrease in stand-by consumption is nearly 100 per cent.  This is better news for the environment, as TVs account for around 6-8% of the global domestic electricity usage, and for the consumer by saving them money on electricity bills.

Consumers need to be wary of old energy hungry plasma models, which are still available and will be difficult to spot until new energy labels for TV’s become mandatory in December 2011, go for LED if possible.

Sharp, whose TVs top Sust-it’s efficiency charts, commented on the research saying “Sharp have made increasing energy efficiency a key part of its wider commitment to minimising the environmental impact of product life-cycles. Technological advances are made not only to improve picture quality, but also to reduce energy needed to power the screen.  For example, the added yellow sub-pixel in Sharp’s proprietary four colour Quattron LCD panels allows more light through, using less energy to produce a brighter, sharper picture. Where ten years ago, a 32-inch TV would have consumed nearly 300 kWh (kilowatt-hours) per year, the same size Sharp TV now requires 80% less energy when turned on, and an amazing 98% less in stand-by mode.  This is why so many of our TVs have already received the 5-star energy efficiency rating.”

Energy Efficient Wall

Hola~buen día a todos

Such a hazy day in the ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia and Indonesia. We all know that this is due to the open burning and it's getting worse. Somehow I hope that the countries' leaders can all sit down together and think of a solution for this environmental problem. Just like some of my colleagues were complaining about how hot their homes could get during these hazy days or even have some smells, which is not healthy.

So while we were all talking about these problems, we discussed if there's any wall that could do more than just covering the house's parameter? Is there any walls that could actually prevent heats from forming in the home? That's the today's topic that we shall discuss in this blog post.

Wall Types

A wall is a structure that defines an area, carries a load, or provides shelter or security. There are many kinds of walls:

• Defensive walls in fortification
• Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the superstructure or separate interior sections, sometimes for fire safety
• Retaining walls, which hold back earth, stone, or water
• Walls that protect from oceans 
• Permanent, solid fences
• Border barriers between countries (sometimes)

The materials you use for the walls in your home will affect how your home looks (both inside and out), how it'll stand up to fires, wind and physical stress, and how energy efficient your home is as a whole. Not many people are aware of just how many different types of wall materials are available. 

Framing Materials - The different materials that can be used to create the frame or structure of a home will have a big impact on its strength, insulation and cost.

Internal Wall Materials - The materials used on the walls inside a home have to be safe, compatible with the lighting scheme, and easy to maintain and keep clean.

External Wall Materials - External walls need to be tough, but they also need to look good. 

Problems With Non-Efficient Walls

A non-efficient walls usually provide a bad insulation for the homes. Many buildings with these features experience higher than anticipated utility bills, elevated levels of moisture or indoor air pollutants, and premature deterioration caused by moisture accumulation in walls and roofs. There are some areas that need to be inspected to provide good insulation.

Air Leakage Pathways

This illustration shows the cross-section of a building that many would consider to be energy-efficient: 2x6 studs, “housewrap” on the exterior, thick roof insulation, and insulated windows. As the arrows show, there can still be many places where there can be substantial air leakage. Some arrows indicate how air can flow from the interior to the exterior or from the exterior to the interior; other arrows indicate how exterior air blowing past the drywall can cause energy loss through conduction without entering or leaving the interior of the building; still other arrows indicate pathways for radon and other soil gases.

A – between wall top plates and drywall
B – through cracks in recessed fixtures
C – short circuits through attic insulation
D – between wall top plates and drywall
E – through gaps in siding and sheathing
F – through holes in electrical boxes
G – between bottom plate and drywall
H – between bottom plate and subfloor
I – between rim joist and subfloor
J – between rim joist and top plate
K – between top plates and drywall
L – around window and door jambs
M – leaky windows and doors
N – between window framing and drywall
O – between bottom plate and drywall
P – between bottom plate and subfloor
Q – between rim joist and subfloor
R – between rim joist and sill plate
S – between sill plate and foundation wall
T – through cracks in foundation wall
U – between floor and foundation wall
V – through cracks in floor slab

Heat Conduction Pathways

This illustration shows the cross-section of a building that many would consider to be energy-efficient: 2x6 studs, “housewrap” on the exterior, thick roof insulation, and insulated windows. As the arrows show, there can still be many places where substantial heat loss can occur through conduction.

A – uninsulated joists
B – minimal insulation above fixtures
C – insufficient ceiling insulation
D – insufficient insulation at corners
E – uninsulated double top plates
F – uninsulated wall studs
G – poorly fitted insulation
H – uninsulated electrical boxes
I – uninsulated bottom plate
J – inadequately insulated rim joist
K – uninsulated double top plates
L – uninsulated window header
M – improperly insulated window gaps
N – uninsulated bottom plate
O – inadequate rim joist insulation
P – uninsulated sill plate
Q – inadequate wall insulation
R – uninsulated slab

Moisture Transmission Pathways

There are four basic ways moisture moves in and out of buildings: it can flow as liquid water (since this is usually a consequence of poor flashing and drainage details, it is not covered here), it can can be sucked as liquid water by capillary forces acting in narrow spaces, it can be carried in as a vapor in air, and it can diffuse as a vapor through building materials.

A – in air, between top plates and drywall
B – in air, through cracks in fixtures
C – by diffusion, upward in winter
D – by diffusion, downward in summer
E – in air, through ventilation inlets
F – by diffusion, outward in winter
G – by diffusion, inward in summer
H – by capillarity, through siding spaces
I – in air, through cracks in electrical boxes
J – in air, between bottom plate and drywall
K – in air, through insulation materials
L – in air, between drywall and top plates
M – in air, condensation on cold glass
N – in air, between framing and drywall
O – in air, between bottom plate and drywall
P – in air, through insulation materials
Q – in air, behind basement walls
R – by capillarity, from foundation to sill
S – by diffusion, through basement drywall
T – by diffusion and capillarity
U – by water flow, through cracks
V – by diffusion, from foundation to drywall
W – in air, between plate and drywall
X – in air, between bottom plate and slab
Y – by diffusion or capillarity through slab
Z – by diffusion, through footer and up wall

Energy Efficient Wall

Now, more than ever before, energy efficiency is one of the most important considerations when choosing building materials to use in homes and all forms of building construction.

As can be seen from the above diagram, the largest area of heat loss is through uninsulated walls. This has therefore been our main area of focus. The top priorities for energy efficient buildings is to be able to keep actual energy consumption low whilst decreasing the loss of heat from a building during cold days, and minimizing the entry of heat during the hot months.

Architects and builders are excited about Energy Efficient Brick because it is able to easily achieve these energy saving objectives. Most of a home’s energy consumption is spent in heating and cooling the interior, so one of the most important steps is to try and minimize these requirements.

The Green Energy Brick provides a continuous, unbroken layer around the building envelope and ensures airtight walls with the highest in energy rating performance. This allows for the purchase of much smaller sized heating and cooling equipment. With smaller equipment comes less initial outlay, and less ongoing costs.

Advances in modern technology have produced light weight, super energy efficient, yet stronger materials that can out perform many of the traditional construction materials. Let's review again the R rating comparisons below and you will again be impressed with the Energy Brick's performance!

Standard Clay bricks................................................................R0.078
Double brick with air space between...........................................R0.316
Weatherboards........................................................................R0.086
190mm hollow concrete blocks...................................................R0.19
Double 90mm hollow concrete blocks with air space in between.......R0.44
Cellular concrete with a density of 1,600kg/m3.............................R0.115
Cellular concrete with a density of 320kg/m3................................R1.19
Green Energy Bricks.................................................................R8+

*The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. 

The unique Energy Brick, gives the look and feel of brick construction and yet vastly improves the energy rating of homes with their massive R8+ energy rating, and so provides the very best in energy performance, in any climate. Whether in the far reaches of Northern Australia, in the middle of the desert, or in the Southern parts of Asia, the Energy Brick meets the exacting requirements to minimize the use of artificial heating and cooling in a building, therefore saving you money!

An energy-efficient home is one that lowers energy bills and helps cut heating and cooling costs while enjoying more consistent temperatures in your home, all year round. Choosing the correct wall construction material makes all the difference regarding energy efficiency.