Chemical engineers in Zurich have done research into a roof mat that could possibly replace air conditioning units in the future. This is because the mats essentially make the building sweat causing the temperature to be lowered, the same as humans.
The study was conducted by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and they believe they have found simple solution to lowering room temperatures. It works because the mat is made from special polymer PNIMAP. This means when it is exposed to heat above 32 degrees the mat shrinks releasing the water absorbed from rainfall. This has been proven to reduce the surface temperature of a building by 15 degrees.
This seems like a great idea but so far this has only been tested on a very small scale but according to their statistics the mat could save you up to 60 per cent in energy.
In theory this could work but in practice, what if the temperature inside your house was 31 degrees and you had replaced your air conditioning unit with one of these mats? Nothing, there would be no way of cooling your house down in this stifling temperature because the mat only works at 32 degrees and above.
So the day is nearly over and we still have half a month’s rain to come in the next few hours. In the UK, this is expected to be the wettest day of the year with a predicted months worth of rain to fall in just 24 hours.
There have been four severe weather warnings across the UK as the high winds and heavy rain will be carried over the country for what looks like could be till the later part of tomorrow afternoon. Weather forecasters are also predicting that our April showers won’t end at the end of the month; they look set to continue into May.
The worst hit areas are expected to be in Eastern Scotland and in the South of England. Unlucky for us!
Paul Michaelwhite, a weather forecaster has said, “It’s an April washout rather than April showers as unusually deep, autumnal type Atlantic low pushes across the South.
“This is an unusually active depression for the time of year, as the Atlantic is traditionally at its quietest during mid-to-late spring.”
This is the complete opposite, however, to what is going on, on the other side of the world in New Mexico. They are experiencing the most uncomfortable temperatures. It has been reported that the student housing in Cervantes Village’s air conditioning isn’t programmed to come on till the last day April and many students have to sleep on their tiled floors just to keep cool. A lady who lives in the village has said her daughter has woken up with nose bleeds from the humidity and dry air.
The housing officials say it takes 4 weeks to switch all 900 of the air conditioning units and although the process has started, the residents need to be patient as they are not at fault for temperatures reaching 15 degrees what is the seasonal average.
The annual growth of food sales increased by 2.3% in February as consumers began stocking up on food in the cold weather. The latest report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) state sales picked up after negative growth in January.
As the temperature shows no sign of getting warmer, people have been driven to buy increased amounts of cupboard foods such as tinned goods, pasta and soups. Winter vegetables, frozen goods and comfort foods have also been popular, such as pies, pizzas and puddings.
With this boost in consumer spending, food retailers have the increased pressure of ensuring they have a consistent supply of these popular goods. Just as important, is the requirement for the frozen and refrigerated produce to remain fresh and stored at the right temperature. Therefore it is important for all retailers, ranging from large nationwide companies to small local shops, to maintain their refrigeration equipment. In order to benefit from this increase in demand, the products provided need to meet consumer expectations as well as health and safety standards.
Eventually when the weather changes with the seasons to summer, demand for chilled foods and frozen desserts is likely to increase. Once again, the need for top quality refrigeration equipment will arise. It is recommended that providers of this specialist equipment pay attention to the weather and stay alert to the changing demands food retailers experience, as they will require refrigeration services on an regular basis.
Most of us in the UK have noticed the delayed winter and plummeting temperatures that has been happening this week, but forecasters have predicted that it will become milder over the weekend.
However, even though it will get milder, the weather is still up and down, as it has been expected that the temperature will still fall below -8C.
Gritting teams, hospitals and emergency services are on maximum alert, with the Meteorological Office predicting “a 100% probability of severe conditions across most of England this week”.
The chillier weather follows the stalling of rain from the west and the Atlantic. An area of high pressure over western Russia and Scandinavia has chilled them and started to move them back on easterly winds.
Forecaster with MeteoGroup, Clare Allen, said, “The easterlies are bringing snow showers off the North Sea, and even London is likely to have a maximum temperature no higher than 4C, so it’s going to be pretty cold.”
There has been severe weather warnings for ice, issued by the Met Office, which are likely to stay in force until Saturday. Allen said, “If people aren’t careful driving, then it could cause disruption. Anywhere that is wet, ice is expected to form.”
The UK has reacted in its traditional way by shopping for cold weather equipment last minute.
Debenhams has reported an increase in thermal underwear by 17%, 16% rise in electric blankets, high tog duvets by 40% and slippers by 49%. However, it seems people in the UK are either going on holiday or expecting the sun to come back out soon as there has also been an 18% rise in demand for swimwear and bikinis. The demand of air conditioning units and fans has remained stable.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health asked for people to keep an eye on their older neighbours. He said, “During this period of cold weather we would advise people to check local weather forecasts for the latest information on weather conditions and staying safe when outdoors.
“We are working closely with the NHS and local authorities to ensure vulnerable people stay well during cold weather and get the help they need within their communities.”
Chemical engineers in Zurich have done research into a roof mat that could possibly replace air conditioning units in the future. This is because the mats essentially make the building sweat causing the temperature to be lowered, the same as humans.
The study was conducted by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and they believe they have found simple solution to lowering room temperatures. It works because the mat is made from special polymer PNIMAP. This means when it is exposed to heat above 32 degrees the mat shrinks releasing the water absorbed from rainfall. This has been proven to reduce the surface temperature of a building by 15 degrees.
This seems like a great idea but so far this has only been tested on a very small scale but according to their statistics the mat could save you up to 60 per cent in energy.
In theory this could work but in practice, what if the temperature inside your house was 31 degrees and you had replaced your air conditioning unit with one of these mats? Nothing, there would be no way of cooling your house down in this stifling temperature because the mat only works at 32 degrees and above.
April Showers or April Washout?
So the day is nearly over and we still have half a month’s rain to come in the next few hours. In the UK, this is expected to be the wettest day of the year with a predicted months worth of rain to fall in just 24 hours.
There have been four severe weather warnings across the UK as the high winds and heavy rain will be carried over the country for what looks like could be till the later part of tomorrow afternoon. Weather forecasters are also predicting that our April showers won’t end at the end of the month; they look set to continue into May.
The worst hit areas are expected to be in Eastern Scotland and in the South of England. Unlucky for us!
Paul Michaelwhite, a weather forecaster has said, “It’s an April washout rather than April showers as unusually deep, autumnal type Atlantic low pushes across the South.
“This is an unusually active depression for the time of year, as the Atlantic is traditionally at its quietest during mid-to-late spring.”
This is the complete opposite, however, to what is going on, on the other side of the world in New Mexico. They are experiencing the most uncomfortable temperatures. It has been reported that the student housing in Cervantes Village’s air conditioning isn’t programmed to come on till the last day April and many students have to sleep on their tiled floors just to keep cool. A lady who lives in the village has said her daughter has woken up with nose bleeds from the humidity and dry air.
The housing officials say it takes 4 weeks to switch all 900 of the air conditioning units and although the process has started, the residents need to be patient as they are not at fault for temperatures reaching 15 degrees what is the seasonal average.
Food Retailers Benefit from Cold Weather as Sales Increase
As the temperature shows no sign of getting warmer, people have been driven to buy increased amounts of cupboard foods such as tinned goods, pasta and soups. Winter vegetables, frozen goods and comfort foods have also been popular, such as pies, pizzas and puddings.
With this boost in consumer spending, food retailers have the increased pressure of ensuring they have a consistent supply of these popular goods. Just as important, is the requirement for the frozen and refrigerated produce to remain fresh and stored at the right temperature. Therefore it is important for all retailers, ranging from large nationwide companies to small local shops, to maintain their refrigeration equipment. In order to benefit from this increase in demand, the products provided need to meet consumer expectations as well as health and safety standards.
Eventually when the weather changes with the seasons to summer, demand for chilled foods and frozen desserts is likely to increase. Once again, the need for top quality refrigeration equipment will arise. It is recommended that providers of this specialist equipment pay attention to the weather and stay alert to the changing demands food retailers experience, as they will require refrigeration services on an regular basis.
Snow Showers and Freezing Temperatures upon Us
However, even though it will get milder, the weather is still up and down, as it has been expected that the temperature will still fall below -8C.
Gritting teams, hospitals and emergency services are on maximum alert, with the Meteorological Office predicting “a 100% probability of severe conditions across most of England this week”.
The chillier weather follows the stalling of rain from the west and the Atlantic. An area of high pressure over western Russia and Scandinavia has chilled them and started to move them back on easterly winds.
Forecaster with MeteoGroup, Clare Allen, said, “The easterlies are bringing snow showers off the North Sea, and even London is likely to have a maximum temperature no higher than 4C, so it’s going to be pretty cold.”
There has been severe weather warnings for ice, issued by the Met Office, which are likely to stay in force until Saturday. Allen said, “If people aren’t careful driving, then it could cause disruption. Anywhere that is wet, ice is expected to form.”
The UK has reacted in its traditional way by shopping for cold weather equipment last minute.
Debenhams has reported an increase in thermal underwear by 17%, 16% rise in electric blankets, high tog duvets by 40% and slippers by 49%. However, it seems people in the UK are either going on holiday or expecting the sun to come back out soon as there has also been an 18% rise in demand for swimwear and bikinis. The demand of air conditioning units and fans has remained stable.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health asked for people to keep an eye on their older neighbours. He said, “During this period of cold weather we would advise people to check local weather forecasts for the latest information on weather conditions and staying safe when outdoors.
“We are working closely with the NHS and local authorities to ensure vulnerable people stay well during cold weather and get the help they need within their communities.”