Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s
Share
Whilst the newly introduced smoking ban may have improved the indoor environment, the knock-on effect of the new legislation beyond the walls of Britain’s boozers may be far from healthy.
According to an increasingly vocal army of objectors, the gas-fired patio heaters springing up around the country to cater for shivering smokers could pose a grave threat to the environment.
Organisations including Friends of the Earth, The Energy Saving Trust, and British Gas are all warning that the sudden boom in patio heater sales threatens to cancel out many of the positive steps people have taken to reduce their impact on the environment.
Indeed, according to recent research carried out by British Gas, patio heaters in pubs in Scotland - where the ban came into force last March - now emit up to 10,000 tonnes of CO2 each year, with the average heater emitting more CO2 in a year than a Range Rover. British Gas reckons that, based on gas heater sales figures and surveys of English pubs this figure could rise dramatically to around 160,000 tonnes of CO2 per year – almost 10% of the annual reduction the UK needs to meet its Kyoto commitments by 2012.
What makes these figures doubly galling – as anyone who’s ever stood near a patio heater will agree – is that its futile attempt to heat up the outside is not particularly effective: stand too close and you risk burning your hair; too far away and they’re no use at all.
With opposition to the devices growing by the day and some garden centres already removing them from their stores, it seems their days could be numbered. But ruling out the obvious steps of either giving up or popping down to Blacks and investing in some cosy outdoor smoking garb, what could be done to keep the shivering smoker warm?
In its report, British Gas suggests that carbon neutral wood burning chimneas would be a preferable solution – but these can probably be ruled out on health and safety grounds. Carefully placed walls to reduce the chill factor from the wind have also been suggested. But perhaps Engineer readers could come up with a more elegant solution? Here’s one idea to set the ball rolling: Electric heaters which offer more focussed heat and emit less CO2 than their gas powered equivalents. Such systems could be made more efficient through the use of sensors to ensure that they are only switched on when people approach.
Jon Excell, Features Editor
View results 10 per page | 20 per page | 50 per page
Readers' comments (43)
Clive Bagley - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 4 Jul 2007 5:26 pm
A few winters ago, in Chicago, I had occasion to wait for the urban trains that service the city and as I stood under the shelter on the platform an infra-red radiant heater lamp started up that warmed me through without trying to fry me in the least. Surely something like this, using simple PIR detectors to switch them on and off would be way cheaper and less damaging than patio heaters?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Jeremy - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 4 Jul 2007 5:35 pm
In order to increase the comfort in inclement weather, smokers should agree specific times to meet and use the heat from their combined cigarettes to heat each other - in fact, if the open air area were enclosed on all sides and a door put in then it could be called a smoking room .....
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Roger Cane - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 4 Jul 2007 6:19 pm
As a general observation and someone who unless scientifically convinced otherwise, is totally sceptical over the whole CO2 issue. It's unproven and thought unlikely (according to many leading and 'relevant' scientists) so becomes increasingly annoying when used as a permanent topic of concern over any CO2 related device.
Global warming, which is undoubtedly occurring, remains an open 'cause and effect' issue. My solution re the Gas burner issue, is burn the paper from the truck loads of reports on CO2 omissions and or the discarded pay-slips from the huge consultancy industry living off the 'hyped problem'!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
John - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 5:14 am
I do not think that human activity is significant in warming the earth, nor do I believe that a warmer earth is a bad thing. The sun is very significant, and the earth has been warmer in the past - not due to man. Nobody seems to point out that the oceans, which comprise 70% of the earth's surface are saturated with CO2, and when water is warmed, the solubility of CO2 decreases, and CO2 dissolved in the oceans is gassed out to the atmosphere. This whole global warming thing is 99% politics and there is a paucity of informed scientific discussion - the earth has six billion people and only 196 mil sq miles of surface (ocean included) - btw - that means there are 33 people / sq mile -where are the calculations on how much CO2 human respiration puts in the atmosphere? I could go on for some time with many other observations but I'm getting bored- I expect engineers to think - what's the matter with you guys? Reading this level of thinking in a publication called "The Engineer" is really depressing.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Phil Trangmar - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 8:19 am
Why not use one of those nice Chimoneas & use carbon neutral wood as the fuel?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Tom Foreman - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 8:59 am
Nicorette Patches, thereby giving up smoking, therefore no need to shiver outside the pub. No need to use a patio heater.
An electric heater would have to be powered by renewable energy to have a positive impact, perhaps a windmill powered electric patio heater! :o)
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Mick B - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 9:08 am
Simple PIR halogen lamp (£15) hooked to Halogen lamp (£40).
All equipment exists at B&Q !
PS: If you build a wall, trust me, the nanny state will say it's an enclosed public space!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
J van der Zwaluw - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 9:11 am
What about putting a coat on or just stop smoking!!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
david sheppard - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 9:28 am
As always, wonderful joined up thinking by central government. Like, let’s introduce congestion charging. Oops, that’s worked and now the trains are too busy. Hospitals are spending too much, let’s close wards and release bank/temp staff. Oops, moral has dropped, consultants are emigrating and waiting lists have moved in the wrong direction. Looks like basic 'cause and effect’, project management, management etc. As for the pub & smoking issue, aesthetic / practical shelter design is key - the guidelines are tough.
Some ideas:-Wall mounted electric heaters, on timers and thermostats are potential solutions as are correctly positioned walls and air gaps. The use of plants to create barriers / fill required air gaps is also a good idea, I believe these sit outside the legislation. Make use of existing exhaust flues to internal heating systems (warm air), route kitchen extraction ducts through the 'short stay' smoking areas (on cold days smokers will be outside for 5 min every 45 to 60 min), fit solar panels to the roof of the shelter - simple heat exchange system. Or move to a country that thinks it through a little better!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Paul Griffiths - Patio Heaters: the new 4 by 4s | 5 Jul 2007 9:30 am
Heaters for outdoor pub smokers isn't the answer. The answer is:
1. Give up smoking, or
2. Put a coat on, or
3. Put up with being cold.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment