Though often referred to as algae, blue-green algae are not algae at all, but types of bacteria called cyanobacteria. They are normally present in bodies of water. This type of bacteria thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water. When conditions are right, the blue-green algae can grow quickly forming “blooms.” Certain varieties of blue-green algae can produce toxins that are linked to illness in humans and animals.
What do blue-green algal blooms look like?
Blue-green algal blooms are often described as looking like pea soup or spilled green paint. However, blooms aren’t always large and dense and can sometimes cover small portions of the lake with little visible algae present. Blooms can also produce a swampy odor when the cells break down.
What are harmful algal blooms?
Blue-green algae blooms are harmful when they produce toxins that can make humans and animals sick. Most blooms are not harmful. You can't tell by looking at a bloom if it is harmful or not.
When do harmful algal blooms occur?
Blue-green algae prefer warm, calm, sunny weather and water temperatures higher than 75°F. Blooms usually occur during summer and early fall, but can occur other times of the year, if conditions are right.
What are the possible health effects?
You can become sick if you swallow, have skin contact with, or breathe in airborne water droplets while swimming, boating, waterskiing, tubing, bathing, or showering in water that has harmful algae or if you drink water that contains algal toxins. If you become sick, you might experience vomiting, diarrhea, rash, eye irritation, cough, sore throat, and headache. Symptoms generally begin hours to two days after exposure.
- Buildings are estimated to account for approximately 40% of primary energy and 36% of greenhouse emissions.
- Data on the total building stock in European Member States is reported in Figure 2 together with the number of new dwellings divided per typology.
- Data on energy consumption of the existing stock show that the largest energy saving potential is associated with the older building stock characterized by a lack of building envelope insulation.
- The predominant energy end-use is space heating which is responsible for about 70% of dwelling consumption.
- Electricity consumption per household has been decreasing in most countries since 2008 thanks to the diffusion of efficient appliances, compact fluorescent lights and light emitting diodes.
- Directives aimed at the improvement of buildings energy performance are the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) (EU, 2012/27/EU) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) (EU, 2009/28/EU)
- According to the EPBD recast, new buildings occupied by public authorities and properties have to be NZEBs by December 31, 2018 and all new buildings by December 31, 2020 [17]
- The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be
covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby.
- Primary energy factors used for the determination of the primary energy use may be based on national or regional yearly average values taking into account relevant European standards.
- Several studies have shown how a heterogeneous situation characterizes Europe in relation to building and climate types. As a consequence, different cost-optimal levels and packages of energy efficient measures can be found .