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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.
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Renewable Energy: A quiet Sunday's reflection on past initiatives...

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    Any opinions on how effective the Merton Rule has been in the interim?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merton_Rule

    Is it still necessary as a prescriptive measure, or has it served its purpose now that consciousnesses (!!) are more aware and energy saving is now a subconscious part of the thinking process?
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    It's gone and been replaced by other rules (because it isn't seen as more than an nuisance and/or expense or hippy nonsense in many quarters).

    Rgds

    Damon
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    Thanks Damon. Had wondered. I'd forgotten all about it. Knew it had fed into the changes to the various planning PPS's of late. Don't know what prompted me to look it up again, must have been something that triggered a curiosity-synapse and a casual visit to Wikipedia.

    I suppose the underlying question in my OP is still relevant with a rewording...

    "Are similar schemes to the Merton Rule still necessary as a prescriptive measure, or have they served their purpose now that consciousnesses (!!) are more aware and energy saving is now a subconscious part of the thinking process?"
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    Hmmm. Should have done a search on here first, obviously, because this came up...

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/aug/20/energy

    From 2007, no less. But remember mention of the Rule long past then, so obviously the consequence of living out in the sticks and not watching television news or reading newspapers! :sad:
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    So, to answer your revised question, yes, I think that a reasonable lower bound has to be set for use of a common precious resource, because people will often design to or build or operate down to whatever minimum there is, grumbling that it's already too high, rather than thinking ahead to their savings and security from doing better than the minimum. Indeed, it is fairly well established that humans are very bad at computing current value of future rewards (and deferred gratification) and would much rather have £1 now than £2 next year given the choice, whatever inflation and other risks are over that period. We evil City bods call that inaccurate "PV" (present valuation).

    Rgds

    Damon
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012 edited
     
    Posted By: DamonHDand would much rather have £1 now than £2 next year given the choice,

    If you need the £1 now, you need it now.
    I once tried telling my mortgage company that I would inherit more than enough to pay off my mortgage and any arrears, they were not interested at the time. I think they call this an 'offset' loan now.
    So I think that we are forced into taking a bad deal from the evil bankers rather than inability to compute future and present values, with or without self gratification (whose I am not sure).:devil:
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    You don't "need" the £1 now if you were simply going to spend it on beer, fags and DVDs. And those people about to buy a new house who *couldn't* spend an extra few % to double its U-values rather than spending that same money on expensive furniture and kitchen are a rarer breed, and the £2 saving in the future for them is very real and might allow them to have a repayment mortgage rather than interest-only.

    Rgds

    Damon
    • CommentAuthorwindy lamb
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    Interest only mortgage = how to be homeless at 65 and they'll be no council house for you either. Oh, and don't rely on the inheritance as that'll have gone on your Mum's nursing home bills.
    Work hard and buy what you can afford - don't buy a Bentley and complain you can't afford to fill it up!.
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012
     
    Nick, it was probably your wringing your hands together and going all misty-eyed at the thought of your inheritance that put the mortgage company off. :devil:
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2012 edited
     
    The main point is that sometimes you need the cash there and then, a supermarket does not give credit, it is why, and especially in times of crisis, it is pre-determined that we take what we need at the moment, then rely on our innate cunning and instincts for the next crisis.
    There is an experiment done on children that tests this. They leave a sweet in a room and tell the child that if they do not eat it they can have two later. Most children take the sweet, a few don't, and when they grow up, they tend to more 'successful', by western standards, that the other children. But without knowing the total background of each and every child, and their pasts between tests, it is hard to draw any hard and fast conclusions from it.
    A nice Social Science Correlations, so that's all right then.

    What is that saying about 'one in the hand is worth two in the bush' :cool:
    Or is it the other way around with Kate Bush
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeMar 12th 2012
     
    :devil: The other way round.

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