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Building Regulations and Standards: Future Proofing

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    • CommentAuthorDarylP
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2012
     
    ... true:bigsmile:
  2.  
    Hi,

    I think a lot of this does come down to attitudes, but it takes a long time, perhaps 2 generations. The seat belts, drink-drive, smoking etc have been mentioned above, those were long hard 20+ year slogs to change attitudes (and still not complete). I recall when seat belts were an optional extra, not everybody took this up.

    Up here in Scotland traditionally there never was an overhanging eve particularly on solid walls; I too always thought it looked a bit mean. There are a lot of different construction types and methods to have to cover but in the main if you build to enable EWI, it should be possible to incorporate the EWI in the first place. I don’t think you can rely on people to complete future enhancements – too many other things to spend the loot on.

    Houses are sold like most things by salesman, so whilst it might be prudent to cover future proofing stuff, it goes right across the grain of the salesman to acknowledge there is something that’s not there right now. That said you do see on the property programmes lots of instances where the potential for extension etc is promoted (gets one party excited about a techy project) but to the other party seems only to illustrate that the property isn’t right or big enough. I’ll leave you to decide which of the couple fulfils those roles.

    Going back to cars we used to get a slot to add a radio (saved up for it) but now obviously you get everything at once on day one. So I don’t think there is a mind set that is receptive to future enhancements, it’s too easily overridden by why can’t I have it now.

    I don’t think you’ll ever be able to sell houses on the basis of how the perform thermally or energy wise – to many other factors override if not simply location, so it’s best to just build it in and not mention it. It would be nice if a build to passiv-ish standards were taken for granted, I’d like to see those principals commoditised to the point where the average man in the street doesn’t even know he’s got it – really? I didn’t know people used to have “energy” bills, why?.

    Cheers, Mike up North
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2012
     
    Posted By: Mike (Up North)Up here in Scotland traditionally there never was an overhanging eve particularly on solid walls; I too always thought it looked a bit mean.

    I don't know but I suspect there might have been practical reasons for this. A minor one might be that it doesn't provide something for the wind to get hold of to lift the roof.

    More significantly, maybe when the roof volume is used as living space (1½ story) but the insulation is poor or non-existent not having eves reduces ice-damming problems where snow lies on the roof, melts at the bottom over the occupied bits but under the insulating layer above, trickles down the roof then freezes again on the cold surface over the eve resulting in a puddle over the bottom part of the occupied roof which will leak in.

    Swiss chalet-style buildings have been suggested as a counter-example but I wonder how often they had occupied roof volumes.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDamonHD
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2012 edited
     
    Posted By: Mike (Up North)...
    I don’t think you’ll ever be able to sell houses on the basis of how the perform thermally or energy wise – to many other factors override if not simply location, so it’s best to just build it in and not mention it.
    Cheers, Mike up North


    http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/over_65_percent_of_uk_homeowners_say_energy_efficiency_54_very_important_54
  5.  
    Hi,
    I’m sure they do say that, its an important consideration of course, just as we all say fuel economy or safety for the car etc etc whilst secretly wondering if its faster than the guy down the road. It's kind of a leading question, in that we all know the answer we're supposed to give to those sorts of questions.
    No idea what the programme was but lady on the radio (Wednesday afternoon) had said something about her daughter remarking about using the car in town (London?) was the new smoking or something to that effect. There’s a lot of moralising goes on but we’re all very good at self justification for doing something else or not following that line (I know someone will say speak for your self)..
    But when it comes to the crunch on house purchase (or build) there are a lot of other factors that could/would override, particularly as these decisions are not taken by one person on purely rational grounds, its going to be a composite of differing views with different priorities. Who can say if good old un-sexy insulation trumps a good school? I'd probably make up a spread sheet and assign weighted priorities to each aspect etc; my other half would simply hit me over the head with the lap top.
    My point is eventually that shouldn’t be a consideration as all housing stock (or the products in it) should consume so little energy it’s just not a factor. Ok then if you wish to have other things like fish tanks, outdoor hot tubs than that’s your look out.

    Cheers, Mike up North
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2012
     
    Posted By: Mike (Up North)Hi,
    I'd probably make up a spread sheet and assign weighted priorities to each aspect etc; my other half would simply hit me over the head with the lap top.

    My other half is more tolerant (though I still take care not to sit within arms' reach at dinner parties) but whenever I try a 'logical' approach to houses or cars or whatever, I always find it impossible to construct a metric that actually agrees with what I feel. I'd like to say that in some things the head rules but in others it's the heart, but in my case I think the alternative ruler is actually my gut (belch and worse :devil:).
  7.  
    Hi,
    Probably the reality is that the life changing decisions are made in 10 sec flat and the rest is justifications to prove right what you are going to do (to do regardless) – but feels better if you have a pre prepared answer.
    Well for me anyway.
    Mike up North
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeJun 30th 2012
     
    Jeez, Mike. You alright mate? :wink:
  9.  
    Hi,

    What to deep? Let me just consult my mood spreadsheet, ah yes just input todays weighted points, on all aspects of life and building design, and the answer is yup fine. Phew - thats a relief. If it had come back negative I'd have to go and fined some fun or something as its finally stopped raining.

    Cheers, Mike up North
    • CommentAuthorJoiner
    • CommentTimeJul 1st 2012
     
    :bigsmile: :wink:
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeJul 1st 2012
     
    Posted By: Mike (Up North)the reality is that the life changing decisions are made in 10 sec flat
    Actually, 'decisions' are something you only recognise after they've happened. Anything else is mere 'making up your mind'.
  12.  
    Thats true, a fair way to look at it.

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