Why aren't almost all new builds done like this?

[Tringa]

A house that costs £15 a year to run - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35014613

The bloke is an architect so knows what he is doing but if one person can do this why can't major housebuilding contractors do it? The total cost was about £440,000 but nearly £200,000 of that was to buy the existing house and demolish it; the building of this house was around £240,000.

If this level of construction became the standard on new builds the costs would come down and achieving our emissions targets could be much easier. However, it might upset electricity producers.


Dave

 

[B1ts]

I suspect the building cost of a similiar house the current method is cheaper than 240k.
Although yes it would be better if his ways were adopted more obv.

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

From next year I think, no new builds will be built with gas installed.
Instead they will have solar/air/ground source heat pumps etc.

 

[Peter B]

We had Scotland's Housing Expo in Inverness in 2010 and it was held to showcase a variety of eco-friendly designs. More info at the link, but inevitably some were more impressive than others. The main problem was the cost of the houses which made them difficult to sell after the Expo closed, but certainly some were so energy-efficient that the joiners couldn't work inside for more than about half an hour as their own body heat made it intolerable. Few similar houses have been built, but there's no doubt that some ideas have been incorporated in newbuilds elsewhere.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/scotland’s-housing-expo-2010/5004098.article

 

[BruceMo]

I'd say a big part of the problem is cost to produce and the skill levels just aren't there in our industry. Training on traditional skills has dropped a lot over the years and the fact that most trades are now self employed on price work lowers the standard further
I seen a watchdog programme recently where brand new homes were built with no roof insulation and sinks siliconed to the wall. Supervision and quality control costs, as with most things these days it comes down to profit margins
But these types of builds take a lot of skill by the trades and until they address the training and control issues I'm afraid it won't be mainstream construction for a while

 

[JonathanRyan]

From next year I think, no new builds will be built with gas installed.
Instead they will have solar/air/ground source heat pumps etc.

My next door neighbours have ground sourced heating. It's hi-lari-o-u-s. In the summer they have to run air conditioning because there's no easy way for them to shut it off and the house overheats due to its massive amount of insulation and the solar hot water system they also have. In the winter they pay staggering amounts for the electricity to run the pump to get their free heating (check the figures online - IIRC it's about 10% cheaper than electric central heating). Twice a year engineers come and spend a couple of days tinkering with it.

It's a nice idea but I don't think it's ready for mass rollout yet.

 

[Mr Bump]

new builds are just awfull, I have been in a few lately and words just fail me, the awful blandness and the absence of anything solid means a rat farts in the next room and you hear it, just awful

 

[viv1969]

From next year I think, no new builds will be built with gas installed.
Instead they will have solar/air/ground source heat pumps etc.

Is there a source for that?

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

Is there a source for that?

I was told this at a meeting on Monday. I work for Scottish Gas. That's all I know.

 

[viv1969]

Ahhh Scotland. OK

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

Ahhh Scotland. OK

UK actually.

 

[viv1969]

UK actually.

Yes, but different building regs apparently.
My (lovely) retired neighbour is considering signing up for a new build bungalow which will not be built until 2017.
It includes gas central heating.

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

Yes, but different building regs apparently.
My (lovely) retired neighbour is considering signing up for a new build bungalow which will not be built until 2017.
It includes gas central heating.

Maybe it relates to new builds planned after 2016 then?

 

[viv1969]

Maybe it relates to new builds planned after 2016 then?

Who knows?
I can't find anything that suggests gsh is on the way out

 

[BruceMo]

Scandinavians have long used hot springs to heat buildings over there I believe. Be nice to see community heating here. My daughters area recently got a big communal gas boiler to replace the old electric heating, what a difference it's made

 

[Nod]

Less volcanic activity here though! Iceland is apparently 85% renewable energy and that (IIRC) includes vehicles. All buildings there were toasty warm even though it was fufufufreezing outside!

 

[Cobra]

From next year I think, no new builds will be built with gas installed.
Instead they will have solar/air/ground source heat pumps etc.

Funny enough I was talking to a Corgi engineer, or what every they are called now,
and he was saying that the Ceramic radiators are the way forward, very cheap to run, and at less than £100 each a whole house can be central heated
for less than a grand.
I was very sceptical but he seemed adamant ..
Time will tell I guess.

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

Who knows?
I can't find anything that suggests gsh is on the way out

It's not on the way out though, there's millions of existing homes with old boilers etc.
It's something to do with the government's plans for zero carbon homes.
There's info relating to it on DECC's website.

 

[viv1969]

It's not on the way out though, there's millions of existing homes with old boilers etc.
It's something to do with the government's plans for zero carbon homes.
There's info relating to it on DECC's website.

I'll take your word for it Bob
I'm not plowing through that lot

 

[dejongj]

Scandinavians have long used hot springs to heat buildings over there I believe. Be nice to see community heating here. My daughters area recently got a big communal gas boiler to replace the old electric heating, what a difference it's made

It was there in many new build areas in Holland since the mid eighties as well. Great system and very efficient. I imagine modern ones are even better. I was very surprised to see individual boilers in houses in the uk, and walls where I am scared to lean against as to break them. And don't get me started on thermostats in the hallway not far from the front door.

I still find it amazing that two decades later the UK building industry is still not apply wholesale what is common in many other countries.

 

[Cobra]

I still find it amazing that two decades later the UK building industry is still not apply wholesale what is common in many other countries.

British Empire mentality, what we do, where we go, others follow, not the other way around, have you not sussed that yet?

 

[BruceMo]

Sadly there is no profit in it, it'll only help save the planet and warm up poor people. Not the UK style at all

 

[dejongj]

British Empire mentality, what we do, where we go, others follow, not the other way around, have you not sussed that yet?

Oh I have; that is why I am still here as it offers plenty of opportunity it annoys me at times as I meat so many clever englandmen but the system often works against them. Or sometimes it is hard to get the work done and you have to read the regs yourself as some builders hide behind it to do it in a certain way.

 

[Cobra]

it annoys me at times as I meat so many clever englandmen

You do ?

 

[srichards]

So he spends an extra £40k to save £1k roughly a year? Man is an idiot.

 

[dejongj]

So he spends an extra £40k to save £1k roughly a year? Man is an idiot.

That is just the direct cashable savings I'd hope a house lasts longer than forty years as well.

 

[Bobsyeruncle]

That is just the direct cashable savings I'd hope a house lasts longer than forty years as well.

He probably won't though

 

[gerry s]

the absence of anything solid means a rat farts in the next room and you hear it, just awful

It would keep it warm though

 

[shreds]

Funny enough I was talking to a Corgi engineer, or what every they are called now,
and he was saying that the Ceramic radiators are the way forward, very cheap to run, and at less than £100 each a whole house can be central heated
for less than a grand.
I was very sceptical but he seemed adamant ..
Time will tell I guess.

"Gas Safe" is the new Corgi, although Corgi still exists it doesn't have the "approved status" it once did and was replaced as the competent contracors scheme.

Ceramic boilers are certainly being vaunted as the next "big" thing in efficient heating. Basically like a big cast iron stove.

Except no one has latched onto the fact that ceramic is not recyclable unlike cast iron and usually goes to landfill at the end of its useful life.

A poorly thought out decision possibly by vested interest groups?

 

[srichards]

Ceramic won't rust. Cast iron rusts and blocks up everything. Can you recycle rusty cast iron?

Im sure someone will find a way of recycling it. Ceramic dust is bound to be useful for something.

 

[wontolla]

Ceramic won't rust. Cast iron rusts and blocks up everything. Can you recycle rusty cast iron?

Im sure someone will find a way of recycling it. Ceramic dust is bound to be useful for something.

From 'The Zero Waste Inst'

'A ceramic is most often made from clay that has been heated to where the particles partially melt together (sinter) and stick together into a rigid mass. The way to reuse a broken ceramic mass is thus obvious. Break the particles apart and return them to the clay that they were made from. This is best done by grinding the pieces in a mill, but second best would be simply breaking the large pieces into powder with a large hammer or a flat tamping tool. The powder may not be valuable, since it is just ordinary clay, but at least it can be distributed onto soil with no ill effect and it is not filling up dumps. Some excessively sandy soils may benefit from the addition of clay powder.'

Problem is it has no commercial value.

 

[Cobra]

Ceramic boilers are certainly being vaunted as the next "big" thing in efficient heating. Basically like a big cast iron stove.

Actually what he was saying, ( and I probably didn't explain it properly) they they are electric powered / heat storage type things. No boiler required.
sounds like a step backwards to me.

A poorly thought out decision possibly by vested interest groups?

But I think that still applies

 

[JonathanRyan]

Actually what he was saying, ( and I probably didn't explain it properly) they they are electric powered / heat storage type things. No boiler required.
sounds like a step backwards to me.

So a bit like the old concrete block night storage heaters? Except with ceramic (um, boiled up rock) instead of concrete (um, rock) because 21st century

 

[Cobra]

So a bit like the old concrete block night storage heaters? Except with ceramic (um, boiled up rock) instead of concrete (um, rock) because 21st century

Yeah that's what I was thinking too.
I'm not about to rush out and replace all my gas central heating either

 

[shreds]

From 'The Zero Waste Inst'

'A ceramic is most often made from clay that has been heated to where the particles partially melt together (sinter) and stick together into a rigid mass. The way to reuse a broken ceramic mass is thus obvious. Break the particles apart and return them to the clay that they were made from. This is best done by grinding the pieces in a mill, but second best would be simply breaking the large pieces into powder with a large hammer or a flat tamping tool. The powder may not be valuable, since it is just ordinary clay, but at least it can be distributed onto soil with no ill effect and it is not filling up dumps. Some excessively sandy soils may benefit from the addition of clay powder.'

Problem is it has no commercial value.

The minor fly in the ointment is the energy required to break up / grind ceramic components is significant and therefore it becomes totally uneconomic to do so unfortunately unless the cost of doing the grinding can be reduced or something more valuable can be created from the dust other than scattering it in the ground.

 

[OldCarlos]

The minor fly in the ointment is the energy required to break up / grind ceramic components is significant and therefore it becomes totally uneconomic to do so unfortunately unless the cost of doing the grinding can be reduced or something more valuable can be created from the dust other than scattering it in the ground.

Maybe they could use them in tidal erosion barriers.

 

[Raincloud]

I wonder if the energy companies actually subsidies, if that is the correct word / spelling, the building trade to actually build homes that require lots of heating up!!!

 

[shreds]

I wonder if the energy companies actually subsidies, if that is the correct word / spelling, the building trade to actually build homes that require lots of heating up!!!

Couldn't possibly say.

However, you won't find it explicitly added as a cost on your next gas/electric bill.

 

[Tringa]

I wonder if the energy companies actually subsidies, if that is the correct word / spelling, the building trade to actually build homes that require lots of heating up!!!

How could you say such a thing!

It is as preposterous as thinking the major energy producers (who are all very big companies) might try to influence Government not to go too far down the road towards building houses that are more insulated and use much less energy.

Dave

 

[BigJohn]

Ceramic can be recycled. I sell tiles for a day job and all broken tiles are sent back to the warehouse and sold on for recycling . They are ground up and used to make new tiles , in fact most tiles are mainly made from recycled materials.