interestrateripoff Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Summer danger of 'red hot' eco-homes: Insulation used to keep buildings warm in the winter traps heat potentially putting residents at risk Researchers from Coventry University tracked temperatures inside eco-homes and found that 72 per cent failed their design criteria and heated up to more than 25C. Ah killer homes now!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) Summer danger of 'red hot' eco-homes: Insulation used to keep buildings warm in the winter traps heat potentially putting residents at risk Researchers from Coventry University tracked temperatures inside eco-homes and found that 72 per cent failed their design criteria and heated up to more than 25C. Ah killer homes now!!! I'm not so good with science for this insulation lark... made notes along the way.... although that's been against year-on-year-on-year HPI, prevented HPC 2009, year on year on year HPI again.... so I can keep learning from others mistakes as I remain so priced out. I thought quality high R-value insulation acted as a two-way barrier... to limit heat ingress from outside, and of course to keep it in when a house is heated up - but there's clearly more to it, I struggle with. Thermal mass is over-rated. It's purpose is to retain heat when the heating system is not on. It is more applicable to systems like solar heating or electric off peak heating. If you are using regular systems its use is limited. Even so the thermal mass must be inside the house (usually a chimney). If your thermal mass is an outside wall it defeats its own purpose. To understand house heating properly you must understand temperature gradients through a wall and dew points. You then arrive at a vapour barrier on the inside. We have found that this vapour barrier is way more important than the insulation itself. Indeed the insulation is useless without a similar barrier on the outside preventing wind induced convection. No offence but your plans are not good. The idea is to keep the heat you have, in. It is really that simple. Google R2000 houses they are common here and can be heated by cooking, body heat and lighting alone. Typical cost of a winter season heating (Canada) is about $300 for your average 2-3,000 sq ft house. Poorly insulated homes are more expensive to heat because the heat that you’re producing doesn’t stay in your home for very long. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is what we struggle against to be able to achieve a uniform temperature indoors. It states, simply, that heat will always flow from a hotter to a cooler object. Therefore in summer, the warmer outdoor temperature tries to move into your cooler interior space and in the winter, the warmer indoor temperature tries to move outside. Heat travels right through the walls, floors and roof of your home.http://www.nashvilleinteriors.com/2011/11/r-value-and-low-e-explained/ Edited May 11, 2015 by Venger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 http:// www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2015/may/08/what-does-conservative-majority-mean-for-small-businesses The Conservatives set out their stall with their small business manifesto pledging to increase the number of startups to 600,000 a year by 2020. So another 600,000 lose their jobs and register as self employed for the tax credits and benefits. Tiger economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zugzwang Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 So another 600,000 lose their jobs and register as self employed for the tax credits and benefits. Tiger economy. Mmmm... artisanal cheese, I can never get enough. And Hugh Firmly-Whittingstall says the UK is doing 'wonderful' things with charcuterie these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverwhere Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 ...I thought quality high R-value insulation acted as a two-way barrier... to limit heat ingress from outside, and of course to keep it in when a house is heated up - but there's clearly more to it, I struggle with. That's my understanding too. I think the problem is that even during the summer everyone still has active heat sources within their homes that they can't eliminate (cooking, electronics, people themselves). Any house that "can be heated by cooking, body heat and lighting alone" during the winter can potentially be overheated "by cooking, body heat and lighting alone" during the summer. The problem seems to be in getting a good balance between adequate insulation and adequate ventilation (both of which have their own technical challenges, I'm sure). This particular study was limited to Passivhaus buildings which AFAIK have mechanical, rather than passive or natural, ventilation (for which I hold broadly the same concerns as the OP on this AECB thread) so it seems likely that the mechanical system installed was simply not powerful enough to cope with the level of insulation and resultant heat build-up. One of the problems with mechanical systems is that the more powerful they are the more they cost to run, so if this problem had been solved by simply ramping up the existing ventilation system there would always be the possibility that the Mail would just be running an alternate story along the lines of "My new ecohome costs as much to ventilate as my old home did to heat!" The study was conducted at a housing association in the city, where flats were fitted to German Passivhaus – or ‘passive house’ – standards, meaning they have very low energy consumption. It found heat built up inside the homes faster than ventilation could remove it, leaving residents facing uncomfortable temperatures. . . . Passive homes can cut heating bills by up to 90 per cent, but there have been repeated warnings about the dangers of overheating. They have proven so efficient that even the heat from a plasma television can affect temperatures inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Owning a home is falling out of fashion around the world Considering how the price is escalating it's not surprising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 This particular study was limited to Passivhaus buildings which AFAIK have mechanical, rather than passive or natural, ventilation (for which I hold broadly the same concerns as the OP on this AECB thread) so it seems likely that the mechanical system installed was simply not powerful enough to cope with the level of insulation and resultant heat build-up. One of the problems with mechanical systems is that the more powerful they are the more they cost to run, so if this problem had been solved by simply ramping up the existing ventilation system there would always be the possibility that the Mail would just be running an alternate story along the lines of "My new ecohome costs as much to ventilate as my old home did to heat!" Haha. Anyway; least of my problems vs these house prices. Expensive to maintain and run a property (this place has so many problems that need fixing.. needs £10K, including roof works - a few mouldy beams.. roof leaks) + the buying of it in this market. So it will have to be hard HPC, leaving the money to make heating/cooling less of an issue. I'm hardy to heat (including rooms so baking hot the sweat sticks to your face and causes skin irritations/blemishes the following day.. not spending money on cooling) and cold anyway (electric blankets). These perfectly balanced heated/cool houses are niggling minor annoying problems for people with £ to spend. I'll come back to these problems after HPC - probably buying something small so easier to heat, and open a window in summer. DM used some of the stock pics from when they did this article in 2013. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2273321/Eco-homes-DOUBLED-energy-bills-Resident-rocked-1-600-charge-just-months.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverwhere Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 ...These perfectly balanced heated/cool houses are niggling minor annoying problems for people with £ to spend. I'll come back to these problems after HPC - probably buying something small so easier to heat, and open a window in summer. DM used some of the stock pics from when they did this article in 2013. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2273321/Eco-homes-DOUBLED-energy-bills-Resident-rocked-1-600-charge-just-months.html Eminently sensible. I'd love to self-build so I'm quite interested in these kinds of design issues but if I ever get the chance to do so I'll be very much inclined to stay small and not tech reliant, rather than pursuing Grand Designs style "dreams of psycopaths". That earlier Mail article is kind of hilarious in context, I wonder how much of the doubled energy bills were down to what turned out to be a totally inefficient ventilation system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Hot property! Dreary fire station bought for £60,000 is transformed into plush home complete with sun terrace and stunning views Entrepreneur Mark Brunjes bought the unpromising, boxy fire station in the village of Tighnabruaich in Argyll, Scotland, inset, for just £60,000 and transformed it into a luxury three-bedroom bolthole, main. Built in 1967, the fire station was one large, high-ceilinged room, which housed the fire engine, and a smaller, lower section with a kitchen, office, showers and mess. But the father of three saw beyond the uninspiring building to the stunning views and its location close to the seafront. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noallegiance Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Awaiting a Rightmove link from my pal. The insanity continues: My friend put his three-up, two-down on the market on Sat 9th May at 4pm for £180k. Sold for full price by Sunday 10th May by 2pm. First time buyers. It's a decent little starter home build within a large estate that went up some time in the 80's/90's. In the absence of the link I'll do my best to describe it as I've been there 100's of times in the 10 years he's had it. Front door into nice modern kitchen approx 15ft x 10ft. doorway to right leading to similar size lounge that also contains stairs up to similar size bedroom 1, 9ft x 4ft bedroom two and a small bathroom. Garage in a block round the side. Front garden meauring 5ft x width of the house. 3 mins walk from Asda. 20 mins walk from two train stations. In a relatively sane world, probably £110k at best. Of course, made up for my mate. He's as dumb-founded as me. But I'm also torn as it's indicative of the idiocy. It's hit me as it's close to home. Combined with me selling my 1.5 bedroom first floor flat with no garden and a parking space in October 14 for £140k and the mind continues to be boggled. For those interested in the geography it's in a borough east of Southend-on-Sea in SE Essex. Most local jobs are £15k-£24K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmt Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Awaiting a Rightmove link from my pal. The insanity continues: My friend put his three-up, two-down on the market on Sat 9th May at 4pm for £180k. Sold for full price by Sunday 10th May by 2pm. First time buyers. It's a decent little starter home build within a large estate that went up some time in the 80's/90's. In the absence of the link I'll do my best to describe it as I've been there 100's of times in the 10 years he's had it. Front door into nice modern kitchen approx 15ft x 10ft. doorway to right leading to similar size lounge that also contains stairs up to similar size bedroom 1, 9ft x 4ft bedroom two and a small bathroom. Garage in a block round the side. Front garden meauring 5ft x width of the house. 3 mins walk from Asda. 20 mins walk from two train stations. In a relatively sane world, probably £110k at best. Of course, made up for my mate. He's as dumb-founded as me. But I'm also torn as it's indicative of the idiocy. It's hit me as it's close to home. Combined with me selling my 1.5 bedroom first floor flat with no garden and a parking space in October 14 for £140k and the mind continues to be boggled. For those interested in the geography it's in a borough east of Southend-on-Sea in SE Essex. Most local jobs are £15k-£24K. Did you ask if BOMAD was involved? The first time buyers around at the moment seem to be heavily BOMAD reliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noallegiance Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Did you ask if BOMAD was involved? The first time buyers around at the moment seem to be heavily BOMAD reliant. I didn't. I will. I'm left wondering how much we're all clinging to what we want to happen as opposed to what is actually happening/going to happen. We may yet find out that keeping the bubble pumped is the new way of the world. Not necessarily up and up prices, but would allowing a crash be more suicidal than the way things are right now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Banner Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) Hot property! Dreary fire station bought for £60,000 is transformed into plush home complete with sun terrace and stunning views Entrepreneur Mark Brunjes bought the unpromising, boxy fire station in the village of Tighnabruaich in Argyll, Scotland, inset, for just £60,000 and transformed it into a luxury three-bedroom bolthole, main. Built in 1967, the fire station was one large, high-ceilinged room, which housed the fire engine, and a smaller, lower section with a kitchen, office, showers and mess. But the father of three saw beyond the uninspiring building to the stunning views and its location close to the seafront. Next door to a Nissen Hut . Edited May 12, 2015 by Bruce Banner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noallegiance Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Did you ask if BOMAD was involved? The first time buyers around at the moment seem to be heavily BOMAD reliant. No mention of BOMAD in conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 So how much rent will the kids pay when they turn 18? £70,000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 UK House Prices Seen Gaining From Election Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Miami resident will not sell his tiny plot for $1.8m - because it is sacred ground Wooden home and garden is a place of calm within a busy city Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-15/moma-tower-s-70-million-duplex-newest-addition-to-nyc-skyline The newest condominium tower in midtown Manhattan's billionaires district is ready to open its doors to buyers. It took almost a decade to get there. The skyscraper at 53 W. 53rd St., designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and rising next to the Museum of Modern Art, will start marketing its 139 apartments next week, with prices starting at $3 million. Planned since 2006, the project endured the real estate bust and a global financial crisis that decimated demand for luxury homes. Now it's emerging when buyers can't seem to get enough of them. .. Unobstructed views of Central Park, five blocks away, start on the 48th story, which is where the building's larger half-floor units also begin, according to Penick and preliminary plans filed with the New York state attorney general's office. The most expensive apartment, a 6,643-square-foot (617-square-meter) duplex spanning the 81st and 82nd floors, will be priced at more than $70 million, Penick says. Bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Eight beach huts with no running water, toilets or mains electricity go on sale for a staggering £200,000 each The timber chalets on Mudeford sandbank in Christchurch, Dorset are the most expensive in Britain, with one already selling subject to contract for a record-breaking £240,000. Experts believe that the demand - and prices - for the huts, is likely to soar as wealthy homeowners have been freed from the threat of a mansion tax after the Conservatives won the general election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Whale oil beef hooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrXxx Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Couple of thoughts that seems to link some of the above together....I have always fancied building my own ecohouse but as somebody mentioned, you see the psychos on Grand Designs...they throw all of their money into their dream house, take on more debt as it goes over budget and then have a 'unique' house that would be more difficult to sell for them (or their offspring)...I am also based on the London/Essex border and see people investing £400k on a three bed house that they could buy 'up North' for £100-150k.. ...so the point?....It seems that we as a nation have become so obsessed with property that we spend all of our money on it and the 'cost' of enjoying life elsewhere....for example people buying a £400k property could go Northwards, save £250k, retire early and enjoy their leisure time (that they will never get again due to humans not being immortal) rather than working like dogs and passing their wealth onto their sprogs....this seems so obvious to me....or am I missing something?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) Couple of thoughts that seems to link some of the above together....I have always fancied building my own ecohouse but as somebody mentioned, you see the psychos on Grand Designs...they throw all of their money into their dream house, take on more debt as it goes over budget and then have a 'unique' house that would be more difficult to sell for them (or their offspring)...I am also based on the London/Essex border and see people investing £400k on a three bed house that they could buy 'up North' for £100-150k.. ...so the point?....It seems that we as a nation have become so obsessed with property that we spend all of our money on it and the 'cost' of enjoying life elsewhere....for example people buying a £400k property could go Northwards, save £250k, retire early and enjoy their leisure time (that they will never get again due to humans not being immortal) rather than working like dogs and passing their wealth onto their sprogs....this seems so obvious to me....or am I missing something?! ......a house is effectively four walls and some outside space if lucky.......you can have good (or not so good) neighbours/community anywhere.....refurbishing a kitchen or bathroom will not bring extra joy into your life, it will not bring extra riches into your life........the biggest mistake is to believe your home is worth so much not realising someone has to want to buy it, but also be worth enough credit to buy it......so many more of next generation will not have the ability to earn enough to pay the price people are now asking, people who should know better, fail to comprehend, but still none the less expect to achieve. Edited May 17, 2015 by winkie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Turned on TV earlier. BBC Sunday afternoon - homes under the hammer from 2007-2009. ******ing hell. It should be on the history channel not presented as valid information. As stated before - the only things on every single day on the BBC - news, weather and HUTH. Make of that what you will... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrXxx Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 and which is the odd one out?...Weather....they don't pretend what they are telling you is a certainty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I trust Michael Fish ahead of ***** on HUTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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