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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-60377919

What a difference an eco-home makes - and these won the Stirling Prize several years ago - the only social housing to have done so.  They are now threatened with having to be sold off as a result of Right to Buy legislation.This is exactly why Insulate Britain was so well-named and needed to be so forthright in that name.

Philippa Bond ● 314d24 Comments

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/helping-tenants-with-damp-and-mouldy-housing-england/There are a lot of people who have not experienced living in buildings pre-central heating.  Problems arise for quite a number of reasons when warm air condenses on cold surfaces eg walls and can be reduced from something as simple as putting lids on pans when cooking, closing bathroom doors when showering and bathing. Opening a window a small amount. Just breathing can create condensation on colder surfaces.https://www.axa.co.uk/home-insurance/tips-and-guides/how-to-get-rid-of-mould-for-good/Keeping mould at bay is quite a sophisticated balance between heating, insulation and ventilation.  Ventilation is probably the biggest energy loss in buildings... I remember before double glazing and central heating we used to wake up in the mornings to condensation on the inside of the single glazed bedroom windows or even ice, and steam from the kettle and water vapour from a hot shower condensed in the kitchen and bathroom on the cold tiles.  Nowadays both bathrooms and kitchens should be designed with mechanical ventilation. Balancing ventilation is more difficult in flats where no through draught can be created - especially when the weather is hot.Interesting blog here:https://centreforlondon.org/publication/solving-londons-housing-crisis/

Philippa Bond ● 310d

I watched a webinar about a refurbishment of a Council estate where photovoltaics had been installed which provided the energy for the lifts - a heavy and shared expense.

Philippa Bond ● 311d

"..included in a communal service charge"Ideally this would be a credit rather or more likely zero charge if provided via solar with excess going towards maintenance.The cost to health and repairs to the property as a result of poor ventilation are considerable.

Ed Robinson ● 311d

Did you see the article that I posted some time ago with a video about an office block being turned into flats - I know Gerry Boyce commented on it.  That had a lot of problems and one of the biggest was that in order to save electricity people turned the ventilation system off. Perhaps the answer has to be that you can't do that and that it has to be included in a communal service charge. We asked about solar panels and I'm sure it didn't have any.  It's quite a while ago now and I can't remember much more about it.  I can see from my emails it was May 2022 but it is no longer on the Roca website.I see there is a Passivhaus building on the front page of this website.Maybe there will be some to visit on Open Days eg this one:https://open-city.org.uk/events/roehampton-2(There is cycling tour of social housing buildings Richmond to Roehampton.)

Philippa Bond ● 311d

I do not think it is more technical info it is just basic info that any estate agent would give.The problem with heat exchanges is that people turn them off to save on electricity and then get condensation.The articles still do not detail what method of water heating they use.Passive solar sounds fine but that should does not exclude the use of solar water heating or solar power or even better communal heat pumps.Ideally communal/district heating should be the thing and solar on all public buildings but I guess a citizens assembly is more important ;)

Ed Robinson ● 311d

Hmm that ship has been in the news recently - however it sure is a change of subject from: low energy housing such as this Passivhaus social housing project.Ed  Since you are looking for more technical info maybe this particular article explains a bit more and will give you a better technical understanding of this project:https://www.dezeen.com/2019/08/01/goldsmith-street-social-housing-mikhail-riches-norwich/and this one:https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/stories/goldsmith-street-stirling-prize/Yes, you definitely can have condensation problems when you try and insulate our traditional 9" solid brick walls on the inside where the wooden joists meet them.  It is far easier and less disruptive to insulate on the outside ie like putting on an overcoat but this can be aesthetically unpopular if a house isn't already rendered and is sitting in a conservation area.  A whole terrace can be re-rendered and of course this looks better aesthetically when all of them can be done - rather than in the piecemeal way that can happen when homes are in different ownership.  However reducing energy and energy costs has become much more pressing.Low energy can be low tech - eg hanging a water filled terracotta pot in your window - or high tech or in between!

Philippa Bond ● 311d

Stream of consciousness, as I live and breathe, Ms Stevens!You are Virginia Woolf and I claim my £5!Still, please don't mention the "Richard Montgomery". I'm going to Sheppey soon.

David Ainsworth ● 312d

Also if we all bought a tent we could live on the common, we could bath in Barnes Pond. Rub to sticks together to keep warm. All sing ging gang gooli round the camp fire.  We  wouldn't need our pension.  We could grow our own eat the ducks. Might even be some frogs to eat. Then when you wanted to travel you could make a raft and row your boat to the Estuary and if you don't hit the Montgomery, the worlds your oyster. If you hit the Montgomery your have a tidal wave go down the Thames, then you can blame it on Global Warming. Then you won't need a home your need an Ark.

Barbara Stevens ● 312d

"The market will sort it out then?"Not until they sort out pensions as I regularly mention.There are probably people in Thailand saying the same thing about Lizzie as she jets off to Thailand for the winter.Good luck to her if that's how she wants to spend her hard earned wages. Worth checking the latest visa requirements at the Thai Embassy/website as there have been recent changes if staying more than 30 days.There are certainly complaints about having too many back packets and wanting to move to high value touristYou can see how some of these issues are circular.

Ed Robinson ● 312d

Nowadays you do get quite a few people who work online from wherever they are and that can include wherever they choose to live.I've stayed in AirBnB's a few times when we've wanted family get togethers away from home and where there was more space.  They are good for family holidays too without the responsibility and costs of having another home.  They are not good enough in making sure that the local recycling and waste arrangements are clear - which is important when you need to plan.  Perhaps with the new 'Simpler Recycling' it will be easier as you move from one place to another.I also know people who have used AirBnB when looking for a property and when waiting for a sale to go through.  It helps you to stay on good terms with friends instead of having to do too much sofa surfing.

Philippa Bond ● 312d

The market will sort it out then?

David Ainsworth ● 312d

A lot of the properties on Airbnb and other holiday accommodation in Cornwall and obviously other places require quite a bit of refurbishment to bring them up to the levels that people expect.That requires architects, builders, building material from local suppliers etc.That's quite a bit of investment in the local economy even before you add onto that the cleaners, local shops, pubs restaurants etc.Perhaps it's me but quite often these articles give the impression that you can do away with the holiday accommodation and keep all the other jobs and services.

Ed Robinson ● 312d

"I'm not sure many people could afford to live where they grew up in SW15 or London for that matter. I would think these areas have changed far more than Cornwall yet that change is perceived to be good.In short you can't have your cake and eat it;)"I perceive the change as bad.

David Ainsworth ● 312d

It is unclear how these communities that have lost their traditional income can be sustained without tourism. The number of people with high  wealth that want to live locally, including thought out winter, is limited. Also there are only so many journalists the DM, Guardian etc can employ after all.These areas even back when fishing provided a substantial amount of local income would have been very poor. I suspect the same is true for many resorts including those overseas in the news. Many people would have had to move away to find work.The Royal Navy used to recruit huge numbers from the surrounding areas. I wondered back in the early '80 if areas were intentionally missing out on development for that purpose. The RN has released it's grip and there was some success with new opportunities.I'm not sure many people could afford to live where they grew up in SW15 or London for that matter. I would think these areas have changed far more than Cornwall yet that change is perceived to be good.In short you can't have your cake and eat it;)

Ed Robinson ● 312d

Interesting sidelight on housing and locals in Cornwall:-https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/10/its-just-a-rich-mans-playground-now-how-st-ives-became-patient-zero-of-british-overtourismOvertourism is a new word for me.

David Ainsworth ● 312d

I'm not sure we will be much wiser under Labour where policies only last days.But generally speaking the Treasury doesn't like to give up control or revenue.The real issue is the local/central government picking up temporary and subsidised housing costs which is effectively putting tax payer money into private landlords pockets.Until people have confidence in the pension industry and by that I include the government's tax raids, people are going to continue putting their savings into bricks and mortar and not other forms of investment that will help fund long term infrastructure projects which the country desperately needs.This is not to say that population growth and lifestyle changes do not also have an impact on housing.

Ed Robinson ● 312d

Thanks Ed I had missed that one

Andy Pike ● 312d

I'm not sure where we are or have in terms of RTB receipts over time. And time is the issue with projects such as housing.30% of the proceeds go to the local authority according to one of the articles.According to a recent source:08.03.24"The government has ended its two-year policy that allowed councils to keep 100% of their Right to Buy receipts. "https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/government-ends-policy-enabling-councils-to-keep-100-of-right-to-buy-receipts-85550

Ed Robinson ● 312d

Not sure where I got the Guardian from :)

Ed Robinson ● 313d

Its probably the greedy politicians bit .The proceeds of the sale go to the authority but has to be used within ( I think its 3 years) to build replacement housing otherwise it is then claimed by govt.Under the rtb the length of tenancy seems the amount of discount.so very little discount on these new properties once you take into account the baseline capital cost. Of course the new govt could change the legislation  ( especially now dear Ange has got her profit out the system.

Andy Pike ● 313d

Very little detail, I know it's the Guardian but doesn't say if their flat is ground or first floor, mid or end terrace, which way it faces.At least they mention the heat exchanger which is probably the most important piece of information from the article. Too little attention has been paid to them especially with regards to flats and smaller homes and condensation.Comparing costs across time can be difficult - but the article was published in Nov 2022 possibly been on the shelf a while.

Ed Robinson ● 313d

I didn't intend to put the link in the heading but in the text but couldn't change it.  Andy I still haven't fathomed out one of your words!An awful lot of unmeasured time and effort goes into trailblazing schemes such as these.  I went to a talk by the architects at the Roca Gallery.  It would be a shame to lose these from the social housing llst so soon after completion.  It's completely different when people have been living somewhere for a long time.  With so much 'affordable' housing not actually being affordable it has been made more difficult again for Councils to build new social housing as no proceeds of the sale go to the Council.

Philippa Bond ● 313d

Have you seen how much energy is used in these new homes to heat them?  These are the way that new housing should be built.https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/24177452.goldsmith-street-council-homes-norwich-sold-off/https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/first-goldsmith-street-council-home-to-be-sold-off-under-righthttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/oct/11/spacious-and-green-norwich-award-winning-new-council-houses-goldsmith-street

Philippa Bond ● 314d

Coukdnt see a thing about rtb in the article. But under the Same legislation that some keadj v politicians have utilised the tenants will have ghd right to buy.However the sale cannot be discounted  below thd capital cost of creating the units ( ie land purchase costs and build costs) therefore based on those interviewed I suggest rtb is unlikely.Not sure how rtb and insulate Britain are linked.

Andy Pike ● 314d