Grand designs - Kent

[DimPrawn]

As for getting money from the house; you can buy a special meter (not sure who from but probably your energy provider) and get set up as an energy provider. It doesn't require extra infrastructure, you just push your generated power onto the national grid instead of consuming it... but you need the special meter to get paid. I've heard it can be a bit of a long-winded process getting set up but if you e.g have a windmill, you really can make a couple of grand a year (of course that's offset against the cost of installing said windmill in the first place, it's a long-term pay-off rather than a get-rich-quick scheme).

Yes and pay 20p per KWh to consume electricity and get paid 2p per KWh for what you generate! Money grabbing greedy fookers.

[London75]

Green eyed monster me thinks.

For the amount of money he's got to waste on a decadent dream yes, that's all. I am always envious of those that have the resource to build a home as that's years out of my reach at present.

Of endangering his child, no
Of his "passive" home, no
Of his Arch that could have failed catastrophically while his family were in the house, no
Of his £1800 a year to live in a house that may well smell of stale farts, no

[d000hg]

As a father of two I suppose I just despised him for flipping about building a passive house when his baby could have really come to harm. From there I looked for any reason to hate him.

Babies don't need central heating and all that mollycoddling. We're the first generation to expect central heating as standard aren't we? And we're probably the first generation who consider it shocking to have pipes freeze and be seriously disrupted by the weather. I doubt it will have any memories or ill-effects from being a bit chilly. when many on this board probably were raised in houses with frost on the inside of windows in the winter.

But it's either green or it's not, you can't be half green and forget the other half, he did keep saying eco home, or maybe that was Kev.

I think it was Kevin. He has a big thing about anything eco, not sure if that's idealism or simply a question of person taste/style.

[Chugnut]

For the amount of money he's got to waste on a decadent dream yes, that's all. I am always envious of those that have the resource to build a home as that's years out of my reach at present.

Of endangering his child, no
Of his "passive" home, no
Of his Arch that could have failed catastrophically while his family were in the house, no
Of his £1800 a year to live in a house that may well smell of stale farts, no

My wife met the bloke at a sustainable building show a few months back. Sounded like a decent chap. I haven't watched the prog yet.

Why would it smell? Did he have a heat recovery ventilation system which needed the building to be airtight? Should be lots of fresh air in that case.

[DimPrawn]

I didn't live in a house that has central heating until I was about 12 years old.

Parents house only had open coal fires and electric bar heaters.

House was either roasting hot or freezing cold (with ice on the inside of the single glazed windows).

[London75]

Babies don't need central heating and all that mollycoddling. We're the first generation to expect central heating as standard aren't we?

Yes they do, I'm searching for the statistics now but infant mortality rates have fallen consistently throughout the 20th century and availability of hot water, reduction in damp and mould and a sterile environment absolutely have something to do with that.

Here is a good link, although focussing on the geographical element, there is a nice chart on page 4 that shows infant mortality reducing by a factor 3 since 1970. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/article...cal-trends.pdf

Just because we don't have to look after babies, they will probably be alright, doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to protect them.

[DimPrawn]

Yes they do, I'm searching for the statistics now but infant mortality rates have fallen consistently throughout the 20th century and availability of hot water, reduction in damp and mould and a sterile environment absolutely have something to do with that.

Here is a good link, although focussing on the geographical element, there is a nice chart on page 4 that shows infant mortality reducing by a factor 3 since 1970.

Just because we don't have to look after babies, they will probably be alright, doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to protect them.

What about Gypsies then? Are they evil, keeping babies and children in caravans?

[London75]

What about Gypsies then? Are they evil, keeping babies and children in caravans?

Ridiculous question, not evil but if they know there is a better way then perhaps a little selfish.

I also class people who let their children die due to faith issues with blood transfusions as selfish and irresponsible and I'd class gypsies in that group although not as serious.

They have a way of life that they have a degree of choice in that I would suggest (although I have no stats) leads to an increased mortality rate yet they continue to choose it.

I think I've derailed the thread. Soz.

[DimPrawn]

So you sort of see your central heating as life support?

Purple alert! Purple alert! Boilers on the blink. Purple alert!



Deary me, there's all sorts here.

[London75]

Yes I do. My youngest is 7 months old and has a nasty cold and cough. If the heating were to pack up I would send her and her mum off to her Grandma's to stay until I repaired it.

Do you actually know anything about children? Do you know how quickly a fever can turn nasty and consume a child within hours? Do you know that damp can lead to respiratory problems affecting development affecting the child for the rest of their lives?

I don't know what to say other than that I am absolutely dedicated to my children. Yes I consider heating fundamental to their welfare.