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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
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Housing - New Build: What makes a house 'ECO'

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      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013 edited
     
    During my recent travels around the county I came across two lots of buildings.
    Both are 'eco'. Now I know that is a nonsense term but was interested it how these two developments fair.
    The first one seems to have a roof that has a larger surface area facing North, the second has the roof facing West-East but build under a cliff to the North.
    Does a bit of timber cladding make it eco when the opportunity of using a natural resource is limited?
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013
     
    It is now used as a marketing too and all houses are Eco or "Energy Efficient" the vast majority are not,

    the bottom ones have shape against them, integral garages and balconies are both huge negatives in terms of heat losses, they dont look like they are particularly well insulated either.
    • CommentAuthorpmusgrove
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013
     
    You know it is eco when the utility bills are zero.
    • CommentAuthorBeau
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013
     
    Posted By: pmusgroveYou know it is eco when the utility bills are zero.


    That's easy with the FIT and a private water supply :wink:
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013
     
    Posted By: tonyintegral garages and balconies are both huge negatives in terms of heat losses,
    Done carelessly, yes, but in the case of that design couldn't they be just part of the foundations outside the thermal envelope so not causing any harm?
    • CommentAuthorskyewright
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013 edited
     
    Posted By: pmusgroveYou know it is eco when the utility bills are zero.

    Or the SAP rating comes out a >100...
    Here's an example that scored 104 on efficiency & I think that's 105 or 106 on impact. That's ECO!
    http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,15679.0.html

    PS. The utility bills will be zero too - it's off grid.
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      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013
     
    Eco is more than utility bills, or even energy use, or even carbon (tip of the Resources iceberg).

    If eco means anything, it must refer to ecology, as in
    'The Law of the Jungle (aka ecosystem) is Survival of Those that Fit In'.

    How far are we still, even on GBF, from Sustainability of life (or human life anyway) on Planet Earth?
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      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2013
     
    Posted By: BeauThat's easy with the FIT and a private water supply
    Not on these two example, probably why it is 'eco' rather than low energy.
    Lower example will not get a great deal of sunlight during the winter.
    The higher example has the roof all wrong. It is build on an old mine site though, the ground work was massive. Had to be to get rid of all the mine spoil.

    I, for once, tend to agree with Tom, we are a long way off still.

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