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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

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    •  
      CommentAuthorrichy
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2016
     
    A lot of people seem to be sharing the same dream, opting out, building a cabin in the woods, living a life as free as possible from Big Brother.
    I've chased it, never seem to get the planning through...How realistic is it? Back in the days of The Exchange and Mart therefore all kinds of bargains to be had in the property section, lots of alternative homes. But my friend with a barge lives in fear of Waterways Trust crushing it because he is not seen to travel enough, another with a converted lorry had to move off his plot when neighbours started fencing him in.

    Seriously, I do fancy retirement in a micro home, somewhere secluded, but how realistic is that in this day an age where Councils seem to dictate everything and charge you for your existence.

    Any little quirky forums out there where these things are discussed/ traded?
    • CommentAuthorFlubba
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2016
     
    The more of an outlier you make yourself from general society the more attention you bring to yourself, it's somewhat paradoxical. Society, the rules, regulations and laws that govern us are by and large derived from reaching a consensus on an issue therefore differing opinions and priorities naturally conflict.
  1.  
    I think Ben Law started off like that.

    http://ben-law.co.uk/
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016
     
    Get a boat and become a 'constant cruiser'. There are mail forwarding services.
    The hard part is using financial services.
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016
     
    In my limited experience “Big Brother” has been the least of my worries. OK, mine's not a large home but far from micro either, but it is off-grid. Didn't even mention off-grid for planning (the absence of a couple of pipes and cables under the ground didn't seem like a planning issue) but did explain (in the design statement) how the profile of the house is designed to maximize the area available for various types of solar panels and for rainwater collection.

    Planners were a bit arms length - I asked for a chat but they insisted on a pre-planning application (free for my council) but dealt with the application very positively. Ditto the BCO so far who needs the boxes ticked but has been very helpful about suggesting ways to get that.

    During the building warrant process the BCO did refer my case to Environmental Health regarding rain-water harvesting but again it was all dealt with happily enough with a few exchanges of email. The EHO sent me a Scottish government leaflet about recommended quantities of water but was happy to listen to my arguments about why that was excessive (they suggest 200 litres for each person-day on the assumption of two people per bedroom - I pointed out that my guest bedroom would not usually be occupied, that the national average is 150 litres/pd and that it's easy to get well below that which I showed by referencing a Navitron forum thread on the subject). She was happy to accept that and just asked if they could come and have a look at the system when it was done, for their own education.

    I.e., I think that if you pick the right spot and play things straight you can do whatever you like within reason. What really gets up their noses is people trying to sneak under the radar then get retrospective permission or what have you.
  2.  
    I suppose I'm at the conventional end of the scale. I can't see "off grid" ever being anything other than niche - It all looks like a lot of hard work, and for every advantage to being off grid and not reliant on the "system" there are 2 or 3 disadvantages.
    Also, in a crowded island like ours, the locations where you can realistically be off grid are fairly limited.
    • CommentAuthorskyewright
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016 edited
     
    If you are in Scotland, have you considered the "Caravans and Mobile Homes" legislation?

    Under that, if you can devise a build that conforms, then whilst you need planning permission, the build is exempt from building regulations? You'd probably want exceed the BR in terms of insulation etc., but freedom from some other aspects might be helpful?

    N.B. It doesn't have to be,or look like, when you might think of as a caravan or mobile home. Here's a link to the Highland Council's policy note "BST 018 Caravans and Mobile Homes", which defines what's needed to comply.

    http://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/1346/bst_018_caravans_and_mobile_homes

    I know of one place already built and another under constriction that you'd just think were small homes. Both are self-builds. The first was built from a kit obtained from one of the Baltic states, the other is a DIY design and is being "stick built". The first already operates as a 'sleeps 2' self-catering cottage (I could provide a link to the website if you wanted to take a look), the second is intended for that purpose. Neither is off-grid, but that's a separate matter.

    Just a thought.

    Edit: Changed to "text" to give a working link
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016
     
    Useful link Skyewright, ta. Nice surprise that it's not holiday-home specific (ie., max of 11 months occupation per year). While you'd mostly want to follow building regs, pretty much, I imagine it'd be good for a micro-home not to have to deal with things like being able to turn a wheelchair round in the kitchen (one of the issues my BCO was helpful with suggestions on).

    There's also this lot: http://www.thousandhuts.org/ promoting remote cabins. They're mostly thinking of something like the Norwegian recreational hutting culture so I don't know what their attitude is to more long-term occupation.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016
     
    Posted By: SteamyTeaGet a boat and become a 'constant cruiser'. There are mail forwarding services.
    The hard part is using financial services.


    +1............ It's probably the nearest you'll get in this crowded Island, unless you're very lucky, but hardly away from the madding crowd. I don't think you're thoughts are uncommon, it's something I think of often, usually when I've got another bl..dy maintenance job to do.
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016
     
    If you don't like maintenance jobs, don't buy a boat!
  3.  
    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: djh</cite>If you don't like maintenance jobs, don't buy a boat!</blockquote>
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2016 edited
     
    Is that why they are referred to as She.
    I'll be going now.:bigsmile::wink:
  4.  
    Posted By: owlman
    Posted By: SteamyTeaGet a boat and become a 'constant cruiser'. There are mail forwarding services.
    The hard part is using financial services.


    +1............ It's probably the nearest you'll get in this crowded Island, unless you're very lucky, but hardly away from the madding crowd. I don't think you're thoughts are uncommon, it's something I think of often, usually when I've got another bl..dy maintenance job to do.


    There's also another problem which is a big issue right now, that they (BW) are starting to come down hard on "static" cruisers - i.e people who dont have a permanent mooring, but don't move much. They are being looked at as not complying with the rules on moving on.
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2016
     
    That's down to a shortage of affordable permanent moorings. Perhaps you can argue councils have a duty to provide moorings for minority groups as they do for travellers?
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2016
     
    Posted By: CWattersThat's down to a shortage of affordable permanent moorings. Perhaps you can argue councils have a duty to provide moorings for minority groups as they do for travellers?

    Councils don't run canals, do they? BW do.
  5.  
    Well, a few do, indirectly. The Basingstoke Canal is (or was if they have transferred ownership to a Trust while I was not looking - but I don't think so) owned by Surrey and Hampshire County Councils. I suspect a few 'disconnected' canals undergoing restoration may also be in other ownerships. The majority are controlled by BW (or the Waterways Trust, I think it's now called?).

    I do not know how clearly the rules relating to 'continuous cruising' are to rules which defined now. As I remember it, it was tricky to adhere to rules which were not that clearly stated.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJun 30th 2016
     
    This months Canal boat mag has a bit about continuous cruising (was reading while on my sisters narrowboat). There is something about a 20 mile annual limit (it was about London, so may be different elsewhere).
    Most people could easily cope with a 20 mile shuttle.
    I seem to remember (from the 1970's) that you had to change parish, but that was a long time ago.
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeJun 30th 2016
     
    I think a rule has now come in that you must keep moving in the same direction so you can just go between two moorings 200m apart ever 2 days. This has effect schooling etc.
    • CommentAuthorFlubba
    • CommentTimeJul 1st 2016
     
    The Waterways Act 1995 section 17(3)(c)(ii) to which this relates states:-

    "...vessel to which the application relates will be used bona fide for navigation throughout the period for which the consent is valid without remaining continuously in any one place for more than 14 days..."

    There is no set distance or direction within law, as far as I understand it, however the guidance given suggests a distance of around 15-20miles. The problem is the inclusion of the word navigation, I don't think anyone in good faith could argue travelling up and down a section of canal year after year fits within the definition nor spirit of the law.

    As I understand it the issue has arisen due to the perceived abuse of the continuous cruiser licence by those living on watercraft unable to get or afford a home mooring due to shortage of such moorings. I'd imagine this is mainly a problem in busy and expensive areas like London and living on the waterways is a much much cheaper alternative.
  6.  
    Navigation is what you do when moving a boat. From the Oxford dictionary
    Navigation
    1The process or activity of accurately ascertaining one’s position and planning and following a route.

    No one would suggest that moving a car 20ft by using that cars own engine etc. and you sitting in the driving seat operating it was not driving. In the same way you can navigate a boat a few yards

    If the regulations don't provide a distance then any distance would comply, the fact that you then move back later also complies but may not be within the spirit of the regs but it's not the spirit that counts it's the actual wording. All you have to do is comply with the letter of the law and until there is wording as with parking meters that prevent return within xx time to the same section of parking bays then a couple of hundred yards I would have thought complies. But won't make you any friends with the authorities.
  7.  
    I'm confused. I always thought being off-grid was practicing self-sufficiency with energy, food and water. I don't understand how this can be achieved in a canal boat?

    I guess if you drink filtered canal water, cook on a woodburner and have a couple of solar panels for lighting you can gain partial independence from the grid. But what about food and fuel for the boat? Can you use bio diesel for the engine? Without land, how do you grow food to eat, harvest and store wood for the wood burner and produce crops for bio fuel?
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJul 4th 2016
     
    The food problem is easy, usually one side of a canal is owned by a farmer :wink:
    There is also nothing to stop you planting some of your own crops along your favourite routes, then harvesting on the return journey.
    Sewage is probably the biggest issue, but if you are digging a hole to plant, say an apple tree, then plop your plops in first.
  8.  
    I was looking to get partially off-grid, with some of my electricity supplied by solar, heating via solar thermal and wood burners, toilets flushed by rainwater, lot of insulation to reduce the gas bill and food grown in an allotment. I'm currently in a holding pattern trying to get my solar approved and in the meantime I'm installing lot of insulation. It's slow going though. :(
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeJul 4th 2016 edited
     
    Posted By: Pile-o-Stonelot of insulation
    Make sure you put over half of it outside the vapour-impermeable shell, otherwise you'll get saturated insulation and that classic canal boat/caravan damp clamminess which only burning lots of fuel can hold at bay (until you switch it off).
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJul 4th 2016
     
    Posted By: fostertomotherwise you'll get saturated insulation and that classic canal boat/caravan damp clamminess
    Not going to comment on caravans, but with boats it is usual to use sprayed PU foam. This get around a lot of the problems (still get water in the bilge though, but that is a different issue).

    Is there any evidence that SIPs get saturated?
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeJul 4th 2016
     
    SIPs are just about breathable to the outside, you only need the damp to leave faster then it can get in.
  9.  
    In Ireland and the UK there's usually an internal-external water vapour pressure difference for just 1 month of the year, for 4 months because temperatures aren't so low the vapour pressure is equal on both sides of the wall and for 7 months the wall is in drying mode because the windows are usually open and the walls aren't cold.
  10.  
    Posted By: ringiSIPs are just about breathable to the outside, you only need the damp to leave faster then it can get in.
    Or there is no damp (water vapour) coming through the a SIPs wall?
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeJul 5th 2016 edited
     
    Posted By: SteamyTeawith boats it is usual to use sprayed PU foam. This get around a lot of the problems
    Sprayed on the inside? How does PU vs any other insulation get around the fact that its outer reaches will v frequently be below dewpoint temp, and blocked from ever drying outward? Remember boat cabins are highly exposed to clear-night-sky supercooling.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJul 5th 2016
     
    I think it relies on the time factor, something that Seamus mentioned above.
    Without looking at data this is a bit of speculation, but I think tat the times that there may be a problem are fewer than the times that there is no problem, this stops the processes.
   
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