Nett Zero Madness #379 : Wooden Houses Are Potentially Lower Maintenance.

[Chekhov]

11 hours ago, Prettytom said:

You can also treat softwood to slow the decay process. 

We talked about that up thread.

The problem is that modern environmental regulations are banning the best anti rot treatments. As an example it is common knowledge in the trade that modern tanalising is no where near as good as that 30 years ago.

[Chekhov]

9 hours ago, peak4 said:

To bring older houses up to modern insulation standards, suitable for heat pumps etc, will be expensive, and that counts as maintenance.
New all brick, or stone houses can be built to a higher insulation standard, but take much longer and cost more.
Even now, newbuilds aren't mandated to have solar panels or heat pumps.

Heat pumps are vastly over rated, I personally think it is a blind alley. Older houses cannot practically speaking, be insulated to the level required  for heat pumps because the latter give out very little heat ! As an example internal insulation required on houses with no wall cavity is very expensive, and very disruptive (complete redecorating is required....) and it makes the rooms smaller. Not that that will stop the powers that be from forcing property owners to fit it, particularly Landlords who are an easy target (and they wonder why there is  shortage of rented properties.....).

 

>>that counts as maintenance<<

 

Not many people would agree with you that enforced (and impractical...) modifications to ones house would count as "maintenance".

 

Definition of maintenance:

 

the process of preserving a condition or situation or the state of being preserved.

 

 

 

 

[Chekhov]

11 hours ago, Padders said:

You could put a small bungalow inside a Giant Redwood..

Aren't Redwoods hardwood ?

Using hardwood for construction is an environmental no no (apparently).

[RJRB]

11 hours ago, Padders said:

You could put a small bungalow inside a Giant Redwood..

Alternatively you could put a little Giant Redwood inside a bungalow

[Mkapaka]

2 hours ago, Chekhov said:

Older houses cannot practically speaking, be insulated to the level required  for heat pumps

If only someone could think of a more modern sustainable method of construction that would accommodate them.

[Chekhov]

26 minutes ago, Mkapaka said:

If only someone could think of a more modern sustainable method of construction that would accommodate them.

Preferably one which will last as long and not need any more maintenance ?

 

The word sustainable is interesting.

Hardwood takes much longer to grow and much of it is imported, which is apparently "environmentally unfriendly".

But surely a building which lasts significantly longer and/or needs less maintenance is more environmentally friendly ?