Compulsory double glazing?

[Nemesis]

In the 2005 Carlisle floods two elderly women drowned in their homes.

 

[Kittycat]

Going back to the original question...

I sold a flat a couple of years ago. It had traditional wooden sash windows. I had replaced an original french window that was completely rotton with another, similar one, made of wood and single glazing.

The buyers' solicitor asked the question - have windows replaced since a certain date been compliant with FENSA? I wrote back and said, "No, they are not compliant but they are in keeping with the period style of the flat. I am willing to replace with FENSA-compliant plastic double glazing if the buyer would prefer it". The buyer was happy with the wood french window so the purchase went ahead.

I don't know if it is always that simple but I would look into the actual "teeth" of the FENSA legislation before worrying about it. There are plenty of people in the market for a period property who disapprove of UPVC.

 

[Flyfisher]

Does anyone know whether, in the last century, natural disasters have killed more or fewer people than wars and genocides?

I don't know for sure, but given that the death tolls of the two world wars alone was measured in the millions, my guess would be that people have killed more people than natural disasters.

This link has some depressing reading: 15 million killed in WW1 and 55 million in WW2.

According to this link, theTop Ten natural disasters only get to around 10 million at most.

 

[MdB]

15 million killed in WW1 and 55 million in WW2. I don't think cumulative natural disasters over the same timespan get anywhere near these figures

50 to 70 million people died of the influenza after WW1.

 

[Flyfisher]

Fair point, I wasn't thinking of disease. . . and 'flu' is an unfortunately topical risk at the moment

 

[dormouse]

We'll lose land, yes, and thats valuable, but on a global scale we;ll still have most of it.

Where do the millions of displaced Bangladeshis go? It will end up not being a case of technology, but a case of politics and will.

Going back to the original subject, my house (1890) has a FENSA window (the only one, as the rest are original sash). This window has a severe damp problem below it (mouldy, wet wall paper). Does FENSA certify the window or the installation? Does it actually mean anything?

 

[Kittycat]

"FENSA stands for the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme. It has been set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), at the request of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in response to the current Building Regulations for England and Wales

All replacement glazing in homes comes within the scope of the Building Regulations. Anyone who installs replacement windows or doors has to comply with current thermal performance standards.

When having windows and doors replaced homeowners must ensure that they get a certificate of compliance. This may be obtained from FENSA or from Local Authority Building Control."

From: http://www.fensa.co.uk/what.html

 

[bower1]

I don't think that a window fitted by a FENSA registered installer gives you any kind of guarantee if the installer goes out of business. It simply means that you have the correct paperwork if you sell the house.

I like Kittycats method. I am not sure it would always work though. As far I could find out last year, you could be made to make any windows fitted after the date the building regs came into force meet the regulations. This is like all other building regs. Also going back to the original point, you cannot be made to upgrade anything which was has not been replaced, or was replaced before the date the regs came in.

 

[NT]

In the 2005 Carlisle floods two elderly women drowned in their homes.

Quite. If it were 2 million I'd put climate change as the absoute top issue. If a vague hand waving 10 million had been spent on better flood defences, the 10m cutbacks on nhs, police and so on would have resulted in more deaths than that.


NT

 

[NT]

We'll lose land, yes, and thats valuable, but on a global scale we;ll still have most of it.

Where do the millions of displaced Bangladeshis go? It will end up not being a case of technology, but a case of politics and will.

Yes, as always. There will be a lot of word-wars over it, but theyll go somewhere in the end, probably blend into a variety of locations.

A cost, yes, a huge wipeout, no.


NT

 

[biffvernon]

The buyers' solicitor asked the question - have windows replaced since a certain date been compliant with FENSA? I wrote back and said, "No, they are not compliant but they are in keeping with the period style of the flat. I am willing to replace with FENSA-compliant plastic double glazing if the buyer would prefer it". The buyer was happy with the wood french window so the purchase went ahead.

I don't know if it is always that simple but I would look into the actual "teeth" of the FENSA legislation before worrying about it. There are plenty of people in the market for a period property who disapprove of UPVC.

I think that is such an important anecdote it is worth repeating. It would be better if it said 'compliant with Part-L' rather than with FENSA, which, as you point out, is just a trade scheme. But the important point is that your house sale may not fall through if the potential buyer prefers the nice looking but non-compliant windows. And the Local Authority has probably got better things to do with it's time to bother you.

Reducing energy demand whilst preserving the historic fabric of our heritage should be a key focus of this forum.

NT, I agree with you about the fairly low importance of flooding. I live only a couple of metres above sea level but have confidence in the local sea defences. Britain will, of course, be happy to provide homes for the displaced Bangladeshis. It will give us the opportunity to repay our debts from the time of the Empire and for the current exploitation whereby we import from them clothing at a ridiculously low price and export to them toxic wastes that they process in ways so hazardous that it would be illegal here. Doubtless they will appreciate our generosity.

Isn't it curious how those likely to be most adversely affected by climate change are those whose per capita contribution to the change has been amongst the lowest.

 

[Nemesis]

DG does not of course have to be uPVC. It's not a must. Wood can be made to comply also.

It's just original windows should be retained wherever possible. Historic joinery and glass are important parts of our craft and architectural heritage.

 

[dormouse]

but they'll go somewhere in the end, probably blend into a variety of locations.

I don't think it'll be that easy. What government is going to say 'yes, we'll take 30 million of them"? While they're having their 'word-wars' over it a few million will have the opportunity to die of cholera.

So FENSA is a means of requiring windows to meet certain thermal performance standards, not that they need to have been fitted well?