Home Truths *LINK*

[Anonymous]

The Sustainable Development Commission made the news today by pointing out that nuclear power is not sustainable, but also today, they have published a report called Home Truths. Its first recommendation is to shift incentives away
from demolition.
Developers, they say, pay no VAT on demolition and new house building, but we all pay VAT on refurbishing existing homes. The Government can level the playing field to 11-12% VAT on both repair and new build; this will be revenue-neutral and much more sustainable.
Click below for the whole report



Home Truths

 

[Anonymous]

Which is about what all the conservation bodies have been arguing about VAT for a very long time!

Mr Cameron and other members of the opposition, went to Liverpool today. Possibly we may see some political pressure brought to bear regarding the Pathfinder demolitions...

 

[Anonymous]

I let out a little whoop of joy when they announced that Nuclear was NOT the answer even after the Govenmant made them double check...

Hopefully NOW they will HAVE to put some serious effort into renewables...

G.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree, but not just into renewables but into wasteful excessive usage such as excessive street lighting and overnight shop lighting, as well as making energy efficient bulbs the norm by pricing them much lower and taxing the wasteful ones.

 

[Anonymous]

Good news I could hardly beleive my ears when I heard it.

We have now bored 4 holes for our gshp and struck water big time in one.
Have been trying to get some press coverage but no one is interested I have talked to. The fact little is known about gshp seems to make them taboo to the press.
I found some historic trade journals relating to air source and ground source heat pumps dating from the late 40's or early 50's which were left in the building. 60 years later they are going in!
Thomas Pitt de Paravicini who lived in the house 47-54 was an aero engineer. He designed the air ram system which incorporated the cooling system for a Spitfire into a ducting which unlike earlier cooling systems created thrust instead of drag. Perhaps he was significant in helping the battle of Britain.
Anyway back to the grindstone.

 

[Anonymous]

>The fact little is known about gshp seems to make them taboo to the press.

Well, gshp did make the news last week with the opening of the Welsh Assembly Building. Their boreholes were 100m. he gshp is rated at 100kw of heating or cooling and they also have a wood chip/pellet boiler.

Great to hear about your water strike, Jon. Do tell more. A page about it on your website maybe?


Assembly Building for Wales

 

[Anonymous]

Also in Wales is the Optic Technium that has a photovoltaic wall to contribute to the energy demands of the building. Has to be said that its not providing 100% though and the cost......?

 

[Anonymous]

Great news about the water strike! If at first you don't succeed etc...

I am very interested indeed in this - if we can utilise our convenient water source (a few metres from our house ...).

 

[Anonymous]

I'll go for wind farms when they put them in a row down the Thames through Central London.

 

[Anonymous]

Central London, being about the least windy spot on the British Isles should be the last place for a wind farm. I suppose some folk will only realise there is a problem when the lights go out. Please take the trouble to read the Deloitte report, 2020 Vision - Meeting UK Power Generation Objectives in 2020


2020 Vision

 

[Anonymous]

Which is all very well - but we first need (as with tall buildings) to have some sensible debate as to where these things should go. Currently it's a free for all. And sad that we haven't been looking closely at alternatives. Or really making much effort to curb usage.

And all that cement...