I just read a planning application to convert a historic storage building into a shop and flat, and now I'm angry. Not because they want to convert it, but because my 84 m2 two bed semi-detached house (which feels like a luxury to have to myself) would fit into their proposed 3 bed flat 5.7 times!

This probably belongs here, really.

Update: social sustainability included at building and works level, not much (anything?) in Standards for construction product level, which is disappointing. Is there anything at raw material sourcing level? About to look.

Writing some course material about sustainable building materials. Started writing that the standard LCA approach was detailed on environmental impact but ignored social sustainability. Thought: must check this is true. It is NOT! The framework standard very much includes social sustainability

I can feel the draught coming in around the outside of my window frames. This house is only five years old. To fix this properly I'd need to hack into the plaster all around each window and remove the cills. Such invasive work shouldn't be needed in new houses, but frequently is.

This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started

Sees local newspaper post about rising sea levels. Don’tLookAtTheComments Don’tLookAtTheComments Don’tLookAtTheComments. Looks at the comments. AAAARGH!

medium.com/@carmitage/b... Hybrid regimes. We studied that.

I’ve very much neglected this account. General life pondering and rubbish-talking now happen on my other account. Not sure how many of the Passivhaus/low-carbon/low-impact construction people are still active on here, but just in case: Hello! [waves].

The UK still needs HS2, delivered in full. There's no viable alternative. Me, from years back, making this point:

For better or worse I've shared this from @thedailytism.com on my LinkedIn so I might as well share it here too. I am a sensible professional consultant. I'm also a creator of darkly funny musical shows about zombies (@the-woodlouse.bsky.social ). Both are true! thedailytism.com/advertorial-...

It's national Get That Slightly Squeaky Fan Out of the Loft Day for those of use that don't live in a house where overheating risk was properly considered. It's already 24° in my office but the air movement from the fan helps it feel more comfortable, squeak not withstanding.

This episode is amazing. If you want to know what it’s actually like being autistic (as opposed to the stereotypes) it’s a must-listen. I’m autistic & this episode is just about the most validating thing I’ve listened too, ever. Also, effing funny. Also the best (wholly justified) righteous rants.

This!

Migrants have not done “incalculable damage to our society”. People scapegoating, othering, and encouraging hatred of migrants (and others) *have* done that.

UK MPs: 1. The Supreme Court ruling is not "the law", nor has it changed existing legislation. 2. The EHRC's interim update is also not "the law". It isn't even "guidance". 3. The upcoming EHRC guidance, likewise, is not "the law". Again, the legislation hasn't changed. 1/

Love this chart

Good things: 1. Finally able to concentrate on work again enough to make progress through the first of several late reports 2. Coffee break in the sun outside my back door, staring at the sky 3. See my first swift of the year gliding about above 4. See a Kite (the bird variety) drifting about above

Workspace officially decommissioned until after house move next week! Hopefully up and running again with minimal delay. Brace, brace.

This analogy definitely works if your kid has a disability or health condition that means they can’t get a Saturday job and if they don’t get a Saturday job, you let your kid starve to death

The recording of my recent webinar is now up. It's a an overview of some key retrofit physics and what that means practically onsite for installers and for successful low energy retrofit. youtu.be/ca1rPFt51a4?...

SBUK’s latest webinar, this lunchtime

Heads-up that I've changed my bluesky handle to @jbsustbuild.bsky.social from @thewoodlouse.bsky.social to avoid confusion with my creative alter ego (@the-woodlouse.bsky.social). It's always possible that this will make things worse, but at least I've tried!

Potentially combinations of them all, depending on the day.

Watching a very depressing but incredibly useful smoke test video of a post retrofit house. Lots of leakage at floor to wall junction (suspect leakage through floor, and wall not properly sealed to floor), and a fair bit around windows (both through window seals, and join of window to building).

Outstanding work here from @thedailytism.bsky.social

EPDs & straw 🌾 what do they tell us about embodied carbon? 🌍 Watch our latest webinar with @thewoodlouse.bsky.social 🎥 ➡️ youtu.be/rCIBXu-LKaQ #strawconstruction #embodiedcarbon #epds #sustainablebuilding #biogeniccarbon

Timber framing or load-bearing straw bale? 🌿🏗️ 25th March, 1pm - 2pm, Hawkland will explore their approach to timber framing for straw bale builds, using their latest project as a case study. 🎟️ Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/timber-fra... #strawbalebuilding #timberframing #naturalbuilding

Latest ‘everything in life can be related back to something Douglas Adams wrote’ moment: managed to include in a talk about retrofit, carbon emissions, and building physics, a reference to Dirk Gently, the importance of a holistic approach and the interconnectedness of all things.

Radio 4 continuity announcer waiting just long enough after the 6 O’clock news failed to appear to make me start to wonder whether the shit had finally *really* hit the fan, apocalypse wise

A quick overview of EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) & a look at what the UK Straw EPD says about the excellent environmental credentials of straw as a building material. Also covers how biogenic (plant-based) carbon storage *should* be accounted for and a brief look at straw availability

Imminent! I’ll give a broad overview of how to read EPDs, what goes into making them, and then delve into the low environmental impact of straw

trans folk are worth fighting for with no other reason than common humanity, but that obviously isn't enough for some people, so shove the evidence in their faces. it has to be LGB WITH the T. Has to be.

Periodic shout-out for the glorious genius of @thedailytism.bsky.social They make me guffaw in an ungainly manner on a daily basis, and help make life better by providing much needed relief from the awfulness of the General State of Things (GSoT), often whilst also commenting on the GSoT

States are justifying their bans of transgender health care on a 388-page report called the Cass Review. Supreme Court justices have invoked it. Today, in @nejm.org, Craig Konnoth and I conclude the report is unsound because it departs from standards in medical law, policy, and practice. 🧵(1/12)

Cass Review. New article in the New England Journal of Medicine, founded in 1812 and amongst the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. Its 2023 impact factor was 96.2, ranking it 2nd out of 168 journals in the category "Medicine, General & Internal".

Literally every company now youtube.com/shorts/hL9pl...

How quickly a planned schedule goes awry in January.

Start 2025 with SBUK! Join us on 22nd January at 13:00 GMT to discover sustainable home building with jumbo strawbales 🌾🏡 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sbuk-janua... #strawbuilding

Why are fee proposals so hard? Does anyone find that? Much as I have a standard template for different types of project, all projects are different so pricing is always hard work.

Frosty saddle! Roads a little twinkly but ok.

A slither of glowing sky peeps out from behind Portland at Chesil Beach yesterday.

“They’ll spend the next four weeks playing the same Mariah Carey track on repeat – in the same breath as telling you to stop going on about the Wilhelm Gustloff boating disaster.” thedailytism.com/neurotypical...

I've worked in tech policy since 1999 and every single time a politician talks about "getting the balance right" it means they're about to absolute ratfuck you.

Heads up that @strawbuildinguk.bsky.social are now here on Bluesky, with an updated name and a new logo (previously straw bale building UK, updated to reflect the broad range of ways of using straw for low carbon construction).

With talk of a resurgence of #strawbuilding (or should that be emergence?) what we need now is more action! @mrcypren.bsky.social @thewoodlouse.bsky.social @michaelburchet.bsky.social @agilehomes.bsky.social @ecococon.bsky.social #fastcompany www.fastcompany.com/91239550/str...

Zero carbon construction: a tantalising concept in a climate emergency, but is it actually a thing? @thewoodlouse.bsky.social + @moreourselves.bsky.social in a must-read piece from earlier this year. Please forgive the punny Shakespearean headline -- that’s on us, not them.

Hearing the wind whistling and thundering around the inside of our chimneys is reminding me how much I want to fill those things up with geocell bubbles. Both on a party wall, requiring party wall agreement, and next door still empty awaiting new owner/occupier…

Periodic pointless, shouting in the void, request for everyone to actually read emails / reports / reporting-requirements / specifications etc. It would save so much time in the long run! I miss things when reading stuff too, but there's missing things, and then there's completely ignoring them...

Oh but Duo, that’s only the mistakes you know about. I made _so_ many more…