Well done, #Hungary. Great choice. We need some good news.

Is this undoing some of #Brexit without saying the words we made a whopping mistake?! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

As we close in on episode 400 I have more great podcasts for you. In our current episode Janna and Seb Laan Lomas explain how they built a bio-based #Passivhaus. houseplanninghelp.com/398 Still to come: two great double acts (Nick Grant and Jon Broome, and Chris Herring and Bill Butcher)!

NEW PODCAST: I've heard a lot about Llama Croft over the last year or so, but I finally got to visit. Janna and Seb Laan Lomas are my guests. www.houseplanninghelp.com/398 #Passivhaus #PassiveHouse #SelfBuild #NaturalMaterials

A vote for Farage is a vote for Trump - and everything that entails: war with Iran, skyrocketing oil prices, a British version of ICE, imports of US chlorinated chicken, the erosion of democracy. “The biggest barrier to people voting Reform is Trump” - Luke Tryl www.ft.com/content/c07b...

There'll be a new podcast out in the next couple of days. We'll be finding out about Janna and Seb Laan Lomas' bio-based #Passivhaus.

Is sheep's wool insulation a valid choice in 2026? www.houseplanninghelp.com/397 #EnergyEfficiency #EcoHome

In my humble opinion the UK made the mistake of a generation a decade ago. Surely it is time to reunite with Europe? 'Sadiq Khan says Labour should pledge to rejoin EU' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #Brexit #Farage

What stands out perhaps most here is how much oil demand electric two- and three-wheelers have avoided. Most talk in developed countries is about passenger cars, but the transition to electric among these smaller vehicles in developing countries has been huge. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Completed project + sunshine = perfect time for a case study video! Is there a project that you want to capture on film? Maybe we can help. www.regenmedia.co.uk/case-studies/ #SelfBuild #Passivhaus #EnergyEfficiency

One of the key skills of a planning consultant is understanding risk and assessing the probable outcome of a site. So if you're currently looking for a building plot my recent podcast with Mark Doodes is well worth a listen. www.houseplanninghelp.com/396 #SelfBuild #HouseBuild #EcoHome

I am looking for a consumer who has been affected by the heating oil crisis in the UK, and a specialist in the field, you must be willing to be named for a national news story, please email [email protected] #journorequest

Coming soon, I chat to Jon Broome and Nick Grant about their new book. In the meantime they've both been on the podcast before. Check out these episodes if you haven't already: www.houseplanninghelp.com/107 www.houseplanninghelp.com/282 #Architecture #CommunityLedHousing #Passivhaus #SelfBuild

I've been lucky enough to film at some fantastic #Passivhaus projects over the years. And I want to create more short videos in 2026! As everything starts to turn green we'll be underway. So have you got a project that you want to shout about? www.regenmedia.co.uk/case-studies/ #PassiveHouse

"Ultimately voting systems should exist to reflect the will of the people. If they do not, is it rule of the people or rule by the system?" Great letter in the Guardian by Hugo, a campaigner with Young Make Votes Matter 👏👏👏

Thanks to everyone who came to the London launch party for The Good Building Book. Really touched by the turnout on a wet evening. This time we had books which all sold! Great spending a couple of days with my fellow author Jon Broome and wemanaged to record a podcast with @benadamsmith.bsky.social

What is natural fibre insulation? And does sheep's wool really have a place in this category? www.houseplanninghelp.com/397 #Insulation #EcoHome

There's always a lot of hand waving about insurance, so it's really refreshing to hear from an actual industry expert. Turns out the insurance industry will just tell you the big challenges and how they think about risk if you ask them!

Jon Broome and Nick Grant have their London book launch tomorrow. Good luck, gentlemen! And we'll be featuring an interview with them soon on the podcast. The Good Building Book - www.bloomsbury.com/us/good-buil...

I'm catching up with Jon and Nick, authors of The Good Building Book this morning. Has anyone got any questions for them?

Gas prices up by around 50% today. A painful reminder that relying on imported fossil fuels is a risky strategy.

When it comes to case studies my video work tends to be a bit seasonal. When the sun comes out people are more inclined to think about promoting their projects! Have you got a low energy project that you want to shout about this year? Maybe we can help you out. www.regenmedia.co.uk/case-studies/

Do insurers like sustainable builds?! Nobody wants to get to the end of a project and then struggle to get their new home insured. So find out how the whole game works with Dr. James Glockling. www.houseplanninghelp.com/395 #SelfBuild #Housing #NewHome

I would definitely support this ban. Why not spend more time in the real world?! And well done to Australia for getting the ball rolling on this one and making us all think about the impacts of social media. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Something for the weekend? Here's what's been happening on the podcast recently. www.houseplanninghelp.com #SelfBuild #EcoHomes #HealthyHome

I'm looking forward to catching up with Nick Grant and Jon Broome next week. If you haven't heard, they've written a book together. N.B. I'm pleased to report there have been no massive revelations in it so far! Just 'best practice' that they have been sharing over the years.

A full house for the debate in Westminster Hall today on the Impact of the 2016 EU Membership Referendum on the UK, as a result of over 11,000 of you writing to your MP to urge them to attend. Stephen Gethins MP has started the debate with a strong opening speech.

NEW PODCAST: How does sheep's wool insulation fit into the natural fibre mix? Mark Lynn from Thermafleece explains. www.houseplanninghelp.com/397 #LoftInsulation #Housing #HealthyHomes

What is your opinion about sheep wool insulation?

My wife had always wanted to celebrate her 50th birthday in New York, but with Trump in power she cancelled the trip. I wonder how many other people are staying away from the USA? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

In-person tickets are now sold out for our 2026 Healthy Buildings Conference - but virtual tickets are now available for the presentations in Sessions 1&2. Join us online on 26th February - 13:30 to 16:45. asbp.org.uk/healthybuild...

We have just discovered why we are off the internet (and will be for about a week). Thieves have stolen about a 1km of copper cable. Unbelievable. It does feel like the UK needs to get tougher on crime.

'#Trump will be gone in three years': Top Democrats try to reassure Europe. Personally I think he's not going to go quietly. It still amazes me that he got re-elected at all, particularly after he tried to manipulate the election result at the end of his last term. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Madness.

not me running around the living room screaming 'it's here! it's here!' can't wait to dive into my buddy @ecominimalnick.bsky.social's book congrats, nick!

England's planning system can seem confusing. It draws on national statutes, secondary regulations, local plans, neighbourhood plans, case law and appeal decisions. So what does this mean if you're seeking planning permission for a replacement dwelling? www.houseplanninghelp.com/396 #SelfBuild

NEW PODCAST: Mark Doodes from Mark Doodes Planning is my guest this week as we talk about getting planning approval for a replacement dwelling. www.houseplanninghelp.com/396 #DreamHome #SelfBuild

Who watched Guy Martin's show last night? There were lots of good sections. My favourite part was his experiment around #airtightness. What happens when you keep a cup of coffee insulated and airtight but forget about #ventilation and moisture management? Condensation. "Wet as an otter's pocket!"

I think we're all interested to see how this programme has come out! It's on tonight.

Last year I was lucky enough to do some filming with Hannah Dixon from Progress in Practice. And Ward Grove went on to win at the Exemplar Sustainable Buildings Awards. youtu.be/YKT6BpnGDN8?... Next week one of her projects will be on the telly! #Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency #HealthyHome

I don't know whether it's gradual policy changes made after Grenfell but is it becoming harder to use natural materials? Is Building Control putting up more barriers? Or is it harder to insure an ecological building? In my latest podcast I chat to Dr. James Glocking. www.houseplanninghelp.com/395

I'm looking to talk to people for a piece I'm writing about tiny homes. Would love to hear from you if you live in a tiny home, have designed or built one, love the idea of tiny homes or hate them. If you're interested respond to this or drop me a message! #journorequest #helpareporter #tinyhomes

I can't say I watch Channel 4 too much these days, but this is certainly in my diary. www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/news/detail/... #Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency #Housing

Anyone who has spent time perfecting an #airtightness layer may be wondering whether there's a quicker way? There is in the form of a water-based, atomised polymer which is delivered when the building is pressurised. But is it something that will come back to bite us? www.houseplanninghelp.com/394

Water damage - whether from burst pipes, roof leaks or flood ingress - is the most common home insurance claim. So does this all get more serious if our homes are built with natural materials? I chat to Dr James Glockling this week on the podcast. www.houseplanninghelp.com/395 #Housing #EcoHome

NEW PODCAST: How easy is it to insure a natural building? Dr. James Glockling is my guest. www.houseplanninghelp.com/395 #NaturalMaterials #Housing #Insurance

A coworker took this from her apartment. I haven't seen a crowd this size before. Maybe the first Women's March? But it was much much warmer that day. ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA!

It was great to see the Warm Homes plan go live in the last couple of days. Architect Maeli Baeli was one of the experts on the Retrofit System Reform Panel, and a couple of months ago I caught up with her. www.houseplanninghelp.com/392 #Retrofit #Renovation #HealthyHome

Looking to chat to homeowners today that had defective insulation installed under the botched Energy Company Obligation scheme. If this is you, or someone you know, get in touch (DM or email in bio). #journorequest

I would love to speak with parents who are going low-tech and not allowing their teens to have phones, social media, etc. How has it impacted your family, your kid, and yourself? #journorequest Also, do you have a landline?