Sustainable Energy Without Hot Air

[John_M]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

The walls of my flat are flat. I am typing this flat out so I can go and make myself a flat drink.
Whoops, that fell flat.

Seriously tho I flatly agree that in normal usage a "flat roof" means a horizontal plane roof. However, purpose built from scratch, a monopitch roof (thanks for that Eeyore, new term to me) could have structures to carry all sorts of kit without losing the benefit of water run-off.

Just a thought.

STYRBJORN

What is this 'all sorts of kit' that you want to put on the roof, necessitating a stronger, more expensive structure that uses more resources to construct?

[STYRBJORN]

It's just that Animartco said he wanted to use the flat (Let's not go there again,ok?) space. You could have a rainfall measure, max/min thermometer, max/min wind speed gauge, bug traps, even bird feeders, 6" Newtonian reflector . . . Lie up there watching the dolly bird next door getting an all over tan . . .

Lighten up bro.

STYRBJORN

[animartco]

Originally Posted by eeyore

in your opinion - but thats not a fact - a modern life style might well involve one person working at home so one spare room would in fact be a home office, the other 5 could then easily be one master bedroom, two bedrooms for kids, one for an au pair , and one for guests

or both might work at home , or they might have three kids , or they might regularly have more than one guest etc etc - the permuations are endless and just because they dont fit in with your perception of "modern living" doesnt mean they arent valid

Eeyore, on this site we are trying to love and protect nature. This is not done by living in houses with wasted and probably heated, rooms. NO ONE needs a guest room! Guests can be easily put up in studies, lounges, spare bathrooms or conservatories..... Or how about in the play rooms above the car's house?
It is this profligate lifestyle which is killing the planet and I am very surprised to find you supporting it.

[animartco]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

It's just that Animartco said he wanted to use the flat (Let's not go there again,ok?) space. You could have a rainfall measure, max/min thermometer, max/min wind speed gauge, bug traps, even bird feeders, 6" Newtonian reflector . . . Lie up there watching the dolly bird next door getting an all over tan . . .

Lighten up bro.

STYRBJORN

Or even a garden Styrbjorn! Thanks for coming to my support.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by animartco

Eeyore, on this site we are trying to love and protect nature. This is not done by living in houses with wasted and probably heated, rooms. NO ONE needs a guest room! Guests can be easily put up in studies, lounges, spare bathrooms or conservatories..... Or how about in the play rooms above the car's house?
It is this profligate lifestyle which is killing the planet and I am very surprised to find you supporting it.

I actually live in a one bed house (well two but the second one is more like a large cupboard - currently used as an office) but what i'm saying is that everyone is different and different lifestyles and circumstances require different living arrangements.

there is a logical inconsistency in your post in that you condemn having a guest room, but seem to think it is okay to have studies, spare bathrooms, playrooms, and detached garages - all of which are by your logic also "unecessary" ( I dont currently have any of the above except for the spare bedroom acting as a "study") Total space heated is the same whether its a bedroom or a playroom and bedrooms are generally heated less as they are onluy used at night.

Also as regards the profligate lifestyle killing the planet - it is worse for "the planet" to have two or three smaller houses built on one plot rather than one big one - both because of duplication of energy consuming items like cookers etc, but also because there will be more space under concrete and less used as garden and therefore potential habitat and CO2 sink. (of course it would be better still for the planet to have no house built on the site , but in the real world that is often not an option)

[animartco]

Originally Posted by eeyore

I actually live in a one bed house (well two but the second one is more like a large cupboard - currently used as an office) but what i'm saying is that everyone is different and different lifestyles and circumstances require different living arrangements.

there is a logical inconsistency in your post in that you condemn having a guest room, but seem to think it is okay to have studies, spare bathrooms, playrooms, and detached garages - all of which are by your logic also "unecessary" ( I dont currently have any of the above except for the spare bedroom acting as a "study") Total space heated is the same whether its a bedroom or a playroom and bedrooms are generally heated less as they are onluy used at night.

Also as regards the profligate lifestyle killing the planet - it is worse for "the planet" to have two or three smaller houses built on one plot rather than one big one - both because of duplication of energy consuming items like cookers etc, but also because there will be more space under concrete and less used as garden and therefore potential habitat and CO2 sink. (of course it would be better still for the planet to have no house built on the site , but in the real world that is often not an option)

I think we are in the same place Eeyore, and (logical inconsistence- I was being sarcastic!) of course conservatories, and even garages are a waste of space, especially as around here everyone builds garages the size of houses out in front of their actual houses with 'games rooms' on the top which all have loos showers and kitchens. Bathrooms- well I think if everyone has to be out at work by seven you do need at least two loos. It is a question of what people need to support their busy lives, and what they don't need. Conservatories for instance are definitely superfluous. They are too cold (Or should be!) in winter and much too hot in the summer. Who sits out in their conservatory? Perhaps a very keen plantsman with foliage all over the ceiling. That would be it.
Yes building one large house on a site- presumeably you mean for multiple occupation? -Or a terrace of houses or flats is best because of access to light, is much much more economical than building detached houses, and much easier to heat. My friend lives in a big old Victorian house divided into flats and she hardly ever has to have her heating on. If the government were really interested in tackling global warming they would outlaw the building of detatched houses on estates.

[STYRBJORN]

You speak for yourself about garages. I keep my motor-bikes in the living room. Guests sleep in the garage.

STYRBJORN

[animartco]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

You speak for yourself about garages. I keep my motor-bikes in the living room. Guests sleep in the garage.

STYRBJORN

Remind me not to come and visit you. LOL