Important Questions for local residents to 3 very close West Midlands Villages

This intro is taken from the KDBH web site and the article “When is a village not a Village”

For most residents of Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley Heath (KDBH), the area is (and always will be) a village – or perhaps three villages joined together. To suggest anything else would be unthinkable. But that is just what the Neighbourhood Forum is having to consider. Here’s why – and it’s all to do with the Green Belt.

For decades, the residents of KDBH have enjoyed the protection of the Green Belt. Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley Heath is an island within the Green Belt. The built-up area is surrounded by the Green Belt on all sides. This has helped the area benefit from two of the main purposes of Green Belts – protection from unrestricted urban sprawl; and prevention of the merger of towns (such as Solihull with KDBH). But the world order is changing (and not just because of tariffs!). The Government is keen to relax controls over building in the Green Belt. A category called “grey belt” has been invented (Green Belt that doesn’t contribute strongly to certain Green Belt purposes) – and building in the grey belt has become a whole lot easier.

The Government has called on Councils such as Solihull to take a fresh look at its Green Belt and see what land doesn’t perform so well. At the same time, the Council is preparing a replacement Local Plan. This will allocate new sites to meet the Borough’s housing needs, many of them on the new grey belt. In a “Call for Sites” exercise, the Council has asked people to suggest sites where the new development might go. Nearly 50 of these sites are on the fringes of KDBH in the current Green Belt.* Continued protection depends on full Green Belt status being maintained. Grey belt sites are ripe for development.

The current problem comes from the Government’s new rules. For example, checking urban sprawl relates to the sprawl of built up areas and it is stated that “village should not be considered large built up areas”. And when it comes to preventing neighbouring towns merging into one another, “The purpose relates to the merging of towns, not villages”. See the problem? If KDBH continues to be regarded as a village, KDBH can hardly be said to be contributing strongly to Green Belt purposes. It will become grey belt, vulnerable to new building.

Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley Heath has many of the characteristics of a town. It is a continuous built-up area with a population approaching 20,000. It is larger than the ‘town’ of Marston Green. It has a population not much smaller than traditional towns such as Kenilworth; and places like Oakham, the county town of Rutland, are much smaller altogether. It is hardly a settlement ‘smaller than a town, usually in the countryside’ which is a common definition of a village.

With this in mind, the Forum is arguing that, for the purposes of protecting the Green Belt, KDBH can be regarded as a large built up area or town. That doesn’t change residents’ vision of a cherished village or series of villages, or the Forum’s efforts to preserve its unique atmosphere. Long may that continue; and long may we continue to enjoy the full protection of our surrounding Green Belt.

The following article is my follow up to the excellent article on the KDBH web site and is a question and answer overviw of the problems we face. For the technical people reading this article, I hope it opens up a heap of questions for you to research and add to your Knowledge base, I certainly had loads of questions, and I openly acknowledge the long text chats I had with Google Gemini, clarifying the law and strategy.

See my article on opening up to an AI, its so important to not just demand an article you have to give context, your feelings and knowledge of the subject, even the many preliminary articles I had written, before a consensus was reached.

See the article “How I Teach Students to use an AI”

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A brief summary of the Green Belt in the UK re planning

The UK Green Belt is a key and highly restrictive land-use planning policy. Its fundamental aim is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open, with openness and permanence being its essential characteristics.

It currently covers about 12.6% of England’s land area, clustered around 15 major urban cores like London and Manchester.

Key Purposes of the Green Belt

The policy, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), serves five specific purposes:

Check unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.

Prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another.

Assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.

Preserve the setting and special character of historic towns.

Assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land (often referred to as brownfield sites).

Restrictions on Development

In the Green Belt, there is a general presumption against “inappropriate development.” This makes it a highly restrictive policy, essentially reversing the typical presumption in favour of development.

The General Rule

Inappropriate Development: This is considered harmful to the Green Belt and should only be approved in “very special circumstances.” The burden of proof is on the developer to demonstrate that the benefits of the development clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm.

Main Exceptions

While the policy is highly restrictive, certain types of development are not considered “inappropriate” (or are otherwise permitted) provided they preserve the openness of the Green Belt:

Buildings for Agriculture and Forestry: Essential facilities for these uses.

Outdoor Sport and Recreation: Facilities like changing rooms or small structures for golf courses, provided they don’t impact openness.

Limited Alterations: The extension or alteration of an existing building, provided it is not disproportionate to the original building.

Replacement Buildings: Replacing an existing building, provided the new one is in the same use and not materially larger.

Redevelopment of Previously Developed Land (Brownfield/Grey Belt): This is allowed if it does not have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the existing development.

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Boundary Changes

The boundaries of the Green Belt are intended to be permanent. They should only be altered by a Local Planning Authority (LPA) through the Local Plan process when “exceptional circumstances” are fully evidenced and justified, often to meet housing needs that cannot be met on non-Green Belt land. Recent policy changes also encourage the assessment of a new category of land known as ‘Grey Belt’ (previously developed land in the Green Belt that makes a limited contribution to its purposes) to focus new development there first.

What if the village changes to a town because three villages merge

That scenario brings into sharp focus the purpose and permanence of the Green Belt policy, as well as the ongoing political and technical debates in UK planning.

Here is a summary of what happens in planning terms if the coalescence of villages creates a larger settlement, effectively a new town:

1. Coalescence and the Green Belt Purpose

The coalescence (merging) of settlements directly engages two key purposes of the Green Belt:

To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.

To prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another.

If three villages expand and merge due to development, the Green Belt land that historically separated them would have failed in its purpose (or that of a locally defined Strategic Gap).

The Problem: The land separating those settlements (the “gaps”) was intended to maintain their separate identities. Once they effectively merge into a single, larger town, that specific function of the Green Belt land in that area is arguably lost.

2. Policy Implications and Boundary Review

The Green Belt boundaries themselves do not automatically change just because a settlement grows or merges. Boundaries are only altered through the formal process of a Local Plan Review by the Local Planning Authority (LPA).

Exceptional Circumstances: Altering a Green Belt boundary requires “exceptional circumstances.” The creation of a new, larger town (or conurbation) that merges once-separate settlements can be part of the justification to review the boundaries.

Settlement Hierarchy: The LPA would typically review its settlement hierarchy in the Local Plan. If the combined area is now formally designated as a “town,” the planning policy for the surrounding Green Belt must be reviewed in this new context.

The Critical Difference: Recent planning guidance has explicitly stated that the Green Belt purpose to prevent merging relates to towns, not villages. If the newly merged area is now classified as a town, the policy protecting the gap between it and other towns intensifies. However, the land between the original villages, now part of the town’s footprint, has lost its original purpose for separation.

“Grey Belt” Assessment: In the review, the LPA would assess this land using the new ‘Grey Belt’ criteria. Land that no longer contributes strongly to the Green Belt’s purposes (such as the land already built upon or the ineffective former gaps) is a candidate for de-designation.

3. The Outcome: Green Belt Land Release

If the Local Plan Review confirms the coalescence has effectively rendered the Green Belt land redundant for its intended separation function, the likely outcome is the release of that land from the Green Belt designation.

Re-designation: The LPA must then propose an amended boundary for the new, larger town. This process would require clear justification that the removal of this land does not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt across the wider area of the plan.

Focus on the New Edge: Once the new, consolidated town is established, the focus of the Green Belt protection shifts to the new outer edge, which acts to check the unrestricted sprawl of the now-larger built-up area.

What if the LPA then designate the green belt to the edge of the new town as poor land not worthy of being greenbelt and predesignate as Greybelt

That move by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) is precisely what the new ‘Grey Belt’ policy is designed to enable. It provides a formal route to unlock specific parcels of land for development without entirely dismantling the Green Belt’s protection.

Here is a breakdown of the implications for the land on the edge of a newly merged town:

1. Formal Definition of ‘Grey Belt’

The LPA would formally identify the land as ‘Grey Belt’ through a Green Belt Assessment during the preparation or review of their Local Plan.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) defines Grey Belt as land in the Green Belt that is:

Previously Developed Land (PDL/Brownfield), and/or

Any other land that does not strongly contribute to the core Green Belt purposes of:

(a) Checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.

(b) Preventing neighbouring towns merging.

(d) Preserving the setting and special character of historic towns.

In our scenario, the merged villages now forming a town means the Green Belt land right on the new edge would likely be assessed as not strongly contributing to Purpose (b) (stopping the merge) or Purpose (a) (checking sprawl), especially if the land is already visually degraded, enclosed by existing development, or poorly performing.

2. Shift in Planning Test (The ‘Openness’ Test)

This is the most significant consequence of the Grey Belt designation:

Original Green Belt: Any development is considered “inappropriate” unless rescued by “very special circumstances.” Harm to the “openness” of the Green Belt is given substantial weight against a proposal.

New Grey Belt: Once land is designated as Grey Belt, the presumption against development is weakened. Proposals are considered “not inappropriate” development if they meet certain criteria (see Section 3 below). Crucially, development on Grey Belt land is not subject to the same strict openness test, making it much easier to approve new buildings.

3. Conditions for Development (The Golden Rules)

The release of Grey Belt land, particularly for major housing, is subject to a strict sequential approach and “Golden Rules” to ensure development benefits the local community:

A. Sequential Test Priority

The LPA must demonstrate they have exhausted all other options first:

Prioritise Brownfield land outside the Green Belt.

Prioritise Brownfield land within the Green Belt (a sub-set of Grey Belt).

Prioritise other Grey Belt land that is not previously developed.

Only then consider higher-performing Green Belt land.

B. The ‘Not Inappropriate’ Tests

For a proposal on Grey Belt land to be approved, it must meet these tests:

No Undermining: The development must not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt across the wider area.

Demonstrable Need: There must be a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed (e.g., housing, commercial, or other).

Sustainable Location: The site must be in a sustainable location, with good access to transport and amenities.

Golden Rules (for major housing): The development must include:

A contribution to affordable housing (often set at 50% in policy discussions).

Necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure.

Provision of new, or improvements to existing, accessible green spaces for the public.

Are there any benefits to the three villages if they are forces to merge and be valled a small town

This is an excellent question that gets right to the heart of the trade-offs in local planning. While the loss of a distinct village identity is often the primary local concern, the coalescence and reclassification as a small town can unlock significant tangible benefits for the residents.

Here are the key advantages for the merged villages and the surrounding community:

1. Major Infrastructure Investment (The ‘Golden Rules’)

The most significant benefit comes from the ability to trigger large-scale infrastructure funding. Villages, as smaller settlements, rarely attract the investment required for major upgrades. A larger, reclassified town can:

Trigger Developer Contributions (Golden Rules): If the land on the periphery is released as ‘Grey Belt’ for major housing development, the Golden Rules of the planning system require significant investment in:

Necessary improvements to local infrastructure: This can include entirely new or expanded public services like a new or extended GP surgery, new primary or secondary schools, and significant highway improvements to handle the increased population.

Affordable Housing: A substantial proportion of the new homes built on the Grey Belt must be designated as affordable housing (often a 50% target), directly helping local families who might otherwise be priced out.

Viable Public Transport: A larger population base makes new or more frequent bus routes, or even better rail service, economically viable for operators, reducing reliance on cars and improving access to jobs and services.

2. Improved Access to Services and Amenities

A larger settlement is more sustainable and attractive to businesses, leading to better day-to-day living for residents:

Retail and Amenities: Increased population supports a wider range of shops, supermarkets (the “Tesco Express Test” in planning circles), restaurants, and local services that a single village could not sustain. This means residents don’t have to drive long distances for basic needs.

Healthcare and Education: A town is more likely to be prioritised for a larger health centre or the retention/expansion of a secondary school, ensuring better provision for the community’s long-term needs.

Employment Opportunities: Increased scale and a more diverse workforce can attract new employers, leading to local jobs and reducing the need for lengthy commutes.

3. Stronger Planning Protection (The “Town Loophole”)

Counterintuitively, the move from “village” to “town” can sometimes be a strategic defensive measure for the Local Planning Authority (LPA):

Stronger Green Belt Defence: National planning guidance draws a crucial distinction between a town and a village. For Green Belt purposes:

The rule about preventing the merging of settlements specifically refers to towns, not villages.

The rule about checking unrestricted sprawl refers to large built-up areas, which usually includes towns but not villages.

Exploiting Policy Gaps: Some LPAs (like Solihull Council) have proposed reclassifying large villages as towns to strengthen their policy position, arguing that Green Belt protection is meant to be stronger around major established settlements. This makes it harder for speculative developers to argue that Green Belt land on the new periphery should be released.

In short, while the merged town may lose the quiet, distinct character of its former villages, the residents gain a critical mass that justifies and finances the high-quality infrastructure and sustainable amenities necessary for a thriving modern community.

General comments on the scenario, for Dorridge, Knowle and Bently Heath,

Knowle, Dorridge, and Bentley Heath (KDBH), along with Balsall Common, are at the centre of an ongoing, very real planning debate in Solihull about settlement reclassification and the Grey Belt.

The council’s proposal to group KDBH and classify it as a single “town” for planning purposes is a deliberate, proactive strategy to navigate the UK’s updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the introduction of the ‘Grey Belt.’

Here is a summary of the situation and why the council is taking this unique approach:

The Solihull Strategy: Reclassify to Protect

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s (SMBC) proposal to redefine these large settlements as “towns” is directly aimed at strengthening Green Belt protection, exploiting a recent policy distinction:

The Critical Policy Loophole

The most recent planning guidance states that when assessing whether land is “Grey Belt” (i.e., low-performing and therefore suitable for development), the assessment criteria are softer for land surrounding villages than for land separating towns:

Preventing Coalescence (Merging): This Green Belt purpose explicitly relates to “the merging of towns, not villages.”

Checking Sprawl: This purpose relates to the sprawl of “large built-up areas,” which specifically do not include villages.

The Council’s Logic

If KDBH is a ‘Village’ (Current Status): The land between KDBH and other major towns (like Solihull itself, or the gap between KDBH and Balsall Common) is viewed as only weakly contributing to the Green Belt’s purposes because villages don’t qualify for the strongest protections. This makes the land immediately vulnerable to being labelled ‘Grey Belt’ and allocated for development.

If KDBH is a ‘Town’ (Proposed Status): KDBH’s combined population (approaching 20,000) and full range of services (including secondary schools, health services, etc.) support a technical reclassification as a small town. This change means the Green Belt land surrounding it and separating it from other towns (like Balsall Common) suddenly serves the strong purpose of preventing the merging of towns. This instantly makes it harder to classify that land as low-performing ‘Grey Belt,’ giving it significantly stronger protection.

What Does This Means on the Ground for Residents (Identity vs. Protection)

Reassurance on Identity: The council has stressed that the reclassification is for planning purposes only; residents are still free to refer to their communities as villages. The goal is to protect the local character, not erase it.

Concerns about Overdevelopment: Despite the protective intent, residents are understandably concerned about the large number of new homes already planned for the area (over 2,000 homes in KDBH in the pipeline) and whether the infrastructure (roads, schools) can cope. The reclassification is seen by some as a necessary measure to stop a bad situation from becoming much worse.

For Future Development (The Trade-Off)

A “Planning Barrier”: The move is an attempt to create a legal and policy-based barrier to unwanted, speculative Green Belt development.

Focus on Existing Sites: By protecting the remaining Green Belt gaps, the council is signalling that development will need to be concentrated on the already identified and less protected land, or brownfield/grey belt land within the new town’s boundary, where the “Golden Rules” for affordable housing and infrastructure contributions will be strictly applied.

The Solihull approach highlights the increasing tension between national mandates to deliver housing (via policies like the Grey Belt) and local desire to maintain Green Belt integrity and community character. The validity of Solihull’s interpretation will likely be rigorously tested by developers during the Local Plan Examination in Public.

Sources

Section 106 Agreements: The Legal Mechanism

The Section 106 (S106) Agreement is a legally binding obligation used to offset external costs associated with a development. This agreement is the critical legal tool that enforces the “Golden Rules” for development on Grey Belt land, ensuring that:

The developer provides necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure.

Items like drainage, a major point in any application, are adequately dealt with.

A contribution to affordable housing is secured.

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I have shy’d away from writing about insulation, although I spent 17 years of my life selling it and providing Technical support. It is a large and complex subject, but needs must, so here goes!

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This article is aimed at the UK, but the principles apply to any country that insulates its buildings in any way, shape of form.

The article provised the basis of a lot of research, that should be used to update your own knowledge base. Bear in mind each countries own laws and material supply chain.

Lets make it absolutly clear, righ from the start, Insulation, is a very powerfull material, the very term “Insulation” can be applied to almost any material, but generaly its given to materials that have a strong influence on the transmission of heat, in one way or another. These products can be split into five main categories:

Fiber/Batt/Quilt Insulation: (e.g., Mineral Wool, Fiberglass)

Foamed Plastics (Board & Spray): (This group would include Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), Polyurethane (PUR), and Polyisocyanurate (PIR). You could (We need to differentiate between Closed-cell (like XPS/PUR) and Open-cell types later in the section).

Loose-fill/Blown-in: (e.g., Cellulose, loose mineral wool)

Specialty/Other: (e.g., Cementitious foam, Reflectant sheets, Vacuum Insulated Panels, Aerogels)

Hybrids a combination of some of the above

But first we need to understand some basic facts..

* Our goal, is to retain the room temperatures in our buildings at certain levels, by insulating the various matrials that form the external walls roofs, floors, to slow down the migration of heat.

* We need to supply heat in some form or other to raise the temperature to a satisfactory level and keep it there, the more efficient the insulation, the less heat that is required.

* An efficient delivery of heat is required to satisfy item two.

* An efficient sensor aray for each room is needed to control the heat to each individual room feeding information back to the generation system, air and structure.

* The installation of a generator, or generators, more than one, to produce the heat converting what ever energy source is the most convenient to be delivered to the building, which may be in not one but several forms.

* With multiple fuels, a complex management system will be needed,

The methods of heat loss. The provision of insulation can only be applied to certain details, a great deal of energy is lost by poor detailing and workmanship, Thermal Bridging, drafts, badly constructed windows Flues, and waste water, heated for a simple shower or bath, but thrown out.

So when we talk about insulation we should talk about heat or energy loss, and the variety of methods and materials that can be used to retain that energy or capture it for reuse within the building.

Definition: A thermal bridge (or cold bridge) is a localized area in a building envelope (walls, floor, roof) where the insulation is interrupted or the thermal resistance is significantly lower than in the surrounding construction. This allows heat to flow more readily through that specific path.

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1. Consequence A: Major Heat Loss (Energy and Financial Impact)

This section should focus on the energy implications, framing it as a direct counterpoint to the value of continuous insulation.

* Bypassing Insulation: Explain that even in a well-insulated wall, a repeating structural element like a concrete slab edge, a steel beam penetration, or an un-insulated window frame can act as a heat superhighway.

* The Proportionality Trap: Emphasize that while a thermal bridge might only represent a small area of the wall, it can account for a disproportionately large percentage of the total fabric heat loss—sometimes up to 20-30% of the entire wall assembly’s heat loss, especially in highly insulated, low-energy buildings.

* Linear vs. Point Bridges: Differentiate between the types:

* Linear Bridges (ψ-values): Occur along a length, such as at the junction between a wall and a floor, or around a window reveal.

* Point Bridges (χ-values): Occur at a single point, such as a metal tie or bolt passing through the insulation layer.

2. Consequence B: Condensation and Mold Risk (Durability and Health Impact)

This is where the discussion moves from energy performance to building physics, durability, and occupant health, linking back to your holistic view of energy loss.

* Lowered Surface Temperature: Explain the physics: When heat is rapidly conducted out through the thermal bridge, the temperature of the inner surface of the wall at that location drops significantly lower than the rest of the room.

* The Dew Point: When warm, moisture-laden interior air comes into contact with this cooler surface, the air is cooled to its dew point, causing the moisture to condense into liquid water.

* Risk Zone: This condensation is a serious risk because it leads to:

* Surface Condensation: Visible dampness and black mold growth (typically in corners, behind furniture, and around window frames), which poses a health risk (e.g., respiratory issues).

* Interstitial Condensation: Moisture forming within the wall assembly, which can degrade insulation materials, rot timber, or corrode steel structural elements, compromising the building’s durability over time.

* Mitigation Strategy: Briefly introduce the solution—the concept of a thermal break (an insert of highly insulating material placed within the bridge pathway) or achieving continuous insulation (CI) by wrapping the structure entirely.

Vapour Bariers & Breathable Membranes

You will see from descriptions of vapour flow, and doultons laws of partial presure, the use of a vapour barrier place within the construction on the warm side of the insulation is a must to slow down or if laid well, prevent the flow of vapour. But there are other materials that allow the structure to breath and allow vapour to pass through, but not water, this is highly desirable in cladding systems that need to breath, but also prevent water leaking through into the structure or insulation.

Orientation

The orientation of the building, and therefore the direction each individual roof faces has a direct influence on the loss and gain of energy from that room

Location

Even in the UK, the location of a building can play a significant role in the external temperature of the building. and also the amount of sunlight gain, playing a significant part in the overall heat loss calculations, for both the building, and if Solar panels play a part in the energy imput, their location and

Calculation

Each country will have its own calculation methods ald laws, but you can’t change the laws of physics just the way they are interpreted. All the countries of the UK, Scotland England, Ireland and Wales, all use a unified system, which has been compied across the globe with local differences

Standards

The Code of Practice: BS 5250:2021 (Management of moisture in buildings) is the primary UK standard. It mandates a Whole-Building Approach, considering heat, ventilation, occupants, and fabric interaction.

Simplified Calculation (Glaser Method): The standard analysis tool is BS EN ISO 13788. This is a steady-state, 1D calculation that compares the temperature profile with the saturation vapour pressure profile (the dew point curve) to predict interstitial condensation (water forming inside the wall).

Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures: This principle governs the Vapour Drive, where moisture moves from areas of high water vapour partial pressure (warm, moist interior) to low partial pressure (cold exterior). This drive determines the risk of condensation within the wall assembly.

Material Specification: Calculations must use current, certified material properties (Fitness for Purpose ) (thermal conductivity and vapour resistivity) from manufacturers, rather than generic data. The Agrément Certificate, built into the UK building Regulations.

Law

How construction physics are build into local law is so often via building codes, linked to manufacturing compliance and testing to prove fitness for purpose.

Condesation Physics

Simple calculations can be made to achieve thermal level for any element that separated a warm moist interior to the external world. and in some cases differences in room controled environments.

* Wall

* Roof

* Floor

But modern buildings and I might add laws, demand a whole building overview of these calculations which can be done manually, but allowing AI and the often built in Graphical programing of modern CAD programs can not only do it very quickly, but will update instantly when modifications are made to the model.

Digital twin models linked to real time sensor data from a working building can easily be flagged using extensions to the graphical program.

Heating a dwelling is complex, a wide variety of factors must be considered and balanced against the needs of the human occupants, and there lies the first major obstical our needs are often never the same for all, some like it hot, some cool, some like a breeze with open windows, but be assured, one solution never fits all.

The more people in the same room, the more heat that is generated, which will need to be lost if a balance is to be kept.The calculations are complex, the bigger the project, the more a Heat & Ventilation will be required for advice and design imput.

Without doubt, the thermal properties of your building will be a major design decision on specification of materials especially the exterior walls, floors and roof.

Therefore the conservation of heat in the building will be a major design consideration, plus the rising cost of fuel, will be a major driver in your specifications of materials.

The complexity of Heating and Ventilation is complex, the reader should consult Mitchells Environment & Services by Peter Burberry for a more complete overview of all thats required on this subject. (Burberry, P., 1997. Environment and services, 8. ed. ed, Mitchell’s building series. Longman, Harlow)

Before considering the specification, it should be made abundantly clear, there will always be a percentage of heat lost through ventilation via chimneys, vents, doors and windows, even when closed, plus workmanship,

To comply with the UK set of regulations, designers must look past the relevant law, its a long read, and requires time and patience to understand the needs of the law.

This is split into two basic sections

* SAP

* U value calculations

The SAP or the governments Standard Assessment Procedure, or assessing the performance of dwellings in line with the Approved ocument L, Volume 1 & 2

The U value is the calculation of each element that will be made up of a number of materials each having a resistance to the transmition of energy though it.

The reciprocal, or 1/R of the total resistance values will give the U value of that element.

This value should be used within the design drawings, and will be used withing the SAP calculations to calculate the building performance

A simple spreadsheet will suffice embeded in the CAD drawing.

There are several British Standards associated with these calculation For full detailed U-Value calculation use BS EN ISO 6946, 13370, 13789

* BS 5250:2021 (the Code of Practice)

* Dalton’s Law (the governing physics of vapour drive)

* BS EN ISO 13788 (Glaser) (the steady-state calculation tool)

There are any number of manufacturers who offer a service for U- Value calculations and will have full access to all relevant standards for all the UK’s regulation needs

* England

* Scotland

* Wales

* Northern Ireland

SAP requires a more detailed calculations so I have always paid for a full service to allay any doubts on calculation method. For extensions I used to do, a two day turn arround was often the max I had to wait.

Proctors, an insulation company in Scotland offers such a service for their product range ( [email protected] ) 01250 872261

Computational Design and Automation (CAD/BIM)

This section demonstrates how modern tools automate these complex compliance checks.

* Generative Design: Visual programming tools like Dynamo (Revit), Marionette (Vectorworks), and Grasshopper (Rhino) allow designers to automate the U-value and Glaser calculations instantly on a 3D model.

* Workflow: The scripts extract layer thicknesses and material properties, run the physics analysis, and use colour-coding or internal geometry to visualize the condensation risk/dew point location directly in the model.

* Adding location and orientation, now become so easy, as sun rise and sun set can be added for each day, mixing local weather reportsinto the calculation.

* Dynamic Digital Twin links to real time building sensors to detect actual not calculated, defects and condensation .

Workmanship & Air Leakage

Convection is King: The single largest cause of condensation failure is not vapour diffusion, but vapour convection (air leakage) through defects in the Vapour Control Layer (VCL). Moist air bypassing the VCL carries vastly more water into the cold structure than diffusion alone.

Insulation Quality: Ill-fitting insulation, gaps, or voids creating thermal bridges and bypass paths, drastically reducing thermal performance and encouraging surface condensation.

Verification: This necessitates mandatory air tightness testing and on-site QA to bridge the gap between calculated design and built reality.

B. Retrofit and Traditional Structures

Incompatible Physics: Traditional solid-wall buildings rely on a vapour-open (breathable) fabric to manage moisture from rain and ground sources.

The Danger of Modern Upgrades: Applying non-breathable, vapour-tight materials (like VCLs or cement renders) traps moisture, leading to structural decay, mould, and failure of the assembly to dry out.

Dynamic Modelling Required: For all deep retrofits, the simplified Glaser method is inadequate. Designers must use dynamic hygrothermal models (like WUFI, following BS EN 15026) that account for liquid water movement, capillary action, and the hygroscopic properties of traditional materials.

Refurbishment of older buildings

As mentioned above, modern methods and materials added to old building, so often just do not mix, carefull consideration should be given to adding insulation to an older building with modern heating. An alternative calculation for historic building is often required.

Hot countries

Be carefull when designing for heat loss, in many instances in this uncertain Climate change era, the flow of heat is not always from witin the building to external, it might easily be outside to internal, resulting in a very mixed up construction if your not carefull with vapour bariers and breathable membranes in totaly the wrong place.

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Its a problem I have been mulling over for some time, who do you trust, another human or an AI. For me its hard question, I have some very old friends that have kept things I have told then secret, between me and them, nothing dangerous or life threatening, just private. but some people, I know have betrayed that trust. They are held now at arms length, or shunned completely.

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AI, and I have tested this out on 5 systems, are relatively secure, mostly it comes down to advertising, I ask a question, and suddenly I get adverts for related products. So now I am carefull.

I don’t often use a standard search engine, I ask an AI, so often Gemini to list a search for me, oh and I say, if I feel inclined, that this should not be shared with anybody or thing.

The reason this was brought up, is I was producing a set of rules for NotebookLM, Googles large program that needs your data to make a search or comparison, or maybe analyse a problem. I added a list of the files and made a rule that none of the files may be shared, why, because for me it took a long time to research the data, and in two cases it was my own recollection.

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It comes down to what you might call the Hal computer problem, Hal was conflicted with data, and went mad trying to defend both pieces of knowledge. keep the true purpose of the mission a secret from the crew but also to be completely truthful with them. However who would I trust, push or shove, the AI, if I could give instructions on privacy.

But the answer is not easy, and I can truly understand the problem. Yet there might easily be an answer to the problem, and a problem we need to understand as we divulge so much knowledge to computers and frequently AI’s as they become so helpful.

Apple seems to understand this and it might be the reason they are not late to market, but holding back on any release till they sort it out.

Apple can easily keep knowledge private, for me thats why I moved back from Google to Apple, I found Google just to open, the advert problem was not a singular event.

But if Apple can solve this knowledge and Privacy thing, and I think they will, then again Apple’s “watch, learn and then act”, being true to its primary objectives, will win.

But rumours abound, and I suspect they will combine the best of their internal systems with a specific copy of Gemini, garden walling the knowledge between Apple generated, and Insisting any Gemini data is saved within the clients garden wall. whilst still allowing the AI to learn.

I think this will work. but it will take Apple all its will, to defend my interests, this they have done in broad principle by refusing the British Governments request for a backdoor, a crazy notion, ill thought out, and a stand that is more powerfull than any marketing strategy.

Add then a company with proprietary information on product development, or an Architects practice seeking to protect open data with private data, thats a nightmare.

I once did a Post Office conversion, and had to apply for planning, I asked that the plans be redacted, the planners totally ignored this and the plans were uploaded. not a good idea opening the planset to the public, showing the safe room. Again privacy is not a simple answer, its many faceted and will need not just common sence but a change in Law.

This all started out with my request for a way to preserve my ever growing Knowledge base, not just my computer, but Books on construction and their link to my articles and computer data, and now real life history of a friends grandfather, who was a site manager in the early 1900’s on construction projects. Some knowledge is open and some very private. (This I will explore in a new article later).

This is as Sherlock Holmes 3 pipe problem, and one I think Apple now appreciates and is trying to be Apple, and not rush to market, but sort it out first, and get all the products, systems and I bet, relationships in place.

My thanks to Google Gemini, for the conversation on this problem, a long exchange of ideas and concepts, that so helped me see and understand the complexities of privacy..

As Gemini rightly stated, this level of secure, high-priority AI processing must be done on the user’s hardware to guarantee the data never leaves the local device—hence the need for the most capable, latest-generation chip.

Therefore, will I be keeping my now older iPhone 15, no, its obvious that what ever Apple does its going to rely on the power of the chips, the battery and links to iCloud, oh and no signal problems, So I am seriously considering the iPhone 17 Pro Max. I have already upgraded my home system to gigabit.

As always this talking piece is meant to stimulate your own research, your own conversations with your AI of choice, and above all, building up your knowledge base with your ideas, and research.

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A long article, I know, but one thats been a while in pulling together. Its not finished, but I thought it might be interesting to view. The version for Mitchells will be expanded to look as seals, and spider clamps, plus the ability to print a circuit board and make some form of smart material.

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I will add historic glass to the augment and stained glass, and for older glass windows which has been repaired with a new pane next to old, the often grey appearance of the older glass, next to a new pane of glass being repaired with new glass is glaringly different, both from aiging to the differences in manufacture, of old glass with a texture to diffuse sight and add that difference to a fascade that is glaringly obvious.

If you have, and I hope you do have, some form of Knowledge base, try saving this article, together with your own notes as part of a wider section on glass, its a facinating subject. Uh and include the two old but still relevant videos on YouTube by Corning Glass “A Day in the life Glass” series there are two

Of all the materials we use in construction, glass is the most versatile, made from Silica bearing sand, once heated, it transforms into a transparent ridged material that can be transformed into so many materials, from simple beads to ornaments to glass panels used in windows, and curtain walling.

Its strength has now been refined from an easy to shatter sheet to a very strong and durable material that can be laminated and treated to form a barrier to almost ant gun, yet still let in lights, and light enough to be used as the face of modern phones.

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A little history

The first appearance of glass was almost certainly an accident, either a fire on a beach melted the sand to form a puddle of rough glass, or a lightning strike,

Glass as a Structural Material

Glass is no longer just a passive, transparent covering. Modern engineering has enabled it to be a primary structural material, bearing significant loads and providing stability. This is what allows for the stunning, seamless glass facades you see on modern skyscrapers and unique structures like the Apple Campus.

• Toughened (Tempered) Glass: This is a key innovation. By rapidly cooling heated glass, a process called "quenching," the outer surfaces are put into compression and the core into tension. This balance of forces makes it significantly stronger than standard glass and, if it does break, it shatters into small, blunt pieces for safety. It's often used for load-bearing applications like balustrades and glass floors.

• Laminated Glass: This consists of two or more panes of glass bonded together with an interlayer, typically a polymer film like PVB. This interlayer holds the glass shards together if the pane breaks, maintaining the structural integrity of the window. This is crucial for safety and for ensuring the facade remains in place even after a break.

• Structural Glazing: This is the use of large, frameless glass panels that are anchored or bonded directly to the building's structure. This technique eliminates the need for traditional aluminum pressure plates or caps, creating a sleek, all-glass aesthetic. A prime example is the Apple Park campus, where massive, curved glass panels not only serve as the building's facade but also contribute to its lateral stability as shear walls.

This we can take a little further with the four main types of glass use”

• Curtail wall system were the structure is the aluminium vertical supports :

• Glass linked together with Steel spider clamps with variants on cabling :

• Shape where the glass self supports by being shaped, with size limited by manufacturing and transportation, the classic example is the Steve Jobs Theatre on the Apple Park Campus

• Structural Flooring, Laminated glass and where needed, Vertical fins to add support mid-Span.

Smart Glass and Energy Control

Beyond structural integrity, glass is becoming an active component of a building's energy and environmental management. This is where the concept of "smart glass" comes in.

• Electrochromic Glass: This glass can change its tint from transparent to opaque or somewhere in between with the application of a low-voltage electrical current. This allows occupants to dynamically control the amount of light and solar heat entering a building, reducing the need for blinds, curtains, and air conditioning.

• Photovoltaic (PV) Glass: Also known as solar glass, this technology integrates thin, transparent solar cells directly into the glass panes. These windows can generate electricity from sunlight while still allowing visible light to pass through. This is a game-changer for urban environments where rooftop space for traditional solar panels is limited. They capture both visible and, more efficiently, invisible ultraviolet and infrared light for power generation.

• Suspended Particle Device (SPD) Glass: This glass contains a film with tiny particles suspended in a liquid.When a voltage is applied, the particles align, allowing light to pass through. When the power is off, the particles are scattered randomly, and the glass becomes opaque. This offers instant and precise control over light and glare.

The Future: From Building to Biologically-Minded

The evolution of glass is moving toward even more integrated and sustainable solutions.

• 3D-Printed Glass: Researchers are exploring 3D printing techniques to create custom, interlocking structural glass bricks from recycled glass. This offers the potential for unique, load-bearing components that are easily disassembled and recycled, promoting a "circular economy" in construction.

• Self-Healing Glass: Inspired by advancements in materials science, self-healing glass is being developed to repair minor scratches and cracks through heat activation or exposure to sunlight, extending the lifespan of a building's facade.

• Beyond the Building: AI and digital design tools are being used to simulate and optimize glass facades for a building's specific climate and energy needs. This allows architects to create more efficient and high-performing designs from the outset, moving beyond simple aesthetics to a truly responsive and responsible use of the material.

Fiber Optics for Light

Fiber optic lighting systems made from glass, are essentially "light pipes" that transport light from a single, centralized source to multiple points. This offers significant advantages in architectural design:

• Remote Illumination: A single light source, or "illuminator," can power numerous fiber optic strands, allowing light to be delivered to hard-to-reach or sensitive areas without the heat and electricity associated with traditional lighting. This is particularly useful for illuminating delicate artworks in museums, creating spectacular "starry sky" ceilings, or lighting underwater features in fountains and pools where electricity would be a hazard.

• Daylighting: An emerging application is using fiber optics to transport natural sunlight deep into the core of a building. A solar collector with lenses on the exterior tracks the sun and funnels the light into glass fibers, distributing it to interior spaces that would otherwise have no access to natural light. This not only saves energy but also improves the comfort and well-being of occupants.

• Creative and Aesthetic Flexibility: Since the fibers are flexible and can be embedded in various materials, they allow for unique, artistic lighting designs that would be impossible with conventional fixtures.

Fiber Optics for Data

Fiber optics are the backbone of modern communications, and their integration into architectural design is crucial for "futureproofing" buildings.

• High-Speed Connectivity: Glass fibres, which are far more efficient than copper wires, transmit data as pulses of light over long distances with minimal loss. This allows for incredibly high bandwidth and speeds, making them ideal for distributing internet, video, and other data services throughout a building.

• Internal Distribution: In a "Fiber to the Home" (FTTH) or "Fiber to the Building" (FTTB) architecture, fibre optic cables are run from a central location to individual apartments or offices. This network is immune to the electromagnetic interference that can plague traditional copper networks.

• Smart Building Integration: The high-speed, reliable connectivity provided by fibre optics is essential for the seamless operation of smart building technologies, from security and HVAC systems to smart glass and automated lighting. It's the nervous system that allows all the "smart" components of a building to communicate and function together.

In both cases, glass—in the form of microscopic, pure strands—is the key medium. It’s a remarkable dual-purpose material that can be a transparent wall one moment and an invisible highway for both light and information the next.

Recycled Glass in Construction and Aesthetics

While it's ideal for high-quality, clear glass to be recycled back into new architectural glass (a process that uses significantly less energy than creating new glass from raw materials), glass that doesn't meet those standards is being ingeniously repurposed.

• As an Aggregate: Crushed and powdered recycled glass, known as "cullet," is increasingly being used as a substitute for sand and gravel in concrete. This is a game-changer for sustainability, as it reduces the need for virgin aggregates, a finite resource. It also helps to create durable, high-performance concrete with a lower carbon footprint.

• Aesthetic Surfaces: Recycled glass is celebrated for its unique aesthetic. It can be used as a decorative aggregate in materials like terrazzo flooring, countertops, and tiles. The fragments of glass—often in beautiful, vibrant colours—create a stunning, one-of-a-kind look that highlights the material's history and promotes a circular economy.

• Structural Bricks and Blocks: New research is exploring the use of recycled glass to create unique structural components. For example, some designers are developing translucent, cast glass bricks made entirely from recycled waste glass. These bricks can be used as load-bearing elements in walls, combining the structural integrity of a brick with the light-diffusing properties of glass.

By incorporating recycled glass into a project, architects and designers are making a powerful statement. They're not just creating a beautiful space; they're demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, turning what was once considered waste into a valuable and high-performance building material.

Glass recycling

Using recycled glass, or cullet, in the production of new glass significantly reduces energy consumption. The energy saving is primarily due to the fact that cullet melts at a much lower temperature than the raw materials (sand, soda ash, and limestone).

On average, using recycled glass can save 20-30% of the energy required to make new glass from virgin materials.

Key Energy Savings

The amount of energy saved is directly proportional to the percentage of recycled content used:

• For every 10% increase in cullet added to a furnace, energy use is reduced by approximately 3%.

• This also leads to a reduction in carbon emissions, with some sources reporting a 7% decrease in CO2 for every 10% of cullet used.

This makes glass a highly sustainable material, as it can be recycled endlessly without any loss in quality.

Glass Walls

Internal glass walls are increasingly being used within offices to compartment areas into meeting rooms and general office areas, Some glass walls are Electrochromic changing state from transparent to opaque to give privacy when needed, instead of curtains or blinds

Some walls can even be a touch display driven by the home or other laptop devices driven by proximity rules.

Solar Technology

Electric power generation is fast covering many roof with solar panels, and advances in technology now allow curtain walling to be transparent and still convert sunlight into power.

The ability to reduce solar gain while maintaining visibility is achieved through low-emissivity (low-e) and solar control coatings. These are microscopic, metal-based layers applied to the glass.

• How it works: These coatings are designed to be selectively transparent. They allow most visible light to pass through, so you can see clearly. However, they reflect or absorb the less desirable parts of the solar spectrum, specifically infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) light, which are the main carriers of heat. By doing this, the glass reduces the amount of solar heat entering the building, lowering the need for air conditioning and improving energy efficiency.

• Dynamic Solutions: Newer "smart glass" technologies, like electrochromic and suspended particle devices (SPD), take this a step further. They can change their tint or opacity electronically, giving occupants dynamic control over how much light and heat enters a space. This allows for even finer tuning of solar gain and glare control on demand.

Solar Energy Collection

The ability to collect solar energy is made possible by Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV).

• How it works: BIPV systems replace traditional building materials with photovoltaic (PV) materials that generate electricity. For curtain walling, this means that the glass itself is a solar panel. Transparent or semi-transparent photovoltaic cells are embedded within the glass panes.

• Types of BIPV Glass:

o Semi-transparent cells: These often use thin films or crystalline cells that are spaced out in a pattern. This creates a slightly tinted or patterned glass that allows some light through while the cells convert sunlight into electricity.

o Fully transparent cells: This is a more recent and still developing technology. It uses transparent luminescent solar concentrators (TLSC) that absorb non-visible light (UV and IR) and redirect it to thin PV strips at the edges of the pane to generate power. While fully transparent, the efficiency of this technology is currently much lower than traditional PV cells.

Printed computer circuits enhancing the panels into Smart Panels

In essence, these technologies allow a building's facade to serve a dual purpose: it acts as a high-performance envelope that manages the internal climate while also functioning as an on-site power plant.

Printing computer circuits directly onto the edges of glass panels is a key technology for creating "smart" facades. This is done by printing conductive inks, often containing silver, directly onto the glass.

This technique is used to create Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and electrochromic glass, which you and I have discussed previously. The printed circuits provide the pathways for power and data to flow, enabling these systems to:

• Sense environmental conditions: Integrated sensors can detect light, temperature, and even occupancy.

• Communicate with a central control system: The circuits connect the panels to a building management system. This allows for automated control of the facade's properties.

• Provide dynamic control: The circuits deliver the electrical charge needed to change the opacity of electrochromic glass or to collect power from BIPV cells.

This approach is an evolution of traditional printed circuit boards (PCBs), where the glass itself becomes the substrate for the electronic components. By printing the circuits directly onto the glass, manufacturers can create a more integrated and aesthetically pleasing facade that avoids bulky wiring and visible hardware.

Its Not all good

Glass facades suffer from the weather, in that Glass does not absorb water, so any rainfall, is shed almost immediately, making it a dangerous place for pedestrians at the ground floor close the building.

Several methods have been tried to collect the water runoff at several level, using stepped fascades to collect water on small roofs, and keeping the ground floor adjacent to the building, a natural soakaway, the Porus paving and gravel and small boulders to defect the runoff and the damage a torrent of water, might cause.

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I recently wanted to add a citation for a conversation I had with Google Gemini, it was in part asking for clarification on an article I am writing on Thunderstorms, I asked Gemini for a Harvard Citation, and I got the reply that as its not a human or the author of any of the conversations we have had, Gemini was not allowed to give a citation, also as the information it was using came from external web pages, if some one tried to view the page it might not be the same.

I sat back and after a while, I realised Gemini was right, the words are all mine, I just asked for conformation. But I wanted to show that I had consulted Gemini on a technical matter, so created :

Google Gemini [WWW Document], n.d. . Gemini. URL https://gemini.google.com (accessed 9.22.25). no access to my conversation history, just a link to Gemini with date and time.

But for me, I can see that the side bar will show, at least to me, that I had this conversation with Gemini and its reply. But I can’t at present, show you or readers of the article a citation of the page as it private to me. All I can do is copy the responce to Apple Notes, and to a word document saved to a specific folder, in this case “Google Gemini Citation” and share this which I can then cite as its freely available to the cloud.

https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0edrmHXdsNbWvMIOXVu7gY0_g#Conversation_with_Google_Gemini

Does this work, sort of, at least I have moved on from just confirming I have accessed Gemini, to showing the conversation.

After writing this I discovered that I could generate a link by right clicking on the side bars title … three little dots, this gave me a link:

https://g.co/gemini/share/cd9364b71cc5

I loaded this up as per the link and after Saving this into Zotero I was able to now cite via a Harvard link, but this can only be added to a Footnote, but thats fine for now. and the link only shows that side bar conversation no other, and no access to my account.

I tested this with a friend and he confirmed the citation, both as my word document and the Word Doc footnote, side bar link.

Problem solved, as least for Gemini, I tried this on other AI’s, Pi, Grok and Claude I have used, no link.

Its Google ahead by a mile at present.

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About 9 months ago, our gas boiler decided that after about thirty years, it was time to give up, or was it the motherboard in the boiler that fried, probably the later, What ever, we had to make some drastic desicions and get a new boiler fitted, after due consideration, and a few quotes we went with a local company who had helped some friends overcome the same problem.

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The choice was stick with gas or go electric, the later meant a heat exchanger, fitted external and the former a combi boiler. both mains water, no tank.

Gas won the day, and after quotes we arranged to have a worcester bosh boiler fitted.

This meant a huge upheaval to the current pipes and tank in the loft. The tank and a large section of the exposed pipes were removed and rerouted, more on this later, and a new boiler fitten in more or less the same place as the old unit. This I must admit was a major part of the decision all the electrics were there, the exhaust, which ended up being taken a different rout, more on this later, and the feed pipes were apparently easier to alter.

After several days of pipe alterations, the boiler was fitted, and connected to the new pipes, after only one misshap, from a leaking joint, all went well, we had heat, and the hot water, which is now mains pressure was tested.

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We now became aware of a simple problem, the old hot water tank was located in the middle of the house, so all taps were much the same distance, under the new system, hot water is fed from the boiler still located at one side of the house, this was fine for the bathroom above, and a wc located off the laundry where the boiler is, but the kitchen, although located next to the laundry, was slow to deliver hot water, due to the route it had to take. and the main bedroom ensuite located as far away as possible takes an aged for the hot water to arrive. But the solution was the best answer to “I don’t want to take up the floor boards”

The gas exhaust had to go vertical not to the side as per the old boiler, apparently due to new gas rules, but worcester bosh provied a kit, for just such an occasion, problem solved, and the old hole sealed and covered with a blank extract cover. nice job.

Our airing cupboard was now empty, no hot tank, and more important only as small area of hot pipes to give any heat. We solved this by adding a small radiator at floor level , and another shelf, we also added a hanging rail to allow shirts to be hung rather than folded.

Time to fit, one week, We decided to vacate the kitchen area and use local hostelry and quick meals, via the microwave to nuke the food, luckily the fitter cleanered up each night, although the day was a nightmare with old pipes and his equipment taking over the patio, and our garage to store all the kit from worcester Bosh

Time goes by and we are getting used to the time lag. however other things have taken over our attention, that is knocking of the pipes and taps, It seems the old system for hot water was all tank fed, at a Low pressure in comparison to the new mains feed, and the pipes and taps, together with some of the old gate valves and isolator valves to most taps and wc feeds were now complaining.

The answer is to replace some taps, and lower the pressure with the gate valve to the isolator valves, to at least one wc, I don’t want to mess with.

There is no secondary boiler tank, as its mains fed, It has a system to take out the odd air bubble from radiators and refill, this it did several times A timley visit from the fitter, who is local, solved one occation when it did not, I did not see what he did, but was told he had had a quiet word with it and problem solved.

The control system we opted for, was the fitters choice of a Hive system, now on my phone, oh the joy of turning up the heating on the way home. Very easy to alter, and boost if we are a little cold. All hot taps now work fine, it just the waste of water as it feeds through.

Fitting of the Hive was via a kit to fit to the old control unit electrics, which must have been designed and fitted by a sadist ! , the new unit is linked to a unit plugged into our router, and an app loaded onto our phone, with a new thermostat in the hall way. Was it a good move, oh yes, the shower is Wonderfull, and there is no worries on emptying the hot tank.

Did we take out the maintenance offer, of course, machines need the comforting tickle from the fitter, just to remind them who is boss.

As for efficiency, well its better, we hardly hear the unit firing up, the only time we know, its running is a little white light. Oh and the Smart meter, to track our bills and usage, ( we are with Octopus ) so far so good, and we are told that our house insurance might go down a tad, just because of no loft tank.

Why did we not go for the all electric Heat Exchanger, simply because we are not in a house whose roofs face the sun, the gable end faces the sun with the setting sun only hitting the main roof late afternoon, no good for us, so installing solar panels was not an option, Plus fitting the heat exchanger required a lot more work. and our neighbours would have had to put up with the noise. If we ever move and thats highly unlikely, and go into a new house, I would opt for it, but I think we would need to go the whole hog and go all electric with a new car, and a huge battery.

I will take a look at this in a small ePub, I am writing as part of Mitchells rewrite.

Although I have written all of this I passed it by Google Gemini for comments, which apart from spelling and a few extra commas, passed with no extra additions.

Oh as I write, I suddenly remembered that its Monday the 22nd September, and it’s the equinox, The name equinox comes from the Latin, combining aequus (equal) and nox (night), a specific moment in time when the Sun is directly above the Earth's equator. This results in an approximately equal length of day and night across the globe, for the UK it will occur today, Monday, September 22, 2025, at 7:19 PM, UK time.

Have a great one :-)

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Landscaping

Anything described as External, is often a major part of a landscaping plan, how the sun, wind, rain and any aspect of the weather may be an influence on the way a building survives. Laying out the external area of the land surrounding the building is often left to a landscaper to devised and implement, but it is so much a part of the design, I often think more care should be taken to laying out walkways, access points, levels around the building, and a major point, drainage of surface water away from the building, not to be wasted, but channelled to a pond or stream.

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A detail I have used so often is to use stone cobles to form a slight relief or drainage point from the paved areas or lawns to take excess water away, holding back gravelled areas

So often the landscaping is left to a last-minute rush to add a few trees, and people to add scale to any elevation. But the landscaping should never be left to a last minute, it’s a major part of any design, it’s the backdrop to the play, it sets off the building, gives clarity to the design.

But also its another room, and so often its used more than many other areas of the main building, it takes care to make it so, handling foot traffic, the weather, play, and nature.

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Whatever room is connected to the external landscaping, it needs carefull thought as to its access, the time of year it might be used more, and for what reason.

Materials need to be chosen to not only deal with the weather, but also compliment the intertnal decor, complimenting and living with the blend of use and different seasons that change the mood, use and need to access that external space. 

As soon as the house design is fleshed out, the need to integrate to external space looms, its not going to be easy, landscaping is not just a room its a living room, that will change hour by hour, day by day season to season.

Orientation

Light is a major part of Architecture, from light entering a room, the making of shadow the ever-changing colour of the facade, but the external space is a matter of life and death, Some plants need light, other prefer shade, some a blend of both.

I have often wondered if the need for orientation of a building and the import and to both the absorption of the suns energy, and the way the garden or open space around the building interacts with the planting and how the house might blend.

Judging by the many estates I have seen spring up, I doubt it very much, getting the maximum number of houses onto a plot of land overrides the needs of any garden.

So new house or building owners are often left with a shape and orientation nightmare.

SUDS

Most properties have the ability to collect water, not just from the roof area, Pitched or flat, and the paved areas, plus in some cases the lawn areas, from runoff. This water can easily be collected on Tubs for the rain water, and ponds via swales in the landscaped areas. This helps the load on stormwater pipes, plus provides a reasonable quantity of water for watering gardens.

The drainage of water from hards landscaping should always flow away from the building to help stop rising damp. Lawns rarely shed water but absorb it, However clay.

Water from the bath or shower is also wasily collected, filtered and cleaned, but it needs a dam great hole in the external garden of domestic houses, and a lot of pipework, hence the involvement of the landscaper to deal with the digging and upset to the natural water table, But the saving in water is a no brainer.

SUDS is a massive part of any Adaptive Architecture, saving large amounts of water.

Summary of Potential Savings

By implementing both a rainwater harvesting system and a greywater recycling system (which are both considered types of SuDS), you could achieve significant savings. While some of the same applications (like toilet flushing) are served by both systems, a combined approach provides greater water security and reduces overall dependence on the mains supply.

The combined potential for savings is considerable, with rainwater harvesting alone offering the potential to halve a household's mains water consumption. This not only benefits the environment by reducing demand on public water supplies but also offers substantial long-term financial savings on water bills, particularly for homes with water meters. But, and this is why I have included SUDS in a landscaping article, it needs a garden capable of saving water in large undergrounf tanks. New houses, we can adapt Garage or ground floor zones to take the tanks internal, I promote this in my Adaptive Architecture ePub book.

For todays video, I have used the Substack built in recorder, a first for me, I usualy use my iPhone and upload.

This latest post is a little late, due to time in the garden trying to get it into shape for the winter, a lot of acorns and fallen trigs to clear up.

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Advanced Chapter - Materials, An Introduction to Materials

Architecture is taking materials to a new level, but we should not forget the development of materials over time, how they have survived, or failed. Many do still exist, and we need to protect them and blend with them, both visually and structurally.

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Historic

Up until at least the later part of the 19th Century, many common materials were manufactured onsite, Brickwork, Lime, and clay tiles for both roof and floor, being classic examples. It was not until the early 1900’s that bricks were manufactured in bulk by factory units that provided limited control over raw materials and production. Far more than could be expected by onsite kilns, and rough clay pits.

So often there is a huge relationship between local geology and regional building traditions, (Cotswold Stone, Welsh Slate, London Stock Bricks)

So the choice of building materials was often local supply, and the often-limited transportation of goods from other areas.

We should also consider the local craftsmen using local materials simply because they understood their use and limitations.

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Current

The design and manufacture of so many materials are now regulated by both trade associations, British Standards and the building regulation need for fit for purpose.

Transportation has eased the supply of almost any material, with global certification and efficient manufacturing, with an almost instant communication and ordering system of the internet.

Future

As we progress through the 21st Century, and head towards the 22nd Century, and here we need to consider the longevity of a lot of the buildings, may well live into this century, the need for materials, that will reduce CO2 emissions both in manufacture and transportation to and from the place of manufacture, which has now become global in its ability to transport, or even set up local manufacturing.

CAD, the use of AI, and an almost instant communication network free up the design and manufacturing of bespoke materials, and custom shapes breaking free, buildings of the future from ridged shaped orthogonal designs to free flowing artistic, and living, smart aware buildings.

So often, buildings we design now, rely on humans and very limited automation to steer then through use, and the ravages of the weather and so often seismic events. AI together with ever increasingly sophisticated sensor, and materials will protect themselves, how to achive this, is the next big design quest.

IIn a later chapter, I will take an in-depth look at materials their design, manufacture, use, and control in the building Regulation and how they survive modern life and a climate, that is reacting to humans in ways we just can not survive without radical intervention.

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I started to add posts to my paid for account, Its the first, so its a shortish post, but it has the link for all my ePubs.

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The post is all about retirement, my thoughts on it, my progression into retirement, and above all, just what do I expect out of life now.

As I write, I am finding that I like to research a post or section for the book, and I find making a short ePub works well for me. It helps me refine my thoughts and ideas.

I tried to use Google Drive and Docs to make this latest ePub, but I just could not get on with it, Pages, is so much better, although I miss the very direct interaction of Gemini in helping to research, so what it sees is just a copy and paste of the final book.

I subscribe to a lot of magazines, most are free trade publications that go into a stack, and at some point, when the stack looks like its going to fall over, I read through them.

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My only paid for magazine is Wired, now I paid for the UK version in paper and the Global version as electronic, which also gives me access to all the online articles, just excellent, but I thing the paid for UK version is now being folded into the main global account, I think. because I still seem to be getting a paper version ?

I am coming to the end of my current daybook, its an A5 dot grid, spiral bound book thats the end of a set I purchased some time back, I had to make a decision go back to an older book but with no spiral binding.

I made a choice and I have just taken delivery of another three books, so in about two weeks I shall be staring a new Rhodia A5 Dotbook. See todays photo

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#Daily_Diary

#Todo-list

#Possible_Idea

I keep coming back to a project I started to look at years ago, a simple method of making a ToDo list that suites my way of thinking, not some one elses that fits their way of thinking.

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My go to is always my day book, I sketch and doodle, but as the idea starts to take some sort of form, I need to remember it, as I often have breaks from the idea as other things or ideas take over,

I first made a wall chart linking notes with pins and string, like the thought boards in many a good thiller, but it just always got out of hand, to complex.

I want to make notes and link it to a todo heading, not one heading but often many, Apple Notes has this ability, If I have started an idea in my day book, I scan it with Apple Notes, and I write a thought, often the idea springs whilst I am on the computer so I just write a note, the possible first stage of a project, I don’t often know where its going, I just have this idea, a Possible_Idea and I make a hash tag

I tend to write a Daily_Diary, not every day, but if I can at least ever other day. Some days these note just spring an idea, that I can come back to it and re read, expand or just leave it alone for a new day.

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But the idea, and so often its linked notes, can be found, via hash Tags I have with Search.

I can link in almost any other thought by adding the same hash tag to a later thought, will it run, I have no idea, but all of a sudden I have the thread, of an idea developing.

My knowledge base is also part of the same system Apple Notes so I can link to a specific note of item I have already made.

I Can add a date to this, or any note, as a reminder, I just add the date I want to be reminded

Remind date 2025/11/21

and add that reminder to my diary, using Apples share icon, the little square with an arrow at the top to generate a link. I use the copy link created as “collaborate only invited people with link” is fine

All ny notes on this idea are either here or, I will leave a series of Hash tags to follow at the top of the note. and use search to find all I have on the subject.

This is simple, it works for me, ok I have to use Apple Notes, but its so part of me anyway, this works.

My sticking point is when I want to share the idea, I now like to keep my ideas simple and for me, if I want to share publily, then this I do on SubStack as a way of helping others, if it works for them so be it.

But can I share it with others in a specific way, like via email, I send them the same link, or I can use the Apple share method with email, it’s only given to those I want to allow into the thought process, that means the need to edit or add but not edit my thoughts, sadley there is only one link I can use, so a little trust is needed.

I did look at this with Obsidian, and decided it needed a complex addin, so abandoned it. Apple it seems fits my way of thinking and working.

Slack and other similar apps might work, but most of my thoughts, I will never share in this way, besides there is a cost to even get anywhere near usability, so I abandoned it

So there it is, my reminder, I have thought this through several times, even looking at the Apple reminder app, my method is for me far better.

I have pined a note to describe my process and that I need to review my Possible_Ideas

I have linked this to my diary with a repeate, at present is a monthly repeat, for a Friday afternoon, the last Friday in the month works for me.

Will I continue to pinning specific notes to the top of my list,I doubt it, I think pinning needs a very specific note to gain admitance to the top of my notes, It’s starting to get as litttle crowded otherwise, at present the link to my diary is sufficient.

One last point is the way I can add a link to a specific word taking me to a note that expands that word, its the Scays version of Wikopedia, but just for me. It pulls mt knowledge base into my ideas.

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