Green Building Store window quotations

I sent off my window schedule to Green Building Store on 11th January and got my quotation back today 30th January. I was impressed by them keeping me up-to-date with e-mails and turning around what was quite a complex order ina few weeks.

The quote makes interesting reading (pages 1-7) I'll post more once I have fully digested it.















The total ex vat is 8,691.94. An additional 5,110.60 for installation if required.

FED EX story caption

"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C’, the idea must be feasible."
- A Yale University management professor, in response to student Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service (Smith went on to found Federal Express)

change to garden elevation

I've revised the design to the garden elevation. Finally managed to believe that I don't need a column in the middle of the windows (this is an aesthetic thing rather than structural).

So I can have 2 large sliding doors that totally slide out of the way to open up the living room to the garden.





Behind are 8 sliding shoji screens (not shown) which can also slide out of the way, I have altered the stair configuration to leave 800mmx350mm space to stack up the shoji when not in use.

Two quotes that I would like to try to remember. Both by Charles Kettering:

"Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail"

"The only time you can afford to fail is the last time you try"

Edinburgh planning online

Well, my application is in and online (gives me butterflies)
application number 07/00099/FUL
link to Planning Online page here

window schedule

This is my window schedule:



20 windows (inlcluding sliding doors to garden) and one door totall area of 49sqm.

I've sent this for costing by Green Building Store who look like they provide some good quality and sustianable windows.

low impact planning theory

A very interesting semi-rant by Tony Wrench who is "continually baffled by the obstacles that prevent me simply doing what my grandfather did - build a wooden house in the countryside. " I am baffled by the same thing.

"Homelessness and social deprivation

100,000 thousand families are homeless or in 'temporary accommodation'. This is twice the number of twelve years ago, despite all the economic progress governments claim to have made. Millions are living out a half-life in decaying inner cities, and millions more are trapped in estates on the edges of the towns and cities of Britain, many without hope of anything worthwhile to do; without land on which to grow food; without space for their families to grow up nearby; and without contact with nature or their natural heritage. They live in rectangular boxes designed by another class for another generation, planned by public officials they have never met. The TV programmes that are watched for 5 hours a day on average (what else is there to do?), videos and films, all offer largely some form of escapism. This 'underclass' is so numerous that controlling it is now the government's greatest worry. Thousands are criminalised and packed into our antiquated prisons. Only Turkey, of the European states, exceeds Britain's rates of prison population, which has risen from 40,000 to over 74,000 in the last twelve years. Most of the 'underclass', however, stay where they are, needing more and more billions of DSS and 'Law 'n' Order' budgets to be spent containing them in the deteriorating homes they already have. Why the big fuss about asylum seekers? Because the way of life of the poorest 20% of the population already here is so lousy that there is simply no more space within the system to allow more poor people in."

The full article avaialble here along with a woodland roundhouse.

This reminds me of the oft quoted statistic that the poorest 50% of the US population earn less combined than Bill Gates.

And the authors sugegsted change to the planning system:

"Imagine a new category of land use - Permaculture Land (Pc Land). This is land used for permaculture - sustainable self-reliant agriculture and horticulture in which work, house building, leisure, growing food, rearing animals, education, renewable energy, recycling and nature conservation are integrated in an infinite number of ways. The essence of Pc Land would be that there is a contractual relationship between the owner and the local/national authorities. This states, basically:
'I will buy and live on just this piece of land.
I will not buy several plots and speculate.
I will not let it out.
I will conserve energy and nature in line with a permaculture design.
I will plant over 20 trees per acre.
I will co-operate with my neighbours over transport, infrastructure, power generation, waste disposal, water harvesting and supply, and common land.
In return for the freedom to build my own house in the style I choose I will do without additional connections to mains water, electricity, sewerage or road systems.'

Planning authorities would be given the power to designate any area Pc Land, whether it was previously industrial, agricultural, military or even residential land. Conditions would be put on the number of dwellings per acre (maybe a maximum of two), roads and vehicles, and a height limit of structures appropriate to the site - say 10 metres. Authorities would be encouraged to designate areas of several square miles, or large zones of Pc Land. These could be areas currently suffering the effects of monoculture, depopulation, inadequate housing or chronic unemployment. Disused military bases could be designated Pc Land. Any farmer or landholder could apply to change from agricultural land to Pc Land, and there would be a presumption in favour of acceptance.

The consequences of this small change to planning law would of course be enormous, and I invite you to use your imagination with me...."

The survey

My sister and brother are going to do a site survey. My sister is an architect and my brother a man of leisure with degrees in both engineering and architecture so this is not beyond their wit...

Here is what I am going to ask them to do.

1. A full measured survey of the existing site and buildings (with photographs as required - to explain junctions etc). This should be to enough detail that we can build with confidence from it - order a timber frame to exact dimensions etc - accuracy to 2mm.

2. Two ground condition trial pits with photographs. These should be at least 1m deep, outside of the location of the proposed foundations, one should be near the tree to check for how extensive the root ball is and to assess the potential for foundation disturbance. The other one should be somewhere else on the site. Look for and photgraph, soil type (sand or clay or gravel etc - my guess and hope is sandy gravel as its near the beach). Also note any other 'things' in the ground that may effect construction; rock, toxins (chemical leaks etc), artefacts, big holes, pipes, etc.

3. A heights survey of the land and surrounding roads. This will be used to assess drainage and foundation heights. It should be accurate to about 10mm. see following steps for more detail:

Theodolite and surveys

A theodolite is an instrument for measuring both horizontal and vertical angles, as used in triangulation networks. It is a key tool in surveying and engineering work. wikipedia

Starting from a benchmark, a position with known location and elevation, the distance and angles to the unknown point are measured. wikipedia

The theodolite is the standard tool of optical survey. It is a small tripod-mounted high precision telescope with a total system magnification of 15x-60x and an array of dials, knobs, levels, and auxiliary lens systems, with which extremely high precision measurements of horizontal ("azimuth'') and vertical ("altitude'') angles are made. Usable resolution of 15 arc seconds (12 parts per million) is common.

One person works the theodolyte (A), the other is assitant (B). B holds vertically at two vertices a pole that must be at least as high as the theodolite's lens and have a perpendicular bubble level (or use a level held against the pole). The pole must be ruled to correspond to the height of the theodolite lens - be clearly readable through the theodolite's eyepiece. Measure the baseline distance between the pole and the theodlyte using a measuring tape.

Now measure the height

Move the pole, place and level the theodolite over it, and use the theodolite's optical plummet or, in its absence, a dangling weight, to center on the hole. Now do the same again to a new point.

Here is a flash animation explaing how to use the theodlyte for measuring angles. To measure heights just measure off the pole...

sliding or sliding-folding doors

That is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to have big doors that slide right out of the way or little ones that fold and slide and can be opened separately. There are advantages and disadvantges to both...



The thing I don't like about sliding-folding is the look of the hinges between the doors and the thickness of the opened doors (80mm x number of leaves).




but it can look good with big wide panes.



And this floor: polished concrete looking fantastic.

All images from solarlux

Planning application has gone in

The application for planning for the house was hand delivered on Monday 8th January (by my sister). Now its wait and see. I'm glad its all over, that part at least. Here are the south elevation, section and perspective view to show some of the design changes.


south eleavtion

section




view from south west

Wheelie bins in Edinburgh

Wheelie bins in Edinburgh sizes and dimensions and types:

Basically you get a two wheelies - a green one for everyday trash and a brown one for garden waste. Green one is picked up once a week - the brown one seems to be every blue moon.

There are an additional two recycling crates, one is for glass and tin cans, the other's for cardboard. There are two big bags for newspapers too.

(There are on street recycling bins for plastics and papers and any other recycling.)

The wheelies are 600mm wide by 750mm deep and 1100mm high.
The small crates are 570mm wide by 450mm deep by 350mm high.

If you have a big family (3 kids or more I think) you get a bigger trash wheely but I ain't got one to measure. I've seen one though and it's huge. Better leave about 850mm squarex1100mm high

Thanks and credit to my sister!

Neighbour notification

With planning applications you need to notify neighbours.
From application form D1 page 7

What do you need to send?

(1) a completed copy of the “NEIGHBOUR NOTIFICATION” form provided with the application form;

(2) a copy of a location plan showing the site of the proposed development.

(3) a copy of the guidance note “ADVICE TO NEIGHBOURS”.

If the neighbouring property is DOMESTIC (a house/flat), 2 copies of each of the above 3 items must be sent, one addressed to “The Owner” and the other to “The Occupier”.

If the neighbouring property is NON-DOMESTIC, a copy of each of the above 3 items must be sent ... to “The Owner”, “The Lessee”, and “The Occupier” ... [of] the neighbouring property.

In my case this would be like this:

Write to them

Democracy in action. The write to them website gives you all you need to know to get involved and write to your COUNCILLOR / MSP / MP / MEP

Planning application

Phew getting planning permission is a drag! And I've only just started reading the permission form and guidance...

Here is the South Elevation that I am preparing as part of my application

application history

Here is the list of applications for my site. More information at Edinburgh City Planning Portal

Colour in Edinburgh

I'm starting to feel that Edinburgh and the UK in general are too over regulated. Not that I disagree with the points made here its just... well have a read of the edited version (the real thing is 8 pages long):

CITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
DEVELOPMENT QUALITY HANDBOOK
Colour of Buildings
Approved 22 July 1999

■ POLICY CONTEXT

Local plan policies promote high quality design and protect the character and appearance of listed buildings and conservation areas. For example, policy CD19 of the Central Edinburgh Local Plan states:

“The Council will permit alterations and extensions to buildings which in their design and form, choice of materials and positioning are compatible with the character of the original building, will not result in an unreasonable loss of privacy or natural light to neighbouring properties and are not detrimental to neighbourhood amenity and character. Particular attention will be paid to ensuring that works to listed buildings and non listed buildings within conservation areas do not damage their special character”.

■ SCOPE OF GUIDANCE

This guideline applies city-wide to proposals for new buildings or to change the colour of existing buildings.

1. COLOUR OF NEW DEVELOPMENT

a) The predominant materials and colours of existing good quality neighbouring buildings should generally be reflected in the choice of colours for new development. Colours should reflect, complement and be part of the design characteristics of the new building and the streetscene in general. Large areas of incongruous colours which are not “earth colours” or “natural colours” must be avoided. Stone and brick walls should not be painted.

b) In areas where the Scottish Vernacular style predominates, there is scope for allowing a more innovative treatment such as the use of coloured rendering on facades, although it will usually be inappropriate to use strong, non-traditional colours on large and prominent areas of walls and roofs.

(i) Large expanses of assertive and brightly coloured surfaces should be avoided. They can emphasise bulk and make a facade look overwhelming.

(ii) Contrasting shades of colour can help to accentuate and link proportions between new and old buildings, give variety and interest, and help to break the scale of bulky elevational compositions. They can also help to enliven the streetscene.

(iii) Architectural details can be picked out in neutral tones or highlighted to contrast with their background.

(iv) Buildings that have roofs darker than their walls tend to create a more stable and robust effect and are encouraged.

(v) For major new buildings and complexes in a modern style, the choice of colours should reflect the context but also be an intrinsic part of the architectural design concept. In such cases, colours of buildings will be assessed on their individual merits, taking into account texture/context and aesthetic balance.

(vi) Innovative schemes of demonstrable quality may justify a departure from recommended guidance, and provided they are acceptable in the context of their surroundings

Revised design again

Simplified design, smaller corner window new velux roof lights.

Flues

Okay so most people know that flues from boilers etc are a bit more complex. Here are the regulations on placement from gas fired appliances. The risks are again, fire but more likely noxious gases in the extract.

The humble chimney

Who knew that chimneys were so complex?

Here are the Scottish guidlines on chimney location, the aim being to avoid setting the house on fire when the chimney goes on fire (a relatively frequent occurance)

Velux windows

This is one of the Velux range of windows. It is a vertical bit with the more usual 'in roof' window that velux are famous for attached.

Below are the prices and dimensional options. I'm considering the 1400x780 with 600mm deep vertical window. 558 pounds sterling (2006 catalogue prices).

December update

December 4th update

The house is starting to rationalise itself: I am starting to get real and cutting inaffordable things. Outwardly not massive changes just tweaks... Still not resolve dthe glazing to the west yet.




interior image (ignore the cooker hood that's just for showing something)



The engineering issues (sent to my structural engineer Tall Engineers)

03 Muchen

are a practice of 3 architects in Munich. They have done some nice small houses, their larger scale stuff is not so impressive and their ehibition and furniture design downright mediocre. They look very young in their practice photos but have built a lot.

Attached is an image of their Hellmuth house. Check out their website here and more information about their Hellmuth house here (both in German).

Fire regulations

The Scottish Building Regulations 2004 and their associated 'Technical Handbooks' (available to download free from here) provide the followiing guidance on 'Escape Windows' under Domestic part 2, fire:

2.9.4 Escape windows (E2.17)

The normal means of escape from a dwelling in the event of a fire will be by way of the internal stairs or other circulation areas.

In order to provide the occupants with early warning of the outbreak of fire, mains operated fire detection should be installed in circulation routes (see guidance to standard 2.11). The early detection of smoke should allow the occupants sufficient time to evacuate the building safely. However in some cases the circulation area may become impassable due to smoke or heat and openable windows large enough to escape through should be provided from every apartment from which the occupants could make their escape by lowering themselves from the window.

The use of an escape window will be the last resort for the occupants and inevitably involves some risk.

An escape window should be provided in every apartment on an upper storeyat a height of not more than 4.5 m. In addition, escape windows should also be provided in every apartment that is an inner room on any storey at a height of not more than 4.5 m. Escape windows are not necessary from apartments where there are alternative routes from the apartment to circulation areas or other rooms.

Escape windows should be a window, or door (french window) situated in an external wall or roof; and having an unobstructed openable area that is at least 0.33 m2 and at least 450 mm high and 450 mm wide (the route through the window maybe at an angle rather than straight through). The bottom of the openable area should not be more than 1100 mm above the floor.

Locks and safety fittings for many types of windows continue to present practical difficulties. This is because the design of the fittings needs to consider child safety, safe cleaning and security as well as escape in the event of a fire. At present there is no guidance provided on the type of lock or fastening that can provide both security and escape, and the occupants of dwellings can choose to fit devices most suitable for their situation. Devices that should be prohibited are permanent obstructions such as fixed security grills. The intention is to assist escape, but not to prohibit the use of locks, restrictors or other safety devices.

Developments

Two options, one with one dormers to the west




One with three dormers to the west

I wonder if I'll still be posting changes to the design in 2007? My goal was to have the deisgn finished by the end of October and although I feel like I am getting closer when I change the design the old deisgn looks ridiculous to my eyes: how could I have thought that was good?

I am leaning towards one...

And here the view from the south east

Schmoozing and other things

Some good advice on the essential art of schmoozing (there is also stuff on presentations which is how I was directed to it...) from the blog of Guy Kawasaki (a venture capitalist).

Interior views, November

Interior views (images are doing some weird things at the moment :-( so hope it works)

Latest design

Some images of the latest design, the main decision is to separate the top from the bottom, have a heavy stone base and lightweight timber top... next I need to find materials

Stories of Houses

A very interesting blog which presents the stories of fairly well known houses and their architects. Here is a plan of a Ben Van Berkel (of UN Studio) house for a couple and their two children who wanted:

"a house that would be acknowledged as a reference for the renovation of the architectural language"

A pretentious brief but an interesting house.

double glazed windows glazing bar thickness

Part of an interesting debate on double glazed windows on historic properties. he full deabte is here.

Biff

posted on 05-11-06

...it's obvious which windows are double glazed and which single. But the real issue over maintaining the architectural heritage of British townscapes is the width of glazing bars. Through much of the 18th and 19th centuries these were tpically about 20mm, sometimes even slimmer. For a standard insulated glazed unit, a rebate of about 12mm is requires to hide the seal, both for aesthetic reasons and to protect the seal from uv-light. A 12mm rebate either side of the glazing bar plus 6mm of timber between the units adds up to about 30mm for the width of the bar. This really is a practical minimum and many manufacturers make the bars nearer 40mm. While this might not look out of place in a Queen Anne or early 18th century building it really makes a difference to the appearance of many later buildings. Applying thin fake glazing bars to the outside surfaces of a large continuous igu, with corresponding bars inserted between the panes, gives a semblance of the traditional pattern but is, nevertheless, a fake and does little for the respect of historic fabric. The glue used to bond the bars to the glass probably has a limited life. The appearance of windows replaced by modern units is further compromised by the ubiquitous use of float glass. Its optically flat and parallel surfaces gives a dull and lifeless character, quite different from the movement created by cylinder or crown glass. Crown glass, in particular, is completely irreplaceable. The skills employed in making it have been lost, perhaps permanently. To remove a piece of crown glass and replace it with float is, in my opinion, akin to throwing away a piece of antique furniture or old masters painting and replacing them with self assembly flatpack furniture and prints from IKEA. Hand made, mouth blown, cylinder glass is still made at a couple of factories in Europe but if folk knew the cost they might be less ready to break their old windows. With the growing awareness that global warming is the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced, there is obvious pressure to throw out anything that is thought to be energy profligate. However, that our irreplaceable historic heritage should be the first victim of our effort to live sustainably, is a tradgedy that cannot be repaired. There are other more energy efficient routes to be travelled first. I would recommend Richard Heinberg's book, Powerdown, and particularly the chapter, Building Lifeboats - The Path of Community Solidarity and Preservation, as a particularly pertinent contribution to the debate. Let us build sustainably, and let us convert our existing housing stock to be fit for sustainable living, but let us not destroy our heritage and the beauty that our forefathers have left us. It was not the 18th century lifestyle not resulted in global warming.

Flood Risk

In England the Environment Agency. In Scotland the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). They both have flood risk maps. Sepa is here

Richard Wood

Richard Woods makes art that is a cross between graphics and architecture.

read more here and here

Japartment

A Japanese apartment block by New York based designers Arakawa and Gin. A different Kind of texture! from here

scrap wood and the patina of age

I would like to build a house that doesn't look brand new when its finished but I don't think the British planning system will allow me to do that.

Above is an image of 'scrap wood furniture' by designer Piet Hein Eek, website here

Using rocks as a heat sink

A scientific paper concludes:

Abstract

A study was conducted to store solar energy in an underground rock-bed for greenhouse heating. Experiments were carried out in two identical polyethylene tunnel type greenhouses, each with 15 m[2] ground area. Rocks were filled in two canals excavated and insulated in the soil of one of the greenhouses. Greenhouse air was pushed through the rock-bed by a centrifugal fan with 1100 m[3]/h air flow rate and controlled by two thermostats when the energy storage or release was required. No crops were grown in the greenhouses and the vents were kept closed unless excessive condensation occurrence inside the greenhouses. The results of this study showed that the rock-bed system created an air temperature difference of about 10 °C at night, between the two greenhouses, the control one having the lower temperature. Furthermore, the rock-bed system kept the inside air temperature higher than that of outside air at night, even in an overcast day following a clear day. Whilst solar energy collection efficiency of the system was 34%, its energy recovery or release efficiency was higher than 80%. A numerical mathematical model considered here represented actual data well. An economic analysis indicated that the rock-bed system is more economical than the LPG or petroleum-based fuel burning heating systems widely used in Turkish greenhouses.

from here

Schindlers letter

Excerpts of a very incisive letter published in 1944 by Rudolph Schindler, available in full here

"...The architect has always over-emphasized his value as a supervisor and policeman of construction work, with the result that his real social contribution is generally unknown. It can be understood why the owner hesitates to employ an architect for the portion of the job which any technician can apparently do as well at lower cost, especially since the law protects the owner against gross structural inadequacies and flagrant dishonesty. In most communities, plans and structures are inspected by structural, plumbing, electrical, and health inspectors, and in addition, the finance agencies (banks, FHA) check the construction at repeated intervals.

Unless the public will come to realize the importance of the architect's spiritual contribution, his standing in the building industry will deteriorate further....

The "preliminary plans" are the very crux of the architect's contribution. They embody the over-all conception of the building and represent a complete synthesis of the architect's gifts, schooling, and experience. They should be the result of minute and lengthy studies of functional, structural, financial, and cultural problems entailed by the human needs and physical and financial limitations involved in the building.

It is for this main creative effort that the architect earns the smallest portion of his fee...

The architect must realize the importance of his contribution and demand sufficient payment to permit proper performance. However, building is already overburdened with the charges listed above, and must be relieved. It is senseless for a family to spend years saving for the "down payment" and then occupy "their" shelter burdened with twenty years of debt bondage.

The only solution, both for the owner's over-indebtedness and for the architect's under-compensation, is for the architect to take charge of all building processes himself. His designs should include interiors and landscapes, to be executed by experts and subcontractors working under the architect's guidance ( In the planning of "contemporary" buildings, this procedure is a necessity.)

Complete management of building operations will not add much to the architect's tasks if he is in the habit of supervising properly, and need increase the percentage rate of his fee only slightly. It will bring him into closer contact with craftsmen and give him greater knowledge and control of costs...

Should the architect fail to regain leading position as a builder, his outlook is dismal: the public will pay any amount for services of a commercial nature, but is unwilling to recognizing cultural contributions...."