Forum Topic

UN Climate Change Report for 2019 + Cool Buildings

Considering the number of buildings that still seem to be built with little or not enough attention to how to keep them cool or keep them warm or ventilated.  Maybe you will find some innovative ideas here.If your option is just to turn on the AC or fan perhaps you should think about what you would do if there is no electricity.  Winds and storms often bring power cuts.https://unfccc.int/news/un-climate-change-meetings-on-cool-buildings

Philippa Bond ● 2262d14 Comments

If there were severe power cuts I would be worried about a lot more than whether I were hot or cold.  In the time I have been in London (very many years) I have experienced maybe four power cuts, none lasting more than a few hours at most. Maybe you should stop making people even more worried than most of us are about the current situation than they already are.

Claire Moran ● 2262d

"If your option is just to turn on the AC or fan perhaps you should think about what you would do if there is no electricity."Why? I would cross that bridge when I get to it.  I could also start worrying about not having a car or not having legs or going blind.

Steve Taylor ● 2262d

Less of the telling people what they should and should not be doing. We have councils riding rough shot over everyone,we dont need others telling us what we can and cant do or  we might as well move to china

Julian Pavey ● 2262d

Quite so, Claire, Steve and Julian.Philippa, you need to stop lecturing everyone on what they should or should not do - Pleeeease !

Loraine Pemberton ● 2262d

Well you are really lucky not to have had a power cut/the electricity go off last night!  There have been loads of them.https://www.ssen.co.uk/Powertrack/https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/power-cut/listand if you know anybody who should be registered with their utilities companies on their priority services registers then you know what to do.

Philippa Bond ● 2262d

Altogether now...and dont ever change Philippa :) Kumbaya my Lord, kumbayaKumbaya my Lord, kumbayaKumbaya my Lord, kumbayaOh Lord, kumbayaSomeone's singing Lord, kumbayaSomeone's singing Lord, kumbayaSomeone's singing Lord, kumbayaOh Lord, kumbayahSomeone's crying Lord, kumbayaSomeone's crying Lord, kumbayaSomeone's crying Lord, kumbayaOh Lord, kumbaya

Mick Collins ● 2262d

Thank you Philippa.  Please keep posting.

Stewart Jones ● 2262d

Thank you Philippa for reminding me that I need to get another good torch.I am registered with SSE who never fail to let me know if there might be a problem and I didn’t  but I am reminded of an occasion when I was visiting my daughter and family in Ibiza. Very hot there and suddenly we were plunged into darkness. Pumps not working so no water. Hubby away from home.2 young grandchildren fetching tea lights, fetching buckets of water from the swimming pool to flush toilets. Bottled water for drinking and for the dog. All huddled together in the same room together with dog on top.Hilarious but thankfully ok by the morning. Power restored.

Rima Jones ● 2262d

I recall surviving the 3 day week and all the power cuts. I am lucky that my house is Victorian and stays cool.

Vivienne Cox ● 2262d

There is a high tech way and a low tech way.The high tech way is a ground source heat pump, solar panels and a big battery.The low tech way involves masses of thermal mass, openings placed to catch prevailing winds, internal courtyards with water features - basically Arabian architecture from close to 1000 years ago.The high tech way involves a lot of expense, the low tech way involves much bigger footprint for homes (and therefore more expense)

Justin Stephenson ● 2262d

And I am sure the two grandchildren saw this as a fantastic adventure rather than have their parents and grandmother proclaim Armageddon.

Steve Taylor ● 2262d

Well yes. We all had a great time and especially as the fridge and freezer had defrosted and provided us with a cold paddling pool on the kitchen floor.The night of the hurricane was a bit scary though.  We thought we’d closed  all the windows and shutters but we forgot the one on the top stairs.Oh wow. Dog under the sofa with just about everything flying round all the rooms. If it looked as if it had been hit by a hurricane, it had.Never any dull moments.

Rima Jones ● 2261d

Interesting choice of words.

Stewart Jones ● 2261d

The important thing is to use appropriate technology whether it is old or new.  Cheap does not equate to sustainable.Electricity going off in the middle of the night used to be a worry with elderly relations as apart from anything else it caused problems with clocks that were depended on like the ones on the cooker and the boiler which were fiddly to re-set.Here is what Ofgem says about the Priority Services Register:https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/extra-help-energy-services/priority-services-register

Philippa Bond ● 2261d