Link: https://www.economist.com/interactive/britain/2022/11/29/how-to-fix-30m-draughty-homes
Accessed: 29th November 2022
I very much enjoy reading The Economist and think it probably represents the highest quality journalism in the UK today. It's rare to see an article that is specific to one of the niche areas I practice in. This article goes further than most to point out that there is not a ‘one method fits all building types’ solution for insulating our homes and there is no mention of the fall-out experienced when some of these products/materials are installed in buildings that they were not designed to go in, and, as is often the case, when they are installed incorrectly by operatives that have had no specific training.
This is at least in part due to the ‘feast or famine’ way in which many of these schemes operate – one year, there is a plentiful supply of government money to fund insulation/decarbonisation-related works. Usually, there is a deadline when this funding runs out, surveys/design work must be undertaken in advance of approval and certain criteria must be met. The timeframe for undertaking these enabling works is often woefully underestimated, so the implementation is therefore rushed to meet the pre-determined deadline. Some (not all) contractors enter the industry with little prior experience chasing government payouts before the deadline. Works are undertaken, payments are received and then the deadline comes. The money tap is turned off and the contractors return to what they were doing before until another scheme comes along.
Some time later, many buildings that have had these measures incorrectly specified/installed then experience condensation-related problems and struggle to keep warm and dry.
We need to change the way we are doing this now.
The article below is copied from The Economist.
Credit: The Economist
Comentários