On Tue, 8 Jun 2004 09:50:22 +0100, "IMM" wrote:




It's not politically interesting for
a government to legislate
something that will take that long
to have an effect.

It puts a feather in their environmental hat.

They have achieved that already to the extent of window dressing for
the Kyoto Protocol. That's all they actually care about.


It would take centuries for
that choice to disappear because of
the existing housing base.

The housing problem could be solved
in a few years if land was made feely
available to build on. The government
could ensure high building standards
using the latest methods and the private
sector would fill the need.

There is the problem. Need. The
customers who are buying do not
perceive (for right or wrong) a *need*
at this point for eco houses.
Creating a product does not guarantee its sale.

Lack of understand and poor focus yet again. Once agin. Eco is not on their
agenda because they know nothing of it.

Since I've been involved in the design, engineering, marketing and
selling of products at various times, I do have an appreciation of
what is involved.

Awareness is one factor but there are many more. I've made that
point and if you wish to disagree then I'll agree to differ.



Encourage selfbuilding and individual
homes would emerge.

I don't have a problem with self
building or individual development as
long as the properties produced are
acceptable to those living near
them.

So you prefer Barratt pastiche. My God.

I didn't say that at all. I said acceptable to people living
nearby, which is entirely reasonable.



You can't focus that is certain.

It isn't an issue of focus, but of reality.

Eco is not on their agenda because they
know nothing of it.

That's one of many reasons.

For a product to sell, a whole bunch of
factors have to be in place.
Availability and awareness are only two of them.

A product is made to standards.

There is a great deal more to it than that.

If all are to an eco standard then the
public will know the standard and buy accordingly.

Only if educated on the benefits, if the association with the sandals
and earth parents brigade is removed, if they like the designs and if
they are close to the facilities desired.


In short, they will only
have an eco choice in a new house. So, if a 100 homes are eco and next to
them another 100 homes of similar size and spec that are not, the eco homes
will command a higher price.

That doesn't necessarily follow at all. You are looking at this from
one perspective only and making the assumption that energy saving is
as high on everybody else's agenda as it is on yours. Unfortunately
this is not the case.

If you take all of the factors into account it is by no means as
clear.






..andy

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