[a_humean]

The fact that new builds are still installing gas boilers and without ventilation systems in 2024 is insanity. A family member just bought a brand new flat that has a gas boiler in it with zero space for a hot water tank and no ventilation. A brand new flat that will need retrofitting within the next 10 years.

I cannot find the source atm, but I recall that the government advice to builders is against installing ventilation systems to discourage retrofitting them in future for air conidtioning, which is makes it even harder to retrofit for heat pumps.

Insanity!

[pjc50]

> government advice to builders is against installing ventilation systems to discourage retrofitting them in future for air conidtioning

WTF? We're going to need air conditioning! We definitely need heat recovery ventilation if we're going to have proper insulation.

Not to mention that it's starting to look like "minisplit" reverse aircon might be one of the more economical forms of heatpump.

[a_humean]

Their thinking is basically if we have mass aircon then our residential energy consumption will skyrocket. New purpose built offices and retail pretty much always have aircon though because they have obvious productivity benefits.

However they also don't encourage passive cooling or low cost active solutions either such have making sure building have pass throughs for airflow, shading of windows, or fan systems. Government seems to be forgetting that current projections have us with Madrid style weather in the next 30 years and we will all be waving our fists.

[DrScientist]

Don't have to wait 30 years - the problem is here today.

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023-12-05/sti...

Partly through poor design of new builds.

[rcxdude]

Yeah, the gov is doing its best to discourage aircon. For example the subsidy on heat pumps can only be claimed if the heat pump can't act as aircon, which is just the problem the US has but in reverse.