Off grid in Scotland

Insulation is a major factor, we have 2 inchs of steel reinforced concrete for our exterior and 7 inches of polystyrene on the interior, about 60% and up to 12 inches in some other interior areas.

Exterior coating over the concrete is a white elastormeic coating. Eaves over all windows/entries is 18 inches or more.

This combination plus home placement to the position of compas provides the needed enhancement for heat and cold.

Works out pretty good for we average $110 per month. That includes the well used for cattle and home and yard light.

 

That sounds very good. My problem is that we are in a listed building. The walls are 30 inch thick stone. We have been looking at "pod" inside the building that would be heavily insulted, but right now a lot of heat goes straight out the roof.

 

For those of you in the US etc.., “listed building“ basically means its a historical building that your not allowed to Do bugger all to without enough paperwork to choke an elephant to get permissions (which cost a tidy sum & you might not get no mater what) plus more paperwork with pencil pushing tigharses On a power trip deciding wether you can change the colour of the window frames etc....

 

I am familiar with such regs but in our/my case of point and time it was "listed" buildings in San Francisco water front and it was for safety due to earth quakes. Steel and fiberglass was used to strengthen the walls so insulation was not a issue.

If legal, a spray on closed cell foam can be simulated to look like any stone you desire or the facade of a insulated rock like concrete from aluminum forms and colored with various types of sand to simulate stone of the area.

It just depends on how serious the Local Officials are about power savings over interior appearances.

Gunite can be used over polystyrene open cell foam as the bond is chemical in nature and a 2 to 1 ratio of sand to concrete can be tailored to be as the original appearance.

 

Saw something about this a few years ago and this is said to encompass England and Scotland. Having ancestors from Scotland and England means I have an interest in such events. Never visited but still keep up with such things.
https://historicengland.org.uk/imag...ncy/heag094-how-to-improve-energy-efficiency/

 

BBCA shows re-runs of Escape to the Country and my Mother loves it...even got me to watching too. I still got to laugh when prospective home buyers say that they would like a bit of land...maybe an acre or two and the host asks, "That much! Whatever for?". On this side of the pond we call an acre the front yard. Also, another thing that gets me is ALL of the restrictions and having to seek Council approval for every little thing. I mean I'm all for protecting historic structures, safety, and sanitation, but that just shows how far apart we cousins have drifted. Some places here have what I would consider over-reaching laws and restrictions but NOT here! That being said we have to be mindful of the local officials getting too big for their britches.
So yes I understand having a listed building can be a challenge, but 30 inch stone walls...what is this place? A castle?

 

A chruch. We are thinking of applying to have it un-listed

 

A lot of the old houses are built from granite.
Ours is a 300year old (ish) fisherman's terrace cottage and the walls are about that...

 

Yeah, traditional buildings in the Highlands are pretty much built to a similar design. No cavity wall, just great blocks of stone to keep the draft out!

 

With plenty of natural fresh air vents

 

Yes. Actially this building had 8 built in air vents. Always puzzled me that. Great heavy walls with 8 holes for the wind.

 

Yeah, I dont think ours are planned LOL.

 

Drafty sometimes but on the plus side its never stuffy

 

In case of a total power outage, I've considered a building within a building using a tent. I'm not sure if my logic is correct on this though. I have sleeping bags and blankets to back this up.
Wood burning stoves are a good idea.

 

When we first came here we had tents inside.

 

I'm thinking of one of these: Midsummer Energy

 

That is one of my preps. Camping equipment (tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, etc.) to make indoor areas more comfortable and you can heat a tent with a candle lantern. Plus the equipment can be used outdoors too. If you don't have a tent just hang some blankets, quilts, or a tarp over some furniture to create a" blanket fort". The camping equipment can also be useful if you have to leave your home and evacuate because of storms, fire, unrest, etc..

 

You can do that?

 

One can apply. It's not common they accept.