29 Oct 12 7:57 PM

Get in touch with Verena at SolidEarth in nelson on casein paints she'll be able to help....read more

13 Oct 12 7:14 PM

SamohT, sounds like you have your conspiracy therory hat well in truly on! Research, research and you'll finally (maybe) piece it together that what GW has been on about is true. As you say, keep to......read more

18 Jul 12 12:43 PM

First off you buy the book "The Humanure Handbook" by Joseph Jenkins or check out his utube videos before outlaying thousands on something that will probably breakdown eventually by the soun......read more

26 Jun 12 2:05 PM

Asha, your best bet would be to get in touch with Graeme North, he has designed and got permits for cob/instu adobe buildings in the past and seems to know the ins and outs of the rediculous restricti......read more

14 Jun 12 5:20 PM

The EU and along with the euro were NEVER meant to be forever, and now we are seeing its collaspe. Hang on for the bumpy ride..............read more

13 Jun 12 9:28 PM

Wikipedia (strongly bias i might add) is most likely part of the one percent anyway. Perfect programming for the sheep....read more

13 Jun 12 6:42 PM

......and every school should play the 'Money as Debt' video on youtube to show that the current system will crumble. Its mathmatically inevitable! A MUST WATCH to anyone!...read more

13 Jun 12 5:20 PM

I wouldn't take too much notice of what the UN say Rex. If you are one of the ones who have cottoned onto whats really going on you will know their agenda's are always the opposite to what they actual......read more

13 Apr 12 7:14 PM

Check out youtube video: Rocket Stove Pizza Oven. Came across this vid awhile back and seems to fit your requirements to a tee, I thought....read more

24 Jan 12 4:02 PM

The US dollar is in free fall and the mathmatical equation is inevitable that full collaspe WILL happen, maybe even this year! When it does, this will effect all global currencies massively and all th......read more

24 Jan 12 3:41 PM

Can't help with feed back on that particular company, but would seriously recommend you read "the Humanure Handbook" by Joseph Jenkins available to read online for free. Then i would check ......read more

10 Jan 12 3:16 PM

elpres, THIS IS a real issue, once the govt gets a foot hold they're away. This has to stop NOW! You are right that the people hold the power over govt and legislation, but why can't we as NZ'ers be ......read more

5 Jan 12 6:40 PM

Lisa, a cheap and easy way to include thermal mass in timber frame internal stud walls is scrap gib bd cut to fit between studs glued up in layers to full stud width and then gib lining over studs and......read more

4 Dec 11 8:17 PM

should be 98% against 2%...read more

4 Dec 11 8:16 PM

Just another dirty tactic these corporates giants are doing in their quest for global domination. They forget that, the power of the people (of the world) have greater power than them, 99% against 2%,......read more

15 Nov 11 5:15 PM

Give Duncan a call from naturalhouseco or their website www.naturalhouse.co.nz he's very helpful and they specialize in natural floor and joinery oils....read more

12 Nov 11 2:44 PM

Interesting the stuff was breaking down in europe aswell. Makes you wonder if the UV argument raging here has any availidity? The new zealand supply seems to come from asia. ...read more

12 Nov 11 9:44 AM

Yeah, i have had the same with builders when specifying many times, "you don't need that", or "its cheaper this way". I know how fustrating it is! The problem is that a builder on......read more

11 Nov 11 7:01 PM

Yes, only if i had known what i know now. Just like life, you learn summit' new everyday. If it wasn't for the internet we here at the bottom of the earth would have never known how the other half bu......read more

11 Nov 11 1:43 PM

.......oh well, got 5yrs out of it. Just finished painting at the cost of 2grand only to have it leak even more like a seive. Leaking from most nail holes and causing nice water stains on our lovely m......read more

10 Nov 11 10:43 AM

For anyone wanting to build 'cheap' or sustainable shelter i highly recommend a book i just borrowed from the library, its called, Building Without Borders; sustainable construction for the global vil......read more

3 Nov 11 7:47 PM

Like to hear from anyone who has had problems with their onduline roofing ie fading etc, and have successfully recoated it. We are in the process of sealing and painting our roof which is only 5 year......read more

3 Nov 11 3:51 PM

Wyllie, did you attend the recent AGM? If so ,was it well attended? Its timing always clashes for me and i miss out on lots of topics and info and speakers....read more

27 Oct 11 9:48 AM

Hi tree-man, i posted a thread here last year of what I was proposing to build and why, go to the forum search here and type in "Co2 into Baking Soda" i posted it on 30 Nov '10 @ 10:17pm. H......read more

26 Oct 11 8:25 PM

You could post on the earthship nz website, heaps of keen people there wanting to get involved. Within the next year I'm going to start building a 7m dia round house using tyres, much like Reynolds h......read more

26 Oct 11 9:33 AM

Yeah, seems ideal for our shakey country. The only hurdle is to convince building officials here that the timber doesn't need toxic chemical treatments. (Do they use accoya treated wood I wonder?). P......read more

26 Oct 11 8:26 AM

Maybe this wood comes with airpoints having been round the world!(tongue 'n' cheek) But seriously, this is the best thing since sliced bread, if any of their promotional videos are anything to go by.......read more

26 Oct 11 8:11 AM

I'm in the process of specifing an insulated concrete slab for a client using maxRAFT, eliminates thermal bridging altogether from the ground, but the problem for the client is, he's a little on edge ......read more

10 Oct 11 3:16 PM

At the end of the day the mainstream building industry and the mainstream population are only interested in the almighty dollar! Build it(as cheaply as possible ie minimum code standard), sell it quic......read more

30 Sep 11 1:47 PM

You shouldn't 'stop wasting your time' guess what, but educate the next gen or anyone that will listen to common sense principles ( have discovered that ALOT of people don't seem to have it(common sen......read more

30 Sep 11 12:10 PM

The only way attitudes are going to change guys is if we start to educate our kids right from a young age so for example, euro style buildings and the like will become second nature. My 6yr old can t......read more

16 Sep 11 4:20 PM

Off topic slightly, in regard to ventilation systems with heat exchangers, correct me if I'm wrong 'guess what', but from my understanding the true systems they use in europe aren't available here in ......read more

16 Sep 11 4:00 PM

An interesting article on solar seasonal storage using water www.scanhome.ie/pdf/Storing-Sunshine.pdf ...read more

4 Sep 11 8:31 PM

We have a system like you describe. When it was setup 4yrs ago our solar water supplier told us not use the lower coil (solar) heat exchanger and instead supplied us with a 4-way valve connected into ......read more

30 Aug 11 8:59 PM

Lets see your designs posted so we can hen peck them! If Germany is so bloody advanced in everything and NZ is so head in the sand, I think relocation would would your best bet! ...read more

30 Aug 11 7:04 PM

Its all about compromise at the end of the day regarding building and budget defines the overall result. Yes it would be great if every client could afford to build 100% energy efficient homes, but th......read more

29 Jul 11 7:42 PM

The WhisperGen is a great concept, but its a shame we have to go off shore for manufacture and sales. The concept of the old stirling engine has so may possiblities in this day in age. There is no re......read more

28 Jul 11 3:38 PM

Having noticed talk in this forum about different heating options, the one that most crops up is heatpumps, and well, they appear to be one of the more efficient options out there. This is often backe......read more

27 Jul 11 7:02 PM

Bubble glazing is just normal packaging bubble wrap cut to the size of the glass and fixed to the inside surface (bubbles to the glass). use a mist of water on glass surface and then press wrap onto i......read more

27 Jul 11 5:00 PM

Secondary glazing that IS cost effective if you don't mind the look is bubble glazing (for existing SG windows) Have done this on the two kids bedrooms and the difference is REALLY noticable. Who care......read more

26 Jul 11 10:18 AM

Guess What, you mentioned that many house you know of the windows don't shut properly, well most likely the builder or installers are to blame. One of the first things i look at when viewing new build......read more

19 Jul 11 7:50 PM

Having grown up in the north auckland area i would without a doubt use double glazed windows alround. It still does get cool in the winter and your single glazed windows will still form condensation o......read more

13 Jul 11 12:33 PM

Doing a little research on the web there are hundreds of manufactures of MgO board in China, but from a blog i read from the magboard amercian outfit is there is only about 3 companies that have true ......read more

12 Jul 11 2:18 PM

Steve, who then are the suppliers of MgO board in NZ if there are infact any? Did you have to import the board yourself into the country for your system?...read more

11 Jul 11 11:17 AM

As far as sizing, i think it comes in 3mm to 20 mm thick sheets, including the std 10mm. It is used for bracing as far as i know, waterproof (won't crumble like GIB when wet), FIRE proof, mold and ro......read more

10 Jul 11 8:42 PM

Has anyone heard of or used this product? Found an interesting website www.advanced-living.co.nz that talks of using this board as an alternative to gib bd. M...read more

2 Jul 11 6:45 PM

Out of interest Rex, could you explain a bit more about the insulated water tank with heat exchanger setup you had. Was this used for central heating ie radiators? Most interested to hear. M...read more

2 Jul 11 1:56 PM

The stirling motor is making a come back in regards to generating solar power in the worlds hot spots. Why re invent the wheel, we have the sterling concept already (designed in 1816), so lets use mo......read more

1 Jul 11 1:51 PM

Maybe the carbon stored in the earth( and other natural hazardous minerals) over millions of years is earth's way of naturally regulating the planet so it is habitable for life. Think about it. Now w......read more

30 Jun 11 11:20 AM

Quess what is right to say that 'fracking' consumes alot of water, not to forget the toxic wastewater left over after drilling. Rex, you may have or may not have read the article on shale gas in &quo......read more