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John Butler

@jbsustbuild.bsky.social
1K followers 333 following 233 posts

Sustainable Building Consultancy. Geek for Hire. Passivhaus, Low-carbon building & retrofit. Late diagnosed autistic. He/him. For the music/performance version of me go to @the-woodlouse.bsky.social www.sustainablebuildconsultancy.com

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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Retrofitting MVHR and shading is what we should be doing before considering aircon. But good system likely more expensive than aircon, so funding is needed.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Or - if outside air is cooler than extract air in summer - you can bypass the heat exchanger and bring the cooler air in. At all times filtered fresh air is supplied, CO2 and moisture laden air is extracted. In a house without MVHR, closed up to keep heat out, CO2 builds and causes fatigue.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
For those that don’t know, MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) provides constant filtered fresh air. Supply and and extract air pass over a heat exchanger. In winter it recovers heat into the supply air. In summer heat from intake transfers directly to exhaust air, cooling supply air.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
The quiet rage I feel as a Passivhaus consultant living in a 5-year-old house that overheats horribly every heat wave, knowing how simply some minor design changes, shading and MVHR could have avoided it completely. Sitting here contemplating simplest way to retrofit MVHR and shading.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I have layered curtains and blinds. They’re definitely better than nothing, but the solar heat is already through the windows at that point. Stopping it coming in makes many times more difference. Downstairs (with blankets) now several degrees cooler than upstairs (without)
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The Woodlouse (John Butler) @the-woodlouse.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Keeping the sun out is a lot easier than trying to cool the house afterwards. Wish I could do upstairs too, and that UK standard house design was actually fit for purpose. 25 degrees inside and rising, but rising much more slowly than without the blankets.
Blankets hanging over the outside of patio doors and a window, to stop the sun getting in, at the back of a modern semi-detached house.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Yes, exactly the same here. Affordable housing is desperately needed.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Typo: shot = shout
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
They could easily fit at least 5 good sized flats in there. There is a shortage of available housing here. Creating one insanely large flat does nothing to help address that. It's 475 m2 for a 3 bed flat. That's ginormous! They'll have to shot across the living room to hear each other.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
I just read a planning application to convert a historic storage building into a shop and flat, and now I'm angry. Not because they want to convert it, but because my 84 m2 two bed semi-detached house (which feels like a luxury to have to myself) would fit into their proposed 3 bed flat 5.7 times!
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
This probably belongs here, really.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Update: social sustainability included at building and works level, not much (anything?) in Standards for construction product level, which is disappointing. Is there anything at raw material sourcing level? About to look.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Moral of this story: always check your facts! Glad I did. In directly related news: spending this morning reading EN standards documents...
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
That's EN 15643-2021: Sustainability of construction works - Framework for assessment of buildings and civil engineering works. Detail provided in EN 15643-3:2012 and 16309:2014+A1:2014. Pleased to see social and economic impacts are integral, alongside environmental.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Writing some course material about sustainable building materials. Started writing that the standard LCA approach was detailed on environmental impact but ignored social sustainability. Thought: must check this is true. It is NOT! The framework standard very much includes social sustainability
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
But you were probably just asking about alternatives to foam, sorry! For new installs expanding foam tape around outside of frame is brilliant, but I don’t see how it could work for windows that are already installed.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
If masonry too uneven to tape to then a bead of airtight sealant (e.g. Orcon F - *not* silicone) before the tape might be needed. The paint on membranes are pretty good too, though, and might be the simplest.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
It’s a useful insulated gap filler, but that’s about it. There are expanding foams that are meant to be airtight as they don’t shrink, but not sure they bind any better to masonry. I think good ole Tescon Vana tape is unbeatable! Or other pro clima airtight tapes.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Well done! Good to know it’s worked. Good point about sound too. I’m sure a lot of street sound I get is around rather than through the windows. Thankfully it’s a quiet street!
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
I can feel the draught coming in around the outside of my window frames. This house is only five years old. To fix this properly I'd need to hack into the plaster all around each window and remove the cills. Such invasive work shouldn't be needed in new houses, but frequently is.
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Luke McGee @lukemcgee.bsky.social · 30/11/2025
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 30/11/2025
Sees local newspaper post about rising sea levels. Don’tLookAtTheComments Don’tLookAtTheComments Don’tLookAtTheComments. Looks at the comments. AAAARGH!
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Nope. Stopped using it and locked my accounts quite a long time ago and finally deleted them earlier this year. I don’t want anything to do with anything supporting Musk, and he’s distorted twitter to meet his desires.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Hello! Yes, I have a separate account for creative/performance projects, more personal things and general waffling, to keep this one clear for sust build stuff.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
I’ve very much neglected this account. General life pondering and rubbish-talking now happen on my other account. Not sure how many of the Passivhaus/low-carbon/low-impact construction people are still active on here, but just in case: Hello! [waves].
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Gareth Dennis @garethdennis.uk · 15/07/2025
The UK still needs HS2, delivered in full. There's no viable alternative. Me, from years back, making this point:
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
If you're not familiar with @thedailytism.com , I HIGHLY recommend becoming familiar with them. They're brilliant. Searingly funny, on a daily basis, making the world better one highly-entertaining satirical article at a time. Having now worked with them, I can confirm they're also just top humans.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
For better or worse I've shared this from @thedailytism.com on my LinkedIn so I might as well share it here too. I am a sensible professional consultant. I'm also a creator of darkly funny musical shows about zombies (@the-woodlouse.bsky.social ). Both are true! thedailytism.com/advertorial-...
thedailytism.com
Advertorial: Whaaat? This cishet autistic white dude with beard actually has Edinburgh show worth seeing
A cisgender, heterosexual autistic white guy with a beard has wowed commentators by having an Edinburgh Fringe show that people actually want to go and see on purpose, it has been claimed.  Do Zombies...
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
I find internal overheating hardest to cope with when there's no air movement. On a breezy day I prefer to keep windows a little open as the cross ventilation makes it feel cooler. Today is still and feels airless, so I'm shifting to closing the windows and breaking out the fan.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
It's national Get That Slightly Squeaky Fan Out of the Loft Day for those of use that don't live in a house where overheating risk was properly considered. It's already 24° in my office but the air movement from the fan helps it feel more comfortable, squeak not withstanding.
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The Woodlouse (John Butler) @the-woodlouse.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
This episode is amazing. If you want to know what it’s actually like being autistic (as opposed to the stereotypes) it’s a must-listen. I’m autistic & this episode is just about the most validating thing I’ve listened too, ever. Also, effing funny. Also the best (wholly justified) righteous rants.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
It’s definitely decidedly weird, architecturally. My heart sinks a little everytime it starts to loom out the landscape as I drive to Dorchester.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
This!
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Migrants have not done “incalculable damage to our society”. People scapegoating, othering, and encouraging hatred of migrants (and others) *have* done that.
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Nightmareliner Ontario @mostlyharmless.northsky.social · 01/05/2025
UK MPs: 1. The Supreme Court ruling is not "the law", nor has it changed existing legislation. 2. The EHRC's interim update is also not "the law". It isn't even "guidance". 3. The upcoming EHRC guidance, likewise, is not "the law". Again, the legislation hasn't changed. 1/
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Juraj Mikurcik @jurajmikurcik.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Love this chart
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Good things: 1. Finally able to concentrate on work again enough to make progress through the first of several late reports 2. Coffee break in the sun outside my back door, staring at the sky 3. See my first swift of the year gliding about above 4. See a Kite (the bird variety) drifting about above
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Workspace officially decommissioned until after house move next week! Hopefully up and running again with minimal delay. Brace, brace.
A half-dismantled workstation, with empty screen stands still reaching out above a desk, with one computer monitor facedown on the desk below it. Various books and albums are visible, including a PHPP manual to the left of the desk. Pots and speakers are on the shelves behind.
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Sara Gibbs is Scary Enough Already @sararoseg.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
This analogy definitely works if your kid has a disability or health condition that means they can’t get a Saturday job and if they don’t get a Saturday job, you let your kid starve to death
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
It also features an excellent introduction to heat pumps from Paul Rychnovsky. He managed to explain the functioning of them so clearly that I actually understood it properly at last :-D
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
The recording of my recent webinar is now up. It's a an overview of some key retrofit physics and what that means practically onsite for installers and for successful low energy retrofit. youtu.be/ca1rPFt51a4?...
youtu.be
Dorset Retrofit Reimagined: Building Skills for a Retrofit Future - Webinar 2
YouTube video by Dorset CAN
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
SBUK’s latest webinar, this lunchtime
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Heads-up that I've changed my bluesky handle to @jbsustbuild.bsky.social from @thewoodlouse.bsky.social to avoid confusion with my creative alter ego (@the-woodlouse.bsky.social). It's always possible that this will make things worse, but at least I've tried!
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Potentially combinations of them all, depending on the day.
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Excellent investigatory air / smoke test and thermal image survey by @thermalimageguy.bsky.social . Very thorough, very clear, and incredibly helpful!
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Watching a very depressing but incredibly useful smoke test video of a post retrofit house. Lots of leakage at floor to wall junction (suspect leakage through floor, and wall not properly sealed to floor), and a fair bit around windows (both through window seals, and join of window to building).
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John Butler @jbsustbuild.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Outstanding work here from @thedailytism.bsky.social
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Straw Building UK @strawbuildinguk.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
EPDs & straw 🌾 what do they tell us about embodied carbon? 🌍 Watch our latest webinar with @thewoodlouse.bsky.social 🎥 ➡️ youtu.be/rCIBXu-LKaQ #strawconstruction #embodiedcarbon #epds #sustainablebuilding #biogeniccarbon
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Straw Building UK @strawbuildinguk.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Timber framing or load-bearing straw bale? 🌿🏗️ 25th March, 1pm - 2pm, Hawkland will explore their approach to timber framing for straw bale builds, using their latest project as a case study. 🎟️ Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/timber-fra... #strawbalebuilding #timberframing #naturalbuilding
eventbrite.co.uk
Timber Framing for Straw Bale Construction with Chris Hawker and Ben Nother
Timber framing for straw bale with Chris Hawker & Ben Nother. Case study, best practices & Q&A.
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