Ben Adam-Smith
@benadamsmith.bsky.social
I help people build better homes. #Passivhaus #PassiveHouse #NaturalMaterials #SelfBuild
https://www.houseplanninghelp.com/
https://www.houseplanninghelp.com/
It's the penultimate podcast of 2025 and we're talking embodied carbon with Elly and Kirk from Arbor Architects.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/393
#SelfBuild #Retrofit #EcoHome
www.houseplanninghelp.com/393
#SelfBuild #Retrofit #EcoHome
HPH393: How can you reduce the embodied carbon of a project? – with Elly Deacon Smith and Kirk Rushby - House Planning Help
Elly Deacon Smith and Kirk Rushby from Arbor Architects explain why they consider the embodied carbon of their projects, how they do it and how it is balanced with competing factors. Interview with El...
www.houseplanninghelp.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
It's the penultimate podcast of 2025 and we're talking embodied carbon with Elly and Kirk from Arbor Architects.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/393
#SelfBuild #Retrofit #EcoHome
www.houseplanninghelp.com/393
#SelfBuild #Retrofit #EcoHome
@virginradiouk.bsky.social These are always my favourite bits of the show, when you talk about kindness and how we can all work to become the best versions of ourselves. #Inspiring
December 18, 2025 at 8:58 AM
@virginradiouk.bsky.social These are always my favourite bits of the show, when you talk about kindness and how we can all work to become the best versions of ourselves. #Inspiring
It's always a joy to visit projects. Recently I managed to catch with architect and author Marion Baeli.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
#Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
#Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency
December 15, 2025 at 10:47 AM
It's always a joy to visit projects. Recently I managed to catch with architect and author Marion Baeli.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
#Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
#Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency
Reposted by Ben Adam-Smith
'I've been remembering my life in theatre' he said grandly. (Most of it was a massive failure)
But every now and then, we can experience something that makes AI look like . . . AI
llewellyn.substack.com/p/the-last-b...
But every now and then, we can experience something that makes AI look like . . . AI
llewellyn.substack.com/p/the-last-b...
The Last Bastion. Theatre.
Things I haven't thought about for a while
llewellyn.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:56 PM
'I've been remembering my life in theatre' he said grandly. (Most of it was a massive failure)
But every now and then, we can experience something that makes AI look like . . . AI
llewellyn.substack.com/p/the-last-b...
But every now and then, we can experience something that makes AI look like . . . AI
llewellyn.substack.com/p/the-last-b...
Coming soon on the podcast we explore:
- Sheep's wool insulation.
- Insuring homes constructed with natural materials.
- Improving airtightness with an aerosolized sealant system.
- Replacement dwelling planning consent.
#Housing
- Sheep's wool insulation.
- Insuring homes constructed with natural materials.
- Improving airtightness with an aerosolized sealant system.
- Replacement dwelling planning consent.
#Housing
December 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Coming soon on the podcast we explore:
- Sheep's wool insulation.
- Insuring homes constructed with natural materials.
- Improving airtightness with an aerosolized sealant system.
- Replacement dwelling planning consent.
#Housing
- Sheep's wool insulation.
- Insuring homes constructed with natural materials.
- Improving airtightness with an aerosolized sealant system.
- Replacement dwelling planning consent.
#Housing
It was around this time last year that I got to visit RUSS. And hats off, it was quite the journey to delivering this scheme!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/364
#CommunityLedHousing #CommunityLandTrust
www.houseplanninghelp.com/364
#CommunityLedHousing #CommunityLandTrust
HPH364: The power of community led housing – with Kareem Dayes from RUSS - House Planning Help
Kareem Dayes, co-founder of RUSS in Lewisham, explains why setting up a Community Land Trust was a route to deliver genuinely affordable housing and create a better neighbourhood. Interview with Karee...
www.houseplanninghelp.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:53 AM
It was around this time last year that I got to visit RUSS. And hats off, it was quite the journey to delivering this scheme!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/364
#CommunityLedHousing #CommunityLandTrust
www.houseplanninghelp.com/364
#CommunityLedHousing #CommunityLandTrust
When it comes to flooring, an earth floor takes some beating!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph391-earth...
#EarthFloor
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph391-earth...
#EarthFloor
HPH391: Earth floors – with Jeffrey Hart - House Planning Help
Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company gives us the lowdown on natural earth floors, explaining what the components are, how they are mixed and the process of installing them. He also outlines th...
www.houseplanninghelp.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:44 AM
When it comes to flooring, an earth floor takes some beating!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph391-earth...
#EarthFloor
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph391-earth...
#EarthFloor
If you have high performance windows, have you checked the gaskets recently? Marion Baeli says these can start to fail after a number of years and affect #airtightness. In my latest podcast we talk more about her building performance assessments of retrofitted homes.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
December 4, 2025 at 11:37 AM
If you have high performance windows, have you checked the gaskets recently? Marion Baeli says these can start to fail after a number of years and affect #airtightness. In my latest podcast we talk more about her building performance assessments of retrofitted homes.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
Marion Baeli is my guest this week on the podcast. It's over a decade since the Retrofit for the Future competition but have the projects stood the test of time? And if they have, what is the difference between these retrofits and those in the ECO programme?
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
HPH392: What's the difference between good and bad retrofit? – with Marion Baeli - House Planning Help
Marion Baeli, author of “Residential Retrofit,” offers hands-on experience of designing and retrofitting high performance homes. As well as drawing on her personal retrofit she shares the lessons lear...
www.houseplanninghelp.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Marion Baeli is my guest this week on the podcast. It's over a decade since the Retrofit for the Future competition but have the projects stood the test of time? And if they have, what is the difference between these retrofits and those in the ECO programme?
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
www.houseplanninghelp.com/392
I've just bought myself a Fairphone. I've been wanting to give it a go for a while.
www.fairphone.com
www.fairphone.com
We are Fairphone
We make technology with a purpose—designed to last longer, perform better, and make a real impact. And we’ve been at it for more than a decade.
www.fairphone.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I've just bought myself a Fairphone. I've been wanting to give it a go for a while.
www.fairphone.com
www.fairphone.com
If you're taking on the One Planet Development scheme in Wales, what sort of house do you build?
Well Brendan and Ludka Powell decided to go for an off-grid, straw panel #Passivhaus!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph333-what-...
#Straw #EcoHome #PassiveHouse
Well Brendan and Ludka Powell decided to go for an off-grid, straw panel #Passivhaus!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph333-what-...
#Straw #EcoHome #PassiveHouse
December 2, 2025 at 6:56 PM
If you're taking on the One Planet Development scheme in Wales, what sort of house do you build?
Well Brendan and Ludka Powell decided to go for an off-grid, straw panel #Passivhaus!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph333-what-...
#Straw #EcoHome #PassiveHouse
Well Brendan and Ludka Powell decided to go for an off-grid, straw panel #Passivhaus!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph333-what-...
#Straw #EcoHome #PassiveHouse
For those in the middle of a project, what's been your biggest achievement this year?
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #Passivhaus
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #Passivhaus
December 2, 2025 at 11:12 AM
For those in the middle of a project, what's been your biggest achievement this year?
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #Passivhaus
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #Passivhaus
Reposted by Ben Adam-Smith
Sovereignty? Democracy? Sorry, but we can't afford those anymore. We'll be sued if we try to defend them.
This week's column is about a massive but scarcely-covered scandal.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This week's column is about a massive but scarcely-covered scandal.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Hello, foreign oligarchs and corporations! Please come and sue the UK for billions | George Monbiot
The case of a planned Cumbrian coalmine shows how governments around the world are being threatened by litigation in shadowy offshore courts, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Sovereignty? Democracy? Sorry, but we can't afford those anymore. We'll be sued if we try to defend them.
This week's column is about a massive but scarcely-covered scandal.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This week's column is about a massive but scarcely-covered scandal.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
There's lots to love about earth floors:
- They have very low embodied carbon.
- They can be truly local.
- They can be composted at the end of the lifecycle.
- They soften sounds in a room.
- They look beautiful... and feel incredible under your feet!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloors
- They have very low embodied carbon.
- They can be truly local.
- They can be composted at the end of the lifecycle.
- They soften sounds in a room.
- They look beautiful... and feel incredible under your feet!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloors
December 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
There's lots to love about earth floors:
- They have very low embodied carbon.
- They can be truly local.
- They can be composted at the end of the lifecycle.
- They soften sounds in a room.
- They look beautiful... and feel incredible under your feet!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloors
- They have very low embodied carbon.
- They can be truly local.
- They can be composted at the end of the lifecycle.
- They soften sounds in a room.
- They look beautiful... and feel incredible under your feet!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloors
Jeffrey Hart is my latest podcast guest. He used to be a 'generalist' natural builder but the demand for his earth floors has become so great that that's pretty much all he does these days!
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #EcoHome
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #EcoHome
November 30, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Jeffrey Hart is my latest podcast guest. He used to be a 'generalist' natural builder but the demand for his earth floors has become so great that that's pretty much all he does these days!
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #EcoHome
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #EcoHome
Reposted by Ben Adam-Smith
Tonight we're celebrating 10 years of Rewilding Britain (@rewildingbritain.org.uk). I don't think I've ever come across an organisation which has shifted both public attitudes and tangible outcomes on an issue so fast. I'm proud to be associated.
November 27, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Tonight we're celebrating 10 years of Rewilding Britain (@rewildingbritain.org.uk). I don't think I've ever come across an organisation which has shifted both public attitudes and tangible outcomes on an issue so fast. I'm proud to be associated.
Glorious sunshine all morning = free heating for the next few hours (and possibly overnight).
#Passivhaus #PassiveHouse
#Passivhaus #PassiveHouse
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Glorious sunshine all morning = free heating for the next few hours (and possibly overnight).
#Passivhaus #PassiveHouse
#Passivhaus #PassiveHouse
Having a dream to build your own home is one thing, but a common stumbling block is the land search. So what should you be looking for and how do you generate your own luck?!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #PlotSearch #FindingLand
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #PlotSearch #FindingLand
November 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Having a dream to build your own home is one thing, but a common stumbling block is the land search. So what should you be looking for and how do you generate your own luck?!
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #PlotSearch #FindingLand
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #PlotSearch #FindingLand
Reposted by Ben Adam-Smith
Anyone who has *ever worked* for the BBC as an employee, freelancer, contractor or service provider may like to sign an open letter (link below) launched by Chris Packham. Approaching 4000 signatures currently and growing fast. Please note this is to **defend** the BBC.
www.defendthebbc.org
www.defendthebbc.org
Defend The BBC
The BBC serves democracy across the world, it serves the people, and we must act to defend it. Add your name.
www.defendthebbc.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Anyone who has *ever worked* for the BBC as an employee, freelancer, contractor or service provider may like to sign an open letter (link below) launched by Chris Packham. Approaching 4000 signatures currently and growing fast. Please note this is to **defend** the BBC.
www.defendthebbc.org
www.defendthebbc.org
Reposted by Ben Adam-Smith
It used to be that if you were trying to reduce carbon emissions, you insulated and sealed, what's called "fabric first." Now that we have heat pumps, many are questioning whether fabric-first was the right approach. It's complicated... lloydalter.substack.com/p/what-the-h...
What the hell happened to "Fabric First?"
A very good question. Has heatpumpification crushed insulation?
lloydalter.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:22 PM
It used to be that if you were trying to reduce carbon emissions, you insulated and sealed, what's called "fabric first." Now that we have heat pumps, many are questioning whether fabric-first was the right approach. It's complicated... lloydalter.substack.com/p/what-the-h...
It's everything 'earth floors' in my latest podcast.
Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company is my guest.
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #NaturalMaterials #EcoHome
Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company is my guest.
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #NaturalMaterials #EcoHome
HPH391: Earth floors – with Jeffrey Hart - House Planning Help
Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company gives us the lowdown on natural earth floors, explaining what the components are, how they are mixed and the process of installing them. He also outlines th...
houseplanninghelp.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:28 AM
It's everything 'earth floors' in my latest podcast.
Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company is my guest.
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #NaturalMaterials #EcoHome
Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company is my guest.
houseplanninghelp.com/391
#EarthFloor #NaturalMaterials #EcoHome
I'm looking forward to checking out Llama Croft today. I've heard so much about it. www.llama-croft.com
#Passivhaus #NaturalMaterials
#Passivhaus #NaturalMaterials
November 17, 2025 at 9:23 AM
I'm looking forward to checking out Llama Croft today. I've heard so much about it. www.llama-croft.com
#Passivhaus #NaturalMaterials
#Passivhaus #NaturalMaterials
I have always found @georgemonbiot.bsky.social's writing insightful, but this article sums up what I've been feeling for some time.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#SocialMedia #Power #ClimateChange
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#SocialMedia #Power #ClimateChange
Dark forces are preventing us fighting the climate crisis – by taking knowledge hostage | George Monbiot
The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:14 AM
I have always found @georgemonbiot.bsky.social's writing insightful, but this article sums up what I've been feeling for some time.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#SocialMedia #Power #ClimateChange
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#SocialMedia #Power #ClimateChange
This time last week I was at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre. It's fantastic to see fresh investment at this permanent exhibition and covering an important 'hole' in most homeowner's knowledge: #retrofit.
www.nsbrc.co.uk
#Renovation #EcoHome
www.nsbrc.co.uk
#Renovation #EcoHome
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
This time last week I was at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre. It's fantastic to see fresh investment at this permanent exhibition and covering an important 'hole' in most homeowner's knowledge: #retrofit.
www.nsbrc.co.uk
#Renovation #EcoHome
www.nsbrc.co.uk
#Renovation #EcoHome
Are you just beginning your self build journey?
If so, this podcast episode is for you.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #FindingLand
If so, this podcast episode is for you.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #FindingLand
HPH390: Practical considerations when looking for a plot of land – with Ben Adam-Smith - House Planning Help
Ben Adam-Smith shares a few thoughts about what to look for in a plot of land for a low energy house build. Start with realistic expectations Ben starts the podcast by sharing a few pieces of advice a...
www.houseplanninghelp.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Are you just beginning your self build journey?
If so, this podcast episode is for you.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #FindingLand
If so, this podcast episode is for you.
www.houseplanninghelp.com/390
#SelfBuild #EcoHome #FindingLand