Primrose Hill and Belsize February 2009!

I could not resist the temptation on that only too brief Sunday and Monday of "real" snow for 18 years to get out there with my daughter on the piste of Primrose!

For my daughter this was the first time to experience snow, she loved every moment of it.

As for myself, I remember only too well the last occasion in London 18 years ago when I found myself snowed in my Baker Street office.

I seem to recall then that it was apparently the wrong kind of snow as far as British Rail was concerned! Now in 2009 it was the wrong kind of quantity! It makes me very proud of our British traditions to blame the weather! I don't ever remember being without public transport of some kind or the other whilst on holiday in the Ski resort of Gstad or Zermat in Switzerland. The Swiss do what comes natural and that is to plan for the snow and anticipate the ice, but then they have had rather more practice at it every year for whole seasons long.

What a pity that as global warming is taking its hold not only is the polar ice caps melting at an alarming rate, but also the winter paradise of the Alps is facing increased ice melts and industrial pollution from cars and industry not in Switzerland itself but from the heavily polluted atmosphere that deliver contaminates which are concentrated in the ice and snow. This is not a very well known or publicised fact in Switzerland but there is a team that sets out every year from the University of Bern to investigate the worsening pollution. But it acts as a strong reminder that CO2 global warming is touching all wildernesses and not just the capital cities.

Author: Nigel Rumble 17 February 2009

Bridget's plot to block Heathrow expansion

Lib Dem campaigner Bridget Fox has taken action to stop Heathrow expansion by becoming a co-owner of a field in the path of the controversial third runway, in partnership with Islington-based Greenpeace. And now she's encouraging other Islington residents to do the same.

Bridget explains, "I'm asking people to join me and become a 'beneficial owner' of the land. The plot is in Sipson village, which will be flattened if the runway goes ahead. Anyone who wants to buy or develop the land will need to contact each one of us, so the more the merrier!"

The Labour Government has now announced that it will go ahead with a third runway, despite huge protests. The Government has not let Parliament decide, and Labour backbenchers have failed to force a vote.

Bridget says, "Expanding Heathrow is bad news for all of us, including Islington. Local people will suffer with increased noise and pollution if the runway is built; and millions of pounds is being diverted into the massive planning process in the meantime. Grafting an airport the size of Gatwick onto Heathrow will generate the same carbon emissions as Kenya. It's madness.

"Instead of wasting money on a white elephant airport, the Government should be listening to the Lib Dems. We're calling for a Green Road out of the Recession, creating lasting jobs in energy efficiency, zero-carbon homes, and modern high-speed rail links."
Greenpeace's Airplot campaign



Islington residents who want to become beneficial owners of the land can sign up free of charge on the Greenpeace website at www.greenpeace.org.

10.25.00am GMT Fri 16th Jan 2009

The PFI debacle in Camden Social Housing

Five towers on the Chalcots were lucky to be selected for the £150M PFI retrofit 4 year makeover works, or at least the residents had hoped would be the case.

A different story is now slowly emerging that sets the tone of building problems to come over the 15 year PFI contract period.

Click photo left and you will just about be able to see the panels peeling off !

Question: What does a contractor do when faced with an output driven specification to deliver to a quasi "Decent Homes Standard".

You have probably guessed the answer already; build to that standard, especially as it only represents the minimum standards that builders can get away with.

The output specification is met and the client Camden is satisfied.

It now turns out that the cladding system and metal window system which only just meets the thermal insulation levels to pass current building standards is inadequate. As I have reported in previous blogs during the "cold winter snap" levels of condensation on the metal window frames have been unacceptable and black mould fungus has been popping up (mostly on the silicon sealant) everywhere in many of the resident homes during the past months, more are being reported to me every week.

I have started to dig around in the details of the window specifications themselves, it is clear to read that the windows used are the minimum specified by Schüco. That is not to say that the windows are bad but indicates that in the environment for which they have been installed is unsuitable.

All windows are made to a “thermal insulation” standard. A basic solid wood non-insulated frame provides about 1.4W/m2K. Double glazed glass with argon gas is rather better at 1.2W/m2K. (The lower the U value the better the insulation).

However, here is the rub the Schüco window frames installed on the Chalcots are around 3.9 W/m2K which represents a very poor level of thermal insulation. Which when you take into consideration the exposed nature of the “five” towers facing the Primrose Hill, leads to a thermally inefficient design that HAS already presented all the classic signs of high levels of cold bridge condensation on the metal frames.

As important is the increased energy costs to heat these new refurbished buildings, energy is basically going out the window and with it an increased CO2 footprint for Camden. Compared to what could have been achieved with improved insulation provision.

To add double insult to all the residents of the Chalcots, heating cost are set to increase by 13% over the year for Camden housing properties.

One of the key “selling features” that was used to get buy-in from the 717 resident homes was the fact that an energy efficient saving design was put forward.

Also the level of thermal cladding itself is only what has been described to me as a bare minimum, the architects HTA publicly state in press articles that their design concept is “London Borough of Camden is aiming to deliver a 30% cut in CO2 emissions”

When one considers that the original 40 year old buildings with high prevailing winds facing the Primrose Hill with no double glazed windows (using only one single sheet glass) literally losing up to 50% of heat through the old single sheet windows and cold concrete walls. Then 30% reduction represents only a small improvement of energy efficiency in the wider perspective.

Yes it is a welcome improvement but does it represent good value for a £150M PFI project that is the big question still to be answered.

Author: Nigel Rumble 20 January 2009

Nick Clegg's New Year message

New Year message here on
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6B1cqj-oVdY on Digg here - so please take a moment to visit Digg and to click the 'digg it' button on the left to cast your vote.

Each vote helps get the film seen by more people.

BLACK MOULD (FUNGUS) hits the Chalcots PFI £150M project

Black mould (Fungus) growing on the NEW window frames hits the £150M PFI "Chalcots" project. This serious and potentially hazardous situation has continued to become worse due to the moisture condensation during these cold and dump winter nights.

The new "state-of-the-art" window metal frames (with poor internal thermal insulation) conduct heat from the warm inside surfaces to the colder outside surfaces. Therefore, all the inside metal frame surfaces become very COLD which acts as a condensing surface for the moisture in the air of resident homes.

It is believed that the condensates (upto 50ml per window) which collects on the lower window frame and window ceils is responsible for the development of black mould spores in the "silicon" sealant, which appears NOT to be the "anti-fungicidal" type which would have helped to control these bacterial growths.

It will be asked at the next PFIC meeting that all 710 properties be checked and repaired to comply with building regulations and Health and Safety legislation of mould spore prevention.

It is widely recognised by medical experts that mould spores are responsible for potentially causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Some moulds also produce mycotoxins that can pose serious health risks to humans and animals. Exposure to high levels of mycotoxins can lead to neurological problems and in some cases death. The health hazards produced by mould have been associated with sick building syndrome.
If you are concerned and wish to know more Read Wikipedia here, APSNET

The thermal efficiencies of the NEW window frames is thus compromised by not having any thermal insulation properties, heat (energy) is being conducted straight out from all the window frames in this £150M PFI scheme, this energy conservation inefficient and poor design requires an investigation at the highest level.

PFI Contract info here

Author: Nigel Rumble

Sustainability and the Altered Towers - Chalcots

The rain screen cladding applied to the Chalcots is being well tested this winter with below freezing temperatures having been reached, residents are reporting improvements to energy consumption reductions and improved heating to rooms with exposed corner flanking walls. What a pity that Black mould (Fungus) growing on the NEW window frames hits the £150M PFI "Chalcots" project. This serious and potentially hazardous situation has continued to become worse due to the moisture condensation during these cold and dump winter nights. See update for more info on the rise of the mould.

The cladding to these exterior walls has increased the thermal efficiency of the building as a whole, although only to just what is now considered the building minimum standards, it is a welcome improvement on what residents living in the 1968 design buildings had experienced for the past 40 years.

Reported by Stephen Kennett in Building Sustainability "Chalcot estate: Altered towers, 2008 Issue 19" Refurbishment is increasingly seen as the sustainable option when tackling social housing, and in the process of overhauling the Chalcot estate’s 717 flats, the London Borough of Camden is aiming to deliver a 30% cut in CO2 emissions.”
Author: Nigel Rumble

Chalcots PFI enters the Christmas shutdown

It is hoped as the £150M PFI "Chalcots" project enters the Christmas shutdown period that any emergencies such as lift breakdowns; etc will be dealt with the urgency that is required of buildings housing 161 properties.

Last year an emergency contact number was published and circulated that had a "out of service" number advising all callers "this line does not receive in-coming calls".

And on the Christmas Eve 2007, site lights for one of the buildings failed! So lets hope that this Christmas will be uneventful and all emergency protocols are in place.

Liberal Democrats latest TV film broadcast on Friday

Last Friday the latest Liberal Democrat TV film was broadcast, and it's now up on YouTube here

Health and Safety on the Chalcots

The low levels of light to the entrance ways and underground car parking continues to be a very considerable concern to all residents in the vicinity of the Chalcots.

The situation has been currently under review for some time. Irrespective of whether the properties are responsibility of the PFIC group of companies or ultimately the Local Authority. It must be remembered that the Local Authority is the primary "Social Landlord" and the "Landlord" for all properties. Under Health and Safety Protocols and Security provision Protocols have a direct "Duty of Care" not only to all residents but also all residents in the Belsize area that may be affected as a "knock-on consequence" of the above mentioned low levels of lighting provision and inadequate security.

Common sense prevails at Camden's PFIC

I reported yesterday "if you (Camden) don’t have temporary lights installed by the end of the next day (4/12) then I will take the matter to the local MP". Glenda Jackson MP was contacted. Senior officers of Camden and the PFIC were instructed.

I had an "official" walk-about yesterday with all the senior staff connected with the PFIC so they could see first hand the problem areas.

As of 8:45am today I can report that Bray now has the emergency temporary lighting asked. All that remains is that a permanent solution is found for the lighting problems.

Strength of resident feeling on Chalcots "escalate"

I was present at an ad hock walk-about with an Camden Project Manager yesterday evening and on the subject of NO lighting on the entranceways to Bray, which has been a ongoing problem for many years.

A resident knowing the Project Manager clearly angered at the situation, said to the officer "if you don’t have temporary lights installed by the end of the next day (4/12) then I will take the matter to the local MP". The deadline set is now looming.

I have had so many complaints now from residents about this Health and Safety concern that MP Glenda Jackson has now been notified.

This is an outrage; even the local Police have reported the matter of inadequate lighting to the Patch Manager for the estate.

Camden PFI Chalcots December 2008

Where we are now in December 2008

Bray, the third of the five blocks making up the Chalcots estate is due to be signed off by the Independent Certifier (IC) 19th December.However, problems still remain in resident’s homes, such as leaking radiators, faulty windows and poorly regulated central heating controls, despite the IC sign off process. All the remaining problems will be transferred to the "snagging" process.Security remains a "key" concern of the residents at Bray and indeed the whole of the Chalcots.Inadequate lighting and no provision of a canopy to the entranceways continue to be a BIG concern for all residents.

Back in July 2008
I had written a summary of the “key” problem areas of the PFI process

1. Output Specification
2. Role of the Independent Certifier (IC)
3. Sign-off and snagging
Only the misapprehension of the role of the IC has now been addressed.It was hoped that with the correct levels of “direct” management pressure would the other issues have been addressed too.

Conclusion
Apart from the previous misapprehension that the role of the IC was to actually check all aspects of the finished “home” and check for essential Health and Safety certifications. We now know that the IC primary role is to sign-off, thereby starting the “unitary charge” process for release of “real” money from the PFIC bank to the contractor.

There is no real demonstratable change of the current implementation model.
It has to be said that PR skills have considerably improved on this PFI project.

I would also now add a new key "problem" PFI and non-PFI word to the list;

4. Communications
This refers to both the PFIC as well as the Local Authority, which are in many cases the worst offenders.

PFI at Chalcots - Third block due to complete

Bray, the third of the five blocks making up the Chalcots estate is due to be signed off by the Independent Certifier (IC) 19th December.

However, problems still remain in resident’s homes, such as leaking radiators, faulty windows and poorly regulated central heating controls, despite the IC sign off process. All the remaining problems will be transferred to the "snagging" process.

Security remains a "key" concern of the residents at Bray and indeed the whole of the Chalcots.

Inadequate lighting and no provision of a canopy to the entranceways continue to be a BIG concern for all residents.

Schools in Belsize

There are currently no LEA nursery or primary schools in the Belsize ward, all local schools in the ward are "private" and places are in BIG demand. In neighbouring wards ALL LEA primary schools have a never ending waiting list. The Belsize ward has around 8000+ population of which the Chalcots alone represents nearly a "quarter". This is a major issue for all residents. There are good "Independent Private Schools " but with places also being in high demand and fees ranging upto £3795 per term, clearly is not an option for all residents.

Belsize Liberal Democrats

Welcome to the launch of "The Belsize Activist" Blog