Not a question… just voicing my sadness at the news of Dr Feist closing the PHI.

It seems that “Wolfgang has left the building” albeit for one that has no interior volume and therefore no heating demand. Below is a quote from the announcement in Building Green. At least there is good news.

“Founding Sphere House Institute
Feist is turning his attention to a new project, he says, involving solid cubes of rigid insulation he has dubbed Sphärhäuser. The Sphärhaus Institut (SHI) promotes three simple metrics for its cubic structures, explained Feist:

0.0 m2 interior space
0.0 kWh/m2/year energy use
0.0 human inhabitants
Feist is so committed to SHI, he explains, that he has filled his own home with insulation as a pilot retrofit project—“Retrofits in this regime must follow the exact same metrics as new construction,” he explained—and is now living in a large cardboard box in his garden.”

It’s beyond “living on the margins” and really looks like Feist now promotes “living in the margins”.

And… Of Course… There is a huffy quote from self appointed standards oracle Martin Holladay: “I still say the metrics are arbitrary. Why 0.0 human inhabitants? What’s that even based on? Central Europe, is what.” But, Holladay huffed, “Who can be surprised? This was all foretold by inscriptions made in the thermal mass of the Saskatchewan Conservation House.”

See the article at Building Green: http://www2.buildinggreen.com/article/rooms-waste-space-says-feist-dissolves-passivhaus?utm_source=BuildingGreen.com+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=12d11c7d22-BGB_2014_April_Fools_3_31_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d558b0594a-12d11c7d22-157062169&mc_cid=12d11c7d22&mc_eid=db1d06d3fe

Hmmm… I wonder what materials these new envelops will need?? Nothing but foam??? I think the Small Planet Workshop will go the way of the dinosaur. Doubly sad for me!