Letter: Tackling the puzzle of low-carbon domestic energy (2)

From Karen Hinchley, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, UK

I am pleased by the progress in planning new homes that Vaughan outlines. But the suggestion that a space can be “airtight, but still well-ventilated” is confusing.

Should air trapped in an airtight home be recirculated? How would moisture escape? Dehumidifiers need electricity and moisture-absorptive materials have to be recharged (more electricity consumption) or replaced (recycled or landfilled).

The editor writes:

We mean only that houses should be built in a way that avoids unintentional draughts, not that no air can get in and out.