Also – if they are in air tight houses, how can they light fires? How can they even increase their activity levels to generate more heat.

The whole idea is stupid.

I am not saying it is insurmountable, but generally cultures where people expect to live in this manner are better prepared for it. For example, people who need social housing in Belfast are unlikely to be able to afford the cost of several small heaters to keep their house warm. Central heating is one of the more cost effective ways of keeping your house at an acceptable temperature.

Obviously the goal is for it to save energy, however I dont think it will achieve this. People will do things like running electric heaters, having the fire on more (etc) which will require more energy.

I suspect that all this will do is transfer where the energy cost takes place, rather than reduce it. The idea that people are paying high rates, and self building, these properties, which are (IMHO of course) below the normal standard is strange.

Anyway, the central heating wasn’t the primary spark for the post – I found the concept of the houses being “air tight” so comical I couldn’t pass it up.

This doesn’t seem terribly bad, and should save significant energy costs in the long run.