https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/ Building science knowledge, HVAC design, & fun Mon, 08 Nov 2021 17:45:54 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/#comment-5074 Tue, 11 Dec 2012 23:03:02 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home#comment-5074 I have built my own house, my
I have built my own house, my sisters house, a spec house, and a commercial building all to be as green as reasonable and somewhat innovative in many ways.On the commercial building I used several sub-contractors and the others were built without any professional help. All were substantially completed in less than six months but I did not hold any other job. I also did my own design so simplified things as much as possible. I found that my own house which had the simplest design and the most advance planning went up the fastest and easiest. Experience helped as this was my third complete build. Instead of contractors or cheap help I used two experienced laborers for 3 months and although not finished I was able to move in at just over 3 months. This was a nearly 1800 sq.ft. build. No matter what your confidence level I cannot over emphasize the importance of planning. In fact I spent much more time in planning than I did on the actual build. We are now planning a move and another new house in another locality and have already been planning (as well as purchasing material) for 2 months and more although I will not start actual construction until next may. We purchased the property 5 months ago. Counting everything the actual build time would be over a year but construction itself should not take too long. Of course in Alberta the prime construction period is quite short and winter can bring you to a dead stop or make building much more costly. I am a firm believer in preparing slowly and carefully to build very fast. I am of course self delusional in believing I can prepare for every eventuality and this has led to errors and poor methods in the past but every build goes smoother than the last.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/#comment-5073 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 11:38:50 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home#comment-5073 Boy, this article made me
Boy, this article made me smile! 
 
My car was a ’69 Alfa Romeo. Fuel injected, dual overhead cams, aluminum block with cast iron sleeves, and way over my head. Took over a year as I recall. 
 
My house (built with SIPS, so it should go up fast!) was two months out for about a year and a half!

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/#comment-5072 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:01:01 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home#comment-5072 Allison, 

Allison, 
It sounds like we have some things in common. 
 
Out of neccesity, I performed all kinds of major surgery on my first vehicle (an ’88 suzuki samurai) – it’s how I got started learning all the mechanical skills I enjoy having today. 
 
I’ve always ascibed this tendancy to “bite off” more than most people would “want to chew” to having somewhat of an excess of confidence and being somewhat of a “go-getter”. 
 
But I’m not so sure I would consider myself as being delusional for doing some of the things I’ve done… 
 
Before tackling a project like building my own house, there is no proof either way that I am destined to succeed or fail – only in the attempt will I learn which it will be. 
 
I would reserve “delusional” for someone that persists in actions or trains of reasoning in spite of empirical reality – ie, persistence despite proof of failure. 
 
All this being said… 
That our society persists in maintaining an economic system that is demonstrably at odds with its own survival begs the question of whether all of us, collectively, aren’t a very delusional species.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/#comment-5071 Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:25:41 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home#comment-5071 My only problem with this is
My only problem with this is that you describe optimism not self-delusion. 
 
When you achieve, and thus raise your confidence, this is not as a result of delusion but unreasonable pessimism that you vanquished – well done !

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/#comment-5070 Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:46:18 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home#comment-5070 They say that we only use a
They say that we only use a small percentage of our brains. But what if we folks (and I’m one of them) that try to live on dreams and ambition, and somehow (almost) always come out ahead, are actually acting on things that our simple minds do not fully comprehend (and we therefore chalk up to risky/naive behavior) and yet our “better” minds have actually accounted for in a very practical way – and we are simply not aware of it? Oh well, wait, I’m not sure which part of my brain is writing this….

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home/#comment-5069 Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:26:04 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=harnessing-the-power-of-self-delusion-to-build-a-green-home#comment-5069 Love this… In between
Love this… In between building jobs (i.e. at night, in the garage) I’m rebuilding a 1974 motorcycle from the ground up right now in prep for a cross-country trip in the spring/summer. Absolutely no clue what I’m doing – mostly just persistence and delusion.

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