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Yes you can live in a sustainable building that has a traditional style. It just takes a bit of thought to get it right. We now have on the continent all the techniques and materials to build very low energy buildings that do not need heating systems... the Passivhaus standard. This standard can be equally applied to traditionally styled buildings. European clay block manufacturers make blocks having u values as low as U=0.18W/m2.K (Poroton T8). Or you can use an etics external thermal insulation systems with rendered finishes for example on a timber or masonry structure. Its just the 5 to 6 years of indoctrination of architectes and a continuing prejudice that is the problem. John Daglish, B. Arch author Guide raisonné de la construction écologique, Bâtir Sain, France