Worcestershire keeps up eco-commitments: Worcestershire County Council has long delivered high quality, environmentally sustainable buildings, but in 2010 a new framework gave the Council the opportunity to go even further. Andrew Peasgood, Framework Manager for the West Midlands Contractor Framework at Worcestershire County Council, explains how they’ve got on...
Lancaster Cohousing project - part 5: - Lancaster Cohousing Project is a certified Passivhaus / Code for Sustainable Homes, level 6 and Life Time Homes, affordable community housing project, which has evolved through a participatory design process with the individual householders and Eco Arc Architects.
Local timber for local homes and buildings: - A new innitiative in Wales, named after an ancient phrase - Ty Unnos, promotes and encourages the use of home grown Welsh timber. It has the potential to add value to the local timber supply chain, offer job and training opportunities for the timber and construction industries in rural areas, as well as providing affordable, energy-efficient homes as its end product. Olwyn Pritchard reports ...
Feed-in tarrif and new energy efficiency rules: - In our winter 2011 issue, we reported on the feed-in tariff (FIT) review and the devastating impact of the early reference date for a tariff reduction for solar PV. In our spring issue this year we reported on the confusion caused by the various legal challenges and appeals. In the summer issue, we expanded the debate to include future cost controls for solar PV, including the new energy efficiency rules. In this issue Jerry Clark investigates how those rules, along with the tariff cuts, have affected installation activity.
AECB Local Groups, A good way to stay inspired: AECB – The AECB – the sustainable building association, has a network of local groups across England and Scotland. These provide a great opportunity to meet with fellow AECB members. For more details of dates and venues visit the AECB website (www.aecb.net) or contact debbie@aecb.net. The following reports from local group events give a flavour of some of the activities you could get involved with. Members are keen to share their knowledge and expertise on different aspects of sustainable building.
SuperHomers embrace passive solar: - Passive solar design is no longer limited to Passivhaus and new-build housing projects. It is creeping its way into domestic retrofit too. Homeowners, with the freedom to extend their properties and glaze a south facing façade, are starting to take greater advantage of the sun’s light and warmth. This is reducing the need for artificial lighting, heating and cooling in their homes. Gordon Glass reports ...
From caravan to eco-cabin (cover story): Cheap, cheerful and very cosy, this small eco-cabin was built for less than £10,000 as a replacement for an old static caravan. Truly sustainable living! Olwyn Pritchard reports ...
Energy station showcases as a visitor centre: - The Apedale Energy Station, set in Staffordshire’s Apedale Community Country Park, is a visitor centre designed to showcase renewable energy technology and low carbon building techniques. Kevin Parslow, CEO of Evance Wind Turbines, and Adrian Sutherland of Staffordshire County Council tell the story of the building’s design and construction, and outline how its ongoing energy needs are supported by two small wind turbines
AECB conference - ‘never mind the greenwash’: - This year the AECB’s conference was held in June at the new academic building, Goldsmiths University, London. The programme seemed fuller than ever. Kate de Selincourt gives a flavour of what went on. So much is packed in to an AECB conference, one can hardly call it a single event. There are always several meaty workshops running concurrently; depending on your particular interests. The 2012 conference focussed on air quality and the effectiveness of ventilation; a challenge to the ‘anti-science’ view of the ‘sustainable materials’ agenda; an exploration of relationships between the natural world and the built environment; a demonstration of AECB expertise in the service of disadvantaged communities. As usual it was a great chance to learn real practical tips and techniques.
Intelligent buildings - sustainable or just lazy?: - Is laziness is a bad thing? Surrounded by every comfort, maybe things are getting too easy. There are probably those people out there who yearn for the days when changing the channel meant getting up out of the seat and pressing a button. There are probably those who relish the daily exercise of chopping wood and making a fire to heat their homes. There are probably those who shun the washing machine in favour of a mangle and ‘washday’. There must be a sizeable number of people who pour scorn on the idea of things getting any easier. Are we are already too lazy, too cosseted and too dependent on technology? The spellchecker makes us lazy spellers, the calculator erodes our mental arithmetic faculties ... . Gavin Harper investigates the rise in the desire for intelligent (or ‘smart’) buildings ...
Nature provides a solution to bird strike on glazing: - A lookout tower on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne has been fitted with special glass in an attempt to save the lives of birds. The tower, opened by the prince of Wales recently, is the first UK location to use the newly developed glazing material.
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