Our planet is fragile, and it is clear that our actions have and continue to affect the Earth.  Change is required if we are to slow and ultimately reverse this phenomenon, and to achieve this, sound, sustainable, eco-design and construction using both established traditional techniques as well as renewable modern methods & materials need to be incorporated in all projects:

• Orientation: the positioning of a property to maximise the beneficial effects of solar gain.

• Insulation: Simple formula: more insulation = less energy required (& lower heating bills!)

• Natural Daylight: Light from the sun costs us nothing, use more of it via well insulated windows, rooflights and sun pipes.

• Timber: One of the most environmentally friendly, sustainable and renewable building materials, using and locking up CO2, adaptable for so many things, from timber frame construction, cladding, flooring, windows and roofing to name a few.

• Lime: Used for both traditional and modern construction in floors and walls to help the structure ‘breathe’ and move, as well as absorbing CO2.

• Straw Bales: Simple, cost effective & renewable form of construction, offering high thermal and sound insulation levels.

• Green Roofs: Particularly energy efficient, adding thermal mass to a roof structure, and reducing storm-water run-off, as well as providing a great looking ‘green’ roof covering.

• Solar: Solar electric (Photovoltaics) which use sunlight to generate electricity & solar thermal panels to produce hot water.

• Ground Source Heat Pumps: drawing low-grade heat from large volumes of liquid and converting it into high-grade heat to provide underfloor heating in your building.

• Rainwater Harvesting: Re-using our abundant supply of rain for toilet flushing to garden watering.

• Reed Bed Waste Water Treatment: the eco-option for waste treatment using a reed bed filtration process.

• Natural Paints & Oils: use of paints that do not contain solvents, toxins or VOC’s which can result in headaches and allergies.

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Image courtesy of Stephane Roux Ltd.