Just curious to know - anyone going to Ecobuild next week? Anything in particular you're hoping to see there, or is it just an event for architects and sustainability folk?
LibLob:is it just an event for architects and sustainability folk?
Pretty much.
People who actually build things are either (a) building them, or (b) trying to find new things they can build.
The days when we could stand around scratching our chins about sustainability belong to a distant era when it was all boom and no bust!
Frank Heaven:The days when we could stand around scratching our chins about sustainability belong to a distant era when it was all boom and no bust!
House Martin: The problem that seems to escape everyone is that by laying off so many people we are in danger of losing a whole generation of skilled workers who may never return to the industry, leaving the country with a big skills gap for when the economy starts growing again. A far better idea would surely be to keep them working, and ideally learning new skills for green economy.
There is no value in pessimism. The economy is in trouble, but dwelling on the doom and gloom will get us nowhere. All opportunities should be seized, so if there's a chance we can become a greener nation in the process of recovering from the recession, why not?
I'm going to Ecobuild. I agree totally with House Martin, the downturn is an opportunity to retrain workers that mustn't be missed.
Have to admit though, I do fall into category a, in that I am in the process of buying a barn which is an eco conversion, so my reason for attending is for these two reasons.
CW
Carolyn Walsh:I am in the process of buying a barn which is an eco conversion
As a matter of interest, what work are you doing to the barn?
If you're giving the place a green makeover, I hope you won't be using Kevin McLeod's health and safety manual!
Good grief no!
Although, I did hear why H&S is so bad on Grand Design's builds -apparently the Fun Doctors all had heart attacks the minute they walked on site!!!!
As for the work on the barn, it's going to be the works. It's 17th Century so a thatched roof is going on. As there will be rainwater harvesting we've got to renovate a pantile roofed victorian cartlodge nearby. Eco sewage treatment plant on site and ground source heat pump. Limecrete floor slab and on some walls, and if there is room, which I now doubt, the three walls in the barn will be straw bale.
It's on the site of an old priory, so we are awaiting a brief to send to the Archeaologists before we can start. In the meantime I've traced the previous owners family back to 1841 at least and to 1631 in the same village.
I can't wait!!!!!!!!
Wow, that is seriously impressive.
I have thought about a ground source heat pump myself before, but these things require some pretty big trenches digging out. Presumably you have quite a bit of land to play with around the property? Not to mention a decent excavator!
Are you also going for underfloor heating?
That's a lot of work you've got on your hands, and it doesn't sound cheap either.
I heard it's possible to get a grant for a ground-source heat pump, have you managed to get one? It would certainly help!
We are going for underfloor heating. It sits in almost half an acre of land so plenty of space for ground source heat pump, we'll get a grant of £1500.
We've been unlucky though, the barn on the Buildings at Risk register so we should have got a grant from the Local Authority. After we'd started buying it, we were told that the grant had been withdrawn. I love the place so we've gone ahead anyway, it'll just take us longer and we'll have to do more work ourselves.
A shame about the Buildings at Risk grant falling through, but good work getting one for the ground source heat pump. Any idea what your energy cost savings on this will be per year?
Carolyn Walsh:We are going for underfloor heating. It sits in almost half an acre of land so plenty of space for ground source heat pump, we'll get a grant of £1500.
I second that HM, shame about the Buildings at Risk grant, but good youre getting some cash towards the ground-source heat pump.
How was your trip to Ecobuild? Were there any new products/techniques you came across that you might use on your barn conversion?
I seriously enjoyed Ecobuild, it was like walking into an Aladdin's cave of eco products. We walked away with two bags full of leaflets and brochures, so are guilty for the demise of at least one tree, which wasn't really fitting given the event.
I'd seen most of the pumps and rainwater harvesting outfits etc on the web, so it was interesting to see the real thing, but also found unexpected things like someone who makes recycled ali screens which we can use in places where the barn's brickwork is just too damaged to look 'rustic'.
Also, I'd heard about insulating paint but hadn't realised that you can buy a powder to increase any paint's insulating property.
I was there with two hats on, as I'm involved in the Constructing Excellence Club in Essex and it's running a 'Sustainability Essex' event in September. It's aim is to bring what's available to, and to raise awareness in, local construction companies, so I made a bundle of contacts too.
All in all a very worthwhile trip.
Anyone else go? Did you find it useful?
I did not go, but from your trip it sound quite interesting and also a bit more consumer-orientated than I thought it would be?
How's the 'grand design' coming along Carolyn? Had any more eco-ideas for the barn?
It has ground to a bit of a halt because the deeds turned up and they don't actually relate to the barn that I am trying to buy! As it was built in the 16th or 17th Century perhaps it doesn't exist officially. It's on various other registers so it will get sorted eventually.
Also whatever they say about banks being made to start lending again are not strictly true. I am still waiting for the mortgage offer because as a company boss, and a construction one at that, the lender is taking their time and some.
I'm going down the route of re-mortgaging another property to buy the barn outright if I have to, when the correct deeds materialise that is.
I'm also buying another property which should complete in a couple of weeks so I have somewhere to live near my office, and that's been a nightmare too. I should have gone on Relocation Relocation and Grand Design!
If it's any consolation, I don't conveyancers are too overworked at the moment, so once you get to that stage things should move pretty quick.
A friend of mine moved house recently in three weeks!