For those looking for sustainable, environmentally-friendly flooring, recycled is definitely the way to go. Reclaimed wood and recycled glass tiles are some more common options but recycled ceramic tiles are also worth considering. They are incredibly durable, with a very hard, scratch-resistant surface, and often more stain- and moisture-resistant than [...]
Sustainable building has taken off round the world, with developments happening in one country being copied and improved upon in another. This is in part due to increased media coverage and social awareness of the issues affecting the environment through climate change, and an understanding of the need to use [...]
Have you ever driven around at night and seen offices and factories with lights blazing through the windows, even though no is will be working there until the next day (or even the next week)? You might have wondered why they did it, then forgotten about it when the traffic [...]
Are you one of those people who regards the opportunity to travel to meetings and conferences, especially those abroad, as a perk of the job, a chance to see some foreign places on company time and at their expense? You'll hardly be alone if are you are. People fight for [...]
So you’ve made up your mind that you’re going for an eco-friendly flooring – something made from renewable materials that have been sustainably harvested, with minimal damage to the environment and which will biodegrade when disposed of, so that it does not clog up landfills. Also, something which has been [...]
As we all become increasingly aware of the importance of being environmentally responsible and caring for our planet so that we preserve our natural resources, we are also becoming increasingly aware that being “green” has many advantages for our own health too! A great example of this is flooring – [...]
For those who care about being environmentally-responsible and have made the effort to install sustainable flooring, the final step is eco-friendly floor cleaning. This involves using cleaning products which are plant-based and do not release harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, waterways or general environment, as well as choosing cleaning methods [...]
Aside from the actual materials that flooring is made of, the manufacture and transport of flooring can also have a negative impact on the environment. Both processes use large amounts of energy and resources, as well as producing significant amounts of waste and pollution – all leading to damage to [...]
So you know that you want to invest in eco-friendly flooring and now you just need to decide on the option that offers you the best combination of durability, practicality, aesthetics and price. So here is a comparison of popular options to help you with your choice: Sustainable Hardwood (FSC-certified) [...]
If you’re considering hardwood as an eco-friendly flooring option, then one thing you should be doing is familiarising yourself with the 3 letters “FSC” and what they mean. They stand for the “Forest Stewardship Council” which – although it is not the only sustainability accreditation scheme in the world – [...]
If you’re looking for truly sustainable flooring, it would be hard to go past bamboo. As the fastest-growing woody plant on earth, bamboo is the ultimate renewable resource and probably one of the most environmentally-friendly types of flooring material you can install. Hard Grass? Bamboo is actually not a tree [...]
If you want flooring that is quiet, warm and soft underfoot, as well as being completely renewable and 100% biodegradable, then cork flooring is for you! Cork is one of nature’s most unique materials. It is incredibly elastic and compressible, and thus soft underfoot, while at the same time being [...]
While we all know that we should make the environmentally-responsible choice, sometimes this can be difficult due to practical and financial constraints. There are also some who may wonder if choosing natural, sustainable products really IS a better option in real, practical terms – as opposed to just to joining [...]
Climate change has far greater repercussions than the mere inconvenience of an unbearably hot summer or even the worry of unpredictable winter floods. Climate change has a significant impact on the environment which can lead to severe changes in how we live – for example, climate change on a global [...]
For those of us wanting to make the sustainable choice, it’s important to know what certification to look for, to ensure that we are not paying for a product or service that does not really live up to its environmentally-friendly reputation. Unfortunately, flooring can be one of the most eco-damaging [...]
While many of us love the look of wood flooring, we are equally keen to make sure that the wood is from sustainable sources. With the wealth of timber species and wood types on offer, it is sometimes hard to know exactly what to choose. So here is a quick [...]
Is it possible to choose carpet as flooring and still be environmentally-responsible? Is there such a thing as a “green carpet”? This is a controversial issue that has been debated at length. For some there is confusion over what actually constitutes a “green” carpet. A lot obviously depends on the [...]
While synthetic carpet is one of the most popular choices for floor coverings, it is also one of the unhealthiest types of flooring, both for you and for the environment. What’s Wrong with Synthetic Carpet? The first thing is its composition, which is primarily made up of petroleum products, such [...]
As we all try to lower our carbon footprint, business has a role to play, too. That’s especially true of the retailers where we buy things. At supermarkets we’ve become used to purchasing virtually any kind of fruit or vegetable at any time of the year, often without giving a [...]
As we become more “eco-conscious” and aware of the damage we are causing our planet, we have become keen to explore more ways to be more environmentally responsible, such as through recycling and re-using materials and reducing waste. Now there is a new focus on how we clean and what [...]
For many of us, carpet is still the top choice of flooring, whether it is for its superior insulation, its softness or even just it’s “look”. But choosing carpet need not mean irresponsibility towards the environment. Many of us are taking care to choose carpets made of natural fibres or [...]
In our quest for environmental-responsibility, we often come across terms like “renewable” and “recycled” which are used to describe products and influence our purchasing decisions. But what exactly do these terms mean? Recycled The process of recycling takes existing products and re-processes them into new products. In this way, it [...]
More and more, people are looking to using the wind to generate power. Wind farms are sprouting up everywhere, both on the land and offshore, and individuals are installing them on their land, and even on their houses – Conservative leader David Cameron has one. They work well alongside solar [...]
As people become more aware of the damage caused to our planet through the misuse and waste of resources, they are starting to look for factors beyond price and style in their search for flooring – for many people keen to be environmentally-responsible, choosing sustainable flooring has become a priority. [...]
If you’re keen to be environmentally responsible but would also like a bit of urban chic, look no further than recycled metal tiles. Certainly, metal is not the first material that comes to mind when you think of tiles – or even when you think of “green” flooring – but [...]
Deforestation leads to many negative effects on the environment, from physical degradation to reduced biodiversity, global warming to disturbance of the water cycle. It is important to be aware of and understand these effects, so that steps can be taken to minimize their impact. Why is it a Problem? Deforestation [...]
Many people wishing to make the environmentally-friendly choice often choose linoleum over vinyl as it is generally believed to be more eco-friendly. However, this may not be completely true and it is worth making a comprehensive comparison of the two flooring types before making a decision. Vinyl and Linoleum – [...]
Sisal carpets are a good choice for those looking at sustainable flooring options, both in the home and office or other commercial settings. What is Sisal? Sisal is a natural fibre extracted from the leaves of the Agave Sisalana, a succulent plant, which grows in dry, desert climates such as [...]
While we would all love to always choose the eco-friendly options when it comes to flooring, sometimes – due to finances, availability of suppliers, practicality, climate or other restrictions – we are unable to go for a completely natural fibre flooring or sustainable timber flooring. Sometimes, it just has to [...]
While some may not feel that stone is an eco-friendly option for flooring - due to the fact that quarrying and the rest of the excavation process may have a serious negative impact on the environment – if the stone is taken from a well-managed quarry, then it can be [...]
Quarrying is necessary to provide much of the materials used in traditional hard flooring, such as granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, slate and even just clay to make ceramic tiles. However, like many other man-made activities, quarrying causes a significant impact on the environment. In particular, it is often necessary to [...]
Coir is actually the fibre from the husk of the coconut and it is probably the oldest form of natural plant covering for floors, with its use dating back for centuries. It is incredibly strong and durable and is thus a great alternative to sisal and other softer forms of [...]
For those who like the look and function of ceramics, granite and marble but wish to choose a more environmentally-friendly alternative for their flooring, recycled glass tiles is a good option. Not only does it have all the advantages of those materials but it also combines them with the advantages [...]
What is Jute? Just is the fibrous inner bark from the stalk of a giant tropical herb, named Cochorus, which is a member of the Linden family and is closely related to hemp. These plants are grown in southern India and other hot, damp regions of Asia and after the [...]
It might seem like a true backwards step to think of wood-burning stoves as a way to reduce carbon emissions. After all, didn't we abandon them long ago to move to coal and finally central heating? Can burning wood even reduce a carbon footprint? The simple answer is that although [...]
For those wanting to “go green” but unwilling to compromise on style and quality, reclaimed wood flooring could be the way to go. Not only is reclaimed wood flooring as beautiful as traditional wood flooring but it often has additional historical value and character which cannot be replicated in modern [...]
Deforestation occurs when trees are permanently destroyed and removed from a naturally forested area and the land is converted for use as either arable land or pasture for grazing animals, for urban development or simply into wasteland, as the trees are consumed by the logging industry. Unfortunately, deforestation inevitably leads [...]
Hi I'm John Budworth, head gardender at Norton Priory Museum and gardens. On behalf of Sustainable Build.co.uk, I' going to talk about the eco build at Norton Priory museum and gardens. We were looking for indoor space at Norton Priory, we looked at three options, converting the existing buildings, introduction [...]
Video Transcript Hello I'm Colin Braithwaite and this is my son Philip we're from Braith-Heritage Supplies. We're working with sustainablebuild.co.uk and we are going to give you a short demonstration on lime plastering. First of all we will just damp the wall down. Obviously this is a random, rough, rubber [...]
Video Transcript Hello I'm Colin Braithwaite and this is my son Philip, where from Braith-Heritage supplies, were working with sustainablebuilde.co.uk to give you a short video on lime washing. Philip will now start to apply the lime wash. This is some lime plaster that we applied earlier, and obviously we [...]
Hello I'm Colin Braithwaite from Braithe Heritage supplies. We're working with Sustainable Build.co.uk and we're just going to show you some of the tools that we use for Lime Pointing. We'll start at the beginning with safety goggles which are cheap and cheerful and well worth the expense. Lime water [...]
Video Transcript Hello I'm Colin Braithwaite and this is my son Philip, we are from Braith-Heritage supplies. we are working with sustainablebuild.co.uk, and we are going to give you a short demonstration on lime pointing. What you will see now is Philip chipping out the pointing. What we try to [...]
We’re a consumer society. These days it often seems, we live to buy things. But the more new things we buy, the more energy is used in making and transporting them. That all goes into our carbon footprint and adds to the country’s CO2 emissions. But it’s as if we’re [...]
The revolution in farm shops and farmers’ markets began about a decade ago. Revolution might seem like a strong term but in many ways, that’s exactly what it was. It was a revolt against the way food had become so homogenous and mass-produced. The supermarkets had taken over, and many [...]
Everything we buy comes with packaging. The big problem is that there’s generally far too much of it. Often there’s far more packaging than item and we just end up throwing it away since so much of it is made of plastic or of some other material that can’t be [...]
There’s a price to pay for everything item of food you buy at the supermarket. That price is not just how much it costs in money but also the food miles involved. What are food miles? In a nutshell, it’s how far the food has to travel from where it’s [...]
We British love our holidays. Tourism has become a major industry – you only have to look to see travel agents everywhere offering every type of break not to mention the ability to book online. We’ve come to take the ability to jump onto a plane and go somewhere different [...]
Let’s take this idea as a starting point: cars pollute the atmosphere. They emit CO2 at a tremendous rate and heavily contribute to greenhouse gases. Add to that the fact that our roads were never designed to cope with the amount of traffic now on them which means slower travel [...]
Over the last few years aviation has been in the news a lot. It’s become so cheap and commonplace that now it’s a huge polluter. Between 1990 and 2000 UK aviation emissions from CO2 doubled, while carbon from other sources dropped by 9%. To make matters worse, the impact of [...]
The vehicles we drive be they cars, vans, or even the big lorries that move things all over Europe, they are bad for the planet. We know that. We know they dump far too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and add to the total of greenhouse gases around the [...]
You might well be wondering how what you eat can affect your carbon footprint or even if it can. But the truth is that your diet really can have an effect on climate change, albeit indirectly. The vast majority of us eat meat with most meals. We might have other [...]
There’s no doubt that the popularity of organic food is increasing – you simply have to look at the produce and meat sections of your local supermarket to realise that. People believe it’s healthier and better for us to eat food that hasn’t been touched by chemicals. But can eating [...]
Cycling is a wonderful carbon-neutral method of transportation, although of course, carbon is generated in making the bicycle. Ignore that issue, though, and they can be ideal for many people. Apart from zero CO2 emissions, cycling provides great exercise, which is good for your weight and your heart, although, of [...]
Walking. It’s the most carbon-friendly form of transportation pushing absolutely no CO2 into the atmosphere. True, it’s not as fast as a car, or even a bicycle, but for most of the time man has been on the planet, it’s been our main way of moving from A to B. [...]
Solar power is a viable, sustainable alternative way to generate energy. You might not be able to meet all your needs this way, but even providing part of them means you’re significantly lowering your carbon footprint. Solar Water Heating If you’re going to attempt any one thing with solar power, [...]
The gospel of recycling has been preached for quite a few years now and it’s a very good one, too. The UK has come a long way with recycling, but compared to other countries, it still has a long way to go. The Purpose of Recycling The main aim of [...]
For the most part we use petrol to fuel our cars. The move to unleaded petrol has certainly helped reduce the CO2 emissions of vehicles but we still put a lot of carbon into the atmosphere from driving – you only have to consider how clogged our roads are to [...]
You might consider your garden the greenest part of your home and in many ways you’d be right. Apart from being a thing of beauty, your garden itself doesn’t put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. But have you considered making your garden more useful? Instead of being ornamental, it could [...]
When you use your appliances do you ever think about the carbon footprint they’re leaving? Probably not – why would you? You use them, and that’s that. But your fridge is contributing to climate change 24 hours a day, and so is your stove, hob, TV…everything you switch on. But [...]
Let’s face it it’s difficult to get excited about insulation. It’s just one of those topics that most people believe has to be addressed. But in the fight to reduce your carbon footprint, insulation can be an important weapon (and the fact that over time it far more than pays [...]
Recycling the objects and materials we use on a daily basis is now such an urgent task that Governments, Local Councils and concerned individuals are all searching for ways to both inspire people to recycle, and to enforce recycling laws. Recycling is so urgent because we as a human community [...]
Every time we switch on the light or the television we’re pushing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It’s a fact of life. Most of the time, we don’t even feel guilty about it, or even think of it that way. Instead, we use appliances and feel warm, and each of [...]
There are plenty of simple easy things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. They won’t cost you a penny and you’ll barely even notice the difference in your life. That’s not to say every change is this easy. But if you look at the amount of carbon (and [...]
We’re trapped in a vicious cycle. We need energy to power the things we use every day but what we use to produce that energy has been killing the planet slowly for the last 250 years. Oil, coal, gas – the fossil fuels – are also running out. The reserves [...]
By now, although a few might argue to the contrary, we generally accept that global warming, otherwise known as climate change, is one of the biggest problem – if not the biggest problem – facing humanity today. Politicians and scientists talk about it, and there have been a number of [...]
We all want to think of a world in the future to be a place where our kids and grandkids can grow up peaceful and happy. We want them to enjoy the same advantages as us, if not have more of their own. The reality could prove to be significantly [...]
There are many different government plans from around the world that might cut carbon. But there are also plans for individuals to help compensate for the carbon they’ve pumped into the atmosphere which is where carbon offsetting comes in. It started to become popular a few years ago, when people [...]
Carbon Neutrality – the state where we’re not pushing out any carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or at least offsetting what we do pump – is an ideal. It would mean we’re not adding to climate change. It’s something you hear about often, as one company or another puts out [...]
Global warming, climate change, greenhouse gases…we read about them all the time. By now we know that it’s one of our biggest problems. But all too often it seems like the province of governments, discussing possible agreements to lower carbon emissions, or talking about ideas like carbon trading. That’s all [...]
You’ve almost certainly heard the term “carbon footprint” – in fact it’s been impossible to ignore it over the last few years. We all have one, as individuals, businesses, homes, and countries. In essence, it’s the amount of carbon we – or our houses, business, cars, and so on – [...]
You don’t have to measure your carbon footprint in order to start reducing it but go on, admit it – you’re curious, aren’t you? You want to know just how much (or hopefully how little) an impact you’re having on the planet. It’s a case where smaller really is more [...]
Humans live in a very anthropocentric world; that is most of us, unless we are farmers, or live deep within the countryside, spend our time dealing with other people, and not thinking about the wider world. Human dis-connection with the natural world is one of the great themes of the [...]
Sunrooms and greenhouses are a wonderful asset to any type of building be they attached to the building or freestanding in another part of the garden or property. These types of rooms are traditionally made mainly with glass, rather than brick or stone – or can be brick up to [...]
Renovating an old house or simply refitting is perhaps the most sustainable means of construction. If the outer shell is kept, and the project needs no major building effort, then the potential environmental damage of sourcing and bringing in new materials and machinery is reduced or is none at all. [...]
Photovoltaics are cells made from glass and steel that convert light into electricity. Inside the core of the cell are components known as photodiodes, which feed the incoming solar rays into semiconductors, which react with the sunlight, thus converting to electricity. This is an extremely effective way of harnessing power [...]
Passive solar design is a technique that uses the heat of the sun to regulate a building's temperature without using other energy sources. It is one of the ultimate forms of sustainable building design as if 100% successful, the buildings design and construction incorporates enough means to allow solar energy [...]
Bamboo is a woody evergreen plant traditionally grown in South-East Asia, and now grown across India and the Himalayas, North-East Australia, and South-West America. It grows in diverse climate zones, and can spread rapidly, unless prevented or deliberately cultivated. It has traditionally been regarded by Chinese society as a symbol [...]
Lighting accounts for around 15% of the energy bill in most homes, and around 25% in commercial buildings. It is supplied by electrical power plants using fossil fuels, and is responsible for a significant percentage of carbon dioxide emissions, a leading cause of global climate change. Because of this, the [...]
Most of us are by now, well aware that as consumers, we are all responsible for doing our bit to reduce carbon emissions and to help save the planet. And, although sustainable build projects are largely still in their infancy, the government, with the help of other organisations who have [...]
Financing your sustainable development project is an issue which, over recent times, has been addressed by certain lenders. Wherever you live you’ll have noticed that the amount of green space surrounding the area in which you live seems to recede with each passing year as more and more housing developments [...]
There are several different reasons why people are ‘going green’ when it comes to looking at a buying or building a home which is friendlier to the environment. For many, their overall environmental awareness and belief that they have a moral responsibility to uphold their environmental values in every aspect [...]
Sustainable development is concerned with creating a sustainable build that should be exactly that i.e. “sustainable” and lasting. It should really be about ‘less is more’. Therefore, in order to create your ideal living space without going over budget, it’s important to bear these thoughts in mind when you get [...]
If you have calculated your personal total carbon footprint and also that of your house, as detailed on our page ' Calculating your home's carbon output', and are shocked to see the size of your carbon footprint, then here are some practical ways to reduce the carbon output from your [...]
In his 2006 pre-Budget speech the Chancellor at the time, Gordon Brown mentioned his wish to see Carbon Neutral homes being built throughout the UK, and this year, Communities Minister Ruth Kelly fleshed this wish out with solid Governmental plans. These include tightening local planning and building regulations, to emphasize [...]
Green mortgages have started to become more popular over the last few years. We’re all becoming more environmentally aware and no more is this true than in the case of families with children. Parents are only too aware of the damage that’s been caused to the planet by mankind and [...]
Media attention has shifted over the past year from encouraging us to calculate our personal carbon footprint that is how much carbon we individually use to live the lifestyle that we do annually, to now calculating the carbon footprint of our house as well, and then doing all we can [...]
Green property audit or put more simply, environmental auditing, is a relatively new service available to individuals in their own home, to assess and advise upon living in a more environmentally friendly way. Environmental auditing is a term that has been in use for a while – Governments and International [...]
The UK Government, through a website of its Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), has recently launched a scheme called the Low Carbon Building's Programme. This is an initiative by the Government in order to meet national and International targets to reduce pollution, with the intention to reduce the effects [...]
Climate change, smog, acid rain and ozone depletion are all created by air pollution, and pose a serious threat to the environment and our health. In the UK, air pollution is responsible for around 32,000 deaths every year, with thousands more requiring hospital treatment. Direct causes of death include asthma, [...]
There is an urgent need to address the great challenges of our times: climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and peak oil. These issues are all accelerating rapidly, and all have strong links with the building industry. There is a growing consensus from scientists and the oil industry that we are [...]
To construct a building, lay the foundations, build walls, or even doing the weekly shopping, we use resources, be they brick, stone, wood, cardboard or plastic wrapping. Recently a UK Government minister angered the food industry by suggesting that supermarket shoppers could protest the amount of plastic used in food [...]
Lime has been used in building techniques for over 5,000 years. Archaeological evidence shows it to have been in existence for this time frame due to its resilience, durability, and water resistant qualities. The Romans used lime extensively in their building programme in Britain, and refined its application into mortars [...]
The need to find new types of renewable energy is urgent - oil reserves are running out, and quickly. The lifestyles that we in the Western world have developed as a result of seemingly plentiful energy resources either have to dramatically change or we need alternative sources to produce the [...]
Wind generators are generating a lot of interest right now, due to a high street DIY chain offering the first small wind generator commonly available for the home. We understand the argument that we need to dramatically reduce the emissions from the fuel and carbon we use, and wind as [...]
The debate about the use of fossil fuels has reached a heightened pitch, with environmental campaigners, scientists, politicians, representatives of the fossil-fuel companies, such as Bp, Shell, and Esso, all pitching in with their arguments. The general public often gets lost in the midst of all this frenzied, passionate debate, [...]
People have built homes using straw, grass, or reed throughout history. During the late 1800s on the American plains however, straw bales houses were a matter of necessity; there was no lumber for construction. Now, with the rise in interest in sustainable housing, there's been a revival in straw bale [...]
Although housing with wood frames is very common in many parts of the world (America, for example), it's not often found in Britain these days. Yet it's a very durable form (the oldest standing timber building in the U.K. dates from the 12th century). It's a good, sustainable resource (at [...]
The UK construction industry is responsible for producing over 36 million tonnes of landfill waste every year. This is approximately 35% of total waste generated, with domestic residential waste accounting for an additional 10%. It has been estimated that UK landfill sites will be filled in as little as 6 [...]
Making buildings with dirt is an idea that's been around almost as long as man has been on earth. We've all done it -as kids most of us built little things with mud. Cob building, a tradition from Cumbria and Southwest England, is like that, but on a bigger scale. [...]
The concept of a green building was developed in the 1970s in response to the energy crisis and people's growing concerns about the environment. The need to save energy and mitigate environmental problems fostered a wave of green building innovation that has continued to this day. Green buildings are not [...]
Insulation is a key component of sustainable building design. A well insulated home reduces energy bills by keeping warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and this in turn cuts down carbon emissions linked to global climate change. In terms of energy efficiency, investing in high levels of [...]
Sewage, also called blackwater, is a complex mixture of contaminants containing pathogens, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, debris, nutrients, nitrates and phosphates. It is wastewater from both domestic and industrial sources, from faeces and urine, to bleach and cleaning products, paint, solvent and oils - everything that is flushed down a [...]
Once you have stepped into a ger or yurt, and experienced the freedom of life within its circular space, or enjoyed a night's sleep within one, then you will know what it is like to get a sense of nomadic life, in a portable, highly individual and protective, and ultimately [...]
Windows are a critical component in sustainable building design. Most energy flows in and out of a building through its windows, but with intelligent design and technological innovation they can be used to provide heating, cooling and lighting for a better indoor environment. To optimise the energy performance of windows [...]
Water is an increasingly scarce and precious resource. Rising demand, water pollution and climate change are a huge threat to fresh water supplies. The construction industry has acknowledged the urgent need to conserve and manage water and has taken measures to implement sustainable water design throughout the build process. Water [...]
Biomass roofing is the use of plant materials to build roofs. People from around the world have always used whatever vegetation was locally available and abundant to build their roofs. This cultural and environmental diversity has led to a wide range of roofing materials and styles, from the simple and [...]
Eco-housing, or houses built in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, which use resources and technologies that capitalise on renewability, are a fast-developing industry in the UK. These projects range from individual projects to whole estates, designed to accommodate and create a new community. Individual or one-off projects, such [...]
Earth construction is the practice of building with unfired, untreated, raw earth. It has been successfully used around the world for over 11,000 years, and it is estimated that around half the world's population today live and work in earth buildings. Types of Earth Building The techniques and methods for [...]
Composting toilets (also called biological, dry or waterless toilets) are systems that treat human excrement through biological processes, turning it into organic compost material that can be used to fertilise the soil. They are small-scale, complete sewage processing systems not connected to the mains sewage system. The Chinese have been [...]
In assessing a site for a potential new build, one of the key points to cover in the assessment will be the access to a water supply, and the drainage potential. How much water is used per household or building is a major issue the world over, not just in [...]
Urban reclamation is essentially reclaiming space in the city for a community's use again, either for housing, leisure, or business. The space is likely to have been used before, and may consist of derelict or abandoned buildings, waste ground, or part-used space. The land and/or buildings may have contamination issues, [...]
The concept of Sustainable Development essentially means keeping current development within sustainable levels, thus protecting the needs and resources of both the environment and human population, in the longer term. This term, the principles of Sustainable Development, originally came from the Bruntland Report in 1987, written up in the book [...]
Underground construction has been around for thousands of years, mostly developed through mining and more recently through transport, housing and commercial industries. The Channel Tunnel, London Underground, British Library, and various shopping centres are all examples of underground construction. Underground housing (sometimes called earth sheltered housing) refers specifically to homes [...]
Solar panels are known to be effective in trapping and collecting the heat of the sun. In countries in the Middle East for example, you can see panels on the roof of many if not most houses, utilising the hot temperature that lasts for a nine-month season. Such panels, in [...]
Stone has been used as a building material for thousands of years. It has long been recognised as a material of great durability and superior artistic quality, the foremost choice for buildings associated with status, power and religion. The pyramids in Giza, burial chambers in the UK and temples in [...]
Plants have been used on roofs for thousands of years, from sod roofs in Europe to the hanging gardens of Babylon. But in the last 50 years this practice has evolved into what are now called green roofs, living roofs or eco-roofs. Green roofs are those that have been planted [...]
The construction industry is a major source of pollution, responsible for around 4% of particulate emissions, more water pollution incidents than any other industry, and thousands of noise complaints every year. Although construction activities also pollute the soil, the main areas of concern are: air, water and noise pollution. Air [...]
The construction industry is under increasing pressure to become sustainable. One way to address this is through the use of reclaimed materials. Reclaimed materials are those that have been previously used in a building or project, and which are then re-used in another project. The materials might be altered, re-sized, [...]
Within the field of sustainable design, space, or the use thereof, is paramount. Sustainability in building design means can the building be wholly constructed from renewable resources, and can it support a system within itself that aims to use renewable resources, such as bio-fuel or solar power? If the initial [...]
All paints contain three main components: pigment (colour), a binder (holds the paint together) and a carrier (disperses the binder). With many modern paints these ingredients are made using toxic chemicals that are harmful to both the environment and human health. Cadmium, lead and chromium are frequently used in pigments; [...]
To site your building sustainably, several considerations must be made. Firstly, it is crucial to take a long-term view of constructing a building on this piece of land. The nature of developing sustainably means that due consideration must be given to the future conditions (environmental, geographical, urban or rural, etc) [...]
Allergens are substances that cause an allergic reaction in the immune system. Symptoms include: headaches, shortness of breath, eczema, sneezing, watery eyes, depression, fatigue, diarrhoea, palpitations, coughing, sleeping difficulties, sore throat, dizziness and asthma. In the last fifty years there has been a global pandemic of allergies such as asthma, [...]
Greenfield sites are areas of land, usually agricultural or amenity land, which are being considered for urban development. This is a highly contentious issue, particularly in the UK, where the development of land is split between Greenfield and brownfield sites. It becomes contentious, and political, due to a limited amount [...]
Green specifications are a set of agreements that are recommended for the sustainable building industry. They identify and qualify the specific conditions that property developers, designers and builders must meet to demonstrate sustainable development in practice. Increasing concerns over environmental issues such as climate change and fossil fuel depletion, have [...]
The term bio-energy means energy that comes from organic materials such as living plants. There is a lot of research into both the production and potential of bio-energy as a fuel and energy source that could equal or take over from the traditional usage of oil and gas. This clearly [...]
The biggest issue facing house designers and builders in the modern age is how to ensure the construction accords with the worldwide need to exist within limits of sustainability. This involves ensuring that all resources used are made from renewable resources, instead of eating away at the eventually limited worldwide [...]
Stone is a beautiful natural material that can be cut to any size, and will enhance the exterior or interior of any building. A stone-clad building has a natural elegance to it, that gives it a timeless quality. Brick can be made to any shape and most sizes, and because [...]
In the UK a brownfield site is defined as "previously developed land" that has the potential for being redeveloped. It is often (but not always) land that has been used for industrial and commercial purposes and is now derelict and possibly contaminated. In the USA a brownfield site always refers [...]
Bricks are blocks of clay that have been hardened through being fired in a kiln or dried in the sun. Over time, kiln-fired bricks have grown more popular than sun-dried bricks, although both are still found worldwide. Bricks have been in continual use for around 5000 years, and brickwork from [...]
We all know what its like to be in an office environment or home without air conditioning, particularly if there's an untypical heat wave across the UK, but how can we ensure when designing and constructing an ecologically sound building, that the ventilation system is eco-friendly ? The simplest solution [...]
Eco-friendly, or ecological, construction is building a structure that is beneficial or non-harmful to the environment, and resource efficient. Otherwise known as green building, this type of construction is efficient in its use of local and renewable materials, and in the energy required to build it, and the energy generated [...]
Electricity usage has a profound detrimental effect on the environment. Electricity is sourced from power stations, the majority of which burn harmful fossil fuels. One way of reducing electricity usage and, therefore, carbon emissions is to use energy efficient appliances. Energy Efficient Labelling Under EU regulations many electrical goods must [...]
A 'Green Tax' is generally administered as a financial penalty on companies using excessive energy. It also acts as an incentive to reducing fuel emissions and promotes the importance of environmental sustainability by linking profit directly to fuel output. Climate Change Levy Following the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, which [...]
A carbon footprint is used to calculate the amount of damage caused by an individual, household, institution or business to the environment through harmful carbon dioxide emissions. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is seen as essential to sustaining the environment and can be achieved in two ways: Reduction of Carbon Dioxide [...]
Sustainable building is an essential aspect of widening efforts to conceive an ecologically responsible world. A building that is sustainable must, by nature, be constructed using locally sustainable materials: i.e. materials that can be used without any adverse effect on the environment, and which are produced locally, reducing the need [...]
One of the primary considerations with any site is access and transportation. They are key factors in the success of any development; communities that aren't readily accessible both inside and outside their boundaries simply aren't sustainable. Access means safe, secure and healthy movement for all, whether old and young, rich [...]
