on the zero carbon house

Barratt Developments has unveiled what it calls the first zero-carbon house developed by a volume housebuilder, built at the Buildings Research Establishment in Watford, packed with the latest technology, including solar panels, rainwater harvesting and an air source heat pump.
Its new kind of concrete walls and floors, combined with super insulation and triple-glazed windows, means [...]

a guide to zero carbon homes

Zero carbon homes in 100 words.
The UK Green Building Council released a report this week defining what a zero-carbon house should be in practice. Download from here
Still to read in detail but on first read appears to be a welcomed, considered and helpful guide, with a time-line to help organisations on a route to zero.
There [...]

zero carbon ‘floating’ development for Preston

Green, innovative and zero carbon project development on our doorstep in Preston, Lancs, !

The RIBA have recently awarded a zero carbon design as the visitor center at the new Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Nature Reserve in Preston, to regenerate a former quarry site into a major visitor attraction.
The project called “A Floating World”, consists of [...]

new online construction carbon calculator

A pre-design carbon calculator has been launched in a bid to boost the green credentials of the construction industry. The free online tool will allow the industry to evaluate sustainable options at the earliest stages of construction and covers various building sectors. Developed by Faithful+Gould, the tool will ensure costs associated with carbon saving techniques [...]

Waste wood – the untapped resource for Biomass Fuel?

The huge potential of reusing waste wood as fuel is being wasted, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock has warned. The significant carbon and energy benefits of recovering energy from waste wood are detailed in a new information report on the sector that surveys the activities of producers, aggregators and users of waste wood.

all homes to be code level 6

All UK homes could meet a Code Level 6 by 2050  in line with the planned Code for Sustainable Refurbishment to reduce carbon emissions from existing homes.  Source
Now this will surely start another, necessary, debate on how this is possible, and how it will impact on the huge sector of our industry that refurbs and [...]

… on coals future

A round up of recent coal articles and activities suggest that the writing on the wall may be becoming clearer:
Can coal live up to its clean promise? New Scientist. Seems the CCS, carbon capture schemes) may not be in favour with the world of science. Well worth a read to get an [...]

WWF joins FMB for VAT cut on refurbs

Press release received from the FMB
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) today welcomed the publication of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report, How Low, which looks at how we can achieve optimal carbon savings from the UK’s existing housing stock. The FMB is particularly pleased to see the report calling for a cut in [...]

on learning from eco-challenges …

What can we learn from the fact that bidders are pulling out of the next carbon-challenge project at Peterborough? (Shortlisted bidders flee from EP flagship project)
Could it be English Partnerships are using a traditional, cost based procurement route? Even with PQQ and other ability or capability ‘gates’ selection may still be based [...]

blue is the colour…

For those who have asked “why blue” for the Architecture 2030 No Coal campaign, here is the response from Peter over at BYOBlue:
Blue is for clear, clean skies without coal!
The genesis of this theme also comes from the Earth Day Network “Sky Petition” which Architecture 2030 collaborated on, demanding that (the US Congress):
1. Impose an [...]