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 [...]

kits and mortars

Fresh approach to blogging at Kits and Mortar. Follow Suw & Kevin Charman-Anderson as they learn about building an eco- and cat-friendly house. They have no land, and no budget, just a healthy obsession with building their own home… and trying to do so through blogging.

Passive resistance

Passive resistance
This is the future - and it’s airtight. Leo Hickman visits Ireland’s revolutionary eco-home. It’s all so simple it makes you want to round up all the ministers currently talking so enthusiastically of building carbon neutral “eco-towns” and guide …

eco town round up

My google alert for eco-towns has being spewing forth over the last couple of days, collectively painting a picture of the current reactions to eco-towns across the country. First up is Wayne’s piece from Building:
Wayne Hemingway on eco-towns: Ready to rumble
The shortlist for England’s 10 eco-towns is out but now the real contest [...]

can data centers power all homes …

How green is your data center? Stumbled upon an amazing post and comments over at The It Sanctuary
According to figures from IT market research company Forrester Research, a data centre with 2,500 servers - relatively small compared to many out there - will devour enough electricity over the course of one month to power 420,000 [...]

… on st georges day

Today being St Georges day I thought some typically english and traditional post would be in order, but that has relevance to our sector and the themes of sustainability.

I recently  heard a reading of Elliots East Coker, which may be a troubled peice of literature but the opening few lines stuck in my head:
In my [...]

Eco Town consultation

Built enviro related news from the SD Research Network
LG Consultation – ‘Eco-towns: Living a greener future’
The Department for Communities and Local Government is seeking public opinion on their vision for eco-towns, seen as the answer to both the challenges of climate change and the rising demand for affordable housing as more people are living longer [...]

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 [...]

eco towns in the news

Hard to find articles or comments in the press in favour of Eco Towns. The following are typical of comments:
Ecotowns are the greatest try-on in the history of property speculation
… never was any cause so corrupted by architectural fantasy and contractor greed as the postwar new town movement…
Are green neighbourhoods achievable?
Now that’s [...]