Dalston Works, completed in Summer 2017, is the world’s largest timber building. It was designed by sustainability specialists Waugh Thistleton Architects. I spoke with Dave Lomax, Senior Associate at the practice. Built for London Developer Regal Homes, Dalston Works is a ten-storey complex housing 121 flats, as well as overRead More →
In a beautiful valley high up in Exmoor, Hawkland Ecological Construction have started work on a new straw bale house. I went to see the beginnings of the structure. The timber platform rests on a foundation of used car tyres. These in turn rest on compacted hard core. TheRead More →
![Adnams Hempcrete Distribution Centre, Southwold. Credit: Sky Garden Ltd (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://ebuilding.blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sky_Garden_Adnams_Brewery_Green_Roof-840x385.jpg)
Not only have Adnams Brewers in Suffolk built their distribution centre from hempcrete, but their other sustainability work is impressively broad ranging. I interviewed employee Ben Orchard, winner of the 2018 EDIE Sustainability Manager of the Year award. This accolade is just one milestone in the history of a company thatRead More →
Hempcrete is a lightweight concrete, made of lime, water, and the shredded stems of hemp plants: hemp shiv. The material was developed in France over the last 40 years, by builders looking for a breathable material to use for repairing period buildings. Highly successful, it was also adopted for newRead More →
Bradfield Woods is one of Britain’s finest ancient woodlands, managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. It is mainly coppiced, and there is a particularly high biodiversity. In 2011 the Trust built a new education and visitor centre. The aim was an eco-friendly structure, that would blend into its surroundings. Read More →
This year’s Grand Designs Live was held at the Birmingham NEC, 19-23 October. This is a huge show with over 500 exhibitors – including areas for self building, interior design and gardens. The annual Self Build on a Shoestring competition asked for designs for a cost-effective starter home. Self Build on a Shoestring:Read More →