Natural Paints workshop

Thank you to Pam Macdonald and her sister for a great workshop!

We coloured our own natural paints, painted the walls, applied natural finishes, washes and glazes, as well as learning to make low-impact paints using clay, lime, milk and earth.

Cob workshop

Thank you to Annabel Fawcus!

This weeks workshop was about building earth walls with Cob. Cob is a traditional building method using earth, clay, and straw. The mixture is formed into blocks, and then built up in layers to form a wall.

This workshop gave us an insight into Peter Preston's mental state, as he revealed a love of stamping on baby seals. Phil Robinson also threw some dance moves, as he got into a Cob Jig!

Hempcrete workshop

Thank you to everyone at Lime Technology. We found your workshop very stimulating. It was great to actually see hempcrete and to use it!

Lime Technology has launched Tradical® Hemcrete®, a new product innovation of cast in situ hemp-lime walling.

Created in partnership with Lhoist UK Castle Cement and Hemcore, three of the world’s leading authorities on lime and hemp based products, Tradical® Hemcrete®, often generically known as Hempcrete, can actually reverse the damaging effects of greenhouse gases by locking up harmful CO2 emissions within wall construction.

In the UK, the construction and use of buildings accounts for over 50% of the carbon dioxide produced. Studies have shown that up to 200kg of CO2 is emitted in the production of each square metre of walling for houses alone – equating to 40 tonnes for the walls of a typical house.

Thank you Dusty

Thank you to Dusty Gedge of his extemely interesting seminar on Green roofs and liveable cities.

Dusty has been instrumental in promoting green roofs in the UK. Dusty was instrumental in the formation of Livingroofs.org, the UK's first independent green roof organization. Livingroofs.org is the number one website on green roofs in the UK

Livingroofs.org has also been active in working with other cities in the UK such as Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham. Livingroofs has sponsorship from all the main green roofing companies in the UK.

Dusty has designed a number of seminal green roofs in the UK including:
Barclays HQ Canary Wharf,
Grays Inn Road, London
Komodo Dragon House, London Zoo

Ecoplaster

http://www.hempirebuilding.co.uk/ecoplaster.html

This plaster looks quite interesting. It is a plaster made with hemp, so is carbon neutral in manufacture. It actually takes in CO2 as it cures, making it carbon positive. The plaster has an insulation quality too

Ibstock clay bricks workshop

This workshop was really interesting. We really enjoyed building a section of wall with a range of new Ibstock bricks; including their new Ecoterre unfired clay bricks.

Unfired clay bricks have excellent sustainability credentials – low energy input, very low waste, are fully recyclable and the bricks are manufactured in the UK. When incorporated into a building they give thermal mass and acoustic insulation, inhibit condensation and regulate the relative humidity of the atmosphere.

This demonstration was supported by an excellent lecture by Dr. David Hill, of Ibstock. The lecture was very well attended, and we thank all of you for coming.

Thank you to Ibstock for a very informative and enjoyable day.

Dr Ken Yeang is coming to London

Exhibition construction day

More straw bale pictures

Bamboo Workshop Photos