Tag: materials

HPH372: Introducing the circular economy to housing
Katherine Adams and Connie Spoor talk about the circular economy and construction, and practical strategies for making reuse a priority on housing projects and self-builds.

Interview with Katherine Adams and Connie Spoor

Katherine Adams co-founded Reusefully, a partnership offering advice on the circular economy and the built environment. She is also the technical director for the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP). Connie Spoor is a self-builder working on a low embodied carbon Passivhaus and making reuse part of the process.

The existing dwelling was in extremely poor condition

Materials for reuse came from Connie’s site

Connie’s project started with demolishing an existing house and barn. She and her husband wanted to reuse anything they could from the demolition – in particular, local limestone. They chose their architect, David Holland, based on shared values towards reusing materials. All three of them looked out for things that could be reused and incorporated them into the design.

Connie acknowledges it was a more ‘informal’ approach than Reusefully takes. But because she knew what was being demolished, she could make sure it was factored into the design.

A good place to start is with a materials inventory

Katherine works on all types of buildings. The process is always the same, and starts with a materials inventory to understand what is in the building. This involves gathering information (like architectural drawings), though often there isn’t much available.

Then a site visit allows for a more detailed analysis, albeit without carrying out intrusive investigation. That can result in some guesswork, especially where there are no detailed plans or specifications. Lack of information is particularly difficult when it comes to understanding the structural performance of materials: what they were designed to do, and what they might be capable of when being reused.

Everything goes into a big spreadsheet to work out dimensions and volumes. From that, a report of recommendations is produced. Reuse is the preference, then recycling. Recycling is still valid, but the key is to try and find better recycling routes.

Stones were reused in the gabions

Different materials are reused to different extents

All materials are useful in some respect, but some are easier to reuse than others. Katherine doesn’t see a lot of timber being reused structurally, because of the associated risks in terms of knowing how it will perform.

There’s an active market in reclaimed timber, usually for internal uses. You don’t always know how timber has been installed and fixed; for example, it can be difficult to remove bitumen from parquet flooring. But there are people finding innovative ways to reuse timber.

Katherine knows a company that takes joists and cuts them into floorboards. An organisation called Community Wood Recycling takes wood from sites, regrades it and sells it on. The alternative is chopping up existing timber for panel board or biomass, which Katherine describes as, “a little bit soul destroying.”

For structural uses, timber could follow the route of the steel industry, which has come together and created a protocol for reclaiming steel, CE marking it, and ensuring it can be insured and warrantied for future projects.

Concrete reuse is tricky. Because it is so cheap, it’s not viable to re-test and re-certify existing material. There are too many processes to go through.

A lot of older brick is reused, because it has value. Newer brick doesn’t have the same value. Bricks are relatively cheap, so there’s little incentive to reuse them – especially when they’re bonded with Portland cement, which is really difficult to remove.

Plastic is particularly hard to recycle

In terms of recycling plastic, two or three recyclers have closed down recently. Even with government policies in place, there simply isn’t a market for recycling plastic. Construction sites don’t tend to produce much plastic waste, and it isn’t valued enough to segregate or clean. To avoid landfill tax, it usually goes to a waste transfer station where it is turned into pellets and burnt for energy.

Embodied carbon savings are a big driver for reuse

Katherine cites a residential refurbishment project that used reclaimed steel beams, saving 3 tonnes of embodied carbon and reducing steel costs by around 40%. Another advantage of reusing existing steel was that they sourced it in just a few days, which reduced lead times significantly. Find out more with the ASBP’s case study.

Hazardous materials affect reuse or recycling potential

It can be difficult to know if hazardous materials, like asbestos or lead paint, are present in buildings. If the available information is limited then it can lead to some surprises. Reuse or recycling potential might only become clear if materials are tested, which comes at a cost.

An important first step that Connie took was to remove anything that would make the rubble unusable, such as plastic windows and all the wiring, before demolition started.

Communication with demolition contractors is essential

Connie explained to the contractor what she wanted to achieve, and they separated brick and stone as they worked. Connie’s husband sorted a lot of the metal, separating copper, lead and some steel, for scrap – all of which should be reused or recycled.

Katherine’s experience is that demolition contractors will recover and recycle as much as possible, because they make money out of materials and they don’t want to pay landfill tax. Recovering materials for reuse often boils down to extra physical effort, whereas most demolition is very mechanised.

Katherine has found the best approach is to try and nudge companies towards doing a little bit more than they usually would. For example, instead of crushing glass and putting it with aggregate, sending it back to a glass manufacturer as part of a closed loop system.

Material value is key to making reuse viable

Connie recognised that if there was value in the material, then it was worth reusing. For example, buying new stone would have been expensive, and she doubts it would have been possible to find anything as nice to fill gabions with. She describes that as, “quite an easy win.”

Large stones are also being used for cladding on the gable end. That has made financial sense, especially as Connie’s husband is cutting the big stones down to size and installing the smaller pieces as cladding himself.

Unfortunately, material value can have its downsides, and a bagful of lead was stolen from site.

Material exchange platforms are a useful resource

For homeowners and individual sites, the volume of material generated often isn’t big enough for waste management companies to consider it viable. Material exchange platforms are a way to both source and pass on materials that have reuse potential. Although reuse still isn’t very common, the development of exchange platforms is a growing area.

Examples include:
- the ASBP’s list of digital platforms and physical hubs;
- the ReLondon website, helping to improve resource management in the London boroughs; and
- Salvo, an online directory and marketplace for reclaimed materials.
Some platforms are focused on commercial buildings. For homeowners and self-builders, the likes of Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Freegle and Gumtree will always be useful. There are also websites that specialise in second hand kitchens, for example.

Storage of materials is a barrier to reuse

In an ideal world, materials would be removed from one site and used on another straight away. There is usually a lag between removal and reuse, however, and that means having to store materials somewhere.

Buildings need to be designed with reuse in mind

Katherine says that, “a lot of the circular economy is about designing for circular economy outcomes.” Most existing buildings weren’t designed with material recovery in mind.

Industry is working on designing new buildings for disassembly and deconstruction. A lot is to do with fixings, and making sure they are reversible fixings like screws and bolts. Nails are okay, but glue should be avoided. When thinking about mortars, lime is better than cement.

Alongside design, a good set of information is essential: keeping drawings, a record of what has been done to the building, who the original manufacturers and suppliers were. All of this really helps reuse. Currently, there’s quite a move towards material passports, which record the materials that have gone in, what certification they’ve got, what their life expectancy is, and who the manufacturer is.

All of this information adds to the certainty about being able to reuse the materials, but how you keep that information with the building is the challenge – especially in housing.

Creativity is a big part of reuse

Katherine advises keeping some flexibility in the design, and shifting mindset to see a building as a ‘material bank’. Rather than having a preconceived idea of what the design will look like, be open to using materials that are already there, or materials that you can find in the various marketplaces.

Not everything has to be reused or reclaimed. But anybody self-building or retrofitting can think about the materials they’re using and where they’re coming from. Connie has done that, and her next step is to finish the interior of her home with as many reclaimed materials as possible.

Further inspiration recommended by Katherine:

Green Tiles Annexe

A ‘reuseful’ tiny house

‘Housing Reclaimed’ book review

Habitat for Humanity ReStore:
- North America
- UK
‘Reclaimed’ book

Find out more

Reusefully

Transcript

Download a transcript of this episode.

Please connect with us

Subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts

Like our Facebook page

Follow Ben Adam-Smith on Bluesky
February 26, 2025
HPH354: How natureplus helps you identify sustainable building products – with Tilmann Kramolisch
Tilmann Kramolisch from natureplus explains why their eco label was established, how materials and products are assessed, and what it means to use a natureplus certified product on your project.

Interview with Tilmann Kramolisch

Tilmann Kramolisch is the Managing Director at natureplus, a non profit eco label that aims to provide transparency and clarity to the consumer within the construction sector. The natureplus accreditation measures the impact of different building products on the environment and human health, to ensure that any product with a natureplus label is certified as healthy and sustainable. In this chat, Tilmann talks us through the natureplus accreditation process as well as highlighting some key differences to be aware of in other eco labels.

Healthy building products don’t harm the natural world or human health

The natureplus eco label certifies that building products are not harmful to the environment or human health. The World Health Organisation (WTO) has classified a condition called sick building syndrome, which refers to the negative impacts that a building can have on an occupant’s health. Leading causes of sick building syndrome are damp/mould issues, poor ventilation and toxic emissions from materials or the environment. Many natural building materials are proven to tackle these issues and by reducing the use of harmful chemicals/pollutants, the environmental and human health risks are significantly lower.

Materials are not the same as building products

Tilmann makes a key distinction between building materials and building products. Materials refer to a substance that can be made into many different things depending on how it is treated or used, whereas a building product refers to one of the outputs. Tilmann uses clay as an example of a building material, that can be used to make the building products of plaster or bricks. Natureplus measure the sustainability of building products on the market.

The natureplus eco label takes a holistic approach

Tilmann explains that the natureplus certification rests on three core pillars:
- Health
- Climate protection
- Sustainable resourcing
For a product to be classed as a healthy product and receive natureplus accreditation, it must consider all three of these in all aspects of its usage and existence.

Asbestos is a good example of a product that would have failed the natureplus accreditation. It was originally considered a great material with many positive attributes. However, we now know how harmful it is to our health and when a building is deconstructed this material must be carefully removed and disposed of. This therefore negates the previous intention of saving resources as it cannot be reused. So if you begin with the three pillars approach when creating a new building product, you are mitigating any of these risks before it is widely available for use.

“When you develop a material or plant material, it’s very important that you apply all three. So healthy accommodation, climate protection and sustainable resourcing.”

A supply of cork

Golden rule: When it comes to fossil fuels, leave it in the ground

The natureplus label requires a product to be composed of at least 85% bio-based mineral materials or recycled materials. This is to exclude products that are primarily petrochemical based and ensures that the products aren’t damaging the environment or human health.

The process utilises independent testing to ensure transparency and quality

The Nature Plus Association (NPA) is the non-profit responsible for issuing the eco label. However, the assessment of the building product is carried out by a cooperative called the Nature Plus Institute (NPI). So the NPA sets the criteria and the actual testing is undertaken by the NPI.

Tilmann recommends taking a closer look at which companies are issuing eco labels and check the transparency of their process. In the case of natureplus, the assessment is carried out by an independent body to ensure transparency and quality assurance.

To test the climate impact of a product, a lifecycle assessment is performed. This looks at the A1, A2 and A3 stages of the building product, which refers to the upfront carbon emissions: from cradle to gate.

When it comes to assessing the health impacts of a building product, there are two areas that need to be assessed: what material does the product contain and what comes out of the product? For example, the Eco Institute in Cologne will test the product for substances such as formaldehyde or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). They will then put a sample into an airtight chamber and measure the emissions from the product over a 28 day period. In order to meet the natureplus standards, the product must not exceed very strict thresholds.

Quality control is assured through the natureplus guidelines

natureplus have strict testing standards which are replicated in a variety of different laboratories and testing sites. By having set standards and a precise criteria, the results can be guaranteed to be accurate and consistent.

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) does not necessarily mean it is sustainable

Unlike the natureplus eco label, an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) just quantifies the environmental impact of a product and does not indicate whether these are positive or negative. The label in itself is therefore not a signifier of quality or sustainability and instead offers transparency. This is very much needed in the construction industry but does require further research to determine if the product is good or bad. The natureplus eco label instead tries to communicate quickly and clearly that this is a product you can trust to have a focus on health, climate protection and sustainable resourcing.

“Communication is key and what we try to do is do it as simple as possible. So this is why we do this very, very big testing that we then put into one simple statement: this product is natureplus. So it’s really to make the complex communication as simple as possible.”

The natureplus eco label is a good indicator that a company has strong core values

Manufacturers must collaborate in the accreditation process by providing key information about performance, composition, etc. It also costs around 8000 euros to receive the label as well as an annual licence fee. The natureplus eco label is therefore a really good indicator of a sustainable product as in addition to the quality assurance, you also know the company has put in time and resources to achieve it.

There are three primary types of labels out there and it is important to understand them

Eco labels like natureplus, assess a product on the level of sustainability and should provide some tangible information about its impact and composition. The second type of labels are labels run by the manufacturers themselves. These labels will highlight some information about the product sustainability but they do the criteria development and assessment internally, which reduces transparency and lessens accountability. The third type of label refers to labels such as EPDs. As mentioned earlier, these are merely a declaration and it doesn’t say that this product really is environmental friendly or not. It is key to understand what each label means as each process has a different implication on the meaning of the label.

“A very harmful product actually could get an EPD. It’s good that they do because at least they are transparent with the information, but yeah, it’s not an eco friendly product necessarily.”

The Natureplus eco label is primarily based in Central Europe

Tilmann explains that natureplus is an international label and certified products are widely available, but the majority of the products are produced within Centural European countries. Sadly, there are no UK manufacturers with a natureplus eco label yet but there is hope for the future.

Exchanging ideas is crucial in the sustainable building sector

natureplus is a European network and in the face of the climate crisis, it is crucial that we are taking inspiration from countries with innovative ideas. Tilmann explains that we can turn to the architecture of Turkey to understand how to using shading to combat overheating or to the Netherlands where an innovative, pre-produced facade that can be assembled within days has proven to be popular. By tuning into the different solutions from European countries we can pool our collective knowledge to tackle many of the challenges that face us.

“Think global, act local”

The ultimate goal is to have enough natureplus products that you could build an entire house out of them

Tilmann explains that at present natureplus has certified approximately 600 different building products, from insulation to CLT timber.

There is a list on the website of all of these products. However, if you need to gather some more information about performance, some useful databases to use along side the natureplus product list are 2050s Materials, First Planit Materials and Powerbook.

Find out more

Visit the website of natureplus

Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP)

Transcript

Download the transcript of this episode.

Please connect with us

Subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts

Like our Facebook page

Follow us on X
June 19, 2024
HPH328 : Insulating internally with a thin layer of wood fibre board – with Martin Twamley from Steico

Martin Twamley from Steico explains how to use breathable internal insulation, while avoiding the risks of condensation and mould.

Interview with Martin Twamley

Martin Twamley is Technical Director of Steico UK. Steico have been producing timber-based materials, predominantly structural timber and insulation materials, since the 1960s and selling them across Europe. Using only pine and spruce they make a number of different products, and will always provide guidance as to what the correct product would be for the required application.

“Once people start using timber and understanding it, it’s a sort of material that you fall in love with, and you then change your building process.”

The products have low embodied energy

Structural products like I-joists were first used in the USA and the motivation was that it was the most sensible use of the raw material. However, as a natural material and one that goes through little processing it also has a low embodied energy, and will even lock up carbon.

Laminating the veneers strengthens the product

The I-joists are created from Laminated Veneer Lumber. They are made by peeling a tree, creating 3mm veneers, and then bonding them back together. This means that individual weaknesses are removed and spread across the whole product. The strength-to-weight ratio on engineered timber is then much greater than it is for solid section timber as you’re getting a much stronger product for less raw material.

There is very little manufacturing waste

Martin explains that the good thing about producing both structural and insulation products is that there is very little waste. For the structural timber they use the de-barking and peeling process. For the insulation materials they use chipping and milling. Therefore, what they can’t use for the structural timber they can use for the insulation. What they can’t use for the insulation they can use for producing their own pallets. And if they can’t use it for pallets they have a biomass power station where they can use it for electricity generation.

UK housing stock has a need for internal insulation

The UK housing stock is some of the oldest in Europe and is in desperate need of retrofitting. With a reluctance to insulate externally and change the appearance of this historic solid wall housing, internal insulation may be a better solution.

The traditional way of doing this is with systems that try to block the moisture, rather than being able to control it. When you try to block moisture there can be an issue with getting it trapped inside the building instead. This potentially adds risk to the fabric of the building, because of mould and condensation problems.

The Steico wood fibre internal insulation system allows water vapour in, controls it, holds it, and then lets it out again.

Standard insulation installations are vapour closed

These typically are the foil-backed polyurethane type materials that are either on a frame system or dot and dabbed onto brickwork. In theory they don’t let any moisture in, which is a good thing for the fabric. This can however lead to high moisture levels internally, so you might need to consider an MVHR for example. Mould will happen when warm air gets behind the plaster board and hits the cold wall surface. It might not even be until years later that the mould shows itself on the internal surface.

“When people think about air quality, they generally think about external air, but we spend 90% of our time indoors. It’s the internal air that we’re breathing. So that’s what’s impacting our health.”

These are the kinds of systems that tradespeople and DIYers are most likely to use, because they’re readily available. Also, homeowners are primarily just thinking about thermal performance in the winter. But actually, when you consider a holistic approach that takes into account all the possible issues, the material choice is incredibly important.

Internal insulation doesn’t have to significantly impact on the room size

Martin talks about applying a thin layer, typically an optimum amount of 40-60mm. Even in relatively small rooms that’s an amount that won’t really be noticed.

What works for one building, won’t work for every building

What works for one elevation of a building might not even work for a different elevation of the same building, because of different weathering exposure. This is why it is so important to have an assessment done, particularly if you’re looking for a really low U-value. Martin explains that generally speaking a 40mm or 60mm board on standard brick will work in the majority of situations.

Take the wall system back to bare brickwork if possible

The wall system should be as breathable as possible. That means that you don’t want anything on the internal side that hinders water vapour movement, such as impermeable layers, cement-based plasters and renders, and paint layers.

The external face is also important to consider (such as renders and re-pointing), because this is where the majority of the water is coming from.

With this natural, breathable approach, there is a full bonding layer (typically a lime based product) between the insulation and the wall. This is in contrast to a traditional approach that would have a cavity. The fact that there is no cavity means that there is no collection of liquid water, which is what leads to mould and condensation issues. Instead, any moisture is either passed onto the brickwork and out the front, or it can go back to the inside.

Pay particular attention to the critical areas

Window reveals are particularly important. If you have a warm wall surface, then the window reveal will be the coldest area. If you don’t insulate into that reveal then that is where all your condensation will form. Martin suggests that with a 40mm or 60mm on the wall, a 20mm board on the reveal will be fine.

Another critical area that could be overlooked if somebody is insulating ground and first floor, is the void where the floor joists connect into the wall. These can be cold spots where condensation will be much more of an issue than it was before. To prevent this, you can tape around the junction of the joists to the existing wall. This stops the route for convected airflow into the wall.

Where you have internal walls connecting with external walls can also be problem areas. If you’re insulating the external wall, then the corner of that internal junction can be quite cold. Steico make a wedge-type product of thinner insulation that can go into the corner to stop the condensation risk.

There are useful resources available

Martin makes reference to The Guide for Sustainable Renovation, by The Pebble Trust, as being a valuable resource for anyone taking on a retrofit project. It gives advice with a holistic approach that considers all of the moisture risks involved.

The carbon storage element of materials is often overlooked

A frustration for Martin is that in the UK he thinks we tend to be quite product agnostic. It is very much that if you achieve a certain performance level then it doesn’t matter what you use to to get there. He compares this with Bavaria, Germany, that has a new system brought in by local government. They are offering a 500 Euro grant for every cubic metre of biogenic carbon locked up within the fabric of the building. In the UK we have U-value targets, but nothing that looks at the amount of carbon stored within the fabric, or the type of material that is used.

Find out more

Visit the website of Steico

Follow Steico UK on Twitter

See Steico wood fibre insulation being used on Buckinghamshire Passivhaus (a PH15 project). Join The Hub to access our in-depth video case study.

Please connect with us

Subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts

Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

March 1, 2023
HPH252 : How to reduce the embodied carbon of your new home – with Chris Magwood

Chris Magwood, a director at the Endeavour Centre in Canada, explains the importance of embodied carbon and how building with plant-based materials could transform our new homes into carbon sinks.

Interview with Chris Magwood

Chris Magwood has been working in sustainable building for the last 25 years. He’s also written several books such as Essential Sustainable Home Design, Essential Prefab Straw Bale Construction and Essential Hempcrete Construction.

For the last 8 years he’s been teaching at the Endeavour Centre which is a sustainable building school based in Peterborough, Ontario.

What is embodied carbon?

Embodied carbon is the total carbon emissions associated with materials through initial harvesting of raw materials and through the entire transportation to manufacturing facility and everything that happens in that manufacturing facility. And then transportation to a job site and the associated emissions with actually doing the installation work on the job site.

Carbon dioxide is an expression of all greenhouse gases

As carbon dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas, other emissions are translated into a carbon dioxide equivalent.

Chris says: “The expression that we use in the calculations is CO₂-E – so, carbon dioxide equivalent. So, if it’s carbon dioxide, one molecule equals one. But if it’s methane, one molecule would equal twenty-five or whatever the number happens to be.”

Energy isn’t necessarily a proxy for carbon

For a long time the term that was being used was embodied energy, but it’s important to realise that energy isn’t necessarily a proxy for carbon.

So, two factories could use the same amount of energy, but if one is all solar and one is all coal powered, then the emissions profile of the two would be very different.

Even though in embodied energy terms, that number might look the same. So, this is specifically trying to make emissions the focus and not just energy use.

The carbon footprint of building materials vary drastically

While we probably understand that different building materials have different carbon footprints, when Chris crunched the numbers he was surprised by the extremes.

Chris comments: “I was pretty stunned at the results in that some things just had such a huge carbon footprint and I had never really considered that impact being so big before. And then some things were miniscule.”

Plant based materials give us the opportunity to turn our buildings into carbon sinks

As plants grow they pull CO₂ out of the atmosphere and release oxygen. Effectively they put the carbon into their physical structure.

So if you’re building with a material that has atmosphere carbon stored in it – basically any plant material – in terms of the calculations, it’s a negative emission. In other words there’s a drawdown of carbon rather than an emission.

“Building with a lot more plant material, we could not only reduce that carbon footprint to zero, we could actually take it into the negative numbers and make drawdown buildings that are in their way drawing down climate change rather than contributing to it.”

Straw is one of the best materials

Chris compares two plant-based materials as an example of how even a little processing can increase the embodied carbon.

Although cork requires quite a bit of heat in its manufacture, it still ends up being a net store of carbon.

Straw, however, has almost no emissions in terms of the harvesting and manufacturing. It’s also the waste product of an annually renewable crop. And in the case of grain straws, the carbon in the stalks would have just returned back to the atmosphere in fairly short order.

Chris adds: “Even though all of these plants more or less store a similar amount of carbon, the amount of processing energy that’s gone into them does change the net profile.”

Endeavour class at a straw bale raising

Six carbon storing insulation materials

Timber has a more complex picture

It’s much harder to attribute carbon storage to timber because the carbon that’s in that tree, depending on when the tree was cut, that tree could have gone on drawing down more carbon as a living tree than it does as a stored tree.

And if you only end up using about half the volume of the tree to make a timber product and the rest of the carbon from that tree ends up back in the atmosphere, you haven’t net stored any carbon. And if you’ve released a whole bunch of carbon from the soil of the forest floor, then it may be worse than a draw down. It might actually cause emissions.

We could become more intentional about what our buildings are doing

Chris is not advocating that all buildings need to be entirely plant based, but he does see a massive opportunity to be more intentional.

“If you can weigh up the carbon storing materials with the carbon emitting materials, you can actually plan a building to land on a target that you’re aiming for, whether that’s carbon neutrality, storage or a slight number of emissions.”

Environmental product declarations report the environmental profile of a material

In carrying out this research, Chris used environmental product declarations, an ISO standardised way of reporting on the environmental profile of a material.

This is third party document where the third party goes in and looks at a manufacturer and traces the entire chain of that product and essentially does a calculation to look at its global warming potential from harvesting of the raw materials through the entire manufacturing process.

Chris explains how he used this information: “I’m basically using those numbers to then multiple it out on my own buildings. So, if a particular environmental product declaration says there are two kilograms of CO₂-E per kilogram of this material, then I figure out how many kilograms of that material are in my building and then I can multiply that out and do that for all of the materials and then total that up and get a net, whether it’s a net emissions or a net storage.”

Concrete, glass, foam and steel all have high carbon footprints

Perhaps as one might expect concrete, glass, foam, and steel all have significant carbon footprints associated with them.

Building a Passivhaus will not necessarily have any impact on embodied carbon

If you’re building a Passivhaus, then your choice of materials is really important.

“The way a lot of people will achieve Passivhaus standard here in Ontario, Canada, is they’ll throw a whole bunch of foam insulation at that building. And when I modelled that, the embodied carbon footprint, the upfront emissions of making that building, don’t ever get paid back by the energy reductions. So, if somebody was using that strategy because they thought they were doing something for climate change, they’ve actually done exactly the opposite.

The carbon profile of the grid varies according to where you live

This goes back to energy not necessarily being a proxy for carbon.

Energy efficiency – in terms of carbon emissions – is only useful if you use dirty energy (with a high carbon content).

“Here in Ontario, we shut down our coal plants a few years ago, and so our electrical grid is relatively carbon free. And so, savings in energy efficiency, especially moderate ones, our code is now pretty good in terms of baseline energy efficiency. Going from that to Passivhaus, while it may have good implications for the owner in terms of lower bills and comfort and all that kind of stuff, from a carbon emissions profile, it’s almost meaningless with the difference between a code built house here in Ontario and a Passivhaus in terms of the emissions profile of operating that building, it’s negligible because the carbon profile is so clean on the grid.”

Canada’s Greenest Home

Find out more

Visit the website of the Endeavour Centre

Visit Chris Magwood’s website

Follow the Endeavour Centre on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Chris Magwood.

Please connect with me

Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes

Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher

Like our Facebook page

Follow us on Twitter

June 1, 2019
HPH187 : What keeps a self-builder awake at night? – with Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant
Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant shares the key results of a survey the company ran to find out what self-builders worry about most.

Interview with Will Kirkman

Will didn’t actually get a PAYE job until his 40s. Assorted pursuits over the years, including farming and metalwork, eventually led him to civil engineering. He now runs Ecomerchant, a sustainable building materials supplier.

Will says that self-building is a unique and new experience for most people who do it, so there can be a lot of uncertainty along the way.

In an effort to find out a little bit more about the market, the company surveyed customers and identified the top five worries.

1. How much should my project really cost?

Total build cost is made up of many components. It can be hard to work out what proportion of the total should be on various upfront fees and professional services versus the construction itself, let alone establish actual costs. As dreams become reality, controlling costs can also prove tricky causing anxiety levels to rise.

Will acknowledges that there is a sliding scale depending on how ‘standard’ the build is and how hands-on a self-builder plans to be, but suggests an indicative cost of between £1200 and £1800 per square metre.

When it comes to build cost, trusting the professionals is important. Will suggests the core three team members would ideally be client, architect and builder, and recommends engaging with the building materials supplier as soon as possible.

Will says there are ways to prevent the budget being blown by unforeseen problems. If a builder is doing something for the first time, the quote is likely to take into account this increased risk. So it is wise to choose an architect and builder that is experienced with your preferred build system.

2. Am I getting good value and good quality?

Will says, “I think this is about being sensible about what your expectations are and also understanding what people’s skillsets are.”

He argues it is reasonable to want a house to perform in the long term and therefore expect it be built to a high standard. Unlike the volume housing market, self-builders are in more control of this; but success relies on the entire build team sharing a common understanding of what they’re trying to achieve.

Will recognises that people can be tempted by short-term savings, especially if their project is going over budget. However, these savings will often cost more in the long run; some examples include:
- A relatively inexpensive paint can peel off or fail in other ways;
- Plastic baths will always move, leading to gaps along the silicone, and possibly leaks and damage;
- Internal doors contribute massively to the acoustics of a building and cheap ones won’t insulate noise well.
Aesthetics can also distract from a product’s core function. Will reminds us that “value and quality are different things to taste.” Concentrate on how something needs to perform, when weighing up options and prices.

3. Am I paying too much?

Being new to the build process can mean people worry they are paying too much. Whatever your budget, you will want to feel that you spent your money wisely.

While a huge budget may make some decisions easier, Will thinks you are better off being wise than being wealthy in terms of the build; of course money is critical, but getting the job done the way you want it is important too.

A good way to better understand the process, without adding costs, is to network within the self-build and construction environment. Asking how people have used products and materials will help and you can even learn from other people’s mistakes.

4. How can I find a reliable supplier?

While big builders’ merchants might compete in terms of service and special deals, they tend to offer a similar selection of products driven by industry standards. Keeping things simple makes life easy for everybody concerned, but this means self-builders typically encounter problems when it comes to getting more in depth advice, especially on less common building techniques. Will explains, “What builders’ merchants are generally not keen to do is to invest an awful lot of knowledge at the counter front or in the branch, because they don’t see a return for it easily.”

Will argues that there is a need to promote local builders’ merchants, who are more likely to support regional build systems or non-standard construction methodology.

5. Who do I turn to for help and advice?

A good starting place is looking at case studies and finding out what other self-builders are doing. For general help and advice, Will says it’s best to talk to someone who has done what you want to do.

For technical or professional help, he suggests that a sympathetic architect who understands your ambitions can help find tradesmen with the right experience. However, Will also notes that when he has supplied some building companies with new materials, such as lime plaster for the first time, they realised it wasn’t too difficult and were happy to offer this new skill to customers.

Other avenues of research include the Internet and roadshows. Will points out that this stage of the process doesn’t have to cost much, so it’s well worth testing the water before you spend a lot of money.

Some of the relevant information might be too technical for the ‘average punter’ and this is where you might have to abdicate responsibility to the experts. For those wanting an eco-home, it can be hard to work out what that might even mean and the right questions to ask.

Sustainability can mean different things to different people

An eco-home could be summarised as: benign in construction, use and potentially in disposal. As Will says, “It benefits occupants’ health and wellbeing, it doesn’t pollute the environment and demands very low levels of energy.” He adds that most buildings built using eco principles feel like really nice houses!

Some people worry that they aren’t creating the best possible eco-home, but self-builders need to set their own realistic goals. Will compares the desire for an eco-home to healthy eating. “Doing something is better than doing nothing. One salad a week is better than no salads a week. And we’re not expecting everybody to be vegan. There is a happy medium that is entirely personal to every single person.”

Find out more

Visit the website of Ecomerchant

Follow Ecomerchant on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Will Kirkman

The Future of Housing

During our interview with Will he mentioned our documentary The Future of Housing.

This explored the quality of housing in the UK and how we might improve the situation.

There’s also a chance to see some exemplar projects.

Please connect with me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
August 20, 2017
HPH174 : Addressing height issues on our self build
Ben and Kay Adam-Smith visit their architects Parsons + Whittley to discuss how to move their project forward. There are decisions to be made over which designs to pursue, what materials to embrace and how to address the various constraints (including bringing down the height of the building).

The story so far

After buying a plot of land and hiring our architecture firm, we briefed them on what we were after.

We really liked our first sketches back and we developed the floor plan within. Chris also submitted these sketches to the local planning department for feedback.

Whilst waiting for the feedback from the planners, we had moved onto materials.

The first option presented to us was a brick finish.

The second option embraced black timber cladding (more of a barn aesthetic).

Kay and I felt these routes weren’t quite right for us.

And we asked about whether we could break up the building by using more than one material (e.g. lime render, lighter timber cladding, etc.). Little did we know that this suggestion would mean redesigning the house!

However, this was also at the stage where the planners had fed back that they wanted the height of our building to be more in line with the extant consent.

So the third option, which now addresses the height of the building and therefore the amenity of the neighbour (really down to overshadowing and view of the sky), is a house that steps down.

The fourth route introduced something called a cat slide at the back of the house as a way to prevent a loss of amenity for the neighbour.

These were the options we discussed in the meeting but we were keen to return to a simpler form if possible.

The route we chose to pursue returned almost to the initial designs but with a cat slide at the back.

Our finished house designs

Find out more

Visit the website of Parsons + Whittley

Follow Parsons + Whittley on Twitter

Please connect with me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
April 27, 2017
HPH171 : An eco interior designer in the home – with Elina Grigoriou
Elina Grigoriou from Grigoriou Interiors talks about design, wellbeing and sustainability, and the role of interior designers.

Interview with Elina

Elina and her sister founded Grigoriou Interiors in 2010. Their vision is “to create interior spaces of beauty and function that look after people and our planet”. A strong theme of sustainability is used in their branding and website, to educate people on the concept of sustainable interiors and to attract like-minded clients.

Interior design is about understanding how space affects you

Interior design involves looking specifically at the spaces that fall within the floor slab, ceiling slab and external walls. Elina explains: “From the moment you step into a building until you come back out of it, everything you touch, everywhere you interact within that space is forming the interior and the way that has been intentionally designed to support your life.”

Design can influence how well you sleep or eat

Wellbeing is a big issue right now, and Elina finds that a lot of people don’t understand the effect their space has on them. It is often only when they start talking about how they behave in an interior that they slowly start to realise how the space is informing some of their behaviours, or may be stopping them from behaving in a certain way.

For example, the shape of a table will affect how people communicate. Are you sitting opposite each other at a square or rectangular table, or around one with no sides? Elina suggests that dinner with your in-laws might be nicer at a round table!

And patterns tend to help people to relax. Elina explains that we find them reassuring because we trust things that are repeated. Movement is associated with asymmetry, whereas a balanced style promotes calmness.

An interior designer can help create a living environment

There are different motivations for hiring an interior designer. Elina says some people feel they should hire one because they’re ‘supposed to’ or to ‘keep up with the Joneses’, adding the image-conscious association often linked with interior design is not helpful.

A better reason would be someone wanting to create a home that feels like a home, where they can entertain guests, work, and allow the space to affect them in a positive way.

Elina guides clients through a decision-making process to make choices they will be happy with. Interiors contribute to the relationships people have in their homes, and she wants that contribution to be a positive one.

We can better understand and re-use existing buildings

One step is to establish whether the original architecture assumed a particular ‘user journey’ from the moment you walk through the door. What kind of volumes and spatial proportions did the designer envisage for the interior spaces? If this hasn’t been considered, you can get quite structural: reforming spaces and opening or closing up floors.

Self-builds can get it right from the beginning

Unlike commercial and residential developments, which tend to be quite ‘vanilla’, the self-build ethos creates an opportunity to engage in the design process and make a home fit for purpose.

With new builds, Elina would recommend involving an interior designer at the earlier stages, when forming the architecture and considering what kind of lifestyle you want to enjoy in the building. That’s the time to start discussing the internal spaces, views, etc.

A detailed brief gives a clear basis to start from

Elina recalls a previous project where the husband wanted to have lovely conversations with his daughter in the living room. She comments that this is the kind of brief they can respond to and believes this is the right kind of objective for a home.

Grigoriou Interiors create what they call a user profile. Every question they ask of each client in the design process goes back to this profile, gradually informing how the space needs to be and documenting where they started from and why. Typical questions might include:
- What’s the geographical location like?
- What’s the typical climate?
- Is it an existing or new building?
- How many bedrooms do you want?
- Do you entertain at home?
- Do you work out at home?
- Do you like lots of fresh air in your interior?
- Do you like a lot of natural daylight coming in?
- How are you going to clean it?
- How long do you want to live there?
- Will you be there throughout the year?
- Do you want to rent it out?
Shorter purchasing cycles mean greater impact on the environment

Architects consider lifespans of 20-30 years or more, and these timeframes inform product and material decisions. However the average interior lifecycle is just five to ten years.

Elina says it falls to designers to ensure that what they specify is sustainable in the first place. Grigoriou Interiors talk with their clients to understand where the environmental impacts are going to happen from the client’s own behaviour in a space. For example, working from home may mean longer periods of heating and lighting. Establishing this in the brief, at the start, allows them to create a sustainable interior and suggest certain materials and layouts based on how the space will be used.

Beauty is very important when it comes to interiors

Elina explains that the perception of beauty is personal to everyone’s individual conditions at a point in time. So she has to work with clients to understand what they consider beautiful and what kind of look they want. Something minimalist? Or a bit of texture? Do they have some lovely crafts, perhaps from their travels?

Existing furniture may not be suitable for your new home

If you are moving to a different sized house, Elina suggests that some of the furniture you currently own – such as the dining table or soft seating – may be too big or small for the new interiors. Similar spaces may allow you to re-use existing furniture but it’s worth questioning which pieces may need to be recycled.

A new build, especially a passivhaus, presents an opportunity to minimise or even eliminate the introduction of pollutants. Emissions from materials and furniture will affect the quality of air inside the house so, for example, an existing sofa will likely have chemical foams. Elina is excited to see alternatives such as coconut fillers becoming available.

Deciding not to re-use doesn’t mean throwing away

If you can’t use some or all of your existing furniture, there are plenty of quick and easy ways to pass it on before moving. Freecycle and Preloved are just two websites and Elina says more options are emerging all the time.

Interior design advice doesn’t have to cost the earth

Even with a limited budget, it’s still possible to engage the services of an interior designer. The key is bringing them in at the right time to get their feedback on architectural proposals. Elina describes it as having them dip in for a day or two to review the proposals, give you some feedback and possibly pose some questions.

Find out more

Visit the website of Elina Grigoriou

Follow Grigoriou Interiors on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Elina Grigoriou

Please connect with me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
April 5, 2017
HPH030 : How Do You Specify Sustainable Materials? – with Mark Wilson from BuildingDesignExpert.com
Mark Wilson from BuildingDesignExpert.com shares why he believes there is no such thing as a sustainable material and why it is our environment we are really hoping to sustain.

Interview with Mark Wilson

Mark started out as an architectural technician in 1985 and he later became a chartered architectural technologist when this became an option from The Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. Over the years he has worked for architects, developers and contractors producing technical drawings and details for new buildings, extensions and refurbishment projects.

There is No Such Thing as a Sustainable Building

For something to be sustainable it must be replaceable at a rate greater than or at least equal to its use. Mark explains with an example of how bricks are manufactured. First they must be dug out of the ground, then transported and heated to very high temperatures in a kiln. It’s not as if they are returned to the ground. In other words it is not a sustainable process.

It is Actually Our Environment We Are Trying to Sustain

If we consider that the most sustainable building is absolutely no building at all, then everything else is a compromise. Therefore what we are really trying to maintain is our environment and the way in which we live. We can’t stop building because it’s the way we interact with the planet. Instead we need to limit the damage we’re doing and limit the carbon that we’re creating.

Technology is Both The Cause and Solution to Our Problems

Mark explains that the Romans took us down this path of technology when they invented bricks and concrete, and started building with stone. However, it was the Industrial Revolution that led to us using dramatically more energy. As far as Mark is concerned technology is responsible for our current environmental predicament but it may just be the way out, too.

Specifying is Identifying All Aspects of How the Project is Going to be Completed

When we are specifying for a project we are identifying the materials, the forms of construction and the forms of procurement. The process takes into account what will be within budget and what will meet the project brief (in terms the most sustainable way – in environmental terms – that we can construct that project). It’s every bit of detail from start to finish.

Ultimately Manufacturers Will Have to Divulge The Embodied Carbon Content of Their Materials

Every material has got an embodied carbon content and there is no way of knowing what that is unless it is stated by the manufacturer. That’s why Mark reckons that there will come a time when this information is declared. Only then will you be able to determine the material’s contribution to the sustainability of the project.

Buildings Could be Recycled After a Finite Period

Mark reflects on one of his recent podcasts when he spoke to Martin Townsend from the BRE about the lifecycle of buildings. It is possible that we could be designing buildings to last for 20 years, for example, but importantly at the end of that time all the materials could be used in another way or recycled into another building.

Expect Compromises Along The Way

Ultimately responsibility falls to us (as clients) to create a home with smallest carbon footprint possible but we have to realise that this is not straightforward. There will be constraints of the site, planning regulations and the budget to consider plus many other parameters. Therefore you cannot possibly tick all boxes.

Using Products From an Architectural Reclamation Yard is a Good Way to Recycle

Mark says that if your budget allows for it, one way to be kind to the environment is to reuse materials. There are some beautiful second-hand demolition reclaim products that you could source for your new building. If done in the right way with the right sort of professional help, they will look fantastic.

Energy in Use is Just as Important in The Life Cycle of The Building

Using materials with the least amount of embodied energy is clearly important but not if it neglects energy in use. We should be considering the whole life cycle of the building from construction through to eventual demolition.

Get Involved in The Process of Specifying Materials

This may take time but look into the background of the materials and even come up with your own specification. Work out what you’re going to use, how you’re going to use it and where. Your appointed design professional should be able to help you down this road.

Choosing a Quality Material Doesn’t Necessarily Mean it Will Perform Better

Mark talks about how a lead roof might cost you a fortune but it will last 100 years (so long as it’s not pinched!). However, paying more money for a material doesn’t always guarantee its performance. Some people, for example, might be drawn to a material because of its aesthetic appeal.

We Should All Have an Eye on The Future

A great deal of change is coming our way and we should have that in mind when we build. Mark says that integrating rainwater harvesting, for example, would be a good idea. Although it has a capital expenditure over and above piping your rainwater into the local surface water sewer, the saving of water over the lifespan of the building would be huge.

In the UK alone the population is predicted to increase by 14 million people by 2030. This does not mean there will be a greater supply of water because we’ll still have the same rivers and reservoirs that we have today. It is just a natural resource that we take for granted that is likely to cost more and more in the future.

Find Out More About Mark Wilson

BuildingDesignExpert.com

Follow BuildingDesignExpert.com on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Mark Wilson.

Our Question for the Comments Section

What materials are you going to use on your build and why?

Ben’s Video Idea To Follow a Complete Passivhaus Project

This is about following a house build from conception through to completion, breaking it up into bite-size YouTube videos. Ideally it would be a construction that aims to meet the Passivhaus Standard and importantly the project would be as close as possible to Hertford, UK (to keep the costs of production down). Read the full proposal of what the value of this would be and how it would be achieved.

Thank You For Your iTunes Reviews

We’d like to thank you for all of the positive reviews we have received on iTunes. They really keep us motivated and also help other people find the podcast. If you haven’t done so already and would be willing to add a review, then we would be very grateful. We’d particularly appreciate your help if you listen outside the UK. Many thanks in advance.

Watch Our Latest Google+ Hangout

We’d like to say a big thank you to Matthew Cutler-Welsh, Philippa Richard and Ben Shideler for taking part in our second Google+ Hangout. We aim to hold two more in 2013 and we’ll announce the topics soon to our mailing list.

Please Connect With Me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
August 28, 2013