Good Practice
Reducing energy consumption for buildings is a key component for minimising carbon emissions. For new houses this is relatively easy. Set carbon neutral targets for houses and then enforce high insulation standards during construction. For older traditional buildings ‘retrofitting’ is needed. At The Larches we have refitted the windows and doors with A-rated double glazing units (see blog post) and will monitor the impact on energy usage; and we are looking at how we might use solar or ground source heating.
Action of this kind on a large scale was proposed in the US by the Mayor of New York on Earth Day (22 April 2009) in a detailed plan for the city’s 2,200 older buildings, which have more than 50,000 sq ft of floor space. This would involve $2.9 billion expenditure of private investment by the year 2022 but if approved is estimated will save $¾ billion annually. (New York Times 22 April 09. p. A19) The photo opposite illustrates a campaign in Chicago , ‘One tree makes a difference’, with a similar theme.
Both these examples provide clear and welcome evidence of the move in the US – under pressure from the Obama administration – towards policies acknowledging the need to combat carbon emissions. There have been encouraging moves too from the Chinese government to tackle these issues by increasing use of wind and solar power – see blog post June 11th 2009.
Another area where there has been movement is in the promotion of green roofs. An example of the Index system for sedum roofs – as we have used for our Belvedere roof – can be seen with the Budenberg Haus in Manchester. Growing interest in this area can be seen too in the support of the Mayor of London and cities in North America for more green roof developments.
As well as reducing energy usage, we are also thinking more about our use of natural and other materials. A profligate society isn’t concerned about the environment and destruction of natural resources. It produces more and more goods and services and discards what is of no immediate use.
By contrast we all need to weigh carefully what we use and throw away, if we want to produce effective conservation policies and develop new mindsets. This is an important discussion so we want to involve practically children and young people – by providing information here about wildlife, the environment, walking and cycling and by offering a quiz-sheet to do in the garden.
Looking at what we’ve done at The Larches in relation to use of resources, we can see that our green learning has involved four types of activity (below), which in practice often overlap. By doing some additional work and with craftsmanship, we have in all these cases added value and achieved a given objective whilst only requiring the supply of minimal new resources:
- Re-using – the simplest, needing possibly storage, transport & minor work
- Restoring – may require repairs, new parts and overhauling
- Re-purposing – can be simple or require considerable work
- Re-cycling – use existing material (wood, stone, paper) to create new item
Re-using or Restoring – items from 1970’s Tyneside redevelopment area
*1840s vicarage chimney pot – replacing a broken one [House]
Edwardian Sunday School chair – from a redundant church [House]
Re-purposing – items collected over the years
1970s sofa – converted to high quality polished beech daybed [Belvedere]
*Stoop stone ‘sculpture’ – brought from a field in a nearby farm [Garden]
*Flight of steps – built from urban Victorian kerb-stones [Garden]
*Maple factory flooring for hallway – sanding & replacing old [House]
*Solitaire game base – made from old seating timber [House]
*Bathroom shelf unit – workshop-built from old oak planking [House]
Boot-room bench – cupboards discarded for Guy Fawkes bonfire [House]
Letterheads and recycled envelopes and postcards for visitors [House]
Use of local stone for terracing, BBQ and inside fireplace
Recycling and other activities in the garden - In these ways we can improve the local environment, support the local economy and create a diverse habitat for wildlife and birds:
Creating living sedum roof for the new Belvedere
*Use of excavated spoil and felled trees for new woodland path
Encouraging native red squirrels with feeding box & scurry
Leaving stumps & logs as environment for mosses & plants
Setting up feeding points with good flight paths for birds
Replanting of felled larches with native hardwood trees
Sourcing trees and shrubs from local nurseries
Developing a small herb garden
Small compost bin for green (uncooked) kitchen waste
There are lots of resources to explore more about this whole area. Recycle: The Essential Guide. [Black Dog Publishing. 2006. ISBN. 1 904 772 366] is a good reference point. An interesting perspective on this same theme (Shoe collection photo opp.) can be seen in a 2009 art project in New York Waste Not – see Blog post 6 July 2009.
The photo gallery below provides examples of the recycled or re-purposed items at The Larches, which are listed above with asterisks.
- Row 1 – bathroom shelving made from oak timbers; and hall flooring, solitaire board & chimney pot
- Row 2 – holly railings, kerbstone steps, stoop stone, infilled garden path and solar lamps
