Watch out, here comes Hugh from Salix!
Ecobuild was a golden opportunity for Blue Patch to become more knowledgable about the latest in cutting edge green technology. This year we only scratched the surface of this substantial and fascinating event, now on our annual ‘to do’ list. My first encounter in the Excel jungle was with Hugh, a botanist from Salix, specialising in erosion control and bioengineering (take a look at their inland dredging salixrw.com which could have come in very handy in Somerset). Hugh told me all about the 3 hectare wetland system they created for Twycross Zoo, Warwickshire which deals with waste water at the same time as a providing a new Paradise for wildlife.
Cress Water Solution’s practical and lovely landscaping
I was also very impressed with the work done by Cress Water Solutions based in Cullompton in Devon. Their landscaping was so imaginative and I can’t think of a better way to treat dirty water and transform in into a new designer landscape. It’s design awareness matched with sustainability that will get people to invest in making their water go further – it’s going to really enhance property value.
University of East London architecture students nesting
I then came across a lively flock of first year BSc Architecture students (University of East London) with their wonderfully random bird hide. Constructed from willow and recycled wood this hide has been made to measure for the Lee Valley Waterworks Nature Reserve in East London. Sustainability is currently just one of their course modules, but Blue Patch think low carbon thinking should be a priority in all architecture courses.
The sensible chaps at Glazing Vision, providing green jobs in Norfolk
Jane photo bombs Glazing Vision
On the subject of students and future of jobs, Glazing Vision provided a very welcome surprise. Made in their factory in Diss, Norfolk, these brilliantly engineered, super slick skylights and ‘glass rooms’ are utterly desirable, just imagine taking your roof off and transforming the attic into a greenhouse, every home with it’s own integral veggie plot and ‘hot zone’.
Barbra Jones FRSA teaching me about Straw Works building methods
With green building on the brain I was lucky enough to meet Barbara Jones, Director of Straw Works, the straw bale building company based in Todmorden, Lancashire (I visited in 2012 to see the impact Incredible Edibles has had and to attend the Pop Up Foundation conference in Burnley. It’s a melting pot of sustainability and worth a trip).
Straw works mini house at Ecobuild
Barbara is passionate about her building method, which has a fascinating history and of course straw bale buildings can last 200 years or be dismantled in a jiffy leaving no environmental damage – it’s all biodegradable. Taking a look at the buildings they have constructed using this method (300 of them) I can see why she loves them. They are super futuristic and ancient all at the same time. Blue Patch will be supporting Barbara’s quest to get straw bale building accredited as a trade so she can bring in apprentices.
Ventive passive ventilation – with the engineer who developed it wearing the glasses.
After a little nibble on a curled up sandwich Jason and I carried on in a mad whirl of pipes, coils and plastics until we found Ventive a simple solution to passive heat recovery. I plan to test this innovation out in my home in Herne Hill where heat gets stuck downstairs and condensation generated by a cluster of teenagers and other pets reaches fever pitch – hopefully this neat little addition to my roof will help. Ventive are based in Isleworth, Middlesex.
Meet Pete
So with the sun sinking over the Thames – not that we could see it, we were suddenly galloping about trying to chat to as many people possible in the final hour of Ecobuild. Happening upon Pete from Bedrock Tiles (wasn’t that where the Flintstones lived?) was lucky – a true tile obsessive, there is nothing he doesn’t know about those flat floor things. He is going to explain to Blue Patchers the complicated area of UK made sustainable ceramics and may even make an appearance on a Blue Patch forum as soon as we launch (having become a member first we hope).
Mark Wood, Project Engineer at DW Windsor Lighting
I managed to grab a quickie with Mark (it was well after closing time) beneath his elegant solar powered LED lamp (from the Kirium range), it’s a lovely design and would look right at home on planet Venus let alone in a state of the art new town (or old) and, fantastically, they are manufactured in Hertfordshire. So DW Windsor’s lighting and architectural design solutions save masses of carbon and money and create UK jobs too.
We of course encountered the team from The Renewable Heat Incentive from the Department of Climate Change (DCC) but this is all new, so we will be working through the implications and covering it in an depth Blue Patch blog later on.
Kerry from Danlers
Last but not quite least I met Kerry from Danlers, still full of beans despite the now empty trade fair and trying to taking her stand down. We had a laugh about teenagers and lights – what to do…well fitting one of their ingenious ‘movement sensor’ light switches seems totally sensible. Again made in the UK (Wiltshire) Danlers has vast experience of making gadgets that really do save masses of carbon and money too. Rock on Kerry and Danlers too!
That’s all folks from our rapid romp through Ecobuild. We had such an informative time and can’t wait for next year because green innovation is moving fast forward. Oh yes, Jason spotted Ken Livingstone taking a keen interest. Was Boris snuckling around Excel too?
Ken Livingstone snapped by Jason for the Blue Patch blog
