May 16, 2012

BBC1 – DIY SOS Enfield – Oliver’s story

This was to be my third programme with the DIY SOS and certainly the most emotional, not least of all because of the heart wrenching story behind the shoot.

Davina Rivers nominated her own home to be transformed; a small terraced house in Enfield North London, where she has lived for the last 13 years with her husband Eric and three daughters aged between 5 and 14.

Just over a year ago Eric was tragically diagnosed with a Motor Neurone disease. Eric’s condition is terminal with 50% of suffers dying in the first 14-18 months of diagnoses, with others living for up to 5 years. He is on various forms of medication but there is no treatment for this kind of disease.

The family were determined to stay together in their family home, and to care for Eric as his condition deteriorates. When we arrived he was already confined to his wheelchair making access to upper floors and through doorways limited. Things had to change, and after an incredible 10 days build, over 100 neighbours, friends, family and even local trades who had heard the story….. they did.

We redesigned the ground floor widening doorways, opening up the flow of the space. We installed a wheelchair lift to take Eric up to the first floor. A small extension was constructed at the rear to create a larger family dining area, which lead out via a wheel chair ramp to a redesigned garden space.

 

 

 

 

Upstairs a disability bathroom was installed, with wider access doors. A carefully designed shared bedroom gave the 2 youngest girls space to call their own, whilst on the 2nd floor a dormer roof was installed to give the eldest daughter a bedroom to call her own with a lounge space for her to spend precious time with her younger sisters.

 

 

Eric and Davina also had bedroom to call their own, a special space to spend time together.

 

 

The design was approached with careful attention given to accessibility so that the whole family could spend quality time together, be it in the lounge, study, kitchen dinner or garden. However I was keen to ensure that Erics condition and its spatial needs didn’t dominate the design approach; I also wanted to create a warm, hand crafted “much loved” home for the whole family to enjoy and grow through these difficult times. Creating spaces to be alone was as important as it was to create social space – as it should be for any family home.

 

 

 

 

The hand crafted element came through in the use of patch-worked materials seen in the stunning armchair created by Kelly Swallow http://kellyswallow.co.uk/ and the dining area wall paper design that we created – a feature that gave me quite some anxiety but worked out wonderfully in the end!

 

 

 

 

The use of Vintage “frames within frames” also gave a really personal hand crafted feel to the lovely family photos; reminding them all of the wonderful times they had spent together over the years.

 

 

 

 

Whilst style and aesthetic design will never be able to solve the difficult times the Rivers family are going through, it can create a calming, warm, nurturing space for them to live in – the functional reordering and improved accessibility making the whole house usable for I hope, years to come.

 

It is rare to get the sort of response to completed designs that we received from Eric and the family, but it’s at times like this you can see the power of good design and what happens when society gets together with a common aim.

Truly Incredible.

By oliver | Filed in General | Comments (0)
April 10, 2012

Beat the drought….simple eco water saving measures at home


 I don’t know why im quite so obsessed by water use, perhaps it’s because I grew up in Brighton, swimming in the sea from an early age, or even that I was even a windsurfing instructor for a few years – which teaches you to respect water and the sea, that’s for sure. Or perhaps quite simply unlike gas or electricity it’s such a measurable resource. If like me, you’ve got a water meter it’s a resource that you can dramatically reduce without much impact to the quality of your life at home.

It’s clear to me that interior design has a key role in helping us reduce our use of water, especially that as a designer I get to manage that golden opportunity when a home is undergoing change.

So I wanted to share a few little eco design secrets with you, because numerous counties across the South and East of the UK have now entered enforced water restrictions. So we’re going to need to learn how to reduce our water use over the next few months, years- and perhaps over our entire lives.

The reality is that in the UK the average adult uses 150 litres of “drinking quality” water per day. And here’s a picture of what all that water looks like. Scary huh?!

 

 

No one believes me when I tell them that, but it’s true, check your water meter if you have one and do the maths.
But what can you do, without a major overhaul of your home?
Toilets are a massive waste. I especially hate that with every flush most toilets use 9 litres of drinking water – just imagine all those bottles of water being lost down the pan. OK so most of us have tried the old water hippo or brick and yes it will save a litre of two, but for me a far greater saver is the Interflush kit  www.interflush.co.uk which really simply fits to your old siphon toilet and allows you to control the amount of water your toilet uses as you hold down the handle. Simple to fit and the payback is a few months.

 

 

But toilets aren’t that sexy and exciting are they? So how about showers – of course I could go on about how we should all be sharing them and how steamy it can all get, but let’s be realistic, as romantic as I may be – it’s not really a viable long term water saving solution. The simplest way to reduce water in a shower is to use a shower timer. There’s plenty to choose from there and they don’t need to be more complicated than a water proof egg timer. www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk
When the average shower uses 10 litres of water per minute and lasts for 7 minutes, cutting this down to 4 minutes (without any real nagging) is pretty easy and will save 30 glorious litres of the wet stuff.

 

 

Or go one step further and fit a low flow aerating shower head like this one from Mira www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog or this from Camel, www.ecocamel.com they just screw onto your old shower hose. For around £30 this will cut water use from 10 litres down to around 5 or 6 litres depending on which model you go for, and your water pressure. And remember you pay for hot water 3 times – once to buy it, once to heat it and once to get rid of it. So every litre saved in the shower saves the cost of heating it too. With no noticeable reduction of water use, it’s a simple winner.

 

 

But if you’re a bath person and don’t like the idea of sharing water with your partner or family (sitting around in other peoples gunky soap and dirt is considerably less sexy than sharing a shower in my opinion, even if you do love them) you could fit a water diverting valve to the outside bit of your waste pipe www.green-shopping.co.uk  This will allow you to divert water from the bath to a hose pipe to be used in the garden for watering plants. Simple but ingenious grey water recycling!

 

 

A relatively small amount of water is actually used in cooking and drinking but washing up can be pretty bad. A simple solution is to use a washing up bowl or you could go one step further and fit a foot pedal operated tap like this one from IZI flow www.izi-flow.com .

Quite simply it allows the mixer tap to be turned on and off by a foot pedal so you don’t need to turn the taps on and off to rinse, and as soon as you step away from the sink the tap goes off – brilliant, I love it !

 

All these products are easy to fit and use and have helped cut water use in my own home to 100 litres of water per person per day- a reduction of over 30%; saving me even more than that in hot water costs too. So look at the longterm savings now and put that Easter DIY to good use. You could even use it as an excuse to share that once in a blue moon shower……..

By oliver | Filed in Environmental events, General, Technology/ Energy Saving, Water saving | Comments (0)
April 5, 2012

Temporary Structures: Working With Nature

 

With summer just around the corner, my mind turns to the camping season. It gives me the chance to get outside, be closer to nature and make the most of my fabulous new Bell Tent. But what we are also seeing in the design world is that there is a new found fascination with temporary architecture, challenging our long-held belief in the West that architecture is about robust, solid materials (concrete, brick, stone, steel and glass) and keeping nature firmly out.

Contrary to that idea we’re now seeing an explosion of temporary architecture offering us wonder, delight, joy and perhaps even bringing us closer to nature. For me, this can only be a good thing as it encourages the belief that to live sustainably, we must respect and live with nature rather than see it as something that simply serves our needs.

So, with these ideas in mind, I thought I’d take a look at some fantastic temporary architectural forms popping up this year.

 

Starting in Italy, design firm Avatar has created this Recycled Pallet Pavilion using the ubiquitous flat wooden structures we so often see discarded. This looks to me like a great upcycled use of a material that would otherwise have been thrown away, not to mention a great place to hang out in the summer.

 

 

Heading to (slightly) warmer climes, these prefabricated parabolic camping pods (trying saying that after a couple of glasses of wine) require no air-conditioning, despite being in Australia. Located on a luxury, solar powered eco campsite and surrounded by rich, verdant forest, this is camping at the top end.

 

 

This Camper Bike may be a sculptural piece from 2008 but wouldn’t you just love to give it a try? Imagine the looks on people’s faces as you passed them cycling this incredible contraption. I love it, bonkers but brilliant.

 

 

Speaking of things you’d love to try, what about this Tentsile tent? Described by its manufacturer as the most versatile tent in the world, you have to admit they’re not wrong. String up its three anchor points and you’ll be up above the ground living like a monkey in the trees. And if, like me, you’ve got little monkeys of your own, they’re bound to love it too.

 

 

‘Cicada’, by Finnish architect Marco Casagrande, is a cocoon-like spatial installation in a highly industrial part of Taipei. Beautifully made from woven bamboo it was conceived as ‘urban acupuncture’ for the city. It ‘loosely envelopes an organic volume which responds to the human scale’. It’s certainly a beautiful structure.

 

 

If you fancy something a little more comfortable, how about a weekend ‘glamping’ in one of these? It’s a beautifully converted horsebox created by my friends at Wilderness Wood complete with outdoor shower, compost toilet, wood burner, gas stove as well as an outdoor fire-pit and benches, and what a view! It sleeps two adults and two small children- l’il family sized!

 

 

Sticking on the ‘glamping’ theme, these Dome Gardens in the Forest of Dean bridge the gap between traditional camping and luxury accommodation. They come with indoor wood burners and even an en suite bathroom, so you won’t have to brave the cold for that early morning trip to the toilet.

 

 

And if you want to experience something similar in a stunning location, these Whitepods located in the Swiss Alps make the perfect skiing accommodation.

 

 

If walking out of the water, up the beach and straight into your living room sounds appealing then these Lochhouses near Edinburgh are for you. When it comes to getting back to nature, this is about as good as it gets. And when you feel how cold the water of the North Sea can be, having your house so close will definitely be a blessing.

 

 

If you’ve ever fantasised about living in the trees then you’re not alone. The designers of Sweden’s Treehotel were thinking along the same lines. In the middle of unspoilt nature, this is a completely unique hotel experience. With amazing views of the Lule Valley and some stunning rooms to choose from, this is the ultimate tree house experience.

 

 

From one end of the scale to the other, yet sharing the same basic idea, temporary structures work with nature rather than against it. I think you’ll agree, it’s better to be on the same side.

 

 

 

By oliver | Filed in Environmental events, General, Natural stuff | Comments (0)
March 30, 2012

Biomimicry: What eco design can learn from nature?

As a designer, there’s really no greater inspiration than the marvels of nature. Increasingly we’re seeing science taking its cues from the natural world in an effort to solve complex design issues in a more organic way. Hopefully creating better spaces for us to live in.

 

In a nutshell (nice idiom right?), biomimicry or biomimetics is the examination of nature – emulating or being inspired by its models, systems, processes and elements in order to solve human problems. The term Biomimicry was first coined  by Janine Benyus in her 1997 book called ‘Biomimicry: Innovation inspired by design’. Her ideas have since spread into the worlds of product design, interiors and architecture, with some truly inspirational ideas.

 

 

Now if you’ve ever seen a lizard climbing a wall and wished you had the same ability then your dream might not be far away from becoming reality. For years the secrets behind the extraordinary climbing prowess of the gecko baffled scientists. Eventually they discovered millions of tiny keratin hairs, called setae, on their feet. The hairs work at an intermolecular level, providing incredible grip and allowing the gecko to support its own weight using just a single toe. Gecko Tape has been made using the same principles and researchers say it could allow humans to walk up sheer surfaces and even across ceilings (Lionel Richie will be delighted). “Our ‘Geckskin’ device is about the size of an index card and can hold a maximum force of about 700 pounds while adhering to a smooth surface”, says Alfred Crosby, Associate Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

 

 

From the ceiling to the floor, InterfaceFlor Transformation carpeting works by mimicking the random colours and patterns found on a forest floor, r a pebble beach using different coloured carpet tiles. Rather than having a uniform colour, the tiles embrace random design, making it easy to replace a single tile rather than replacing the whole carpet, if one gets damaged or worn. It also offers fantastic creative opportunities.

 

 

At its best, biomimicry allows designers to create more sustainable and intelligent products by finding solutions in nature. A guide to biomimicry has been created in the form of ‘the design spiral’, which helps to “bioligise a challenge, query the natural world for inspiration, then evaluate to ensure that the final design mimics nature at all levels”.

 

 

As a symbol of nature, the butterfly is hard to beat, which is why I really like Lotusan Paint. In the same way that butterflies keep their wings clean with a complex surface interacting with the physics of water molecules, Lotusan exterior coating uses the same micro-structural idea to regain cleanliness after a light rinse with water. Just think how easy washing the car could be in the future.

 

 

We might think of termites as building destroyers, but in Zimbabwe an air-conditioning system has been designed modelled on self-cooling termite mounds. In nature, these can maintain temperature to within one degree despite massive fluctuations in the temperature outside.

 

 

Also using nature to keep buildings cool is HOK’s San Francisco ‘Battery Park’ design. It cleverly uses a coating of algae on the building for waste heat recovery. Combined with solar panels it means the building can produce it’s own energy while minimising its carbon footprint. Perhaps the best feature, however, is a wind energy generating system that mimics sea sponges in the way it takes in and expels water. It grows the algae on the building’s façade generating further energy, absorbing CO2 and filtering grey water.

 

 

Finally, in an age where infection and epidemics are a real issue, Florida-based Sharklet Technologies have engineered a surface technology product that controls the growth of dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli. It’s perfect for use on door handles and taps in the workplace and, perhaps more importantly, hospitals.

 

We can really learn a lot from nature. Millions of years of evolution have created some pretty extraordinary solutions to the problems of physics and biology. It’s certainly time we started learning some lessons from Mother Nature to make the world we build, a better place to live.

By oliver | Filed in Environmental events, General, Healthy spaces, Natural stuff | Comments (0)
March 21, 2012

Does an eco-home lead to an eco-lifestyle? no and here’s why

 

It seems inescapable that the way we live here in the UK and around the world is changing. The impacts of the global economy, the search for sustainable fuel sources and climate change have impacted on us all over the last few years. And when it comes to the home, we will see these changes impact on the way we live, and the efficiency of the buildings that we live and work in- and for good reason.

Since 1970 expectations of personal comfort in the home have risen considerably; the public’s definition of a ‘comfortable’ home temperature has risen from 12C to 17.3C in 2008. And energy consumption within the home has increased by 34% since 1970.

This coupled with the global economic downturn and rapidly fluctuating energy prices has led to 1 in 4 homes in the UK falling into fuel poverty over the last 18 months – or to be more shockingly specific that’s around 5.5 million homes that have now fallen into fuel poverty.

 

 

When we consider that 27% of the UK’s CO2 emissions come from our homes, you can understand the national need to drive down wastefulness of energy consumption and improve our use of essential resources.

Energy efficiency drives are coming to all our homes in the next few years, most pressing is in the shape of the Government’s soon to be unveiled Green Deal, encouraging 23 million homes across the UK to sustainably refurbish by 2020.

 

 

This is something I’ve taken great pains to carry out in my own home, reducing the CO2 emissions by 75 % through a massive refurbishment last year (the picture below shows the extent to which we had to strip the house back to), including high levels of insulation, new heating technologies such as heat recovery systems, efficient condensing boilers, solar water heating, solar PV systems and air tightness.

 

 

I was recently invited to talk in Desborough, Northamptonshire, where a residential led mixed use development was in public consultation, to be called Grange 2. The application highlighted an Energy Centre as a sustainable solution for the supply of heat and power to new homes and existing businesses.

As a result Origin are proposing a Combined Heat and Power plant that will provide a renewable energy facility. The Energos gasification plant will convert household and business waste into heat and power for the adjacent housing developments and nearby businesses, as well as supplying surplus electricity into the National Grid.

The more sustainably planned homes at Grange 2 will do much to reduce the inhabitant’s environmental impact. I know from experience that those lucky enough to live here will benefit from homes that are warmer, healthier and considerably more affordable to run. Plus! No cold spots, no draughts no wild fluctuations of temperature at night, and security from price hikes in energy costs.  This will be a major shift for many, and one that offers real improvements in quality of life at home.

But whilst we can make our homes more efficient through improved building techniques and technology, there is still one weak link in our lifestyle carbon footprints, and that’s us.

Research has demonstrated that unconscious ‘habitual behavior’ is very difficult to change, particularly when it is closely linked with improving conditions. When studied, the challenges facing behavioral change in energy conservation, the messages were stark. Some 40% of people simply had more important things to worry about. They were concerned about climate change, but there was a sense of disempowerment: “I can’t change anything, so why bother?” Meanwhile there was a willingness to shift blame for high costs to the utility companies rather than take responsibility for personal consumption

Many of us fail to realise that it’s cultural and behavioral adjustment that’s often causing the issue, it seems that technological development is racing ahead faster than we can adapt and develop.

And this is by no means a new phenomenon:

In 1865, during the Industrial Revolution, the English economist William Stanley Jevons observed that technological improvements that increased the efficiency of coal-use actually led to the increased consumption of coal in a wide range of industries. He argued that, contrary to common intuition, technological improvements could not be relied upon to reduce fuel consumption.

 

 

The Jevons Paradox, as it is known, has been used to argue that energy conservation is futile, as increased efficiency may actually increase fuel use. Nevertheless, increased efficiency can improve material living standards. And this is where it starts to get interesting.

Could a sustainable way of life be actually be a better way of life?

The issue has more recently been re-examined by modern economists studying consumption rebound effects from improved energy efficiency

The Rebound Effect occurs when a product (in this case energy) is produced more efficiently so becomes cheaper to use with the result, ironically, being that we use more of it.

Research suggests that up to 30% of energy saved by improving the insulation of homes or the fuel efficiency of cars may be undone because people drive more or turn up the heat once it’s cheaper.

 

 

Rebound effects can be explained to some extent by simple economic theory – if price falls, consumption increases, and this means less energy is saved. But there are also behavioral theories that provide other explanations.

These include “moral licensing” which is the idea that when people do something good they feel they have the license to do something ‘bad’, and the “contribution ethic” where people feel they’ve done their fair share and need do no more.

Hand on your heart – who’s not guilty of that…?

So what can be done?

Studies indicate that alongside greater efficiency and cheaper prices, there is a need for comprehensive education packages to focus on human behavioural change. This should outline what similar households are doing and also the other ways that the user can further adapt their lives to cut carbon footprints, save resources and costs.

Simply put- tell customers what others are doing and what more can be done.

It’s important to understand that nearly every action has some carbon footprint associated with it in either primary or secondary ways and we need to work at reducing the impacts of each activity a little – for the benefit of all.

This might be buying energy efficient appliances, turning gadgets off standby, having your bike tyres pumped up and ready to be used or even simply keeping a reusable shopping bag with you.

Theses small changes in behavior could lead to large changes in energy use: in the UK nearly £800m a year is wasted through leaving appliances plugged in, and on at the socket, while around £140m is lost by leaving lights on in empty rooms.

 

 

Equally, the average household wastes more than £400 per year on throwing away perfectly good food! Changing these habits is simple, think of it more as “modern common sense” and every change makes a difference!

Whilst we can each make a small change it’s working together as a community at a local level that we will start to see the real benefits.

And when I mean work together I mean all of us, not just inhabitants but also retailers, local councils, transport groups, waste management companies and energy suppliers – to close the loop on reducing wastage of all our resources – even the ones we don’t really consider.

What’s so exciting about the Origin Scheme in Desborough is that through doing something as simple as processing the waste that we can’t recycle, we put this community in greater control. It could put them that much closer to zero waste to landfill through the gasification and power generation of the materials that gets collected.

And what could this mean? More secure, affordable, locally generated energy, supporting and creating local jobs and in the end reducing the embedded carbon of local businesses and the stuff we buy and use every day.

I’m always surprised when people tell me that eco homes and lifestyles are not for them but when I talk to them about the advantages to you and me, and to the community on a wider scale, who wouldn’t want those benefits?

Sometimes choosing greener energy is one of the most difficult aspects of a sustainable lifestyle – I mean we can’t all have our own wind turbines, solar panels or ground source heat pumps.

 

 

But decentralised locally produced energy means that the people who live here will have made a real step towards zero waste to landfill and greener lower carbon lives.

I have spent many years promoting the 3R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) as an integral element of sustainable living to individuals and communities, so I am delighted to see a 4th R, a recovery scheme such as the one we are seeing in Desborough come into the public domain for consultation. I am confident residents and others in the local community will see for themselves the real benefits that community plans such as these bring in terms of energy security and an opportunity to embrace a more sustainable way of living.

 

By oliver | Filed in General, Recycling / upcycling, The Green Deal | Comments (0)
March 7, 2012

Superhomes – energy efficient eco homes opening up in your neighbourhood soon!

Last summer I had the pleasure of giving Greg Barker MP Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, a tour of my home. And if you thought I only open my home for Royalty and the occasional passing MP well you’d be wrong. As it happens Greg was the 98th visitor to take a guided tour of my now officially named Super Home.

 

 

And if you’re interested you could be one of the next to visit as we’re having our next opening on Saturday the17th March

 

 

 

For those of you that haven’t heard of the Super Home network it’s a group of over 116 homes across the UK who have all had an energy efficiency update, slashing their carbon emission by at least 60%. In our case we’ve cut CO2 emissions by 75%.

But more than just being smug warm homeowners, the Super Homers are encouraged to open their doors twice a year and welcome guests for a guided tour of their home, to talk through the refurbishment process and to experience first hand the impact that cutting edge materials and technology can have on the quality of life at home.

The updated homes include the latest in eco-innovations, such as ground source heat pumps, heat recovery systems, photo-voltaics, low energy LED lighting, in addition to energy saving measures such as solid wall insulation and internal insulation, using environmentally friendly fabrics such as sheep’s wool and recycled glass work surfaces. If you want to know more about the future homes that we’ll be living in, well this is a good, realistic and aspirational place to start.

 

 

Why is the Super Homes network so important? Well, between now and 2020 we need to refurbish 23 million homes to meet carbon reduction targets. This is a daunting statistic that when broken down means that we need to refurbish over 8,500 homes everyday – phew that’s going to be a mammoth task, and one that the home owners will really need to get behind to make work.

 

 

The SuperHomes Network harnesses the enthusiasm and experience of energy saving pioneers to bring examples of successful sustainable refurbishment to the widest possible audience. And the uptake home improvement of those that visit is really impressive.

If you already know you want to make energy efficiency improvements to your home, but you’re not sure where to start, check out the quick tips on the Great British Refurb website here or visit the SuperHomes website for tips on the most suitable options for your property.  The SuperHomers have also started a fantastic database called ‘My Green Builder’ which is a list of installers, suppliers, advisors and general builders who have carried out energy efficiency retrofit work on some of the houses in the SuperHome Network. Each tradesperson in the database has been reviewed by a SuperHomer so it’s designed to help you to find suitable tradespeople in your area who can help you make improvements in your own home.

http://www.greatbritishrefurb.co.uk/superhomes

John Doggart of the Sustainable Energy Academy (the SEA) who organise the SuperHome network, says the benefits of visiting a Super home are that “it gives visitors a ‘touch and feel’ experience. Before people have experienced a low carbon home, they usually think it’s a good idea, but not necessarily for them. Once they’ve visited a SuperHome, they see how they can do it in their own home. Marketing people call it salience. The opportunity to touch and feel convinces people of a reality in a way that words or megaphone messages can’t. Seeing is believing.

 

 

Also, the fact they’re being shown round by members of the public who’ve been through the process themselves is important. A householder who is taking visitors around is regarded as an incredibly trusted source. They’re not the government, who might have another agenda, or a charity, but someone like them.”

 

 

When Greg Barker visited, I took the opportunity to ask him whether people would really trust large corporate companies or local government to deliver the forthcoming Green Deal, to give consumers the best value and efficiency measures. And if not would the government support the SEA, as an unbiased group with firsthand experience, to stimulate and support the refurbishment process.

The answers were a definitive “no” swiftly followed by a change of subject. There’s a surprise. Lucky the “Big Society” in the form of the Superhome network is stepping in to get homeowners across the UK excited and informed about the benefits of sustainable refurbishment.

 

 

This month 65 Super Homes will be opening  to the public between the 17th and the 25th March. The idea is that you are always within 30 minutes drive of a Superhome, and as they come in all shapes and sizes and styles so you’ll easily find one similar to your own home.

 

 

Behind each eco retrofit is an energy saving pioneer with bold ideas. Most will vouch that sustainable refurbishment can deliver superior comfort and low energy bills without sacrificing a property’s character. But you don’t have to take our word for it. See for yourself.

 

By oliver | Filed in Environmental events, General, Technology/ Energy Saving, The Green Deal | Comments (0)
March 1, 2012

Bored Of Cotton? Here Are Some Brilliant New and Unique Sustainable Fabrics For The Home

 

It has has been said that the battle for greater sustainability in the home will be fought on a material front. I for one am always appalled at the hidden damage many conventional materials that we use create and am similarly thrilled to find new materials that tackle the same functional issues but without impacting unnecessarily onto the environment.

 

Polyester and cotton are the two dominant fabrics in one of the world’s most polluting industries: textiles. Polyester is man-made by melting and combining oil-derived plastic pellets to create the polymer polyethylene terapthalate. It’s manufactured using antimony as a catalyst, a carcinogen toxic to the heart, lungs, liver and skin.

Cotton, on the other hand, is a natural fibre but one that’s grown with a mind-boggling array of toxic chemicals and high water usage. So, it’s good to know there are some exciting sustainable alternatives coming onto the market.

 

Perhaps surprisingly, a number of these new fabrics are actually by-products of the food industry. Milkofil® is an innovative organic yarn derived from 100% milk fibre. It’s suited for contact with the skin in clothing, underwear and bedding. Its long-term emissions of negative ions are also good for air quality and blood circulation. It produces a beautiful looking and highly breathable fabric.

 

 

Soy cultivation has come under fire from environmental groups like Greenpeace and WWF as cultivation has resulted in large-scale destruction of the Amazon rainforest. But things could be about to change with endeavours to make the industry more sustainable. Sometimes called ‘vegetable cashmere’, soy fabric is soft and easy to care for, absorbs dye quickly and is anti-bacterial.

 

 

Wearing clothes made from salmon and hake skin might sound a bit fishy. But in reality it’s no different to other leather. Using by-products of the fish industry usually tossed into the landfill, it requires less chemical treatment than normal tanning. It produces a tough, resilient fabric that’s stronger than most land leathers. You’ll be pleased to know that it doesn’t smell of fish and makes beautiful upholstery material.

 

 

 

Moving on to recycled materials, these umbrellas have a 70% recycled steel frame and recycled plastic bottle canopy. Also from Eco Incentives, these shopping bags are also made from recycled bottles.

 

 

Knowing our recycling efforts are being put to good use helps us to sleep well at night. Something also helped by this Silent Night EcoComfort mattress. Made from 50% planet-friendly recycled polyester, it’s scientifically proven to keep you cooler.

 

There are also innovative organic materials. This SeaCell® yarn is made from Lyocell (a 100% wood pulp fibre) and is used to make underwear and bedding. It’s versatile and can be combined with other fibres.

 

 

And if you want to grasp the latest quality material, nettle fibre has been compared to Egyptian cotton and silk. It also makes a really beautiful upholstery fabric when combined with wool.

 

 

And finally, it’s our old friends cork and bamboo. Is there anything they can’t do? Cork woven with elastane yarn produces a versatile material for upholstery, rugs and floor coverings.

 

 

And soft and silky bamboo is anti-bacterial and highly absorbent. With plenty available in the UK as towels, bed sheets and pillowcases it could help everyone to get a better night’s sleep.

 

 

So there you go. Next time you’re about to buy cotton or polyester, why not try one of the many other brilliant alternative fabrics out there instead?

By oliver | Filed in Fabrics, General, Healthy spaces, Materials, Recycling / upcycling | Comments (0)
February 23, 2012

Eco homes need more sustainable heat and power. How decentralised heating systems and combined heat and power (CHP) systems could be the power stations for eco home of the future.

I have been asked to give a talk at the launch of a scheme delivering renewable heat and power to homes from a single local power plant, and not a coal-fired power station. So, what’s the benefit and is it really relevant for supplying the heat and power to today’s homes?

 

The talk is  for Origin Renewable Energy (Origin), who were established in 2008 to deliver localised renewable energy capacity to new housing developments in the UK. The company sets out to support sustainable new communities driven by continuing housing demand and the drive for economic growth.

 

So, what exactly is being proposed?

 

Basically, it’s an energy centre to meet the needs of developments, utilising several renewable technologies, including solar panels and small roof wind turbines and a gasification plant that runs off recycled waste materials will be incorporated into the design. It will also create a new venue available to the community in the form of a visitors centre, offering educational, meeting and conferencing facilities. The plant will have the potential to produce around 8MW of electricity or 32MW of heat. Or a combination of heat, steam and electricity.

 

 

There are a number of economic, financial and environmental reasons why facilities like this are needed. As landfill becomes more expensive there is a move in a new direction, supported by both national and local planning policies. Waste reduction measures and recycling are both encouraged but there is an urgent need to deal with the ‘residual waste’ currently going to landfill that it isn’t possible to recycle economically. Creating heat and power from this waste has its issues but also many positive results.

 

 

Perhaps more importantly is the fact energy costs are spiralling for both homes and small businesses alike. A local CHP plant could reinforce domestic supplies, keeping it affordable and supporting local jobs and communities.

 

This all sounds great. But what if you’re one of the many millions who won’t be able to benefit from a decentralised power plant. Well, there is a domestic alternative, allowing you to have a mini power plant in your home.

 

A domestic CHP system produces heat and power in one single, highly efficient process. CHP generates electricity while retaining heat produced in the process. Unlike modern coal- and gas-fired power stations, which can waste up to a shocking two-thirds of the overall energy consumed as heat. You’ve probably all seen the large concrete cooling towers pumping out huge clouds of steam.

 

 

The overall efficiency of CHP is about 80%. This contrasts to between 49% and 52% for a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) and an even more paltry 38% for a coal-fired plant (measured between 2006 and 2008).

 

A CHP is also fuel neutral, meaning it can be applied to both renewable and fossil fuels. Although specific technologies may vary, CHP has the potential to make more efficient and effective use of increasingly valuable primary energy sources.

 

What’s more, according to Greenpeace, combining CHP’s potential for industrial sites and communities could “double the expected electricity output from the proposed nuclear programme – in the same time frame, for less money and without the nasty legacy of nuclear waste”.

 

But Greenpeace also recognises that CHP may not be the only solution as it still uses fossil fuels. However, it is the most efficient way to use them and allows us to cut emissions immediately. And with versatile boilers, different fuels can be used without needing any adaptations, ensuring you get the most out of any fuel you’re using. Perhaps it’s time the UK made more of CHP like our Dutch and Danish counterparts?

 

Commonly known as the micro-CHP, units are available for individual buildings. The Dachs CHP unit for Baxi is a prime example, although perhaps a little too large for some urban properties, but it is still up to 30% more efficient.

 

 

The Honda ECOWILL is a CHP unit powered by gas and has so far been installed in 110,000 homes.

 

 

Similarly using gas as a means for more efficient power, the Calor Fuel Cell Boiler for LPG is ideal for rural homes, generating heat and electricity as well as reducing annual household carbon emissions.

 

So, there you have it. The future isn’t all nuclear power station doom and gloom but your very own localised power plants. Putting you in greater control of energy price fluctuations and cutting your carbon emissions too. Now, we’ve just got to decide where we’re going to put them…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By oliver | Filed in General, Technology/ Energy Saving | Comments (1)
February 16, 2012

Sustainable communities and The Big Switch

This year, a quarter of all households in England and Wales have fallen into fuel poverty thanks to a high increase in energy bills this autumn. According to a report by Consumer Focus, there are just under 7m households in Britain living in fuel poverty, the highest figure on record. Apparently, four out of 10 people are worried they will not be able to afford their next energy bill, which I’m sure you’ll agree is quite shocking.

The Government considers anyone to be living in fuel poverty if you spend more than 10% of your household income on fuel in order to live comfortably. There are three main factors which determine whether a household is considered to be in fuel poverty or not, which are the cost of energy, the energy efficiency of the property, and the household income.

So where is all the money going?

 It doesn’t matter which energy supplier you’re paying if you don’t know what you’re paying for. According to energy industry watchdog Ofgem, only £495 (or 43%) of the average dual fuel bill goes towards the wholesale cost of your gas and electricity.

An extra £657 per customer per year is added onto each bill, which includes:

  • £230 in network costs (including distribution),
  • £127 in operating costs (including billing and customer service staff),
  • £92 for the government’s environmental and social schemes (such as Cert)
  • £58 in VAT
  • £58 to cover any other costs, such as metering.
  • This leaves a net margin of £92.

The coalition has said they want to end fuel poverty by 2016, however, in the mean time people don’t want to freeze.  Channel 4 News revealed, there are still more people in fuel poverty than ever. So it seems to be up to the consumer groups to fight for fairer energy prices.

Four of the main 6 energy companies have recently declared that they will be cutting their prices, but unfortunately the reductions will not take effect until March, leaving many to remain in fuel poverty until early spring. Nice gesture, but is it really enough?

And Now for the good news !- The BIG SWITCH.

It is easy to understand the drive to put pressure on the energy companies to produce cheaper tariffs, some would argue that it is essential we do so. Consumer group Which? has teamed up with 38 Degrees, an independent community of UK citizens who campaign for social issues. Together, they are launching a campaign called ‘The Big Switch’, where they will negotiate with energy suppliers in order to try and secure a cheaper energy deal by holding a ‘reverse auction’, where energy companies are invited to put forward their lowest price per kilowatt of electricity and cubic meter of gas.

Anyone living in England Scotland and Wales can sign up by going to http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/the-big-switch#petition
The winning deal will then be offered to everyone who signed up and Which? will then handle the switching process. Once a deal as been made you can always decide if you actually want to accept it, but in the meantime its worth signing up as every name increases the bargaining power available.

Executive director of Which?, Richard Lloyd said: “The government, regulator and energy companies have failed to move quickly enough to improve things for consumers when so many are struggling to pay their bills. That’s why we decided to launch The Big Switch. This is a completely new way to buy energy as a group. The bigger the group, the stronger our bargaining power will be.”

This really is a very exciting way for communities, in this case those across the UK to work together to bring down prices of the basic resources such as gas and electricity that we use everyday.

It is conceivable that due to these concerns, the government sent out 675,000 letters last week to households across the country in a bid to raise awareness of the Warm Front scheme. And there are other steps being taken by the government to deal with fuel poverty in the future, including the introduction of the Green Deal, which aims to get more houses insulated, although some of these plans have also faced criticism. Consumer Focus  told Channel 4 News that plans to replace three existing initiatives ending in 2012 and 2013 with the new energy company obligation effectively represent a funding cut. But the government says it represents £1.3bn of investment annually.

David Babbs, executive director of 38 Degrees, said: “We are all sick of gas and electricity companies ripping us off. If thousands of customers band together we will have the bargaining power to do something about it. The big energy companies act like they are untouchable, but this people-powered campaign can turn the tables and bring down prices for everyone.”

The energy and climate change secretary Edward Davey said he was “delighted” with the scheme: “I have long believed collective purchasing will be a game-changer in terms of handing power back to consumers. I want to make it easier for consumers to club together and use collective purchasing power to reduce their gas and electricity bills. We are looking hard at how we can do this and how we can remove barriers to enable more initiatives like The Big Switch. At the same time we are working with Ofgem to simplify energy tariffs, make energy bills easier to understand, and boost competition in the market so that consumers can get the best deals.”

So take a look and sign up now, it only takes a few seconds.

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/the-big-switch#petition

By oliver | Filed in Environmental events, Technology/ Energy Saving, The Green Deal | Comments (0)
February 15, 2012

Up-cycling Industry: Does It Conform To All The Guidelines?

Fire is one of those things that has always fascinated me. In fact i became a trained fire breather when i was just 14 and was always mesmerised by its destructive beauty. This picture was taken of me breathing fire on the sand dunes of the Moroccan Sahara desert – (some years ago i might say!). Ive since retired as the occasional close shave (or hair on fire incident) wasn’t entirely conducive to being a better designer/ living longer.

However a question recently stumped me when I was giving a talk at Interiors 2012 at the NEC. I was asked if there was a fire risk with all these beautifully up-cycled armchairs that were seeing, and the recent uptake of vintage furniture. Modern furniture has to conform to fire safety regulations and most house clearance companies/charities won’t touch furniture unless it has a fire safe label.

The reality is that although many fire retardants (such as brominated fire retardants) contain known toxins, and even carcinogens. The current thinking is that it’s more important to prevent fires than it is to reduce toxin levels in the home.

So, it’s a tricky dilemma, especially as fewer of us are smoking at home these days. We’re also more conscious of toxins in the air. So is there a better way to fire proof our vintage treasures?

 

Some of the issues we need to consider are: organic materials don’t catch fire as quickly as nylon; the presence of toxic fire retardants and toxins in our homes; and the use of non-toxic fire retardant for fabrics.

 

Flammability of furniture is a major issue, especially in the UK domestic market, where all upholstered furniture must meet the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire Safety) Regulations. Upholstered furniture for use in contract situations must also meet tight UK specifications, including BS 7176, NHS code and IMO SOLAS. SATRA has a large flammability testing facility, where full-scale tests are carried out on items of upholstery and bedding for both contract and domestic markets. SATRA also organises flammability seminars, which are designed to help you understand the complexity of the UK, EU and American regulations and associated test methods.

Labelling upholstered furniture and record keeping ensures that furniture in the UK retail supply chain can be checked for regulatory compliance. You can find out more about correct labelling at the SATRA website.

 

Of course, toxic chemicals in furniture and other consumer products is a major concern. Hexabromocyclodecane (HBCD or HBCDD) – listed as ‘persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT)’ – is a flame retardant used in the production of insulation panels, packaging products and the textile industry. For a more in-depth statement concerning the hazards of flame-retardants, this report by leading scientists in the field is an eye-opener.  And this report by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants on alternative flame-retardants to the pentabromodipenyl ether (PDE) is also worth a look.

 

If you’re unsure about whether your vintage furniture is adequately fire proofed, you can always do it yourself. This Nitro spray is a ‘skin friendly product for use on all natural and most synthetic materials including clothing and seating’. It works by disrupting the burning process and quickly converting materials to carbon, creating a flame retardant carbon barrier. It’s easy to apply, non-toxic and non-hazardous.

This msl Firecheck water-based fire proofing is also non-toxic and can be used on any absorbent material, without the need for specialist equipment.

 

Of course, protecting fabric is one thing but how about if the material itself was fire resistant? Scientists from Texas A&M University have developed a new, non-toxic fire-resistant fabric that could revolutionise clothing and fabric technology. It is made from renewable ingredients like clay and chitosan (a compound found in shrimp and lobster shells). When heat is applied, a coating bubbles out, producing a protective layer of foam.

 

 Half a century ago, asbestos – a ’100% natural’ material by the way – was hailed as the wonder fibre of the 20th century. It was principally used for its heat resistant properties and to protect property (and incidentally human lives) from the ravages of fire. And we all know what happened there. So we need to be careful about the fabrics and materials we use.

 

It takes between 10% and 100% of the total weight of the fabric in chemicals to produce certain fabrics. Making enough of these fabrics to cover one sofa uses 4 to 20 lbs of chemicals, and the final fabric is about 27% synthetic chemicals by weight. That’s why I recommend trying to use organic materials that limit the use of residual chemicals and chemicals used in production.

 

So, as you can see, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to vintage furniture, fire safety and chemical use. Hopefully, you now know a little bit more about what to look for when buying new or upcycled or  vintage  furniture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By oliver | Filed in Fabrics, General | Comments (0)

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