Building Sustainability Podcast

This is the first of 3 episodes with Gervase Wangwana - a Retrofit specialist,  Airtightness tester and reformed DJ.

Part 2 will look more into ventilation and part 3 is all about air tightness.

Become a Patreon supporter in August 2022 and be in with a chance of winning a wonderful packbasket! (Also really help the podcast out!) https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

Episode Links:

• Green Building Store case study of Reform Cottage - https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/reform-cottage-enerphit-herefordshire
• AECB Carbonlite Retrofit course -https://aecb.net/the-aecb-carbonlite-retrofit-online-training-course/
• People Powered Retrofit - https://retrofit.coop/
• Open Source Energy Monitoring - https://openenergymonitor.org
• https://www.backtoearth.co.uk/
• Carbon Coop - https://carbon.coop/
• WUFI - https://wufi.de/en/software/what-is-wufi/
• Centre For Alternative Technology - https://cat.org.uk/
• Vipassana meditation - https://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schuk
• Gervase's DJ past - https://ra.co/dj/blim/biography
• Earth Floors - http://earthfloors.co.uk/

hovel

/ˈhɒv(ə)l/

noun

a small squalid or simply constructed dwelling.

"people were living in rat-infested hovels"

Suggested Episodes to listen to Next:

• Passive House Retrofit, Air tightness and Ventilation - Es Tresidder - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/enerphit-passive-house-retrofit-air-tightness-and-ventilation-es-tresidder-bs075/
• Lucy Pedler - How to Retrofit - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/how-to-retrofit-our-existing-housing-stock-lucy-pedler/

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
Twitter - @JNaturalBuilder
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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Chris Magwood is once again our guest on the podcast.
Today we are discussing calculating materials carbon emissions, which might also be called up front carbon or embodied carbon. Chris and his team at buildersforclimateaction.org have created the BEAM calculator to do just that.
We discuss the calculator, what it can do and what its limitations are. Whether it's ok to offset biogenic carbon against higher carbon emitting materials? Some excellent reports into current house construction in Canada and how they can be improved, new and exciting materials coming onto the market and Chris' new book - Build Beyond Zero.

Episode Links:

• https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/
• BEAM Calculator - https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/beam-estimator.html
• Rocky Mountain Institute - https://rmi.org/
• Build Beyond Zero - https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Build-Beyond-Zero-by-Bruce-King-Chris-Magwood/9781642832112
• Biomason - https://biomason.com/
• Living Materials Laboratory - https://spot.colorado.edu/~wisr7047/

Link for sharing this episode: https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/s1e82

Suggested Episodes to listen to Next:

• How buildings are going to save the world? - Chris Magwood - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/how-buildings-are-going-to-save-the-world-chris-magwood-bs044/
• Life cycle analysis in construction - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/life-cycle-analysis-in-construction-jane-anderson-bs079/

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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Today I'm joined by Clare Nash who describes herself as an "Architect creating dream eco-homes, barn conversions plus environmental and community focused housing schemes"
Today we are talking about how to find a work/life balance.

Design Your Life Book - https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Clare-Nash/Design-your-life--An-architects-guide-to-achieving-a-worklife-balance/26380240

Bursting with tips, ideas and how-tos on all aspects of designing a working life that suits you and your business, this book explains in clear and accessible language how to avoid the common pitfalls of long hours and low pay. It explores how to juggle work with family commitments, how to set your own career path and design priorities, and how to instil a flexible working culture within a busy lifestyle.

About Clare Nash Architecture:

Clare Nash Architecture Ltd is a 5 person architecture practice based in Brackley in rural South Northamptonshire on the Oxfordshire border. Specialising in energy efficient rural design and project management, particularly eco-refurbishment and new build, CNA's design focus takes inspiration from the vernacular.

Focusing on people, site, climate, location, context, sustainable and beautiful materials to produce buildings that sit well in their surroundings and suit the people who reside in them. This means CNA is involved from the initial concept design, through to planning and building control and continuing right through to working with builders to final completion. CNA's level of involvement is tailor made to each project depending upon an individual client's requirement whilst always ensuring close collaboration with each client in every project.

They are a small team and operate a flexible working model which means they do not work from an office but do have regular design meetings. This a superb business model for both financial and time efficiency reasons. Working remotely also gives us a degree of flexibility as our different working locations keep us inspired and feeling fresh to approach projects with renewed focus and lots of ideas.

Podcast Episode Links:

• Clare Nash Architecture - https://clarenasharchitecture.co.uk/
• The E Myth - https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Michael-E-Gerber/The-E-Myth-Revisited--Why-Most-Small-Businesses-Dont-Work/2674004
• The Artists Way - https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Julia-Cameron/The-Artists-Way--A-Course-in-Discovering-and-Recovering-Your-Creative-Self/19465022
• Ikigai - https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Hector-Garcia/Ikigai--The-Japanese-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-life/21003608

Connect

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The second Episode with Architect Clare Nash this time discussing the findings from her book Contemporary Vernacular Design How British Housing Can Rediscover Its Soul

The book presents 25 inspirational housing schemes providing hope for the future of home building in Britain. Highlighting the need for the UK to reclaim its sense of local identity through the vernacular, these case studies are not just examples of good design but demonstrate the achievable nature of contemporary vernacular in today's society.

Generating a sense of place, community and regional identity, these schemes are also affordable and highly energy efficient. Through site visits and interviews with both architects and residents, each case study explores how the schemes were delivered, how they have been received by the community, and how passive principles of vernacular design were applied to create true sustainability.

Episode 81 links:

• Clare Nash Architecture - https://clarenasharchitecture.co.uk/
• Creating sustainable towns (BS006) - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/creating-new-sustainable-towns-noel-isherwood/
• Graven Hill Development - https://www.gravenhill.co.uk/

Connect with me:
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Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
Twitter - @JNaturalBuilder
Facebook - Jeffreythenaturalbuilder
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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This week on the podcast we have Jane Anderson, who is an expert in Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), EPD and Embodied Carbon for construction. 

We discuss what LCA's and EPD's are and how they are created, sequestering carbon in construction and greenwashing!

Links from this episode:

• Jane's Website - https://constructionlca.co.uk/
• Jane's Twitter - https://twitter.com/constructionlca
• One Click LCA - https://www.oneclicklca.com/ 
• PHRibbon (LCA) - https://www.phribbon.co.uk/
• Building Sustainability Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

Suggested Episodes to listen to Next:

• What are the environmental impacts of building with Straw? - John Butler - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/what-is-the-environmental-impact-of-building-with-straw-bales/
• Why should we be building PassivHaus? -  John Butler - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/why-should-we-be-building-passivhaus-john-butler-bs063/

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
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Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
Twitter - @JNaturalBuilder
Facebook - Jeffreythenaturalbuilder
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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Conversations recorded at Futurebuild 2022 with Brian Murphy of the Green Building Calculator and Rowland Keable of EBUKI talking about the Cobbauge project.

Episode links

• Green Building Calculator - https://greenbuildingencyclopaedia.uk/
• https://www.futurebuild.co.uk/
• EBUKI - http://www.ebuki.co/
• Cobbauge - http://www.cobbauge.eu/en/
• Sheltercraft - https://sheltercraft.co.uk

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Connect with me:
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Two conversations recorded at Futurebuild 2022. Vince House talks about demand controlled ventilation and Matt Stevenson about homegrown timber solutions. 

Podcast Links

• Updated! Comparison of MVHR Vs Demand controlled ventilation https://www.aivc.org/sites/default/files/D2_S6B-02.pdf
• https://www.aereco.co.uk/
• https://ukcmb.org/2019/10/27/bsi-white-paper-moisture-in-buildings/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-stevenson-62006841/
• https://www.futurebuild.co.uk/

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Connect with me:
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This episode we are talking to the brand new editorial team for the Last Straw Journal - Alex Henderson, Gavin Fraser, Kenny Fallon & Zoe Gardner!

The Last Straw Journal
THE ALTERNATIVE JOURNAL OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION - for dirtbags and dreamers - since 1992

The Last Straw is a platform to share and explore ideas of a better world through the lens of building methods and materials. In the face of climate crisis and increasing alienation from each other and the Earth, we believe another world is possible.

Our goals are to bring a critical perspective to conventional practice, imagine alternatives, and connect designers, builders, and dreamers. We offer both an uncomplicated introduction to alternative building, and a rigorous review of the latest developments. We learn from the past and present to help each other build a more autonomous future.

For over 25 years, The Last Straw was the only international journal dedicated to natural building and ecological design. It was startedas a collective effort by straw bale builders Matts Myhrman and Judy Knox in Tucson, Arizona in 1992. Since then twenty four editors, three publishers, and countless contributors have continued the long conversation about alternative ways of building and living.

The magazine began during the natural building revival of the 90’s, but a publication like this is needed now more than ever. In the fall of 2020 a group of friends got together to bring new life to The Last Straw. Catch up on where The Last Straw has been and join us in imagining the world we want to live in!

Episode Links

• The Last Straw Website - https://www.thelaststraw.org/
• Community Rebuilds - https://www.communityrebuilds.org/
• Moab, Utah - https://www.discovermoab.com/
• Rocky Mountain Natural Building Conference 2021 - https://natural-building-alliance.org/events/2020_rmnbc/
• Rural Studio Programme - https://ruralstudio.org/
• Support the podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

Suggested Episodes to listen to Next:

• What are the environmental impacts of building with Straw? - John Butler - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/what-is-the-environmental-impact-of-building-with-straw-bales/
• A Straw Bale Catch Up -  Phil Christopher -

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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Building Physicist and certified PassivHaus designer Es Tresidder is back to discuss his  EnerPHit retrofit project on his family home. We discuss what he's doing and what he has learned from pulling apart his home to do the work.

Episode Links

• Es' website: http://www.highlandpassive.com/
• Design of Es’ retrofit and Es’ employer - http://www.johngilbert.co.uk/
• Building Sustainability Community Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/340122253926357
• Building Sustainability Patreon (support the podcast) - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability
• EnerPHit - https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/enerphit
• Passive House Institute - https://passivehouse.com/
• Gutex wood fibre board T&G - https://gutex.co.uk/product-range/products/product/gutex-multitherm/
• Hemp Jute Insulation - https://www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com/product/thermo-hemp-combi-jute
• Intello Vapor barrier - https://proclima.com/products/internal-sealing/intello-plus
• Green Building Store Windows - https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/triple-glazed-timber-windows-doors/
• Siga directional membrane - https://www.sigatapes.co.uk/Majrex_15m_Interior/p4850575_17594418.aspx

Suggested Episodes to listen to:

• Es- Thermal Mass in buildings - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/does-adding-mass-to-your-building-make-it-more-energy-efficient-es-tresidder-bs074/ 
• Janna Laan Lomas - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/sustainable-architecture-design-materials-and-cost-janna-laan-lomas/

Connect with me
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
Twitter - @JNaturalBuilder
Facebook -

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Connect with me:
IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilder
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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It's a commonly held belief that adding mass into your building will make it more energy efficient. In this episode I talk with Es Tresidder about whether this is true and when extra mass in your building can be beneficial.

About Es - I am a certified Passivhaus and AECB Carbonlite Retrofit designer. I have over ten years of experience in low-energy buildings in both consultancy and academic roles.  I also teach on two Masters courses (Developing Low Carbon Communities and Sustainable Energy Solutions) for The University of Highlands and Islands.

Episode 74 Links:

• Article by Es - http://www.highlandpassive.com/index.php/how-much-does-mass-matter/
• Es Twitter - https://twitter.com/EsTresidder
• Hempcrete - Hygrothermal performance of an experimental hemp-lime
  building - https://purehost.bath.ac.uk/ws/files/217154/Lawrence_Key-Eng-Mat_2012_517.pdf
• Dunning Kruger effect - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
• Straw PassivHaus - https://youtu.be/ty7X_YfzvVY
• Passipedia - https://passipedia.org/

Workshop - Earth Building - Falkland Estate - Scotland

• https://falklandestate.co.uk/event/earth-and-fibre-in-huts-and-homes-build-school-course/
• https://falklandestate.co.uk/2022-build-school-and-hut-fest-dates-released/
  videos from last year:
  Earth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpMbdzBxuvE&list=PLhZmoxmlsuzkJcqe8dBn0T0IOtSBsxRbZ&index=3
  Turf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ieKXt6CFT0&list=PLhZmoxmlsuzkJcqe8dBn0T0IOtSBsxRbZ&index=1
  Timber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hROeCcQdYIA&list=PLhZmoxmlsuzkJcqe8dBn0T0IOtSBsxRbZ&index=4
  Location https://www.y

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Connect with me:
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Support this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability

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