Low Impact Building - Housing Using Renewable Materials

Informationen zum Autor Tom Woolley is an architect and educator and self-builder. He has taught at the Architectural Association, Strathclyde University, Hull School of Architecture, Queens University Belfast, University of Central Lancashire, UiTM in Malaysia, University of Umea, the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, University of Bath and University of Gloucestershire. His research work and writing has covered housing policy, sustainable materials and design theory. He is active in the Co-operative party, ARC-PEACE and Scientists for Global Responsibility. He has helped to establish the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products in the UK. Working with Rachel Bevan Architects in County Down in Northern Ireland, he is also involved in organic gardening and sustainable woodland management. Klappentext This guide to the designs, technologies and materials that really make green buildings work will help architects, specifiers and clients make informed choices, based on reliable technical information.Low Impact Building: Housing using Renewable Materials is about changing the way we build houses to reduce their 'carbon' footprint and to minimise environmental damage. One of the ways this can be done is by reducing the energy and environmental impact of the materials and resources used to construct buildings by choosing alternative products and systems. In particular, we need to recognise the potential for using natural and renewable construction materials as a way to reduce both carbon emissions but also build in a more benign and healthy way. This book is an account of some attempts to introduce this into mainstream house construction and the problems and obstacles that need to be overcome to gain wider acceptance of genuinely environmental construction methods.The book explores the nature of renewable materials in depth: where do they come from, what are they made of and how do they get into the construction supply chain? The difference between artisan and self-build materials like earth and straw, and more highly processed and manufactured products such as wood fibre insulation boards is explored.The author then gives an account of the Renewable House Programme in the UK explaining how it came about and how it was funded and managed by Government agencies. He analyses 12 case studies of projects from the Programme, setting out the design and methods of construction, buildability, environmental assessment tools used in the design, performance in terms of energy, air tightness, carbon footprint and post-occupancy issues.The policy context of energy and sustainability in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world is subjected to a critical examination to show how this affects the use of natural and renewable materials in the market for insulation and other construction materials. The debate over energy usage and embodied energy is discussed, as this is central to the reason why even many environmentally progressive people ignore the case for natural and renewable materials.The book offers a discussion of building physics and science, considering energy performance, moisture, durability, health and similar issues. A critical evaluation of assessment, accreditation and labelling of materials and green buildings is central to this as well as a review of some of the key research in the field. Zusammenfassung This guide to the designs, technologies and materials that really make green buildings work will help architects, specifiers and clients make informed choices, based on reliable technical information. Inhaltsverzeichnis Acknowledgements x Figure credits xi Introduction xii The Renewable House Programme xiv The expansion of natural building xiv The wider environmental agenda xv Chapter overview xvii References xviii 1 Renewable and non-renewable materials 1 Synthetic, manmade materials 2

List of contents

Acknowledgements x
 
Figure credits xi
 
Introduction xii
 
The Renewable House Programme xiv
 
The expansion of natural building xiv
 
The wider environmental agenda xv
 
Chapter overview xvii
 
References xviii
 
1 Renewable and non-renewable materials 1
 
Synthetic, manmade materials 2
 
Limitations of synthetic materials 3
 
Questioning claims about recycling 4
 
Resource consumption problem with synthetic materials 7
 

Renewable materials - insulation 9
 
Carbon sequestration and embodied energy 10
 
Performance and Durability of natural materials 11
 
Natural renewable materials commercially available 11
 
Low impact materials 22
 
References 23
 
2 Case Studies: twelve projects in the Renewable House Programme 26
 
Abertridwr Y Llaethdy South Wales 29
 
Drumalla House, Carnlough, County Antrim 35
 
Blackditch, Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire 40
 
Callowlands, Watford 44
 
Domary Court, York 49
 
Inverness 55
 
Long Meadow, Denmark Lane, Diss 59
 
LILAC, Leeds 64
 
Tomorrow's Garden City, Letchworth 68
 
Reed Street, South Shields 76
 
The Triangle, Swindon 80
 
Pittenweem 88
 
References 92
 
3 The Renewable House Programme: a strange procurement! 94
 
Monitoring and evaluation 103
 
References 106
 
4 Analysis of issues arising from the case studies 107
 
Success in using natural renewable materials 107
 
Adapting conventional timber frame construction for using natural materials 109
 
The importance of getting details right and using details appropriate for eco materials 110
 
Problems with designs and the need to get warranty approvals for changes of details 111
 
Weather issues and hempcrete 112
 
Decision of Lime Technology to go for prefabrication in future and whether this is the best option 114
 
Using wood fibre products and issues related to construction and components 115
 
References 116
 
5 Attitudes to renewable materials, energy issues and the policy context 118
 
Why attitudes and policies affect the use of renewable materials 118
 
Climate change and energy efficiency targets 118
 
What is carbon? 119
 
Sustainable construction and energy policies 120
 
UK Code for Sustainable Homes 121
 
New planning policy framework 123
 
The zero carbon myth 123
 
The carbon spike concept 125
 
Energy in use or 'operational energy' is all that matters to many 126
 
How embodied energy was discounted 128
 
Carbon footprinting 132
 
Passive design approaches 133
 
Do natural and renewable materials have lower embodied energy? 133
 
Carbon sequestration in timber 136
 
Wood transport issues 137
 
Carbon sequestration in hemp and hempcrete 138
 
The Green Deal 139
 
Official promotion of synthetic insulations 140
 
Other attitudes hostile to natural materials - the food crops argument 142
 
Transport and localism 143
 
Cost 144
 
References 145
 
6 Building physics, natural materials and policy issues 148
 
Holistic design 149
 
European standards, trade and professional organisations 151
 
Building physics - lack of good research and education 154
 
Lack of data and good research on sustainable buildings 155
 
Energy simulation and calculation tools 157
 
Assessment of material's environmental impact and performance 160

Report

"I would recommend it to both experienced practitioners and those new to the subject. It provides enough detail to allow one to source products, ask the right questions, challenge the answers, and hopefully promote the use of natural materials." ( The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings , 1 October 2013)

Product details

• Authors: T Woolley, Tom Woolley, Woolley Tom
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 02.02.2013
• EAN: 9781444336603
• ISBN: 978-1-4443-3660-3
• No. of pages: 252
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Architecture; Architektur, nachhaltiges Bauen, Architecture, Bauentwurf, Bauingenieur- u. Bauwesen, Civil Engineering & Construction, Construction: Sustainability, Building Design