Ecobuild exhibition and seminars at ExCeL London- 20 to 22 March 2012

January 31st, 2012 by Events

(click logo to go to Ecobuild website)

Ecobuild, the world’s largest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment, takes place at London’s ExCeL from Tuesday 20 March to Thursday 22 March 2012.

Over 1,500 suppliers will be exhibiting, from companies such as Saint-Gobain, BASF Construction Chemicals, Kingspan, Vaillant, and Worcester Bosch, to up and comers in Ecobuild’s Green shoots entrepreneurs’ zone.

The exhibition will show the latest in everything from building materials to micro-renewables, from rainwater harvesting systems to interiors. Continue reading

RG Falla begins construction on 24 energy efficient apartments for GHA

January 22nd, 2012 by Guernsey Housing Association

Guernsey Housing Association has signed a building contract with RG Falla for just under £4 million and work has started on the construction of 24 apartments, all for social rent, at a new clos to be called Clos Barbier off Rue Jehannet in St Martin.

Clos Barbier estate layout (please click map to expand - courtesy of Guernsey Housing Assocation)

This is the first Rural Area site to be developed under planning policy ‘RH2’, which is there to support new social housing in the Rural Area where it ”rounds off” existing social housing. Continue reading

Guernsey Water publishes two free Health and Safety booklets

January 22nd, 2012 by Guernsey Water

Guernsey Water is launching handbooks on health and safety and adding a ‘Health & Safety’ section to its website.

The handbooks, titled ‘Your Health and Safety’, have two versions – one for employees of the business and the other for contractors working with the business.

Employee's version (click booklet cover to download to your computer)

Continue reading

European Investment Bank provides €300 million loan to improve energy efficiency of home appliances

December 21st, 2011 by European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is supporting a development project to be carried out by BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (BSH) involving energy efficiency in the home.

Washing machines, driers and refrigerators offer considerable potential for saving energy.

BSH is planning an extensive development project to lower domestic electricity consumption and reduce water consumption.

The EIB is involved in financing the project with a € 300 million loan. Continue reading

National training centre for energy efficient building expertise opens

December 18th, 2011 by Centre of Refurbishment Excellence

The Centre of Refurbishment Excellence (CoRE) in Stoke-on-Trent will provide on-site and distance learning courses and tutorials on photovoltaic panels, ground source heat pumps, and new insulation techniques to make existing buildings more energy-efficient (click image to expand - image courtesy of CoRE)

Thousands of UK construction trainees are set to benefit from a new national centre for sustainable building skills launched in Stoke-on-Trent.

CoRE, the Centre for Refurbishment Excellence, was officially opened by Andrew Stunell MP, Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Built at a cost of £11.4 million, CoRE, in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, will take trainees from across the UK. Continue reading

Sustainably constructed building for Livingstone’s fruit bats in Jersey

December 6th, 2011 by HSBC Bank International Ltd

A five month-long project to create a ‘Bat Tunnel’ at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey was completed by staff volunteers from HSBC in March 2011, creating the first sustainable building of its kind in Jersey.

Livingstone fruit bat at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (image courtesy HSBC)

Durrell’s resident Livingstone’s fruit bats moved into their new home, ‘Island Bat Roost’ in March 2011 following a complete retrofitting of the existing tunnel. Continue reading

On-line sustainability conference for the built environment on 9 and 10 November 2011

October 24th, 2011 by Events

Sustainability Now takes place on-line on 9 and 10 November 2011.  The programme showcases innovation in the industry and expert guidance on where the opportunities are for business in the coming months.

(click on logo to go to conference registration webpage)

• Paul King will be hosting a debate on the Green Deal with Energy Minister Greg Barker and Kevin McCloud. Continue reading

Guernsey water safeguarding St Saviour’s Reservoir water with installation of bypass main pipe

September 21st, 2011 by Guernsey Water

Guernsey Water is installing a bypass main pipe on the bed of the St Saviour’s reservoir.

This project, which is due to begin on 12 October 2011 and will run until mid February 2012, was conceived as a result of an Island-wide risk assessment of the water infrastructure, which demonstrated the need for a pipe to divert streamflow away from the reservoir in the event of the incoming raw water not being of the usual high quality. Continue reading

Replicating nature by creating a zero waste circular economy

August 31st, 2011 by Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has produced this short video on why a circular economy will solve the problems our linear economy creates.

“In the living world there is no landfill.”

“Humans have adopted a linear approach.  We take, we make, and we dispose.”

“If we accept that the living world’s cyclical model works, can we change our way of thinking so that we can operate a circular economy?”

“What if the goods of today became the resources of tomorrow.”

“One solution may be to rethink the way we view ownership.”

“What if we designed products that came back to their makers?”

“The circular economy isn’t about one manufacturer changing one product.  It’s about all the interconnecting companies that form our infrastructure and economy coming together.”

Guernsey’s Limegreen Buildings offers sustainable building solutions

July 21st, 2011 by Stuart Ogier

Guernsey Granite Ltd., going under the banner Limegreen Buildings, offers design, project management and construction services to clients in the public and private sector.

The company produces ecologically sustainable, natural buildings using a conscientious approach from design to finishing touches.  It can deliver energy efficient, beautiful, breathable, natural and healthy living spaces. Continue reading