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With the widespread reliance on cement and concrete for new builds in recent decades, green oak frame and straw bale building, and lime plastering and other traditional, local, sustainable methods of construction came to be seen as obsolete, or only of relevance to the restoration of period buildings. But as we’ve become more aware about the damage to our health many modern materials can cause, not to mention the heavy toll on the environment their manufacture and transportation necessitates – concrete requires more energy to produce than lime, for instance, and being harder hinders the recycling of building materials - the old methods are being resurrected and shown to be as relevant today, even in modern homes, as they ever were; the perfect partners to new, renewable energy technologies.

Structures

Amazon Nails Straw Bale Builders www.strawbalefutures.org.uk
Straw bale builder (encouraging hands-on involvement from owners and volunteers), offering design and consultancy service. The company recently completed the world’s first mobile straw bale home.

Arborsmith Studios www.arborsmith.com
An American ‘arborsculptor’ growing living buildings, furniture and garden features from saplings. Will work to commission in the UK, providing trees and on-going maintenance advice.

The Timber Frame Company www.thetimberframe.co.uk
Specialists in the design, construction and erection of traditional and modern structural timber frame buildings featuring green oak, Douglas fir and larch.

Wind and Solar Power

Aerodyn Shorepower www.shorepower.co.uk
Suppliers of renewable energy equipment - both wind and solar systems - and designers of alternative systems for sanitation, water and heating.

Solar Century www.solarcentury.co.uk
Solar electricity specialist with a network of Energy Saving Trust-recommended installers providing a wide range of cutting-edge solutions including look-a-like roofing shingles and slates.

Solartwin www.solartwin.com
‘Zero-carbon’ solar water heating system, invented, developed and made in the UK, unusual in that both the water pump and the heater run on solar power.

Wind and Sun www.windandsun.co.uk
Design, supply and install wind and solar systems.

Materials

Construction Resources www.ecoconstruct.com
Central London builders’ merchant and advice centre stocking every type of ecological building material, from traditional unfired clay bricks to insulation board made from recycled newspaper and recycled jute sacking.

Ecomerchant www.ecomerchant.co.uk
Kent-based supplier of a wide range of environmental building products including paints, doors and windows, insulation materials, lime plasters and mortars, sun pipes, flooring and guttering.

Green Building Store www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk
Online green building specialist offering natural paints, long-lasting and lightweight galvanised steel guttering, cellulose loft insulation, timber preservatives and the super-efficient Ecoplus range of windows and doors.

Lime Green www.lime-green.co.uk
Shropshire-based supplier of every type of traditional, lime-based building and decorating product. Also offers courses and technical and practical help.

Mike Wye & Associates www.mikewye.co.uk
Sustainable, ecological building products for traditional buildings including lime putties, plasters and mortars, cob blocks and bricks, oak lintels, natural paints and plastering hair. Also technical courses and a conservation repair consultancy service.

SALVO www.salvo.co.uk
Comprehensive, nationwide listing for reclamation dealers specialising in salvaged building materials.

Advice and information

Centre for Alternative Technology www.cat.org.uk
Free information service on all aspects of renewable energy, environmental building, alternative water supply, organic growing and related areas.

Ecohouse www.groundworkleicester.org.uk
An eco show home in Leicester developed to promote environmentally friendly living.

Green Moves www.greenmoves.com
The UK’s only website specialising in eco property for sale or rent.

RIBA www.ribafind.org
The ‘Find an Architect’ service allows searches for architects specialising in sustainable, residential building design.

Contemporary furniture for the home. Storage, shelving and home office furniture, offering contemporary style and sustainability www.ottofurniture.com. Further information on eco furniture, eco designers and eco-retailers is available on this site.