Recently, we had the challenge of sourcing handmade bricks for a project in a Conservation Area in West Lancashire. The original bricks told a story; they were likely made by itinerant brickmakers around 1860 and would have been produced in a brick clamp; a traditional method where bricks were fired in a temporary kiln built on-site. Interestingly, just across the road from the building is an old fishing pond, which was likely the original clay pit that provided the raw material for these bricks.
Read moreGuide: Improving Insulation In Existing Homes
I am often asked about ways in which people can improve the energy efficiency of their homes especially in reation to the Green Deal. In my other posts, I discuss the self build low-energy house, but what can a homeowner do to improve their existi...
Read moreArticle: Is The Self Build Eco House The Solution To The UK Housing Problem?
Image: Saxton Gardens by Union North for Urban Splash The 'eco-house' has been seen by some as the marginal preserve of environmentalists and enthusiasts. Could it be that with recent changes in planning policy and the seemingly endless rises in e...
Read moreArticle: The National Planning Policy Framework
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published on the 27th of March 2012. The coalition government claims that it is the 'biggest shake up to planning policy in 50 years'. The key word here is policy. This is not a change to the law. ...
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