Our Eco-building
Continued expansion of the business created the need for new premises
and we refurbished the former garage workshop building in the village
of Bodham in North Norfolk. Ecological building techniques have been applied
throughout using timber frame construction for new and replacement walls.
Very high levels of insulation have been achieved using 200mm –
300mm of Warmcell (recycled newsprint!). Where space didn’t permit
Warmcell a high tech multi-foil material called Actis Tri-Iso-Super was
used. This is only 25mm thick but is equivalent to 200mm of normal insulation.
High performance timber windows and doors manufactured by Environmental
Construction Products have been installed. These incorporate the Iplus
double glazing system - super efficient argon filled units which can cut
heat loss by over 60%. All materials were chosen to minimise environmental
impact so where possible the wood used was UK grown and purchased from
a local sawmill, timber preservative was natural Boron and all decorative
finishes were from the Auro range of organic plant/mineral based woodstains
and emulsions. 130m2 of solid maple strip flooring reclaimed from a former
army barracks has transformed the old oil-stained concrete floor with
the multi-foil insulation between. Particular attention has been paid
to maximising the provision of natural light in the building and an award
winning Natrulux tubular skylight shows how even the darkest recess of
a north facing store can be brightened The additional windows installed
to the southern aspect also provide passive solar gain. The gas condensing
boiler is highly efficient and is wireless linked to a computerised “intelligent”
room thermostat that stores the heating pattern of the building.
The final stage of the project is now in hand with the establishment of
a wild flower meadow and pond on the land at the rear to provide a place
of peace and solitude away from the busy high tech world of the modern
mail-order office.
Click HERE to see some pictures of the building before and after.
