Impressed!
I attach the daily release, three mentions yesterday. I spoke to the Law Society CEO in passing, even he was impressed!
Jonathan Smithers, Partner, CooperBurnett
MacConvilles reveals that for every five houses built in the UK, one ends up in landfill
Speaking at a recent MacConvilles Surveying networking event, Duncan Baker-Brown RIBA, a director of the Lewes-based firm BBM Sustainable Design, told guests that for every five houses built in the UK, one ends up in landfill.
He explained that while new build generally encompasses elements of sustainability, more important is considering what can be done with the current building stock and how redundant buildings can be re-used.
Duncan - the man behind the UK's first A+ rated house ‘The House that Kevin Built', which was built in six days live on Channel 4 with Grand Designs' presenter Kevin McCloud - was guest speaker at the first in a series of networking events at MacConvilles Surveying's offices in Ditchling Road, Brighton.
The first event was attended by MacConvilles' clients and contacts spanning a range of professions and industries, including bankers, architects and project managers.
"Put simply, people do business with people - so we wanted to hold events that bring people together. We are all aware of the need to address sustainability in the construction industry and, as surveyors, we are keen our clients are given the best advice on how to turn this to their benefit and reduce cost in these challenging times," said Toby Rollestone, a director of MacConvilles.
Duncan told guests about Rural Studio in Alabama in the US - a design-build architecture studio run by Auburn University, which aims to teach students about social responsibility, while also providing safe, well-constructed and inspirational homes and buildings for poor communities in Alabama. He highlighted one case study where students had used old car windscreens in a church building and, in other examples, had savaged car number plates as shingles and 36,000 carpet tiles for a load-bearing wall.
"The construction industry needs to reduce, reuse, and design for demolition," said Duncan.
Explaining more about ‘design for demolition', Duncan said that buildings should be seen as providing resources for future buildings and showed guests a photograph of a visitors centre in Romney Marsh which can be unbolted in the future and used again.
He continued: "We need to look at more ways of retro-fitting old buildings while, in many cases, maintaining their history."
In projects such as The Green House in Ripe, Duncan highlighted how BBM Sustainable Design had refurbished the building, salvaging, recycling and reusing existing materials and increasing its thermal efficiency by wrapping the exterior in recycled insulation clad in sweet chestnut from woods no more than ten miles from the building. Other projects discussed included The Bridge in Hastings and Hamsey Village Hall.
Duncan then told guests about ‘The House that Kevin Built' and explained that it is currently being rebuilt at Grand Parade in Brighton - home of the University of Brighton School of Architecture and Design - with some new ideas included. It is a project that is being monitored by The Building Research Establishment.
Toby was delighted by the positive response to the evening and added: "To get the construction industry moving again, we all need to work together. At MacConvilles we work on all types of buildings and see the benefits that a little careful thought and design can bring, improving efficiency and lowering cost."
Notes to editors:
MacConvilles Surveying - Built Environment Consultants - www.macconvilles.com
- MacConvilles Surveying was established in 1938 and is based in Brighton
- The firm employs 25 people and provides quantity surveying, project management, building surveying and CDM co-ordinator services to both public and private sector clients
- MacConvilles Surveying prides itself on delivering a high quality, good value, flexible and constructive service, focused on clients' needs
- MacConvilles Surveying works with a wide range of clients and projects. Current and previous projects include hospitals, schools, universities, hotels, retail, residential, industrial, restaurants and leisure
- MacConvilles Surveying holds both the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditations
- Sustainable construction: MacConvilles Surveying can offer a range of services to those requiring compliance with the Code for Sustainable Homes for their residential developments and is currently seeking qualification in BREEAM for commercial and health developments
- MacConvilles Surveying is an expert in party wall matters, daylight and sunlight planning and rights of light assessments
- MacConvilles Surveying is a founder member of UKBS, a multi-disciplinary property consultancy providing the complete range of property services from 34 locations throughout the UK.
• For more information on this press release, please contact Angela Ward on: 01825 765617 or by email: angela@themarketingeye.com
