How do we each use 150 litres of drinking quality water every day?
Flushing toilets 30% Washing Clothes 15% Watering Garden 6 % Cleaning car 2%
Water is precious and costly, particularly if you have metered water. Simple rainwater recycling systems are now available for domestic homes and commercial & industrial buildings. This means that you can save money by reusing rainwater collected from the roof of your house or building. So whether you are building new, putting on an extension or remodelling your garden or grounds, now is the appropriate time to invest in water recycling. Simple inexpensive re-plumbing will deliver cleaned and filtered rainwater for flushing toilets, washing clothes, watering the garden and car washing. A small underground storage tank will accommodate rainwater gathered from the roof. Its then pumped to the agreed outlets. If you use a lot of water then the system can be extended to reuse water from baths, showers and from clothes and dish washing, This 'grey water' is carefully filtered and cleaned and is used for garden and grounds irrigation and vehicle washing. Systems are almost maintenance free and repay the investment quickly. For more information contact Stormsaver Ltd.

4 square metres of solar panels can save the average family of four £150 per year in water heating bills

In Britain every square metre of south facing roof receives 1000 killowatt hours of energy in a year. In theory that's about enough to meet the central heating and hot water needs of an average family. Solar collectors installed on a south facing roof will supply all the hot water needs of the average family from April to November...free. For the rest of the year the solar collectors preheat your domestic hot water. Systems are sized to meet your needs. If you use more water than average, then larger storage tanks for the solar heated water are installed and larger areas of solar panels are installed to collect more of the sun's power. Solar collectors come in a variety of designs and specifications. Which model we recommend will depend on how your domestic hot water is heated at the moment, how much hot water you need, where the panels can be positioned and where you live. A 4 sq. m panel providing free hot water for a family of four will also save over 1 tonne of carbon dioxide emissions.

For further information click here and complete our contact us form.

A Photovoltaic panel is made up of a series of silicon cells (usually 36). When light reaches these cells an electric current is produced. The current varies with the number of panels. The panels usually charge 12 volt batteries or power 12 volt domestic appliances. Panels can be connected to each other increase the overall power available. Once installed the power is free, and when you're not using it you can sell it through a connection to the national grid. 12 connected panels will save the equivalent of 1 tonne of Carbon dioxide over a year. And it doesn't require sunshine, just daylight! Panels are virtually maintenance free. Positioned at an angle of between 65—75 degrees they can be mounted on a pole, on roofs, on frames in gardens, even on boats and caravans. A panel 113mm x 502mm x 50mm will provide 60 watts of power during daylight hours. Use it or charge up batteries. Combine photovoltaics with a wind generator and you have an all year round, balanced energy supply.

For further information, contact Michael Seeley.

Wool Cork Hemp Reeds Straw Recycled Paper Sugar cane & wood pulp fibre boards.
Living in a home with natural insulation is kinder to the environment and kinder to your pocket. Insulation 'slabs' and 'quilts' are now available made from British Wool. Alternatively try recycled paper, either as slabs or quilts or blown into existing cavity walls or inserted into new walls. If you want to support alternative agriculture then natural insulation materials are now also available made from a wide variety of agricultural crops including cork, reeds and hemp. All are suitable for use in cavity walls, under floors and in the roof space. All 'natural' insulation materials are approved for use in new building and renovation. All are excellent at keeping out the cold in winter and keeping out the heat in summer. All meet British Building regulations standards for insulation and fire resistance. If you are building a new home an extension or just wanting to reduce heating costs in your home, natural insulation saves you money and saves the environment. Where possible insulation is provided from local sources to reduce transport pollution and support local business.Insulation materials are also available made from recycled glass.
For further information click here and complete our contact us form.

The UK must produce 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2010 to help reduce global warming.
Wind represents a free, limitless, renewable energy source. To harness this energy, a wide variety of small and medium sized wind turbines are now available at cost effective prices. Models are selected and designed to suit local wind speeds and patterns and your electricity demands. The smallest provide enough power for domestic lighting and small appliances in a small house (60w—10kW). Wind powered garden and street lighting systems are now available. Medium sized turbines provide enough power to meet the needs of a small number of houses, a school or a community centre. (10kW and 250kW) Small turbines are located in the open on a pole with steel guys or on buildings. Medium turbines are constructed on steel towers and are usually connected to the national grid. Feasibility studies will be needed for medium turbines, to ensure they meet planning conditions and that annual mean wind speeds are sufficient. When you are not using the electricity produced by your turbine it can be sold to neighbours or the national grid. Wind systems can be linked with photo-voltaics and solar water heating systems.
For further information contact Michael Seeley.

The idea of taking the energy from the ground using a heat pump is fast catching on in Britain. Sustainable Buildings & Homes Ltd have been promoting and using this technology for many years. Now tried and tested, it's affordable and good for the environment, transferring the heat into your home or building using underfloor heating helps you reduce the wall space lost through radiators. It's the most environmentally friendly way of heating your home or building and with the latest technology it can help to cool your home or building!

For further information contact Chelmer Heating.

Occasionally you will need to apply waxes, coatings and varnishes to maintain the appearance and quality of the wonderful timber in your home or building. Sustainable Buildings & Homes Ltd can recommend and supply the most environmentally friendly waxes, coatings and varnishes. Let us know what you want and we will be happy to provide a quote.

For further information click here and complete our contact us form.