Tanzanian Eco-Village
The images here are from our stay at the Eco-Village in November 2018; Alan Clarke, Adele Mills and Andy Simmonds joined our clients for a memorable few days on site. Key purpose for the visit was to study the test building built that year; install monitoring equipment in this building and existing orphanage houses; carry out site survey and investigate ground water level; determine specific site for future projects. Next building planned is a new house for 10 children and carer to live in – more will follow this first prototype. A school is planned for future years. The site is a 40 acre plot approximately 1 hr from Dar-es-Salaam.
discussing test building with the builder 
team meeting at site manager’s office 
test building sth elevation 
useful shade at the test building 
design meeting with the builder 
installing monitoring equipment 
in the test building roof space
All our portfolio projects
Tanzanian Eco-Village
The images here are from our stay at the Eco-Village in November 2018; Alan Clarke, Adele Mills and Andy Simmonds joined our clients for a memorable few days on site. Key purpose for the visit was to study the test building built that year; install monitoring equipment in this building and existing orphanage houses; carry out site survey and investigate ground water level; determine specific site for future projects. Next...Hereford retrofit
Llanforda
A new replacement dwelling in Oswestry was complete in January 2020. A draughty 1970’s bungalow with subsidence issues on the site would have been expensive and difficult to improve to near Passivhaus standards of energy efficiency. After debate on pros and cons, it was decided to demolish the bungalow and build a near-Passivhaus two storey dwelling. This choice gave the chance to place the house to allow increased solar access...
Garway Community Centre
The rural Herefordshire village of Garway finally has its new Passivhaus certified community centre. It has taken many years’ development, but a successful bid to Big Lottery Fund in 2016 made the project a reality.The building was completed with a grand opening in April 2018. The centre provides many functions for the village, including a large multi-functional hall with full stage / green room etc; an outreach medical centre; a cafe/bar, part-time...
Harold Street
A high-quality deep retrofit. Work carried out by Tom Straker, AECB member. Completed 2015. The clients are committed environmentalists, and were keen to demonstrate best practice in this modest town house.
Church Cottage
Part retrofit, part new-build extension to a small-holding cottage on the Welsh borders. Building work carried out by Mike Whitfield builders, AECB members.
C.A.T.
Since 1998, we have been involved with projects at the Centre for Alternative Technology; working as both design consultants, and on site, as specialist rammed earth building contractors / trainers. We worked with Pat Borer, architect on the rammed earth aspects of the ATEic bookshop and offices; and then as consultants for the WISE building.
Cherry Orchard
Cherry Orchard is a Camphill residential home and farm. The building we designed is for workers and co-workers to have a generous space for their indoor gardening activities; it combines a learning centre / potting shed, with a large south-facing greenhouse. The client group were interested to use the focus of the design process, to also look at the interlinking of all the external spaces between buildings. Adele Mills led...
Huckenden Barn
Conversion of this beautiful historic Chilterns barn into a useful and dramatic, comfortable living / social space. The building work was carried out by Neil May Builders. Neil was then in the process of founding Natural Building Technologies. We had the opportunity, as conservation and ecological specialists, to trial many techniques, using natural insulants, lime mortar plinth to stonework, avoiding underpinning etc. Work was completed in 1996. The project won...