Building DIY Gardening

Cherwell District Council have opened a large scale zero carbon development, due for completeion in 20131. This has 400 completed properties with an estimate of 6000 by the end. There is also a school and 250 care homes.

Ecobuild 2012 is sponsored by Schuco, who make solar power and heat (thermal) systems, glass, facades, etc. Ecobuild claims to be the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment – although that claim doesn’t sound very ‘eco’. Bigger? I though Small is Beautiful. Anyway… This show is focussing on “new eco […]

The Conservative government’s decision to more than halve the FIT (feed-in tariffs) for electricity put back into the grid (from sources such as solar power) from 43 to 21p per kilowatt hour, as reported here on Building DIY previously, has been attacked by the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) as disastrous for the solar and […]

This is to update the blog about the companies that fit solar PV panels for free. The Conservative Government is reducing the FIT rate by half from December 12th 2011. Any solar PV panels installed and also registered with an energy company will qualify. So it is no good booking it in as the waiting […]

Like many households in Britain, we have received leaflets through our door about fitting free PV (photovoltaic) solar panels, with free use of the generated electricity. This sounds too good to be true as even a small system can cost well over £10,000 so what is the deal? Is it a scam? How does it […]

That time of year again, the Big Green Home Show in Swindon off the M4. Many exhibits, seminars, Expert Alley (Ask The Experts) where you can get answers to your home renovation questions. Dates: Fri 29 to Sun 31 October 2010 Where: The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Swindon Open from 9.30-17.00. Car: M4 […]

We don’t have any DIY do it yourself plans for reactors, but this is very interesting as a way to microgenerate electricity. Solar for individual buildings, down to shed or outdoor building size, and small scale nuclear for blocks or factories. Bill Gates and Toshiba are planning a small scale reactor apparently. We have a […]

Eco Workshops are to help self builders, DIY people and renovators understand the green issues affecting them and their projects. Dave Hilton an eco expert is giving a talk, along with many others. This is at Buildstore exhibition centre at Swindon off M4 junction 16 >. For a ticket see here > See also our […]

Visiting a Home Depot in the US recently, President Obama said “Energy Efficiency is sexy”. Clever use of buzz words to get his message to the American people (and us, thanks to the internet). Insulation is slightly erotic as it is a type of blanketing… if you find that sexy of course. This phrase will […]

There is a series of talks at the British Council, Penang, Malaysia. The Lecture Series is organized by Global Leadership Consultants in collaboration with Asian Global Business, GeorgeTown College and HELP University College. They use the British Council, Penang rooms as they share the building. This talk on 18 March 2010 was about easy green […]