Eco Homes

Christmas is approaching and people will be looking forward to spending time in their living room with their families, watching movies, playing board games and passing around the mince pies. As with any room in your eco house, there are many ways you can make your living room more eco friendly. Whether it’s using eco furniture or eco appliances, you can make greener choices that will both reduce your energy bills and be kinder to the environment.

Eco appliances

LED TVs – These have backlit screens which are much greener than conventional LCD or plasmas screens. For example, a 42” plasma TV uses 277 watts when it’s on, whilst a similar sized LED TV uses less than half that amount. LED TVs also have a long lifespan, saving you even more money in the long run.

Eco friendly mains adapter – Thanks to TV ad campaigns, it’s now well known that leaving electrical appliances on standby still consumes a significant amount of electricity. In fact, it’s estimated that £900 million is wasted leaving appliances with the red light on. One option is to simply switch TVs, DVD players and set top boxes off at the mains. Or you could buy a mains socket adapter, for your eco living room, that learns how much standby power connected devices use and then overrides them by reducing the electricity supply by that amount.

Eco lighting – Lighting accounts for 15% of your eco home’s electricity bills. So switching to eco friendly bulbs is a simple way of making your eco living room greener. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that one CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulb consumes 80% less electricity and lasts up to 10 times longer than standard bulbs. This can translate into savings of up to £6/year in electricity for regularly used lights. When you consider how many bulbs there are in your eco home, this can mount up to a significant saving.

Eco fireplace – Bio-ethanol fireplaces are clean burning, which means they produce no dirty pollutants and can be used in any eco living room. Bio-ethanol (a.k.a. methylated spirits) can be produced from a wide variety of renewable crops, such as sugarcane, potatoes, rice and beetroot, adding to its green credentials. When the bio-ethanol is burnt it creates a beautiful dancing flame but without the dirty smoke to go with it, which means you don’t need a chimney or need to install pipes.

Eco furniture

Eco wallpaper – You could use FSC approved eco wallpaper, made from ethically sourced wood pulp, or another option is eco paint, which uses the minimal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to protect your family from exposure to pollutants.

Eco sofas – These are made from FSC approved wood and eco upholstery that’s made from ethically sourced materials, such as bamboo, organic cotton and hemp, which are all plant based and can be harvested sustainably.

Eco accessories – It’s often the little touches that can make the most impact in your eco home. Fairly traded bamboo coasters, seagrass picture frames, linen plant pots and natural recycled leather photo frames are just a few examples of eco accessories that will give your eco living room an environmentally friendly green glow.

Energy bills are becoming a worry for many households. The recession continues to bite, but all six of the big energy providers have announced price rises of more than 15%. This means gas and electricity will cost £120 per year for the average household, with no reassurances they won’t rise again in the near future.

So what can you do about it? Turn down the heat, and wear an extra jumper? Or find innovative ways of making your eco home more energy efficient? One option to consider is investing in eco plumbing technology. After the initial investment – which can be subsidised with a government grant – you can make big yearly savings on your eco home’s energy bills.

Three eco plumbing options to consider:

1. Eco plumbing with underfloor heating

It’s estimated that hiring an eco plumber to install underfloor heating in your eco home can provide up to 70% of your annual hot water. As the name suggests, underfloor heating consists of laying pipes underneath the flooring through which hot water is circulated to provide a nicely warmed floor. It can be installed under tiles, eco flooring materials like FSC certified wood, laminate and carpet. And it also does away with unattractive radiators.

As well as being pleasant to walk over on a frosty winter morning, underfloor heating heats rooms more evenly than radiators. It also runs on a lower temperature, so it requires less energy and reduces your eco home’s energy bills.

2. Eco plumbing with ground source heat pumps

Geothermal heat pumps have been around since the 1940s, but their popularity has grown tremendously recently, with over 1 million installed worldwide every year.

They consist of pipes which are layed 1.5 metres underground or ground collectors which are bore holed 23+ metres deep. Heat is then absorbed from the ground into fluid passing through the pipes or the ground collector, which is then routed to the eco home. No matter what the weather is like on the surface, the heat of the earth beneath the surface doesn’t change. Consequently, ground source heat pumps can provide a constant source of heat energy all year round.

This type of eco plumbing is estimated to be able to save up to 70% on heating bills. It uses no fossil fuels, making it 100% non-polluting, and grants of up to £1500 are available from the government to help cover the upfront installation costs.

3. Eco plumbing with Air source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps work on a similar principle to ground source pumps except they take heat energy from the air. The air source heat pump can be placed against a wall on the back of the eco house, which means there’s no need to dig holes for laying pipes. The pump then extracts heat from the air which is transferred through pipes to the eco home’s central heating.

This type of eco plumbing is estimated to deliver up to 3 times more heat energy than the electricity it consumes, reducing electricity usage 30-40%. Government grants of up to £900 are also available to cover the upfront cost on this eco plumbing option.

4 reasons to commission a UK furniture craftsman to

create eco furniture for your eco home

These days with eco consciousness rising, there’s a wide variety of eco furniture to choose from. But sometimes it can still be difficult to find a specific piece you’re looking for. Maybe you need a dining table to be a specific size, or a design that matches the existing furnishings in your eco home. Or maybe you have an eco furniture design in your head you’d like to make into a reality.

In these instances you should consider commissioning a UK furniture craftsman to create a piece of eco furniture for you. They’ll sit down with you, listen to what you’re looking for and then fashion your idea into an exceptional and personal piece.

Inevitably, handcrafted eco furniture will be more expensive than something you’d buy off the shelf from a mass market retailer. But there are many reasons why you should consider commissioning a piece to add a special feature to your eco home:

1. Unique – Unlike mass produced furniture, a piece of eco furniture you’ve commissioned will be a one of a kind. This will make it an eye catching feature in your eco home and a talking point with guests.

2. Long lasting – In this consumerist culture we live in, a lot of mass produced furniture is only expected to last 5-10 years. Not only is this a waste of money but also a waste of the resources and materials used to build it. Specially built eco furniture, on the other hand, is built with high quality, durable materials and expert craftsmanship to last a lifetime.

3. An antique or heirloom for the future – UK furniture craftsmen dedicate their lives to perfecting their craft and building their reputation. This means a piece you buy now could see its value increase over time, as pieces by certain craftsmen become sought after.
4. Made from locally sourced eco materials – Whether weaving textiles, forging metal or carving wood, you’ll find that most UK furniture craftsman are eco conscious about the materials they use. Many only use wood they’ve harvested themselves or sourced from FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified forests that are sustainably managed. You’ll also find many upholsterers use eco textiles and traditional hand weaving techniques to create eco cushions and eco chairs.

So when you consider all of the above, in our throw away culture where most things are mass produced, eco furniture that’s been made by a UK furniture craftsman to your design can offer a valuable and unique touch to your eco home.

When designing eco homes, eco architects consider the environmental impact at every level. This holistic approach helps eco architects towards their goal of creating a carbon neutral eco home.

Harnessing the latest green technology and heating strategies, eco architects are able to design eco homes that can generate their own electricity and minimise the energy that’s wasted, helping to minimise an eco home’s carbon footprint.

Along with using eco furniture, eco textiles and eco materials for the interior, there are many strategies used by eco architects when building eco homes:

Passive solar design through orientation – Eco homes are designed to maximise the heat gained from sunlight. So the majority of windows are positioned on the south-facing side, whilst there are fewer windows on the northern side to minimise the heat that’s lost.

Ventilation – To ensure there is a constant flow of clean air, stale air is ventilated out of the house through a pipe running underground or through rooftop wind-catcher vents. Heat exchange technology is used to transfer heat from the air that’s leaving the eco home to the air coming in.

Insulation – High levels of insulation in the walls and triple glazed windows help eco homes to retain higher levels of heat. For the insulation, eco architects will use environmentally friendly eco materials, like locally manufactured sheep’s wool, recycled cellulose, flax or wood fibre.

Energy generation – Utilising wind turbines and solar panels on the roof, eco architects can design homes able to generate their own electricity. Glass tube solar panels are estimated to provide 65% of hot water requirements.

Eco materials – Eco architects will use reclaimed building materials, recycled materials and wood from FSC regulated sources. They will also source building materials from local suppliers to minimise the carbon footprint involved in transporting materials to the eco home.

Rainwater harvesting – Water collected on the roof is directed to a subterranean rainwater recycling tank. This water can then be used for the toilets, washing machine and for watering the garden.

So you’ve made the decision to convert your home into a greener, more environmentally friendly habitat. You could choose all your eco furniture, eco textiles and other eco materials yourself. Or you could employ the specialist skills of an eco interior designer.

Going green doesn’t mean having to sacrifice on comfort, style or elegance. With their specialist knowledge, eco interior designers can help you in choosing the best combination of eco tables, eco chairs and other environmentally friendly furniture that will give your eco home a beautiful interior with green credentials.

There are a variety of areas in which an eco interior designer can help:

Eco textiles – Conventional textiles (notably polyester and nylon) derived from petroleum are very energy intensive and polluting to manufacture. Eco textiles, such as organic cotton and hemp, on the other hand are sourced from renewable and sustainable sources, and can be used for creating eco upholstery and eco window dressing.

Eco furniture – An eco interior designer can assist you in sourcing eco tables, eco chairs and other eco furniture from local manufacturers. They can ensure that whatever wooden eco furniture you buy is sourced from suppliers using FSC certified wood harvested from sustainably managed forests.

Eco wall coverings – Whether you prefer wallpaper or paint, an eco interior designer can help you choose from a wide selection of non-toxic VOC free paints and FSC certified wallpaper made with organic vegetable dyes.

Eco flooring – There are many environmentally friendly materials to choose from for eco flooring in your eco home. These include bamboo, rubber marmoleum, ceramic tiles and sustainably forested wood.

Eco fixtures and fittings – Along with low energy light bulbs and low energy eco appliances, an eco interior designer can help you with the installation of a wind turbine or solar panels on your roof so you can generate your own energy and further rubber stamp your eco home’s green credentials.

Commuting to work everyday can be a pain at the best of times. But when you’re facing hours stuck in traffic due to bad weather it’s tempting to just stay at home. Avoiding traffic, saving time and being more productive are just a few of the reasons why more and more people are choosing to work from home. The fact that it cuts down on pollution from car emissions is an added bonus too.

If you’re going to work from home you’re going to need a quiet space where you can close the door, avoid the TV and get some work done. Here are some tips on creating your own eco home office:

Eco furniture – You’ll need a sturdy desk to work on; there’s now an abundance of eco tables and desks made from FSC certified wood to choose from. Being FSC certified ensures the wood has been cut from a sustainably managed forest where the trees are replenished and the environmental impact is minimised.

To go with your desk, you could sit on an eco office chair made from sturdy 40% recycled cardboard.

Eco lighting – During the daytime you’ll want to make the most of the natural light. If you can, position your eco desk next to the window. When it’s time to switch on the lights use energy savings light bulbs rather than conventional candescent bulbs. They might be more expensive but can last 12 times longer and offer savings on your energy bills in the long run.

For added illumination, you could use an eco lamp which has an energy efficient LED light and is made from eco friendly materials, such as sustainable wood or recycled plastic.

Recycled paper – Did you know that the average office worker uses 20,000 sheets of paper and businesses throw away 5 million tonnes of paper every year? You can ensure your eco home office is far more environmentally friendly by writing on both sides of every sheet and using paper that’s recycled from junk mail, pulped books and other paper waste.

Eco stationery – For writing on your recycled paper, you can use eco pens made from recycled crisp packets, car parts and old games consoles. You could also store them in a cork pen holder for added eco appeal.

To attach sheets of paper together you can use an eco stapler, which cuts and folds paper together rather than uses staples. If you need to do some sums, why not use a water powered calculator which never needs the batteries replacing.

Reduce the room temperature – If you lower the temperature by just 1ºC it can reduce your heating bill by around 8-10% over the year. So consider wrapping up rather than reaching for the thermostat.

Add some greenery – Plants can absorb noise and remove dust from the air. In studies looking at plants has been found to reduce stress and boost creativity. Having some greenery in the room will also enhance your eco home office’s green credentials and be a reminder that you’re doing your little bit to look after the planet.

When the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, first announced plans to build over 50 eco towns it was hailed as a way of creating affordable housing and a greener way of living. However, as the practicalities of building these eco towns came to light cynicism grew about whether they’d be eco friendly or just create rural sprawl. Instead, there’s now growing clamour for renovating existing houses to create eco homes rather than building new ones.

What are Eco towns?

Eco towns are designed to be green, sustainable housing developments. Initially, eco towns were supposed to fulfil the following criteria:

• At least 30% of the eco houses in each eco town must be classified as ‘affordable housing’
• Roads should be largely car free, with a speed limit of 15 mph
• The town should generate zero carbon in a year (excluding transport emissions)
• At least 40% of the eco town should be green space e.g. parks, gardens and playing fields
• There must be shops and a primary school within walking distance of every home
• To encourage people to use public transport, bus times will be displayed in eco homes

Since being announced these requirements have been downgraded (largely due to realisation that people can’t be forced from their cars). This has led to accusations that previously rejected housing projects are now being rubber stamped as ‘eco towns’ in order to bypass normal planning controls.

Recently, it was announced that four eco towns are to be built, with another nine planned. Construction is expected to start in 2016, but the number of eco houses built will be far fewer than the 100,000 originally planned.

Why not turn existing houses into eco homes?

Controversy continues to dog the progress of building these eco towns, with serious question marks over their sustainability, transport links, jobs and whether it’s just a gimmick to get more homes built on green belts.

Instead many have questioned why more isn’t done to turn existing houses into eco homes. This can be achieved by making them more energy efficient (as well as decorating them with eco textiles and eco furniture).  Buildings account for almost 50% of the UK’s carbon emissions. So the Government has at least made at start on making homes more eco friendly by announcing plans to insulate all homes by 2015, and vastly reduce the energy wasted on heating.

This year Fairtrade celebrated its 15^th birthday. Since being founded by Oxfam and Christian Aid, Fairtrade has helped increase the livelihoods of 7 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Initially the only Fairtrade products available were coffee and chocolate. But the range has since grown to include over 4500 products, including eco textiles, eco furniture and many other items you can buy for your eco home.

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is an organised social movement aimed at helping producers in developing countries get a fairer price for their goods and to become more self sufficient. It finds its roots in the anti capitalist radical student groups of the 1960s, which deplored the exploitation of developing countries by Western companies.

In order to offer customers cheap clothes and food it was often the producer’s income that suffered. This meant the people producing the coffee, bananas, honey and many other products were unable to improve the livelihoods for themselves and their families. So the next time you buy a T-shirt for £2.00 think of the mere pence paid to whoever made it.

Consequently, The Fairtrade Foundation was launched to ensure more producers could be paid a fairer price and helped to gain the knowledge, skills and resources they needed to improve their lives.

The impact of Fairtrade on eco furniture

Currently, the aspect of eco furniture most affected by the Fairtrade movement is the use of organic cotton used to make eco textiles and eco furniture. Conventional cotton is very environmentally damaging to manufacture due to the heavy use of pesticides. In fact, it’s blamed for causing up to 20,000 deaths. Organic cotton, on the other hand, is far less damaging to the environment and the people who grow it due to the use of pesticide free farming methods.

Organic cotton was first certified as Fairtrade in 2005. Since then sales of items made from Fairtrade cotton (such as eco upholstery) have grown from £200,000 to £7.79 million.

The growth of Fairtrade products for your eco home

Last year sales of Fairtrade products reached £700 million, and they’re expected to quadruple by 2012. This reflects how more and more people are becoming ethical shoppers and buying products that promote a more sustainable way of living.

The ethos of Fairtrade is intrinsically linked to that of eco design. So you can expect to see much more eco furniture you can buy for your eco home becoming Fairtrade certified in the future.

In the last few years eco designed fashion has found its way out of specialist boutiques and onto the high street. Thanks to the support of top designers, like Stella McCartney and Katherine Hamnet, ‘eco chic’ can be seen paraded on the catwalks. The fact that Top Shop, Debenhams and Marks & Spencers all now stock eco fashion ranges shows it’s big business, and taking up increasing wardrobe space in eco homes.

So how did the eco design in fashion movement come about? Well, it’s due to a combination of concerns about the way clothes are made: the effect on consumer health, poor working conditions and the environmental damage of growing cotton.

Fears over the health of consumers

The roots of eco fashion can be traced back to the 1970s when woolly leggings and rugged tie-dyed hemp fabrics were trendy amongst the eco conscious. Initially concerns focused on the use of pesticides on cotton crops. But by the 1980s these fears grew to include the harsh chemicals used to make synthetic textiles, such as nylon and polyester, and their potentially damaging effect on people’s health.

This was the start of eco design’s influence on the fashion industry. In response to the outcry many manufacturers changed their processes, and started marketing their clothes as made from natural textiles or chemical free fabrics.

Working conditions

Unlike our grandparents, who’d repair old clothes before buying new ones, the 1990s saw an explosion in demand for cheap throwaway fashion. Big clothing brands were under pressure to find ways of cost saving. This meant many moved their manufacturing abroad where they could take advantage of cheap labour.

However, this led to a backlash when the working conditions in foreign ‘sweatshops’ starting becoming exposed in the media. Many of the big brands were implicated, as cheap throwaway fashion was shown to come at a high human cost.

Since the 1990s many brands have been pressuring their manufacturers to improve wages and working conditions. Many of them now promote their eco designed clothes as coming from Fair Trade sources where the manufacturer is a paid a fair price and the workers aren’t treated like slave labour.

Environmental concerns

Cotton is the most widely used textile, grown in over 60 countries and covering 5% of all cultivated land. It’s also seen as the most polluting, due to the huge quantities of pesticides used to kill insects. In fact, cotton crops are estimated to use a quarter of all the world’s pesticides, which harm the health of farm workers, seep into the water supply and damage the soil, making future crops potentially dangerous to eat.

Organic cotton, on the other hand, is farmed without pesticides, making it far less environmentally damaging. And whilst crop yields are typically lower than conventional cotton, the farmer can sell them for a higher price to balance their income.

At the moment nearly half a million tonnes of clothing is added to British landfill sites every year. Hopefully, as the eco designed fashion trend continues to grow in popularity, there will be far less throwaway fashion polluting our planet in the future.