Sustainable Homes - Why And How
We are holding a public meeting to discuss energy efficient, money saving, long-lasting homes.
DO YOU WANT TO:
- Save money?
- Make money?
- Help save the planet?
- Live in a more comfortable house?
- All of the above?
COLIN KING
Director of the Building Research Establishment
TIM PULLEN
Sustainable Building Consultant; Author - "Simply Sustainable Homes"
Eco Expert for "Homebuilding & Renovating" Magazine
SIMON BOWKETT MA MSc
Principal Hygrothermal Consultant at Bowkett Williams Consulting Ltd
Monday 27th June, 7.30pm
Llandeilo Civic Hall
Admission free
Further information : anson@ansonallen.co.uk
Assembly Election Hustings Llandeilo April 22nd
We returned to the Rugby Club exactly one year after the last hustings, to hold one for the Welsh Assembly elections. Thanks again to all who attended.
Simon Thomas for Plaid Cymru and William Powell for the Liberal Democrats were amongst the 6 candidates who attended, and both are now AMs for the region.
Midwinter Tea
Transition Town Llandeilo got together with Cymdeithas y Dalar, Dinefwr Green Group and Llandeilo Fawr Community Association to hold a party in the Civic Hall on Sunday, 13th December.
Thanks to Esyllt Harker for her wonderful stories, all the musicians, and to the Green Shop for lending toys for the toy corner and donating the lovely dragon chimes for the raffle. The star prize of a trailer-load of manure was won by Colin Foster - many thanks to Tim Pullen for that, and to everyone else who donated prizes.
The (very challlenging) gardening quiz was won by a team consisting of Anna Scruby, Anne Van Mechelen and June Kidd with 10.5 points from a possible 12.
A Car Club for Llandeilo?
We are considering setting up a car club in Llandeilo. We'd like to hear from anyone who might be interested in being a member.
A club can allow the cost of overheads to be shared. For some households it can eliminate the need for a second car, and for others it can remove the need to own a car altogether.
We are also interested in helping people who would like to join up with neighbours or friends in informal schemes, but are worried about the insurance implications.
Please contact Steve Brown to register an interest or for more information: info@transitiontownllandeilo.org.uk.
Zero Carbon Britain 2030
The Centre for Alternative Technology has released a major report documenting how the UK can eliminate its carbon footprint by 2030. Their thinking is radical and worthy of serious attention. No one else appears to be doing the detailed joined-up thinking necessary to make the radical cuts in emissions, and increase in sequestration (locking carbon away), needed.
Headline-grabbing recommendations include:
- More than 50% of energy provision being in offshore wind
- A 90% reduction in cement production but a 200% increase in lime production
- An 80% reduction in sheep numbers, and a 90% reduction in beef cattle, but no drop in egg production and a 400% increase in farmed fish
- A reduction in the land area of the UK used for food production to only 29% of its current value, with a freeing up of land for energy crops and sequestration measures
- A Code for Sustainable High-Performance Refurbishment of existing housing stock, including measures to lock away carbon in the material of buildings
- A decrease of 63% from 2008 levels in the energy used in the transport sector, with changes including an end to domestic aviation and a two-thirds reduction in international aviation
The report can be downloaded in its entirety from the Zero Carbon Britain 2030 website.
Prosperity Without Growth?
A question was asked at the Llandeilo hustings about when we should give up pursuing economic growth, and it floored all of the candidates. None of the parties standing here has considered a real alternative to the current economic model - one in which we either keep getting "richer" forever, or society collapses.
We believe that another economic model has to be found, urgently. The Sustainable Development Commission is a Whitehall agency which has considered alternatives. We strongly recommend the report written for them by Tim Jackson. Entitled 'Prosperity without Growth?', it is available for download from this link.
General Election Hustings Llandeilo April 22nd
We were pleased to host the first hustings in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr for all 5 candidates in the general election. We enjoyed a wide-ranging debate and we look forward to working with our new MP after May 6th. Thanks to all who attended.
It was clear that none of our parties yet has a meaningful strategy for dealing with Peak Oil, which many experts suggest is likely to happen during the next 5 years. We have much work to do!
Low Carbon Wales: Regional Priorities for Action
This is the title of a new report from the Sustainable Development Commission, produced for the Welsh Assembly Government. It gives advice on how each region of Wales can make dramatic cuts to carbon emissions, tailored to the unique nature of that area.
Here in Central Wales it recommends:
- Microgeneration including wood as a heating fuel, heat pumps, solar water
- Use of local construction materials
- Resurgence of co-operatives
- More indigenous forests
The SDC also recommends actions across the whole of Wales:
- A programme of action for the refurbishment of all existing homes
- Significantly increasing energy generation capacity from community and large scale renewables
- Providing the infrastructure and information needed to enable smarter transport choices - to enable people to switch to walking, cycling and public transport
- Significantly increasing the use of low carbon transport fuels and electric vehicles
- Protecting all significant soil carbon stores
- Significantly increasing community and individual food growing
- Personal carbon allowances/carbon credits or taxes
At its launch in November, Environment, Sustainability & Housing Minister Jane Davidson explained:
"'Low Carbon Wales' is targeted at the public, private and third sectors. Organisations including businesses, charities, local councils and the NHS will use the plans as they work together in the 'Wales Spatial Plan area groups' in each region of Wales."
This is a key document supported by the Assembly and supporting the Transition vision of a resilient, low carbon future. You can read more about it here and copies can be downloaded from this link (in English) and from this link (in Welsh).
Llandeilo Northern Residential Quarter Planning and Development Brief
Some of us recently responded to the consultation on plans for 215 new homes between Llandeilo and the A40. The plans can be downloaded from this link.
Here is our response:
Dated : 03 November 2009
Members of the Transition Town Llandeilo project were surprised to find a reference to our group in this document, and to discover that the 'development framework can contribute to the delivery of this' (i.e. our) 'initiative' (p.25). Our opinion has not been actively sought, and we do not want the mention of our name and aims to imply our approval of this proposal. Indeed, in our opinion it falls far short of what is needed for a large-scale residential development in the second decade of the twenty-first century, especially as it claims to be responding to recent legislation regarding sustainable building and zero-carbon homes.
The housing layout needs to be very different from what is shown. Attempting to replicate an existing settlement pattern is not conducive to energy-efficient design in terms of orientation, avoidance of overshadowing or maximising solar gain. Policy GDC2 in appendix 1 refers to development proposals needing to ensure that buildings will be designed so as to ensure "maximum use is made of natural daylight and solar energy". The illustrations in the brief do not reflect this policy. Furthermore, siting the development on a north-facing slope makes it difficult to benefit from passive solar gain or other solar technologies.
Choosing an alternative site might also reduce the cost of development. On this high-value piece of land, "affordable" homes will almost certainly be built to minimum standards, and the rest of the houses are likely to be bought by well-paid professionals or affluent retirees. Thus the scheme as currently proposed is unlikely to benefit those on average local incomes, who will continue to find it difficult to meet their housing needs. Most new residents are unlikely to be working in the Llandeilo area; instead, many will be commuting each day to Carmarthen, Swansea or Cardiff. Although regulations relating to zero-carbon homes currently fail to consider the likely carbon footprint of their occupants, we think that encouraging long-distance commuting in this way is against the spirit of such regulations, if not the letter.
From the perspective drawings included in the brief it would appear that the authors are more concerned with matching the aesthetic of the adjoining development at Llys Pencrug than with giving serious consideration to the implications of the Code for Sustainable Homes, already adopted by WAG, and their directive for all new homes to be zero-carbon by 2011. With this 2011 deadline looming, we believe that the opportunity should be seized to make this a genuine model for the future by incorporating: a biomass district heating system; solar thermal and photovoltaic panels; green water treatment with rainwater harvesting and reeds or biomass beds; and, ideally, prototype use of "local passive house" construction (i.e., passive house technology with 80% of materials being locally sourced - clay, straw, timber, wool, hemp, etc.). Covered ventilated spaces, which could be communal, should be provided to allow outdoor laundry drying and so avoid the use of tumble dryers. Each home should be designed with appropriately sized racks and linen cupboards for airing laundry. Heat-recovery ventilation systems should be fitted in all properties. Provision should be made for a greener approach to personal transport by allowing for a car pool scheme within the design and having charging points for electric vehicles.
The growing demand for food production within towns, and semi-self-sufficiency, should be met through setting land aside for allotments within easy walking distance of all properties. Given that demand for allotments is increasing steadily, it would be prudent to plan for future expansion and to make plots available to existing residents of Llandeilo. The Cymdeithas y Dalar allotments scheme on nearby National Trust land has proved so popular that there is still a waiting list for plots. In addition to the play space mentioned in the brief, some of the green space provided within the development should be allocated as a community garden, with nut and fruit trees planted in addition to the indigenous species mentioned. Many of these measures will help to build and maintain community spirit and benefit residents' health.
The overall design indicated in the brief does not, in our opinion, meet the authors' stated aim of reflecting the grain of the old town, nor does it demonstrate current best practice in urban "green" housing. The linked circuit road layout is not conducive to "homes zone" safety, low speeds, safe routes to school, shared surfaces, or walking and cycling links to the local shops and station. The brief lists a number of well-known traffic-calming measures but the layout works against them. A genuinely carbon-neutral layout would be radically different.
We welcome the authors' expressed desire to demonstrate "uplift" in environmental standard (p. 25). However, we doubt that the scheme outlined in this document represents a realistic approach to the sustainable and incremental growth of Llandeilo (p. 10) or demonstrates real engagement with the very great environmental, economic and social challenges of our time.
Royal Visit
The Transition Town Llandeilo project was delighted to receive a visit from HRH The Prince of Wales at the Civic Hall on October 23rd.
The Prince was introduced to Katka from Cymdeithas y Dalar, the allotments project on National Trust land at Dinefwr Home Farm, and saw their exhibition of photographs from the last year. He was shown how a considerable amount had been achieved in just one growing season, and was told of future plans. He also met Tony Graf, representing the group which saved the Dryslwyn post office from closure by turning it into a community shop. It was explained that in its new incarnation the shop continues to provide a vital local service on a not-for-profit basis, and that the shop is stocking Fferm Tyllwydd organic Welsh Black beef. The Prince is president of the Welsh Black Cattle Society.
Other members of the Llandeilo Transition project who talked to the Prince include Sue Weaver who was there to promote "Carbon Conversations", a 10-week evening course to help participants reduce their carbon footprint. The course is being run in conjunction with Carmarthenshire County Council’s Community Education programme which has also just launched Llandeilo’s first full Permaculture design course. Looby Macnamara, one of the course tutors, presented the Prince with a locally-grown grafted walnut tree from Manse Organics.
The Prince meets Looby, Steve, Sue and Tony
Many Transition towns have been planting fruit and nut trees. This is a great way of reducing our reliance on imported food. Walnuts contain the same amount of protein per gramme as chicken, and walnut timber is dense and fine-grained. Grafted walnuts bear fruit earlier than trees bred from seed - in just 5 - 7 years - and produce a timber crop sooner. The walnut has almost become a symbol of Transition in the UK. In Totnes, Britain’s first Transition Town, walnuts have been planted in many public spaces.
Looby presents the walnut tree to the Prince (photos : Jess Jones)
The Prince met members of Transition Cwm Gwendraeth too, and they also emphasised the importance of local food. Other groups who presented their work to the Prince included Calon Cymru, a group which proposes creating a sustainable corridor through Powys and Carmarthenshire following the Heart of Wales train line. The Heart of Wales Line Travellers’ Association were also there to emphasise the importance of the railway to the area and the need for improvements to the service.
During his visit to Llandeilo Civic Hall, Prince Charles spent some time in the market talking with producers and customers. Llandeilo Country Market has home baking, crafts, plants and seasonal fruit and vegetables and is held in Llandeilo Civic Hall on every Friday from 8.30am to 12.30pm
During his walkabout in Llandeilo the Prince visited Pinc who are selling organic fruit and vegetables, many of them sourced locally and Heavenly, whose delicious ice cream uses local ingredients wherever possible and Welsh organic milk and cream. In Julian Cooper’s butchers shop he was presented with a string of freshly made sausages and saw the variety of locally-produced meat that is available.
The Prince’s visit is timely. We are just a few weeks away from the crucial UN Copenhagen conference on climate change. A Met Office study published at the end of September challenges the assumption that severe warming will be a threat only for future generations, and warns that a catastrophic 4C rise in temperature could happen by 2060, unless there is strong action to reduce emissions. Then in October, a report by the UK Energy Research Council (UKERC) said worldwide production of conventionally extracted oil could go into terminal decline before 2020 - but that the government was not facing up to the risk. (And in fact many experts suggest that the peak could be much sooner than 2020.)
The Prince explained his understanding of the threat of climate change at a speech at the Met Office Headquarters on September 10th which you can read here.