E

co Arc projects work within an environmental design strategy to assist reducing carbon emissions.
   

Many people are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental problems facing our planet and hence our everyday lives. These global problems are daunting and it is common to feel that individual efforts to conserve resources and reduce the carbon footprint of our human activities has little or no effect.
   

Our projects aim to demonstrate that living and working in harmony with the micro-cosm of a individual site can develop an understanding about minimising our day-to-day impact on it and on the macro-cosm of our world as a whole.
 
 
A linear house - how normal buildings work
 
A circular house - how our buildings work
 
A circular house - how our buildings work
 

General Eco Aims for the Site Beyond the Building
  		• Minimise disruption to site flora and fauna both during construction and subsequent use.
  		• Increase in bio diversity. New trees and plants will be planted and more planned for the future.
  		• The landscape will be managed to promote a wide range of native species of flora and fauna as part of the on going management plan for the site.
  		• An increase in biomass (timber, straw, etc) to counter the effects of construction and energy use, so that over a period of time the net CO2 emissions will be negative.
    Abbott's House at Harnham Monastery
     

    Conservation of Energy
       
  		• To reduce to a minimum the consumption of fossil fuels required to service the building. (i.e. zero )
       
  		• Reduction of CO2 emissions, to a minimum within the given site restraints and client briefing parameters.
       
  		• To reduce embodied energy used in the construction process to less than 60% of the `norm' for an equivalent project.
       
  		• Super insulated building fabric with efficient insulation in roofs, walls and floors. (U-value< 0.12 Watts/m2 °C)
  		• Integrated heat retaining thermal mass to walls and floors to a minimum 75% of visible surface area.
  		• Passive solar design, through orientation, window layout and integration of solar pre heat buffer spaces.
  		• Super efficient glazing; double or triple glazed units (U-value< 1.1 Watts/m2 °C).
  		• Airtight construction tested to achieve 1.5 to 5 air changes per hour at 50 Pascal’s.
       
  		• Provision for careful detailing to minimise cold bridging and incidental air infiltration.
       
  		• Use of heat exchangers and heat recovery ventilation systems to recover 60-70% of extracted heat from ventilation.
  		• Use of low energy appliances - fridges, cookers, compact fluorescent light bulbs
       
    Happy self builders at Findhorn Eco Village
     

    Minimising Use of New Resources

       
  		• Where possible recycle and reuse existing buildings or products rather than extracting new raw virgin materials and manufacturing new products from virgin materials.
       
  		• Reduce water consumption to 70% of the norm and actively collect and recycle water. Collection of rainwater from roofs via a Rainharvester system. Further reduce Water consumption by the use of water efficient WCs & composting toilets, aerated low flow spray taps and shower heads. 
       
  		• Collect and reuse waste for composting and recycling including dry `compost' toilets, kitchen wastes etc.
       
  		• Ensure that after the useful life of the new buildings they will not scar or pollute but will be dismountable, recyclable and as far as possible, biodegradable.
       

    Working with Respect for Site and Planet
       
  		• Avoid the use of materials from non sustainable sources or which harm the environment or people in their production, extraction, use or disposal. Prioritise use of fair trade FSC  certified timber products. 
       
  		• Create buildings of quality and beauty, which embody a positive connection with the site, using local resources, people and products.
       
  		• Aim for minimum impact on the site and maximise varieties of flora and fauna habitats through development of microclimates and bio diverse landscaping. Incorporate principle of Permaculture gardening as appropriate.
       
  		• Use of natural and 'local' building materials to maximise connection with the site and reduce transportation, whilst maintaining the sites established eco systems. 

    		 
    Zero CO2 York Eco Centre
     

    The Current Climate & Eco Design Standards

    National governments are striving to find solutions to achieve reductions in CO2 emissions and energy consumption. The UK Government has set itself challenging targets over the next decade including promoting the idea that all new housing should be carbon neutral by 2016.

    The aim of our projects is to tackle these issues and to develop an understanding at the same time, by re-thinking what can be achieved at a local level through integration, education and co-operation. These aims are in line with:
  		• The UK Government’s ‘Communities and Local Government’ national planning guidance for sustainable development.
  		• The UK Government’s commitment under the Kyoto Protocol and additional target to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% of the 1990 level by 2012.
  		• The Royal Commission on Environment Pollution recommendation to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% of the 1990 level by 2050.
  		• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scientific assessment and recommendations to act.
     

    Eco Arc projects integrate health, education and working with the natural environment. Our buildings generally generate their own clean energy from on site  renewable resources, harvest their own water and recycle waste materials causing no pollution or CO2 emissions.

    Our buildings are built to passive solar designs following the Association for Environment Conscious Buildings, AECB, Silver, Gold or Platinum standards comparable with the acclaimed zero heat German Passiv Haus projects.
     
    Interior of passive solar sun space
    Our Approach

    From the outset our key projects aim to inspire and inform future projects and for each new building to be an opportunity to create a demonstration model of innovative partnership, between integrated health, environmental education and ecologically sustainable architecture.

    Hence an environmental strategy has been developed to promote a non-polluting, resource conserving development, which is respectful to the immediate and wider environment and people as possible. This has been considered in the broadest holistic sense, developing a `green' strategy, which gives real value and respect to those issues, not as `optional extras' or as `add ons', but as generators of genuinely sustainable and holistic projects.

     

    Working With The Climate

     
  		• Maximise use of natural renewable energy sources available on site including:
  		• Use of passive solar energy, south facing sun buffer spaces to provide passive solar gain.
     
  		• Integrated design of thermal mass collector systems to store and radiate latent solar energy.
     
  		• Maximise natural day lighting internally, minimising use of artificial light.
     
  		• Wind power using a micro generation wind turbines. From 2.5kW to 15kW’s
     
  		• Hydro Power using cross flow, Academies Screw or Pelton wheel turbines
     
  		• Use the sun's energy to power tube solar collectors to pre-heat hot water.
     
  		• Use of solar photovoltaics to produce electricity.
  		• Ground source heat pumps to extract latent heat from below the ground for low temperature under floor heating systems.
  		• Use of local bio-fuels; pellet, chip or hopper fed log boilers to provide back up for space heating & cooking.
  		• Use of local bio-fuels; pellet, chip or hopper fed log boilers to provide back up for space heating & cooking.
  		• Use of photosynthesis to break down grey water in natural biological sewage systems.
  		• Use of local bio-fuels; pellet, chip or hopper fed log boilers to provide back up for space heating & cooking.
       

    Healthy Buildings, Builders and Users
  		• Use of primarily natural, unprocessed materials in their natural form.
  		• Avoid use of materials containing CFC's, HCFC's, volatile solvents, etc.
  		• Ban the use of materials emitting toxins, formaldehyde, harmful wood preservatives, volatile solvents and ban the use of irritant / carcinogenic man made mineral fibre insulation's.
  		• Use of natural ventilation, passive stack effect and 'breathing' walls to ensure high internal air quality.
  		• Provision for high quality of space, beauty and light with inbuilt flexibility to adapt to changing user requirements.

    Summary

    The above criteria outline a `green strategy’, which can help us to establish the optimum holistic environmental agenda. This strategy can be further developed with partners and other parties through the design process and as the proposals develop ongoing environmental assessments will be made to ensure the aims are being achieved.
       

    Our projects, when implemented set themselves apart from other projects by being at the leading edge of the integration of innovative partnership working arrangements, sustainable design, and environmental education.
       

    For more information about us also see our work, or our case studies, then contact us for an discussion about how can can help with your specific project.

       
    Chithurst Monastery low carbon Meditation Hall
       
             
     
     
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