Web design by Mark Wright Design 2011. All images copyright, all designs protected. sustainability Construction activity, and buildings in use, contribute enormously to the use of energy and primary materials. Significant monetary savings can be made by reducing waste and energy use during, and after, construction. BUT! this does not imply that buildings must be conceived as “eco” anything, the majority of buildings I have involvement with are homes, and absolutely foremost so. Consideration can, and I believe should, be given throughout design and planning, however, to reduce the use of energy and resources. Using a software calculator, I can provide very accurate projections of energy use for projects at the design stage, and can also demonstrate the effects on energy consumption associated with changes to the construction materials and layout of a particular scheme. I am a keen proponent of materials such as “Thermalite”: constituted of 80% pulverised fly ash, a material causing local controversy: as a by- product of Didcot A Power Station, this material is being dumped in very large quantities in local areas of natural beauty as there is insufficient demand for it in industry at the moment. Other technologies such as low toxicity paint and heat recovery ventilation can aid the good health and happiness of house dwellers - not all “green” technology is just to save money and the planet.