BSEE


ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS


Lessons in best practice from The Lammas ecovillage


One of the great benefits of online connecvity is the way we can learn from people all over the world. The USGBCLA leads the way in sustainable building for the Los Angeles area, so this arcle will look overseas to a village in Wales, UK to learn about best pracce in eco living.


since been nominated for a host of awards and is held as an example of how eco-building should be done. This article looks into the background of Lammas, how it was built and what it is like to live there.


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Background to project The Lammas eco-village is an example of low-


impact rural development. In the early Noughties, new legislation brought in by the Welsh Assembly created One Planet Development, an organisation to assist people in redeveloping spent rural land into off-grid housing. In 2005 Tao Paul Wimbush, Simon Dale and other builders formed a collective to look at developing a patch of land at Tir y Gafel into what is now Lammas. Planning permission was granted in 2009. Five to seven-acre plots were sold for between £35,000 and £40,000, on the understanding that an eco home would be built within 5 years, that


Google search for top environmental projects quickly reveals one British build prized above all others. The Lammas eco-village, in Pembrokeshire, Wales, was built in 2009 and has


also provided the development's water, waste and energy services. The homes cost anywhere between £5000 and £70,000 to build. From nine smallholdings, Lammas has grown to 15 with the capacity for further builds.


Materials and design


The materials for the build are found on site where possible, in keeping with the sustainable living ethos. A reconditioned 25 kW hydroelectric generator provides 100% of Lammas electricity, their water comes from a nearby spring. The architectural design of each smallholding is chosen by the resident. Houses can be made of timber frames with straw insulation, cob houses are also popular. An outside architect was bought in to help design the Community Hub, which was built by residents and volunteers. The properties are relatively cheap to build because the materials are found naturally and there is no labour cost. However, this means the houses take longer to build, but residents don't mind as they get their dream home at the end of it.


What it is like to live there I spoke to Tao Paul Wimbush, one of the founders


of Lammas. He grew up in Reading and moved to Wales to study at Cardiff University. After uni, Wimbush stayed on in Wales, living in various sustainable communities before starting up Lammas. He told me that roughly 75% of the resident's livelihoods are provided by their work in their smallholdings, or from activities that they run for visitors on site. Any extra produce is sold in the village shop, and the money raised goes to a communal kitty. Every aspect of their lifestyle from what they grow to how much they earn and how they generate power is monitored on an annual basis by the One Planet Development.


Fireproofing


Lammas made the news in 2018 following a fire on site. I thought eco build novices might be put off by the idea that wooden houses could catch fire. Luckily, Wimbush assured me that this isn't the case. All the buildings at Lammas are built to strict fire safety regulations. The fire was caused by a faulty piece of equipment that had been hired by a resident who was adding an extra building to their land. As the new building wasn't finished, the fireproofing wasn't in place.


To fireproof a wooden building, the residents at Lammas use lime based (the rock, not the fruit) internal finish. Lime plaster, applied internally and externally to the walls, helps the building to breathe and also fireproof it. Wimbush recommends finishing with a layer of lime paint.


How we can learn from Lammas For anyone considering their own eco building,


Wimbush recommends visiting similar projects to experience first-hand what off the grid living is like. Projects like Lammas run courses where people can learn the skills needed to build an eco home. Wimbush advises people to remember that these are more than just buildings, “it's a land-based lifestyle, you are not just building a house but a sustainable lifestyle infrastructure.” He concluded, “It's possible for human beings to live in harmony with the natural world.”


Of course, LA is largely a city environment, but this doesn't mean that eco living has to go by the wayside. The concept of rewilding, building nature back into urban areas, has grown in popularity. And any building can be made using sustainable methods as detailed above. Although it may take longer for a fully eco friendly environment to be established, rewilding means that for generations to come, LA residents can enjoy sustainable living.


Resources


https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/16/top-10-eco-homes-lammas http://lammas.org.uk/en/welcome-to-lammas/ http://www.simondale.net/


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-42574099 8 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MARCH 2021 Read the latest at: www.bsee.co.uk


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