The government’s Carbon Challenge competition has produced its first winner - Barratt Developments, working with HTA architects and Arup among others, will build Britain’s first ‘eco-village’ on the site of the former Hanham Hall Hospital near Bristol.

Though on a more-modest, and many would argue more sensible scale, than the eco-towns, the Carbon Challenge schemes will have to go beyond zero carbon homes to inject a broader vision of ‘eco-lifestyle’. Hanhall Hall is to get rainwater capture, sustainable drainage, farmers’ shops, a car club and bicycle storage, while the main grade-ll listed building will be converted for community use. Onsite biomass CHP, supplying all homes in the scheme, will help achieve the requisite Level 6 in the Code for Sustainable Homes.

From RIBA Practice bulletin 427)

Design for Homes runs an awards system each year. Backed by the Home Builders Federation, CABE, Design for Homes, English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and the Civic Trust, the awards celebrate well designed homes and neighbourhoods. Have a look here for details of the winners in 2007.

The criteria for good schemes can be found here - a good test against which to judge all our schemes? The link includes details of what they describe as “great schemes”. This guide should be referred to when completing a Building for Life standard application. It can also be used by developers as a basis for writing development briefs, and by local authorities to demand high standards of design and assess design quality.

Suggestions from us for 2008 entries to Claire Bedford please - entries due in before the end of February.

[Image © Matthew Ansell Sep 2006]

shedkm’s website is devoid of supporting text, but stacked full of colourful little images. You can’t go wrong with a big red box.

Had to blog this one, in case anybody was not aware of this product. Until now, it has been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate the type of cold bridge that occurs when you wish to see the steel structure expressed beyond the insulated envelope. I have never yet found an engineer who was willing to introduce even a simple isolating layer at the bolted connection. Reliance had to be placed on the condensation risk being assessed against the building type being considered (not good if it is a swimming pool).

Shock - These guys have come up with a solution, not sure how expensive, but looks like it could be the answer to those cold bridging problems.

Nice website..

Bauhaus 1919-1933 Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art; until 17 February

How shall we live? Television has an answer and it couldn’t be less philosophical: we shall live in a house with white walls, neutral carpets and a master bedroom with bathroom en suite, as instructed by Sarah Beeny. We shall do this because we are all on the great property ladder of life and resale is our ultimate ambition. To which end, in a further ruling from Beeny’s rivals Allsopp and Spencer, we shall never, ever buy a house in Middlesbrough….

Have a look at the Guardian article