Footprint

Guest blogger Siân Moxon of Jestico + Whiles

This year’s Ecobuild has more stalls than ever, in the usual tortuous layout. Surely clearer product sections are needed to aid navigation and prevent green fatigue? The expansion of the seminar programme is far more welcome ― from high-level debates to technical briefings on energy, water, standards and materials. And the new lectures focusing on refurbishment and interior design are much-needed.

Inspiring talks on materials questioned the assumption that natural is always better than synthetic, and introduced cutting-edge products exploiting nanotechnology, phase-change and biomimicry. Meanwhile, rammed-earth and straw-bale workshops satisfied the traditionalists.

Among the stands, key themes are carpet manufacturers embracing take-back schemes, living walls and eco paints. It is good to see the RIBA bookshop and BRE on hand to give an independent perspective and an antidote to the inevitable greenwash.

Here are Jestico + Whiles’ Green Team’s top 5 picks from the event:

The Greenhouse Effect ‘Structuran’

• Cladding panel.
• Made of 100% recycled float glass.
• Opaque, translucent or transparent.

Ecosheet

• Building board (alternative to plywood).
• Made of recycled polymers and other recycled materials (eg electronic waste).
• Recyclable.

Nanotech Solutions ‘Surfapore Thermo’

• Paint additive.
• Improves thermal insulation and water repellency.
• Uses nanotechnology and microtechnology.

Limitless ‘Parans’ and ‘Heliobus’

• Bring sunlight and daylight into depth of building.
• Lenses track sun to feed luminaires via fibre-optic cables.
• Mirrors reflect daylight into dark rooms.

Rematerialise and SCIN Materials

• Materials databases.
• Rematerialise is a free resource compiled by Kingston University.
• SCIN provides consultancy on green materials.

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Filed under: Sustainable products