DIARY OF AN ECOBUILDER

My regular ecobuilder diary was published in The Independent from 1st September 2004 to 1st April 2006.

The entire diary, including lots of additional ideas, is available as a full colour book from Green Books.

1st September 2004 The vision. Finding the land. The budget.

29th September 2004 The design process. Climate-sensitive design. Finding an architect.

27th October 2004 Ground source heat pumps. Energy efficiency advice.

24th November 2004 Using concrete for thermal mass and durability. Cooling strategies.

15th December 2004 Rainwater harvesting. Water efficiency. Efficient toilets.

26th January 2005 Building the pond. Biodiversity. The cooling potential of water.

2nd February 2005 Buying timber from sustainable sources. The Forestry Stewardship Council. Engineered timber I-beams.

9th February 2005 Restoring a reclaimed teak parquet floor. Salvage yards.

16th February 2005 Compost toilets. Cutting the ecological costs of your drainage.

23rd February 2005 The costs and unexpected benefits of building green. The rewards of ecological ambition.

2nd March 2005 The Homes for Good Show 2005. The Windsave domestic wind turbine. Green roofs. Energy-efficient uplighters. Old fashioned eco-cleaning. Earthen floors.

9th March 2005 Lime mortar. Reclaiming brick walls.

16th March 2005 Thermal performance of buildings. Zero-heat houses.

23rd March 2005 Steel. An unusal use of scrap metal.

30th March 2005 Timber frame buildings.

6th April 2005 Planning for late summer biodiversity.

13th April 2005 Flexible space and future-proofing.

20th April 2005 Effective and efficient lighting design. Low energy lighting.

27th April 2005 Air-tightness. Heat-recovery mechanical ventilation.

4th May 2005 What makes a good architect. 'Ecological' building.

11th May 2005 Kirkstone slate.

18th May 2005 The energy consumption of televisions.

25th May 2005 Sourcing sustainable wood, ancient and modern.

1st June 2005 Hockerton Housing Project. Gusto Homes.

8th June 2005 Ultra efficient windows with FSC wooden frames.

15th June 2005 Micro-urban renewable power generation. Grid connection. What you buy and what you get.

22nd June 2005 Neighbours from heaven.

29th June 2005 Making the most of daylight.

6th July 2005 The ultimate eco-kitchen.

13th July 2005 Roofing materials. Ardesia recycled slates.

20th July 2005 The pros and cons of baths and showers.

27th July 2005 The Association for Environment Conscious Building.

3rd August 2005 Rainscreens, water vapour, ventilation and breathing walls.

10th August 2005 Cooking with gas and electricity. Induction hobs.

17th August 2005 Biomimicry. Sapwood, heartwood and how to protect your timbers from insects.

24th August 2005 Watts, kilowatts and kilowatt-hours. Getting useful feedback about your energy consumption.

31st August 2005 Twelve months of eco-building: a review of the year.

7th September 2005 Insulation: types and properties.

14th September 2005 The Ice Energy solar-assisted heat pump.

21st September 2005 Warmcel insulation and the art of recycling.

28th September 2005 Under-floor heating.

5th October 2005 Photovoltaic roof-top energy generation.

12th October 2005 Designing an eco-laundry.

19th October 2005 Planning a wildlife garden.

26th October 2005 Indirect energy-saving.

2nd November 2005 Pressure testing the house.

9th November 2005 Refrigeration.

16th November 2005 Low carbon transport.

23rd November 2005 Paint.

30th November 2005 The low-powered home.

7th December 2005 External shading to prevent over-heating.

14th December 2005 Energy ratings for homes.

11th January 2006 Composting and wormeries.

18th January 2006 Building form and energy efficiency.

25th January 2006 Craftsmanship.

1st February 2006 Floor finishes and carpets.

8th February 2006 Eco-frugality.

15th February 2006 Arboreal details and porous paving.

22nd February 2006 Hi-tech vs low-tech.

1st March 2006 Moving in.