Tim Garratt's Blog

A couple of years ago I gave some advice to Castle College in Nottingham about a potential new teaching Centre.

The idea was to add to an existing teaching set of courses. The College had (and still have) popular courses in building – bricklaying, plastering, plumbing etc.

As the College were becoming involved in new builds at Highfields Science Park and the main Centre in Chilwell we started to think about how the College could learn from these real life projects. The College always make sure that any building contracts have an ability for their own students to see progress formally during the build.

We also started to see in increase in the use of new technology for carbon reduction. We were being encouraged to look at Photo-Voltaic cells, Ground Source Heat Pumps, high levels of insulation, double and triple glazing, rainwater harvesting, biomass boilers and the like. But what was evident was that although these new technologies were being specified by Architects, the operatives fitting them were often struggling. Or you had to employ specialist sub-contactors (some of whom travelled miles thus negating some of the green credentials?).

We went to see two Smartlife centres -one in Malmo, the other in Hamburg. These centres were way ahead of the UK – and were brilliant showcases for some of the technology.

I was delighted to see that a Centre in the UK has been opened. It has been built by Wolseley – the worlds largest heating and plumbing supplier. It is known as the Sustainable Building Centre. It is a showcase for around 170 products – with information on a total of 7,000 – all under one roof.

Like the Genesis Project in Taunton, the centre uses the technology in it’s own construction. But there is a subtle difference. I visited Taunton and we saw quite specialised construction – including rammed earth and straw bales. This hasn’t found its way in to the Wolseley centre – it isn’t scalable enough to be distributed.

So, although the centre is pushing new technology – it is with a very close eye on commerciality. And for this reason, I think it an excellent project. Sometimes, I think we fall too easily for the green technology on the basis that it sounds sexy. The reality is that some of it is not really commercially viable – payback times can sometimes go beyond the life of the building!

In a recent report to Government the easiest and cheapest way of achieving a substantial CO2 reduction was highlighted as turning down room thermostats by 1 deg C. This is estimated to reduce, in the UK, emissions by 5.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually!

Sadly, the LSC funding for College schemes like the Sustainable Building Project pretty much dried up before we were able to get a centre built in Nottingham. Maybe one day someone will realise we need this sort of centre – for future builders!

If we assume that there is something real about global warming (and the University of East Anglia have just muddied the water?) then we should do something.

I readily accept that my car and trips to New York are my failings, but I do use my bike (when it’s not snowing). I also try to ensure that the new buildings I am involved in try to reduce their carbon footprint. We have some technology now that was not around a few years ago. My colleague blogged about the poor performance of my local hospital here.

But there can also be a more dramatic reason (other than saving the planet) to cut down – money!

One of my clients has talked about how he can negotiate ‘cheap’ fuel – through bulk buying. But what he can’t do is change peoples behaviour. People leave lights, copiers, printers & computers on. We need to change our behaviours.

A great campaign has been launched – called 10:10. Hopefully the campaign will be successful – we get to find out in a year! What is great about it is the simplistic message:

It’s simple: We all cut our carbon by 10% this year. You, me, that bloke walking his dog outside, your work, your kids’ school, the council, the church, the chip shop. Everyone.

It is a wide ranging campaign too – aimed at business, people, organisations and education. It is really easy to join and there are some really good materials on the site.

In case you wondered what I have done – I have switched off the two photocopiers in the office and air-conditioning in my office this morning. Small things – but a start. I also put some posters up in the office (they are next to the new “Goats in Trees” 2010 Calendar.

I have blogged before about some work I am doing with a Nottingham start-up – Outerarc. They have developed a brilliant interface to interrogate energy use data and display it , in real time. But, more importantly, with messages to building users. Two of the buildings I manage are being used for the system – see them here.

So – a positive start to 201 – lets all sign up to 10:10 … and save the planet / money! Sign up here. You will be in good company…

52156 People • 1918 Businesses • 1393 Schools, Unis and Colleges • 999 other Organisations (as at 02.01.2010)

I think as you get older the years just seem to fly by much quicker. But looking back on 2009 as the year draws to a close, I tried to think through the highs and lows of the year. On reflection, many more highs than lows I think. Which can only be a good thing! So here goes:

High Points

1. A great weekend in September at St Andrews celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We stayed in an amazing hotel overlooking the 18th hole at the Old Course. Where did 25 years go? St Andrews is a magical place – I can’t believe we had not discovered it earlier. It helps if you like golf…

2. Our son Jack getting 8 GCSE’s and a place at Confetti. This despite his Dyslexia. And then Jade getting a hard-earned place at TeachFirst and working in two challenging schools. Adam worked on another film – the details of which I will spare you, but if I said it was an NHS Information film – that’s enough of a clue!

3. Lesley and I seeing The Killers at Madison Square Garden (New York) in January. Quite a long way to go to see a gig but they were just brilliant – and then we came home and saw them again at The Arena in Nottingham. Musically the Isle of Wight featured in the calendar again – and was great – especially the infamous toilets & showers… I wasn’t sure about Neil Young though!

4. The opening of the Abel Collins ‘Drury Bungalows’ in November – at the end of a three year stint! I think they are great and four couples will move in shortly! The Sheriff of Nottingham and his Lady did us proud on the day – and I think the bungalows are brilliant! Designed by Marsh Grochowski they are ‘of their time’! High green credentials make them highly energy efficient.

5. My trip with the Sheriff of Nottingham to the USA in September – to research World Class attractions. We visited six cities in 10 days, flying 12,500 miles. It was exhausting but informative – and there was some fun along the way. Highlights – Segway riding, The Experience Music Project in Seattle, Getty Museum in LA, Alcatraz, The High Line in New York and Little Boots in concert – and much more!

6. Seeing Jack play his first gig as part of the Hockley Hustle 2009. They were great (I may be a bit biased). That all of their friends turned up was just great to see.

7. A great holiday in Dartmouth – including an interesting two days sailing – more so for me than Jack – who was none too well! It may have been something he ate – or could it have been the force 7/8 gale?

8. The celebrations in Paris for our friends John & Denise celebrating their 50th birthdays! They are getting old and I am one of the babies of the group. Good to see the gang growing old disgracefully – long may it continue.

Low Points

Seeing Nick Hammond and Nick Lewis leave Castle College – both loyal clients over 17 years, but also really nice people & people I regard as friends. I do expect both of them to make returns in 2010!

And that’s it. I wonder what 2010 will bring – hopefully the same split again – or preferably no low points. But already things to look forward to – Minsk in January?, Skiing in February, MIPIM in March and at some point New York (again). I have also agreed to help the Bromley House Library look at the possibility of building an extension / upgrading the wonderful facilities they have!

Lots to look forward to then…. Happy New Year!!

I promised I would not whinge at the end of my week; today was the official opening of the four new bungalows at Abel Collins Almshouses on Derby Road Nottingham. I have blogged previously about the journey these bungalows have taken us on. But that is all in the past – and today was a celebration. A celebration of the first new homes on the site being built since the 1980’s.

The Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Leon Unczur and his Lady Adela Hampson officially opened the bungalows and handed the new keys to four residents. All were keen to show Leon and Adela their new homes.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather and the general feeling around the homes was fantastic. Back in the Hall, I gave a small speech about the history of the Charity and the legacy – which started 300 years ago!

My thanks were extended to the Board of Trustees, the staff on site and the professional team – Julian, Joe, Mike, Steve and Guy at Marsh Growchowski Architects, Lois Plaistow at Price & Myers Engineers, Tony Harris at D H Squire M&E consultants and Charlie Smith at Appleyard & Trew Quantity Surveyors. But also to Nicholas Bird at Birds of Derby for donating the biggest and best cake I have seen for some time! I couldn’t manage all of it.

Leon spoke about the new bungalows not in terms of bricks and mortar (actually there’s not much of that!), but rather of the care with which they had been designed. When I first showed him the bungalows – he actually said ‘wow’ and later said he was ‘bowled over’.

I have said before that the real test is when our residents have moved in and are living there. I think they will love their new homes. I would be happy to live there!

It really was a great day – and a milestone in the history of the Charity, I think Abel Collin would be proud – I certainly am. It has been a challenging project, but worth it. I love the architecture – it is different – but you can be of no doubt as to the fact that it belongs to this time.

Now what shall we do next?…..

I blogged previously about how architecture divides us.

This week is the official opening by the Sheriff of Nottingham of the four new bungalows I am involved in at Abel Collins Almshouses in Beeston Nottingham. I accept that they are not part of the sites vernacular architecture. But that I think is the point. The original houses were built on the site in the 1930’s, and then phases were constructed in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. They are of their time. The new bungalows certainly make a statement – and I am proud that they represent a 2009 legacy.

I took the photograph here yesterday morning and was quizzed by the son of one of our residents. He wanted to know what we were thinking – and what Prince Charles would have to say. Firstly, what we were thinking is that we had an opportunity to make a statement. Secondly, I personally dislike pastiche architecture and was keen to avoid replicating what went before. Thirdly, these are very sustainable – with green credentials – rainwater harvesting, a sedum roof, high levels of insulation, a low carbon footprint, solar shading and underfloor heating. The level of ‘green’ is somewhere between 25-44% better than the current Building Regulations require. What would Prince Charles say? He would think they were a Carbuncle no doubt. I respect his views, but don’t always agree with them. We have moved on and need to move on further if we are to hit our sustainability targets. Highgrove House won’t quite have the same levels of insulation! Nor is Poundbury, in my view, great architecture.

What really counts though is whether our residents will like living in them. In their current bare state they appear warm and light & airy. The rooms are well proportioned and the space will hopefully turn into a home for the new residents. Time will tell!

As I was out with my camera, and the sky was fairly photogenic, I came back via The University of Nottingham Triumph Road Campus. I have been buying up land here for the University for many years. The latest building is the Centre for Geospatial Studies – lovingly known as GRACE. When it was being constructed I had a fear that it was going to be a ‘box’. But what has emerged is something really quite special. And yes – it is a box! But it demonstrates that with the use of colour and really good materials even a ‘box’ can look great.

Would either of these buildings worked in ‘brick and slate’…. I think not, but I am willing to be challenged. Architecture, like Art, is a matter of personal taste. A ‘marmite‘ moment! And it’s got people talking… which they tend not to do about our other houses and bungalows?

p.s. I love Marmite!

I previously blogged about the change in behaviour we probably need to make to save the planet.

But I spoke to someone today who told me I needed to read a new book – called Six Degrees – by Mark Lynas. I googled him and guess what – we are all doomed!

In essence this is what he says:

In 2001, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a landmark report projecting average global surface temperatures to rise between 1.4 degrees and 5.8 degrees Celsius (roughly 2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of this century. Based on this forecast Mark outlines what to expect from a warming world, degree by degree. At 1 degree Celsius, most coral reefs and many mountain glaciers will be lost. A 3-degree rise would spell the collapse of the Amazon rainforest, disappearance of Greenland’s ice sheet, and the creation of deserts across the Midwestern United States and southern Africa. A 6-degree increase would eliminate most life on Earth, including much of humanity.

This sounds like very bad news. Especially at Gas Mark 6.

And then some great news – in bucketfuls.

Firstly, it seems that Dogs and Cats are contributing to global warming. According to New Zealand-based authors Robert and Brenda Vale the amount of land needed to grow food for pets ranging from budgerigars to cats and dogs is the issue. They say an average Collie eats 164kg of meat and 95kg of cereals a year, giving it a high impact on the planet

A medium-sized dog has the same impact as a Toyota Land Cruiser driven 6,000 miles a year, while a cat is equivalent to a Volkswagen Golf.

Wow.

And then the news got even more ‘interesting’.

Lord Stern told The Telegraph that “meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the world’s resources. A vegetarian diet is better.”

So the answer is that all pets need to go and we need to eat salad?

I think I will stick to trying to build greener buildings and getting folks to turn the lights off. These sort of reports really do nothing for the ‘green’ cause.

For the last four years or so I have been involved in a fantastic organisation in Nottingham – The United Charities of Abel Collins.

This is a Charity that is 300 years old this year. We provide accommodation for elderly and needy people. We have 59 houses and bungalows.

I got involved via Business Champions – who were looking for someone to help them with some ‘property issues’. Within a few months I became Chairman (I hate the term ‘Chair’!). All was going along smoothly and I managed to sell off three properties – two residential homes in Chilwell and a commercial investment in Peterborough.

With the cash raised we decided to build some new properties on our Derby Road site. And so started an interesting process. We had a competition for the scheme and this was won by Marsh + Grochowski who designed some very modern homes. Tendering followed and we chose local firm Thomas Long to build the bungalows.

We have constructed four 2 bedroom properties – with high green credentials. We will be at Code 4 – which has been challenging – and includes a green roof, underfloor heating, high levels of insulation, rainwater heating and a number of other features. The work will complete in mid October 2009.

The stone laying ceremony took place today – and my name is set in stone…except that it was spelt incorrectly. Fortunately they had just missed the final ‘t’ from Garratt – so the error is easy to correct!

I am really pleased with the end product – even if the build period has been challenging. The general reaction of the residents was one of surpise and delight. Some thought the architecture was a little challenging!

The official opening is set for 20th November – and The Sheriff of Nottingham – Leon Unczur is doing the honours.

So the build is coming to an end and I will be thinking about our next project. We have some spare land – and I fancy building a large outdoor ‘play’ area! But we also have an old boiler house which could be used for some guest rooms.

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