News and events

May and June 2008

I must apologise first of all for being late in getting news out to you. I have been on paternity leave (with No. 2) and Anna has been busy with training and holidays over the past month or so.

  • Anna has been leading on some training courses and also has some new ones coming up soon. There is a Natural Painting course in Cowbridge on the 19th July and another on the 21st at the Royal Welsh Show (on the Environment Wales stand) and again on the 7th of August at the Eisteddfod in Cardiff .
  • Anna has also been preparing a Sustainable House Model for Cynnal Cymru for their display at the upcoming Eisteddfod in Cardiff. So if you are going you will be able to see her work on show there.
  • Various other projects are progressing, some slower than others. The Torfaen Fuel Poverty Project is getting a kickstart at the end of the month, Penarth Pavilion Project is steadily making progress and we have been actively engaged with advising on design and energy standards, the enlargement of the centre is looking hopeful as we have several organisations who are keen to see it progress.
  • RDE has become an Associate Member of One Planet Products and we hope to be able to use this to inform people better on the sustainability of various products.
  • The most encouraging news has been associated with the un-fired clay brick project that we started last year. The research by the University of Glamorgan CEREA team has shown that the bricks are viable and could have a host of uses. We will now have to look at the commercial viability of them. This is a really exciting project and we hope that we can be the catalyst for a new sustainable industry in Wales.
  • RDE has a number of sales on at present, the most notable of which is 10% off of earthBorn claypaints and emulsions and Osmo Polyx Oils .
  • Having had a leaky gutter fixed at home I would also recommend that if you are looking to replace guttering that you remember about Lindab Rainline . An excellent product that doesn't leak, crack or expand.
  • There is also some news on the website about removal / treatment of Japanese Knotweed (from a local council who have found out the hard way about how to eradicate it).
  • The common problems pages also include a new page on mould treatment.

All the very best for the summer.

April 2008

With the visit of the Minister to Rounded Developments Enterprises we were able to increase the amount of exhibits in the centre, so we now have additional information on the following for you here:

  • Bauder Green Roof System. We have a display of their plug roof (basically small alpine plants in a pea gravel). We also have lots of literature about their product. Bauder are the only company that are active in Wales (they have a rep in SW Wales) - see March news.
  • A VIP system from Passive House Solutions in Kidwelly is also on display. VIPs are Vacuum Insulating Panels. They are very efficient panels that can obtain Passiv Haus standards with a thickness of 40mm. So they are effectively 10 times more efficient than a more conventional insulator (like rockwool etc.) for their thickness.
  • Thanks also go to Windhager for supplying two demonstration wood pellet boilers for the day. Very impressive bits of kit, even if the method of heating is incredibly simple.
  • We have a small section of the new Ty Unnos system on display as well. This is the locally produced timber post and beam building system that uses the Sitka Spruce that adorns the Welsh countryside.
  • Alun has been successful in setting up the Wales version of Lime Works, so we are looking forward to being able to point people towards this lime insulating render system that will be able to support the work towards a more sustainable future for the existing housing stock in Wales - better insulation with a compatible render system for solid walled housing is great news. Please contact the centre for more details.
  • Jane Davidson has announced that Wales will be working towards Code Level 3 rather than 4. We think that this was probably due to a number of factors, but at least the industry now knows where the WAG is heading for coming years.
  • The RDE presentation at CAT was successful and we have made some very useful contacts with UWIC on at the back of this. We hope to be forming some partnership projects with UWIC soon.
  • Anna has been on a number of training sessions, so she is now well informed on Osmo products, BedZED, lime rendering and also Energy Efficiency modelling and monitoring.
  • RDE has started work on creating an enlarged centre, so we have opened discussions with a number of potential partners, so we have our hands full with trying to get this together. Wish us luck!
  • The new Green Building Bible will be out in the next month or so. RDE has an offer of 10% off earthBorn and Osmo paints with this, so watch out for the new edition. We shall have some available from the centre when they are launched.
  • Anna is busy leading a number of training sessions in natural painting in the coming months, so if you want to find out more pop along to St Fagans Museum on the 17th of May. She is also running a session in the MAC centre in Roath, Cardiff. For more details contact Anna on training@rounded-developments.org.uk

Hope that you enjoy the Spring.

March 2008

March seems to have passed quickly - guess that we have been busy! As mentioned in the last missive we have been at a number of events all of which were successful as it allowed us to meet new people and also touch base with other companies in the area who are able to supply sustainable building materials and services.

  • The Wood Pellet Company in Llandrindod Wells were very helpful with their range of high quality pellets on offer, so if you are thinking about installing a wood pellet boiler they are worth chatting to. Contact: Peter Armishaw 01597 823835 or email him.
  • Bauder (Green roof specialists) now have a representative in Wales. Contact is Richard Powell. Email him here.
  • The Ty Unnos building system is getting to production stage, so is well worth a look as it uses Welsh timber in a new and innovative way that should be cheap and easy to use.
  • We are working more closely with Harry 'Lime' at Lime Works in Gloucester to bring an insulating lime render to the SE of Wales. An exciting project and one that we hope will bring a high quality product to the old terraces of Wales. Excellent for thermal performance whilst maintaining the breathability of the structure, also with a long guarantee for the work! Great news in the fight against climate change.
  • I have been on the Passiv Haus training though the AECB. We are going to be starting our first piece of consultancy using the Passiv Haus Planning Package very soon.
  • The Minister (Jane Davidson) is now visiting in April - she has a busy diary and so we hoping to gain some support from the WAG for RDE in the future.
  • RDE has been involved with the start of an Environmental sub-group of Splott Communities First. We wish to see practical work start on improving our local environment over the coming year. Enough talking, more action required we think.
  • RDE has been assessed for Green Dragon, so we hope to gain our accreditation for the coming year soon.

April will be a great month as we are getting our teeth in the Sustainable Refurbishment Standards work with BRE and V2C and also the Fuel Poverty work in Torfaen. Anna is also off on a range of training with the Green Homes Alliance, Osmo and BedZED. I am giving presentations at CAT so that should be a great networking opportunity.

 

February 2008

The start of 2008 has been a very busy one for RDE and there are several topics that we would like to share with you in the delightful month of March.

The Welsh Assembly Government is looking to get Building Regulations devolved this year. This is great news as it will allow the Minister to rack up the pressure to make homes more sustainable and energy efficient at a faster pace than the rest of the UK. We hear on the grapevine that Wales will be seeking to adopt Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 (44% improvement on current Part L) as soon as practicable and this will be the stepping stone to Code 5 and ultimately Code 6 (Zero Carbon). The proposed deadline for this change is 2011. Not very far away....

  • RDE is having a March Sale - 10% OFF earthBorn and Auro paints and also 10% OFF Osmo Polyx Oils, so if you are thinking about decorating in Spring, now is your chance to get hold of some cut price paints and finishes.
  • We have put Amazon links on the book sales part of the Shop website. This will allow you to buy using an Amazon account and also contribute a little towards our work.
  • We are busy with exhibitions at present. Greener Homes and Buildings is this weekend in Builth - see our link on the homepage of the website. The EST event in the Millennium Centre was successful and my appearance on the 'panel of experts' passed without any red faces - thankfully. The information from the event is now on the website as well - there is a link from the homepage. This is full of info on insulation as well as my presentation on sustainable refurbishment.
  • St Athan have launched a bid to save 10% on their energy bills through the installation of Smart Meters (via SWALEC). We wish them well and we hope that the contacts we were able to impart prove very useful.
  • An event that you might be interested in, is Sustainable Construction to be held at CAT. We are speaking at the event.
  • We will be entertaining the Minister, Jane Davidson, next month and we hope to be able to pitch a couple of exciting projects to her, so watch this space!
  • I have been trained in the Passiv Haus Planning Package by the AECB last week. This is a sophisticated programme that calculates heating and cooling loads of buildings and will predict whether the plan will meet Passiv Haus standards. This also means that it can calculate any sizing of renewables to make a building Zero Carbon. We will be offering this as a service for people who are looking to build to the exacting standards of Passiv Haus in the near future.
  • Anna has been busy with the EST event and other training events with Cardiff Sustainable Education Network and is also hoping to offer a range of taster sessions during Adult Education Week. We shall know more soon.

Well we hope to see you in the centre soon buying up lots of discounted paints and finishes.

December 2007

Rounded Developments Enterprises sends its best wishes to you for the festive period. We will be closed between Christmas and New Year in order to gain a bit of respite, but will be open again on 2nd January 2008. So Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

The New Year will be an exciting one for us, because:

  • The RDE, V2C (Housing Association) and BRE (Wales) project will be starting in earnest in January. The report might kickstart a new Sustainable Refurbishment Standard and should be complete by early 2009. This will hopefully have a positive impact on the Welsh Housing Quality Standard in years to come.
  • The Torfaen Fuel Poverty project starts, and we have fundamentally important meetings with Construction Skills, Cylch and Vision 21. These might have far reaching effects with what we do, how we do it and where. Interesting times.
  • Anna has been playing around with different paint concoctions and will be running a series of courses in natural paints and also how to make your own paint in the New Year. Watch this space. We hope to run the courses in Cowbridge (Little Shop of Calm - see http://www.cowbridgetown.co.uk/halcyondaze.htm ) and Penarth (Washington Gallery - see http://www.washingtongallery.co.uk )
  • Anna is running a stall at the Senedd (Welsh Assembly Government Debating Chamber) in late February. This is in partnership with the South East Wales Energy Advice Centre. We are displaying a range of products and services to help people reach Zero Carbon Housing by 2011.
  • In an attempt to get more traffic through the website, we are running a 10% discount offer on selected paints from Auro and earthBorn and also Polyx Oils (Hard Wax for floors and furniture) from Osmo. Some of the paint (Eco-Chic range) end up being a massive 23% less than RRP. Bargain! If you are a local customer, this offer will be extended to you as well in the shop. This offer will run until the end of January 08. Happy New Year!! Tell your friends, (please.)
  • We now have some free Energy Saving Light Bulbs from the Energy Advice Centre in Newport. So if you wish to come into the centre and collect up to 2 free lightbulbs, you are more than welcome. We encourage anyone coming in to undertake the EST Home Energy Check List in support of the project to save energy. See http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/proxy/view/full/165/homeenergycheck
  • I would like to take this opportunity to thank various people involved with RDE. Most of all to the volunteers who have been great this year and also to our customers who have supported us.

So it only remains for me to wish you all a lovely 2008, may it be filled with fun and laughter.

November 2007

  • Most importantly, we have appointed Anna Haslock as our new Training and Education Officer. She has settled in well and will be instrumental in taking this aspect of our work forward into an exciting future.
  • We have also been at a number of conferences including Community Housing Cymru and Cylch Conferences. These were great networking events, but it was scary how many professionals were still not thinking 'out of the box' with regard to the Welsh Housing Quality Standards.
  • Wales Co-Op Party have their 90th birthday celebration on the 17th November in the Pierhead building from 10am. Worth supporting this if you can go along. Anna will be there as well.
  • We have been successful in getting a partnership project with BRE (Wales) and V2C (Housing Association) to look at a Sustainable Refurbishment Standard for Wales. This has been in the pipeline for ages, but it has now been signed off by the Government. This will be a very exciting piece of work.
  • We hope to get another Fuel Poverty project off of the ground as well. We are waiting on Torfaen and Cardiff Councils to come back to us with some indication of whether they are keen to go forward with our proposals.
  • The training courses were both very successful and we are now waiting to see how we fit in with the grand scheme of things with Construction Skills.
  • Our volunteer base has been expanding and improving. Sue is now a trained EcoHomes and BREEAM assessor and will be starting work on a number of projects soon. We also have a couple more volunteers in the office looking at things like marketing and publicity - so this update might improve significantly soon!
  • We now have copies of the latest WWF Pocket Green Guide to Wales. So come along to the centre to collect your free copy.
  • We are negotiating with the Energy Saving Trust to distribute free E-On Power Down units and free Energy Saving Light Bulbs. We hope to be able to offer these soon. Again we are trying to bring these products to the masses rather than be stored in back rooms of Councils.
  • The Electrisave has now been removed from sale and replaced by a cheaper and better new monitor. The Efergy meter will provide real time readings, but also has a memory and so you can monitor usage over weeks, months and years. Not only that, it is significantly cheaper as well at £ 45.
  • Earthborn have announced that they will now only be colour matching paints for large orders, so this effectively takes the domestic user out of being able to mix colours, however with the range of premixed colours growing hopefully this will not have too great an affect.
  • RDE is now dealing with NorDan. They specialise in high performance windows that are aluminium clad. This gives the wooden structure a very long lifespan and removes the need for external maintenance. A welcome factor for many we expect.
  • We have increased the range of Osmo products on offer to include their floor care products and also a rapid drying floor hardwax (Polyx Oil). So a floor can be treated in a day now rather than the two it was taking before.
  • The Passiv Haus build has hit upon more practical issues, so we are learning all the time on this building. We hope to be able to offer some practical courses soon on where things can go wrong and how to avoid them!

October 2007

First of all apologies for the late posting, we have been very busy and hence I have neglected my duties in keeping you up to date.

  • Most importantly, we have appointed Anna Haslock as our new Training and Education Officer. She has settled in well and will be instrumental in taking this aspect of our work forward into an exciting future.
  • We have also been at a number of conferences including Community Housing Cymru and Cylch Conferences. These were great networking events, but it was scary how many professionals were still not thinking 'out of the box' with regard to the Welsh Housing Quality Standards.
  • Wales Co-Op Party have their 90th birthday celebration on the 17th November in the Pierhead building from 10am. Worth supporting this if you can go along. Anna will be there as well.
  • We have been successful in getting a partnership project with BRE (Wales) and V2C (Housing Association) to look at a Sustainable Refurbishment Standard for Wales. This has been in the pipeline for ages, but it has now been signed off by the Government. This will be a very exciting piece of work.
  • We hope to get another Fuel Poverty project off of the ground as well. We are waiting on Torfaen and Cardiff Councils to come back to us with some indication of whether they are keen to go forward with our proposals.
  • The training courses were both very successful and we are now waiting to see how we fit in with the grand scheme of things with Construction Skills.
  • Our volunteer base has been expanding and improving. Sue is now a trained EcoHomes and BREEAM assessor and will be starting work on a number of projects soon. We also have a couple more volunteers in the office looking at things like marketing and publicity - so this update might improve significantly soon!
  • We now have copies of the latest WWF Pocket Green Guide to Wales. So come along to the centre to collect your free copy.
  • We are negotiating with the Energy Saving Trust to distribute free E-On Power Down units and free Energy Saving Light Bulbs. We hope to be able to offer these soon. Again we are trying to bring these products to the masses rather than be stored in back rooms of Councils.
  • The Electrisave has now been removed from sale and replaced by a cheaper and better new monitor. The Efergy meter will provide real time readings, but also has a memory and so you can monitor usage over weeks, months and years. Not only that, it is significantly cheaper as well at £ 45.

September 2007

September saw the RDE AGM held at the Sustainable Building Centre. Many thanks to all those who came along and a warm welcome to Julie, Karen and Martin who joined the board. Dave Williams has stepped down as Chair and so we also welcome Luc into this position to help take RDE forward into a new exciting year.

  • RDE has been busy training this month so we have been running two very different courses, but both with the same title - An introduction to Sustainable Construction. One has been working with unemployed people from BME backgrounds in Cardiff and the other has been sponsored by Construction Skills for professionals. Both are proving to be very successful and worthwhile.
  • Earthborn have announced that they will now only be colour matching paints for large orders, so this effectively takes the domestic user out of being able to mix colours, however with the range of premixed colours growing hopefully this will not have too great an affect.
  • RDE is now dealing with NorDan. They specialise in high performance windows that are aluminium clad. This gives the wooden structure a very long lifespan and removes the need for external maintenance. A welcome factor for many we expect.
  • We have increased the range of Osmo products on offer to include their floor care products and also a rapid drying floor hardwax (Polyx Oil). So a floor can be treated in a day now rather than the two it was taking before.
  • Sue is off on some BREEAM courses and so we hope to be able to offer this as a service soon. This will be in partnership with TPS who are Wales' leading BREEAM assessment organisation.
  • The Passiv Haus build has hit upon more practical issues, so we are learning all the time on this building. We hope to be able to offer some practical courses soon on where things can go wrong and how to avoid them!
  • RDE has been working in partnership with Torfaen Council advising them on a few of their building projects. This has proved to be a valuable service to the council and so we hope to be able to expand this critical friend service to other councils planning on undertaking 'green' building projects.
Forthcoming events include:
  • 3rd October - Constructing Excellence Construct Wales – From Words to Action @ Margam Park
  • 8th October - Construction Week
  • 2nd and 3rd November - Sustainable Wales - Sustainable Solutions event in Bridgend

August 2007

August has been quite quiet so far, but we are hoping for an upturn as their have been a number of developments:

  • The E-Shop is now working, so place your orders now! Just click on the SHOP at the top of the right hand side of the website or click here www.rounded-developments.org.uk/catalogue
  • The Waterloo Foundation have been to visit and appeared to be happy with our plans for the post to date. Please contact Peter on peter@rounded-developments.org.uk if you are interested in the position of Training and Education Officer. Final decisions on start dates etc are yet to be made, but it is always good to have expressions of interest at this early stage.
  • The RDE AGM is set for the 10th of September at the centre, so again please get in touch if you want to come along.
  • Our request for more directors has been very fruitful so far and so we are looking forward to expanding the board at the AGM.
  • EarthBorn have told us that they are slowly withdrawing their natural oil based ranges of paints. This is due to impending legislation from the EU to remove VOC's from paints. This will not happen just yet, but as ever, certain companies are well ahead of the game. All of their paints will now be totally VOC free (claypaints, emulsions and proAqua ranges are already VOC free)
  • RDE has been participating in the Cardiff Transition Project group. This is a community based group who are starting to look at the post-peak oil world. Of course this is only just around the corner and it is important to start planning for this now as it will have a massive impact on lifestyles, businesses and social cohesion. More info on the movement is available from http://www.transitiontowns.org/. The Cardiff groups work can be found on http://www.cardifftransitionproject.org.uk and they can be contacted via info@cardifftransitionproject.org.uk.
  • The Passiv Haus is progressing, so please have a look at the website for the latest photos. We also have a couple of examples of Passiv Haus windows in the centre. These are from Vrogrum and NorDan.
  • Sue is making a model of the Passiv Haus wall structure as well for display. So please feel free to pop in to have a look at how these exceptionally energy efficient homes are put together.
  • We are attending the Monmouth Show on the 30th August, so please spread the word about this interesting looking event. We are in the Green Energy dome.

 

July 2007

July has been very exciting on a number of fronts as momentum gathers behind the work of RDE and others in the sustainable construction world.

  • Work has started on Cardiff's first Passiv Haus . See our special diary on the main website for information on this exemplar of low energy development as it progresses. We are indebted to the owner for allowing us access to her designs and also for providing us with photos and reporting back issues as the building process unfolds.
  • The Vision 21 project has taken a turn for the better as we are now working closely with BRE (Wales), WAG and others to potentially turn the development into new Innovation Park. This will be a unique Welsh project that will be an exemplar for the whole of the UK. Watch this space!
  • We are progressing a commercial partnership with an established supplier to bring a breathable insulating product to the market here that will be excellent for hard-to-treat homes (solid walls). Details will be on the website soon and there will be a demonstration of it in the centre. We hope to be able to sell this through the fabled e-shop as well.
  • E-shop is almost done, we are now in the testing stage. Our request for a merchant number took 9 weeks, rather than the promised 7-10 days, so with luck the start of August will see the launch. Hooray!
  • The BRE (Wales) and Valleys to Coast Refurbishment Project is just waiting Ministerial approval, so now that Jane Davidson has been confirmed as Sustainability and Housing Minister we hope that we can progress this quickly.
  • We are in conversations with Coed Cymru and BRE about helping to develop a Welsh house, as they have been busy creating new building products from Sitka Spruce (something that Wales has a great deal of and not much demand for). We look forward to helping with this development.
  • The unfired cementitious project with the University of Glamorgan is eventually under way and we hope to be able to tell you more as the research continues. This is a project that will look at using waste products and lime to create a series of unfired building blocks / bricks. The advantage for Wales is that the embodied energy in this type of product is much lower, hence the final products should be cheaper and less environmentally damaging. Also if a market and manufacturing base can be created locally then this would save on transport costs and emissions. A win-win project if we can make it work.
  • RDE has been successful in attracting one of the first grants from the Waterloo Foundation. We are looking to start running a series of sustainable construction courses, so we have been awarded monies to employ a Training and Education Officer. Anyone interested please contact Peter in the office. Job descriptions etc will be being drawn up soon.
  • RDE is in the process of changing its aims to encompass the whole of Wales rather than just SE Wales. This is because the demand is growing for an organisation to take sustainable construction to all corners of Wales and at present we are limited in our geographic spread. This should also allow us to be at the forefront of a number of initiatives that are starting to appear including how to allow Welsh people to maximise the benefits from the Welsh Housing Quality Standard requirements.
  • Cardiff Council have asked us to undertake some research for them to look at the differences between housing stock being built by them and for private sale. Sue will use her all singing and dancing software to calculate a whole range of data that should help to inform changes across the housing sector with regard to energy efficiency and buildings specifications. RDE is doing this for free to give Sue the chance to hone her skills with the program. Once done the service will be of great use to other RSLs and also private developers.
  • With all of this work going on we are also looking for new volunteer directors to come and bolster our skill set on the board. If you feel that you have the enthusiasm to bring to the table and a free evening a month then please contact the office to talk about coming along for a taster session. If you have a professional skill (accounts, legal, construction, social, environment) then all the better, but we need to have people who are keen and committed to progressing sustainable building in Wales.

I think that is about it for now, as you can appreciate there is a lot going on and we really appreciate your interest and support of RDE.