22/2/2006 - County Council backs Green Buildings Open Day

Cumbria County Council has given a £3,500 grant to get a Green Buildings Open Day up and running. 

The Eden Local Agenda 21 group is organising the new event at venues across the county to showcase sustainable technologies.

The grant  from the county council’s Local Agenda 21 fund will help to set up an open day in September and Eden LA21 hopes it will become an annual event to demonstrate products, systems and services that tackle the problems of sustainability such as small scale wind turbines for homes, solar power systems.

Venues expected to take part include a new straw bail building due to be built at St Catherine's education centre near Ambleside, the new CREA development at Redhills near Penrith which incorporates renewable energy systems and Derwentwater youth hostel in Borrowdale with its small scale hydro electric system.

The project will also involve creating a website to provide information including  reasons to build with green technology and where to find sustainable local materials, products and services.

Phil Davies, from Eden LA21 said: “Too few Cumbrians realise that we have schools and village halls, homes and businesses already successfully using wind, solar and water power.  We have timber oak farmers using Cumbrian wood to build Cumbrian homes and natural reed bed systems managing sewage. We want to help spread that word about the skills and services available in the county and there is real demand from businesses, people and communities to find out more.

“There are going to be some of the pretty inspirational buildings and designs in the project, but there are also going to be practical demonstrations of what can be achieved with simple sustainable technologies."

Tim Heslop, county council cabinet spokesman on environmental issues, said: “We are pleased to support this excellent project. This is exactly what the LA21 grants are for. Cumbria is blessed with one of the finest environments anywhere in the world and these innovative ways of using both new and existing technology to harness natural sources of energy to protect the environment by using local resources and also reducing carbon emissions are to be applauded."

Eden LA21 plan to have as many Cumbrian buildings as possible open their doors to the public for Green Buildings Open Day in September and are interested in hearing from anyone with something relevant to demonstrate.

Anyone interested in taking part should contact Phil Davies at Eden LA 21 project on 01768 210276.