Highlights of the Big Green Home Show 2010

Well, that was a treat! I just returned from the Big Green Home Show, Swindon and I’m buzzing with new ideas and impressions.

It was packed with seminars and exhibits all centered towards the ideas of sustainable construction. There were some things that stood out for me.

I was glad to meet the people from “Helical Systems” promoting the idea of screwpile foundations for large-size buildings. We are certainly on the same wavelength. They’ve also devised a clever system of crack stitching with help of screwpiles. It can provide a relatively easy solution for cases of subsidence.

Another crowd pleaser was the brand new hybrid photovoltaic system showcased by NewForm Energy. It consists of photovoltaic panels with built-in solar water heater and backed-up with a ground source pump. A 250 sq-ft panel can make a 3/4 bed property 100% fuel-independent and shave a big portion off its annual electricity bill. It is not cheap – the aforementioned panel will set you back £24,000 but considering that you can take part in the Feed in Tariff scheme, a hybrid photovoltaic system is a great investment.

A fresh idea for rainwater harvesters? Here we go – RainWater Harvesting Limited from Peterborough presented a new system called Solar RainDirector, that incorporates a small photovoltaic panel powering the water pump (pumping water from the harvester tank to the header tank upstairs) and making it independent from the grid. As water prices are bound to go up, rainwater harvesting really starts making sense now.

But before we get too excited, we must remember that there is still a great deal of greenwashing around. As Ian Jones, environmental buildings adviser at the BuildStore’s Eco Workshops, rightly noted, you can end up having a sustainable house by building from traditional brick and mortar and end up having a “crap” house by using the every possible eco feature.

It all comes to how well a house is planned and built. Sticking a photovoltaic panel on the roof, unfortunately, doesn’t make any old house green.

I’m not saying this to discourage anyone. All I want to say is – approach green technology with a clear goal in mind.

All in all it was a great event and my notebook is bursting with fresh green stuff, so come back soon for more!