Suffolk’s solar makeover

Wattle and daub meets state of the art

The Foundry doesn’t look that different from the 19th-century traction engine shed it was in a former life. But some very modern thinking has gone into transforming it into a RIBA-award winning environmental education centre. The old timber frame now sports a hemp/lime roof structure, wattle and daub walls and linseed oil paint. It’s also got a state-of-the-art solar water heating system and a woodfuel boiler. The Green Light Trust, the charity that developed and owns the place, proudly points out that it sourced the hemp and clay from within Suffolk. Sewage is processed by a reed bed, and rain water is recycled, so the Foundry doesn’t rely on mains water for anything except drinking - a smart decision in East Anglia, the driest part of Britain. - Hannah Bullock

12 January 2007

Hannah Bullock