Skip to content

Going Green

Tapping into the potential of Europe's greenest home

by David Hewitt 30 Mar 2011
Tapping into the potential of Europe's greenest home

Image Credit: Mischa Hewitt.

The Earth Times sees small-scale sustainable living in action on a tour of the Earthship in Brighton.

To look at, blended into the surrounding nature through exposed timbers and dried-mud walls, the Earthship looks like it would be more at home in Middle Earth than where it actually is, just a stone's throw from one of Britain's hippest coastal cities.

However, it's not the style of the dwelling that's encourages visitors such as myself to travel the five miles or so from the buzzing Brighton seafront - by public transport, of course - to see it first-hand.

Rather, it's the substance of the Earthship that is the main draw. This is, after all, arguably Europe's greenest building, making use of techniques honed by experts around the world since the first Earthship communities took shape in Taos, New Mexico, some 30 years ago. Take the walls, for example. Open a small wooden panel on the side of the main building and they're exposed for what they are; made of thousands of tyres, lined with cardboard and filled with earth. Not only is this a super-effective means of keeping in the heat generated by passive solar energy, but, with the UK alone throwing away more than 48 million tyres each year, the technique can go a long way towards addressing the problem of illegal dumping. Similarly, a quick tour of the Earthship reveals that the inner walls are partially constructed from waste bottles, cut up and taped together to form bricks that not only offer sound support but also give an aesthetically-pleasing stained-glass effect.

Meanwhile, special tanks harvest rainwater - of which there is certainly plenty in England - while plants are used to treat waste water on-site, thereby enabling the house to function perfectly well 'off-grid'. Of course, while, as this project demonstrates, it's possible to disconnect from mains electricity and water supplies in the context of new build homes in rural settings, it's hardly feasible, or even desirable, to implement the same sustainability techniques in, say, Victorian townhouses.

Earthship training course

Image Credit: Mischa Hewitt.

But that's not to say that city-dwellers aren't keen to learn lessons in green-living from the team at the Earthship; far from it in fact. Indeed, the project's manager Mischa Hewitt tells me that public interest has never been greater.

''Within the mainstream media, maybe green living is now a little less on the agenda. But we've seen an ongoing increase in interest from the public. In fact, our courses have never been more popular. They're all fully-booked.''

Notably, such interest is not solely down to a growing desire to save the planet. Rather, homeowners are flocking to the Earthship to learn techniques such as building with rammed earth or straw bales just as much to reduce the size of their utilities bills as their carbon footprints.

Earthship Brighton

Image Credit: Mischa Hewitt.

''A lot of people simply want to learn how to save money,'' Mischa says. ''I've never met anyone who appreciates getting an energy bill through the door, so most people are keen to get their bills down however they can.''

This grassroots movement embracing eco-friendly living, he believes, represents the way forward for sustainable homebuilding in the UK. With the Earthship now fully built and operational, the main challenge facing the team there is to put all they have learned into action on a wider scale. And, while it could be argued that this would be best-achieved by joining in with a 'top-down' approach, to green housing, with ministers failing to back up their rhetoric with firm policies and the larger homebuilders continuing to construct high-quality, low-volume housing, for the time being at least, the greatest hope could lie with those heading to projects such as the Earthship to learn how to implement small-scale changes.

''Ideally, the government would take the lead, with the building industry getting on board. But, realistically, it will be self-builders taking the initiative, hopefully with the market catching up,'' Mischa concludes.

To learn more about the courses offered by the team at the Earthship in Brighton, click here

Additionally, the Earthship crew also run a range of educational events and visits.


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping