Eco design

The building will have a number of innovative sustainable measures incorporated. We are still in the process of finalising the design but here are some of the options we have explored.

Locally sourced materials

We are aiming to source the majority of the materials for the building from within 35 miles of the site.

Rainwater harvesting & water saving measures

Water harvested from the gutters
Stored in an underground tank, filtered and pumped back into the building for flushing the toilets,
Use of waterless urinals in the male toilets,
Controlled flow taps,
Solar heated

Naturally ventilated building

Air is drawn into the building enabling air to warm in the winter and cool in summer before it is released into the building.

A biomass (wood chip) boiler

Providing heat for the building (via an under floor heating system);
We will also look into the potential to replace the church boiler so in future the unsightly boiler house extension could be removed.
Cheaper to operate than gas and oil and releases less carbon into the atmosphere.
No binding agents or additives are required - manufacturing wood pellets from dried wood shavings takes about 1% of the energy contained in the fuel, or about 5% when moist sawdust is used.

Roof design

We have looked at a number of options for the roof. A single 'mono pitch' roof and a more traditional pitched roof - both have advantages and disadvantages, such as increasing / reducing the height of the overall building.
A slate roof, as found on nearby buildings, that will also match the church is the preferred option to link the old with the new.
We have also investigated a 'Green roof' which has a number of benefits:
- Visually attractive with slow growing sedum,
- Low maintenance
- Improves rainwater management,
- Increases the thermal performance of the building,
- Reduces sound transmissions; and
- Provides habitat for wildlife lost from the footprint of the building.