The annual BREEAM Awards winners were announced as part of EcoBuild earlier this month, with over 50 of the highest rated BREEAM buildings being shortlisted for an award. There were some great winners, but one which stood out for us was Fornebu S, a shopping centre located just outside Oslo in Norway. “Outstanding” Fornebu S […]
At first glance, wood is not the most futuristic of building materials. When we think about how buildings will look in years to come, I’m sure many of us envisage shiny metal, concrete or glass structures. The T3 project in Minnesota however looks set to challenge opinions about how modern buildings should be constructed… T3 […]
This week, Natural Building Technologies were down in Bristol as part of The Green Register’s seminar on Retrofitting Internal Wall Insulation. Run in conjunction with the City of Bristol College, the event aimed to investigate a number of issues surrounding Internal Wall Insulation (IWI), such as: What the condensation risks associated with IWI are How […]
Natural Building Technologies sells building shell solutions that are suitable to the location and sustainable. As a product distributor we aim provide specification support that will result in the most efficient building solution. Our primary concern is how we engage with people at different levels, from the client, contractor, designer and user. We aim to […]
A lot of companies advertise sustainable products with low environmental impact and low energy usage, or state that they are “good” for people. However, in many instances, there is no real substance to these claims. Even with the right materials, an understanding of the materials and construction projects as a whole is critical as they […]
Natural Building Technologies (NBT) is founded aiming to deliver a better built environment; that is our mission. It is of no interest to us to simply sell products and materials which could potentially be used incorrectly, may not be used in the right situation, or might not be appropriate for a particular person or building. […]
The Fabric First approach to building combines many different principles of energy saving and carbon reduction. The energy and carbon embodied by the building itself, as well as pollution, resource use and a building’s effects on the surroundings all have an impact on the environment. However, putting fabric first only secures the physical sustainability of […]
Renovating old buildings and bringing classic designs in line with contemporary standards has high appeal. There are obviously aesthetic benefits to retrofitting, as older constructions have qualities that may not be easily replicated in new builds. Cost and location may also be taken into account. However when choosing the materials used in retrofits there are […]
The definition of a “good” building depends on your perspective. What someone needs from a building and what their preferences are will differ from person to person. So instead of trying to pin it down to just one or a set of features, we need to look at what a building gives to us and […]
All retrofit projects need to consider the balance of improving the durability of a structure and maintaining the conservation of a building. However, the two are not mutually exclusive. Managing Moisture The biggest threat to traditional structures is moisture, as the majority of traditional and heritage buildings have solid walls which are notoriously difficult to […]