Green garden office - an American view

Lloyd Alter at Treehugger had a good long look at our post earlier in the week on green garden offices and very kindly added a North American viewpoint. Here are his views:

PVC windows
There are lots of North American sources of wood windows, but you should also check for used windows at Habitat for Humanity and other deconstruction sources.

Wooden cladding and flooring
In North America there are lots of FSC certified woods available now, as well as resawn boards. Keep away from ANY pressure treated woods.

Insulation
In North America one can get Denim, but most shed sized buildings are made from 2x4 studs, which will give a maximum of R12 insulation with wools. Again, since the areas are so small, I would consider a soy foam or icynene if I could get an installer to do such a small job.

Paints and wood stains
Absolutely critical in such a small space to use formaldehyde free, non-toxic finishes. I would also not bring any furniture or millwork that was made with formaldehyde binders and would think twice about having a laser printer. You want to start with clean air and keep it that way.

Green garden offices

The last time we talked about 'greenwashing' on Shedworking, there was a very healthy debate about the enivronmental values of garden office suppliers. Now Lynn Fotheringham from InsideOut Buildings (whose models are pictured above and below) has put together a personal guide to choosing an eco-friendly shed with a seven-point plan for choosing sustainable materials. It's quite long, but well worth a read:

1. PVC windows
Problem: People think that double-glazing is eco-friendly because it saves energy, which is true. But look further and you discover that the amount of energy used to manufacture UPVC is enormous. Also PVC frames are bigger and wider than wood and so reduce the amount of light coming through a window.
Solution: Buy locally from a joinery manufacturer and check the wood comes from renewable forests, ideally in Britain or Western Europe.

2. Wooden cladding and flooring
Problem: This is often used on garden buildings and around the house. The assumption that wood = eco-friendly is simplistic. Many cladding and flooring products are pressure treated and imported, both of which use unnecessary energy. So while wood is better than manmade claddings and floorings, it can still be energy-expensive.
Solution: Choose untreated British or European wood from well managed local forests. Our beautiful larch cladding, for instance, is grown in Scotland, then cut and planed by our local timber merchant, with no treatments or preservatives.

3. Insulation
Problem: Insulating your home or garden room properly will help the environment, again by saving energy. To do the job properly, you have to use a lot of insulation material. In garden offices, for instance, all surfaces should be insulated to an absolute minimum of 100mm. We use UK manufactured insulation materials, either sheepswool or Rockwool, from firms who have an excellent environmental policy in their factory. Which means we can insulate our buildings’ walls to a generous 200mm for maximum insulation efficiency while remaining environmentally responsible.
Solution: Look at the manufacturing process before choosing an insulation material. Can it be recycled? Has it been imported? Does the manufacturer run their factory processes sustainably?

4. Green and living roofs
These are undoubtedly eco-friendly and can be highly effective on larger buildings. But there are drawbacks. You need at least 600mm of soil to achieve a practical level of insulation. The insulating properties are reduced when the soil is dry. In summer you have to irrigate and weed your roof. You have to use several different layers of plastic for waterproofing and containing the soil. On the other hand when insulation isn’t so important, say for a garage or shed, a green roof is a great way to conceal an eyesore, add interest to your garden and provide an important space for wildlife.

5. Wind turbines
Wind turbines simply don’t hit the mark unless you live in a rural area with very strong winds. Current technology means that a small urban turbine will probably generate less energy than it takes to make. Instead, use low energy light bulbs, don’t leave equipment on standby and insulate your home properly.

6. Recyclable materials
Even the word ’recyclable’ can be misleading. Thousands of products claim to be recyclable but, in all honesty, so what? Are you really going to re-use a load of exhausted plastic insulation in 15 years’ time, or is anyone else? We recommend a common sense approach. Our buildings are designed to last for a very long time, not to fall apart after just a few years. We think this is the best approach. If you build for life rather than for the short term, the need to recycle becomes less relevant.

7. Paints and wood stains
These are the ingredients to avoid in paints and stains: Solvents and white spirit, turpentine, terpenes, ethereal oils, and acrylics. Ingredients to look for:- Water, binders , non-toxic pigments, mineral fillers and waxes.

So have InsideOut Buildings found a truly green solution to all their garden building challenges? “No, it is an ongoing process as more affordable, sensible, sustainable products become available” says Lynn. “For example we use untreated cedar shingle roofing which is imported. We’ve been looking for a UK wood shingling manufacturer for some time. Is there anybody out there?”

Garden office greenwashing?

We featured Glassbox yesterday and Shedworking regular Bill Kratz made a long and pertinent comment which I think deserves its own post:

"Let me preface this comment by saying that I really like the look of the Glassbox product. That being said, their website raises a couple of issues in my mind.

"1) The site states that pricing starts at 18,000 Pounds plus VAT. The smallest Glassbox plan seems to be 3.3m x 3.3m, or 10.89 sq m (117 sq ft). This puts the cost per square meter of this little Glassbox at something above 1,650 Pounds/sq m (~= $302/sq ft). At least by American standards, this puts the cost well into the area of custom (bespoke) projects. So the question is...what benefits does the customer accrue by purchasing a Glassbox rather than contracting for a customized design?

"2) Alex is correct that they "proudly trump their eco qualities." While some of their claims (especially the "usual" ones) are probably good ones, a few others seem to slip into the category of "greenwashing" (a great new term coined by the publishers of an interesting site on the subject at http://www.greenwashingindex.com/ ). For example, the Glassbox site says, "you will be investing in not only your home but in the future of our planet." Huh? Just how does purchasing a Glassbox bring returns for the future of our planet? Perhaps an argument could be made that a Glassbox is a better eco choice than some other structure, but either way resources are being used, not saved or "producing earnings on an investment." I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with purchasing a Glassbox (or any other shed, addition, extension...) or with consuming the resources necessary to produce that structure. I'm just pointing out that the hyperbole of their claims may not reflect the same honesty and minimalism that their design aesthetic reveals."

I'd be interested to know - as would Bill - what you think of the above. Please comment below.

Building your own garden office is not all sweetness and light

Mary is giving an excellent, and honest, blow by blow account of building her own eco-friendly garden office. Her recent post - Slow going and chicken wire is a bitch - underlines that a good green shed is not built in a day.

Garden Shed - 21 Acres

We featured 21 Acres' marvellous outhouse in last week's regular Thursday Outhouses slot and here's their equally delightful Garden Shed. It's a great shedworking space with not only storage capacity for equipment and a gardener's reference library but also a useful informal meeting place. Best of all it was built with recycled materials and features geo-thermal radiant heat soon to be powered by solar panels. Naturally, it also has a green roof. Architectural drawings above, the shed itself below.Thanks to Bill Kratz.

Shedworking tools of green beauty

Above is the Fujitsu Woodshell Bioplastic computer and below is the Asus Bamboo Ecobook.Via Treehugger, naturally.

esprit cabane

esprit cabane is a French web magazine translated into English which looks at lots of homemaking and shedmaking ideas about (in their words) "Recycling crafts, natural -100% VOC free- paint recipes, furniture instructions, pretty things, environmentally friendly and decorating ideas, sewing, cabin instructions, green DIY... It's the magazine of crafty & green living ideas to decorate and build without polluting". Well worth a browse, especially their cabins section which features some shedbuilds, including this rather lovely one above, how to build a rustic hut and how to make one for children.

The Green Workplace blog

The Green Workplace describes itself as 'The leading blog for those who design, manage or occupy green workplaces. We are architects, environmentalists, policy makers, and activists sharing ideas together and finding creative solutions to difficult problems. It's about space, technology and changing behavior from "business as usual" to a whole new way of thinking about work. Let's change the world! One great idea at a time." Though not specifically aimed at shedworkers and other species of homeworkers, it does feature us regularly and always has plenty of interesting pieces such as this one:

"Did you know that the energy required to fuel your car and commute to work is actually greater than the energy required to heat and cool the building you are working in? A presentation last week by the California Climate Commission, Carbon Currency: The ROI of Going Green, showed that operating energy uses for the average office building in California was 72 KBTU per square feet per year. The energy required to commute to the average office building in California was 127 KBTU per square feet per year."

Ancaya Green Roof Garden Shed

If you're thinking about putting a green roof on your garden office, then one of your earliest ports of call should be the excellent Greenroofs.com. Above is a good example of what can be done, the Ancaya Green Roof Garden Shed where you can find plenty of details of its construction (essentially a 112 sq.ft roof with a slope of 58.3%) by Living Roofs. Here's what they say:

"The green roof not only decreases the quantity of rainwater runoff from the garden shed roof, it also provides habitat for insects, birds, and butterflies, is an aesthetically pleasing addition to the urban backyard, and maintains cool temperatures inside the building creating a retreat from the summer heat. "

Spotted by Shedworking Scout Bill Kratz.

Choosing a shed - Alternative Space

London-based small family businessAlternative Space have two models - a Self Build EcoDen (pictured above with deck) and the Classic. The EcoDen, which can be dismantled and reassembled if you move house, comes with a green roof option (others include a rainwater harvesting system, decking, and open pergola) and in three sizes, 2m x 2.4m, 2.4m x 2.4m and 2.4m x 3.6m (all internal measurements). An integrated modular furniture system is also supplied as standard. Below is the Classic with a green roof. Like an increasing number of garden office suppliers, Alternative Space say their goal is to design and supply only products which have a minimal environmental impact and make a positive environmental input. There's an attractive gallery of completed projects here.And here is the team sitting on a shed.

Living wall planters

A touch of greenery within your shedworking atmosphere is of course just as nice as watching it through the window (not to mention doing you a power of good, physically and mentally). Here's a nice idea if you'd rather have the greenery growing out of the walls rather than on your desktop, living wall planters from the Gardener's Supply Company.Via Trendhunter

Green roofs onto existing pitch roof

Green roofs are becoming very popular now but on the Green Building Forum there is an interesting discussion going on answering this question which has particular relevance for shedworkers, how practical is it to turn a traditional pitched roof into a extensive green roof? One of the posters, Tom Foster, also points to some interesting photos of Norwegian examples of just this, pictured above and below.

Yoga room/garden office

There's a nice step-by-step slideshow of a garden office build at the Open Architecture Network. It's described by project leader Steve King from Gillingham as an eco-build, a low impact timber frame on Geotextile covered with aggregate, then used car tyres again packed with stone. "The building rests on an insulated sandwich of shuttering ply and timber with super insulation, then the frame is constructed on top," he says. "NO CEMENT!"

Solar Shed

Shedworking reader Martin Doyle is writing a guide on 'Small 12v solar' installations - ideal for garden offices. "It will try to dispel much of the techno-babble that most 'experts' put in the way," he says. "The reality is that it's simple, but not necessarily cheap. But it is good fun!" Until it appears, here is Martin's video about installing a solar panel on his own shed. Check out the original YouTube page comments for lots more detail.

Modular green roof

Shedworkers will know that there's no more ideal spot for a green roof than a garden office. Here's a great new idea from Liveroof whereby essentially you buy already good to go (recyclable) modules of fully grown green roof to save you the hassle of actually growing it yourself. It's quite heavy so you'd need to be a bit careful and check on your roofload capacity.
Via Treehugger

Le Cabanon - the future of shedworking

A lovely little structure and very much the future of shedworking by Cyril Brulé of atelier Correia called Le Cabanon in Villiers-en-Morvan, France: it's just 20m2 and Cyril lives and works in it. The Cabanon has all kinds of nice elements - Northern Fir siding, duck feather insulation, an interior lined with formaldehyde-free OSB panels; a rubber floor and an Ikea kitchen.
Via shed champion Justin at materialicious where you'll find lots more interesting pictures including this one below of the interior.

N55's walking (shed)house

How would you like a shedlike atmosphere which walks? Those inventive folk at N55 have indeed been working on just such a prototype design in a project for the Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridgeshire. Inspired by gypsy caravans, the Walking House is a modular dwelling system which allows you to shedwork (or indeed live) nomadically with little environmental impact: energy is collected via solar cells and small windmills and a small greenhouse module can be added. And not only can it collect rainwater, it's amphibious. The framework is made of steel, aluminium or wood with windows of polycarbonate.I'm not entirely sure about the next bit: there are six legs and they can be worked so that while it moves (slowly, at the pace of a human step), three legs are on the ground at the same time. The idea is a collaboration with a group of travellers in the Cambridge area. Here's what N55 say:

"The Walking House requires no permanent use of land and thereby challenges ownership of land and suggests that all land should be accessible for all persons. Society could administrate rights to use land for various forms of production of food for example, but ownership of land should be abolished.
N55 furthermore suggest that WALKING HOUSES should be owned by all persons in common and used by the persons wanting to live in them."

Home office energy makeover

Replacing equipment and changing some habits can make a big difference to your energy usage and wallet, says Robert Mitchell in Computer World. After finding out that the computing equipment in his home office last year consumed 803 kilowatt-hours of power and directly resulted in the emission of 889 lbs of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, Mitchell asked himself a question: could he save money and help save the planet by reducing his energy use without compromising his business? And then he set out to eliminate every wasted watt of energy, and wasted dollar, he could find in his office setup. Well worth a browse.

Largest eco-house open day (plus garden office)

As part of Oxfordshire Ecovation Open Days, 18 houses in the area will be opening their doors to share the techniques and opportunities of eco-renovation (November 24 and 25). There's plenty to see (with lots of details on their site) from former council houses to 17th century cottages. The organisers, who claim this is the largest eco-house open day ever organised in the UK, say:

"Some of the houses use standard materials that could be bought at any builders merchant. Others use experimental technologies including straw bale and sheep wool insulation, solar panels, wood burners and a heat pump that draws water from the Thames."

Among the buildings on display is the Strawbale house pictured above at 55 Henley Avenue, OX4 4DJ, which is a garden office and spare room built from strawbales and recycled materials with wood burner and composting toilet. It's open on the Saturday from 10am until noon, and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.

Box of Delights - lawnmower shelter

A lovely design from Accrington-based Altham Oak and Carpentry which while not strictly a shedworking atmosphere (it currently houses a mower, croquet kit and other gardening odds and ends), could easily be rejigged to provide a lovely garden office. They describe the appearance as 'a Door with a Halo' and a 'Work of Art' rather than a shed. The sedum green roof is circular and shaped so that water drains off through a channel and short wooden spout.Altham's green credentials are impressive: the business was started to encourage the use of underused timber in the UK to combat the destruction of virgin forests abroad. They also claim to pay a better price to foresters for relatively unwanted parts or their harvest to encourage sustainable management of British oak plantations. Through local conservation groups and customers, Altham aims to sponsor the planting of 10 new trees for every one they process.