More than 700 people have signed up to take part in a four-day tour of green buildings in Norfolk, highlighting the need to support “small-scale renewable and energy efficiency initiatives”.
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Norfolk’s Green Buildings Open Days are to take place from September 6-9 and visitors will see energy-efficient steps such as the use of timber frame, ground source heating, wind turbines and photovoltaic panels in situ.
“The enormous response to our Green Buildings Open Days highlights the fact that large numbers of people are seeking first hand practical information,” said James Frost, branch director at CPRE Norfolk.
“Greater investment is needed from local and national government to enable these technologies to be developed and set-up on a wider scale.”
Mr Frost added that local authorities need to put sustainability “at the top of their political agendas” in order to encourage widespread uptake of energy-efficient initiatives.
The 21 buildings on show during the event include: Cedar House in North Elmham, a lightweight timber frame house built on stilts to counter flooding; Holly Barn in Reedham, which is clad in rot-resistant and hardwearing Siberian larch; The Old Barns in Upper Stoke, which juxtaposes a traditional timber frame building alongside modern building materials such as steel and glass; and The Greenhouse in Norwich, which was established as an environmentally-friendly information building centre for “practical action at a local level”.
