The Story
IN JUNE 2014 THE AUTHOR completed the construction of the Brighton Waste House, Europe’s first permanent building made of approximately 90% materials others threw away or discarded.1 It is also a low-energy building with an EPC rating of A, as well as being classified as a ‘carbon negative’ building, because it creates 25% more energy than it consumes. It was originally commissioned by the University of Brighton as a vehicle for the author to test the idea that collaborative ‘live’ construction projects were excellent pedagogic tools for young designers and makers (and older ones) to learn about the challenges of delivering on the ideals of sustainable design. The Waste House also aimed to prove that under-valued so-called waste material ...