Oxford is my world Your – Guide to saving the planet!

LIFESTYLE: Home Improvements

Nowadays, for the average new build, developers buy enough material for 1.5 houses! So not surprisingly there's a lot of good salvageable and reclaimed materials out there which, unless used, will end up in landfill. Don't let their waste go to waste, see the sections below about reclaimed wood and other useful materials.

Plus home improvements are a good opportunity to improve the energy efficiency (and energy rating) of your house and reduce your fuel bills. Read the box on ‘Energy Performance Certificates’ in the Moving House section, to find out how energy efficiency improvements could help when you come to sell your house.

Very Easy

- Contact Oxford City Council for advice on environmentally friendly refurbishment, garage conversions and extensions, or refer to the Energy Saving Trust's Best Practice Guidance.
- Buy reclaimed wood for half the price of new timber from Oxford Wood Recycling. You can also buy reclaimed floorboards on eBay that have a genuine antique look and are much cheaper than new floorboards.
- Buy paints that have a ‘minimal’ Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content (0.1%-2.99%). VOCs are harmful to our respiratory system and to the ozone layer, and even ‘low’ VOC paints can contain up to 7% VOCs. Minimal VOC paints aren't usually more expensive and include some DIY store own-brands.
- If you're re-arranging your kitchen put the fridge in the coolest place you can and if it has to go near any warm appliances (such as cookers or boilers) leave a good gap.
- Get advice from others who are doing the same with Ecovation, an experience-sharing network based in Oxford. Their website features several Oxford case studies about eco and low energy home refurbishment.
- The National Association of Salvage Traders has details of suppliers of salvaged and reclaimed building materials.

Fairly Easy

- Visit the Energy Saving Trust's virtual “Best Practice” House for guidance on how to build or refurbish to the highest energy efficiency standards.
- Paint manufacture can be very water and energy intensive. For paints which have been made in an ecologically sound way consult The Green Building Store, Green and Easy or Ecos Organic Paints.
- Alternatively you can get donated paint from the Orinoco Scrapstore, they will usually just ask you for a donation.
- Donate unwanted or left over paint to Orinoco Scrapstore or the Community RePaint scheme (Redbridge Recycling Centre).
- The Green Building Press publish a variety of low impact building books, including the Green Building Bible. They also host a sustainable building website which includes a well-used Green Building Forum.

Not Quite So Easy

- For technical advice, fact sheets and details of eco-building professionals visit the AECB's (The Sustainable Building) website, there are also discounts on eco paints and materials for AECB members.
- Investigate the Low Impact living Initiative, they run courses in sustainable building methods and will even teach you how to build your own solar hot water system.
- Find inspiration in your local community: The 40% House Report, discusses how we can reduce our domestic energy use by 60% and gives examples of energy saving refits, such as a Victorian End Terrace, a 1920s semi and a 1980s development.

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