Features

Meet contemporary ceramicist Sue Ure

Pottery has fascinated me since my teens. I love the tactile sensation of throwing, and the feeling that you're creating something from virtually nothing. You're making something functional that can be used and enjoyed every day, and that can have extraordinary longevity.

LZF Lights - the most eco on the market?

Eco friendly wood veneer lights from Valencia based LZF. The company uses FSC-certified woods and energy saving light sources such as LEDs.

Interior designer tips to refresh your home....the eco-friendly way

De-Clutter

How eco are you? First up, Lisa Faulkner

Lisa Faulkner says she's definitely a cook and not a chef, and she's the first to admit that she's not re-inventing the cookery wheel with her books and recipes. Rather she wants to share her love of cooking and if that gets more of us putting a bit more time and effort into the food we eat, well, so much the better.

Abundance? no, strive to use the minimum

Cup of tea anyone?

Consider the simple example of boiling water to make a single cup of tea. There is a minimum amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a fixed volume of water from ambient to 100°C at atmospheric pressure, but how close are we to achieving the minimum?

Wood by the sea: Coastal house in Devon

Architect: 6a architects

Structural Engineer: Price & Myers

Main Contractor/Builder: JE Stacey

Joinery Company: Touch Design Group

Wood Supplier: Traditional Oak and Timber Co.

Wood Species: French Oak, British Douglas Fir, British Pine

Hedging to combat traffic emissions

We know trees are good at absorbing CO2 but our town planners should plant hedges near roads too, say scientists. Researchers from Surrey University's Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) looked at how three types of road-side planting – trees, hedges, and a combination of trees with hedges and shrubs – affected concentration levels of air pollution. The study used six roadside locations in Guildford as test sites, where the green infrastructure was between 1-2 metres away from the road.

New Scandi modern: Bolia

If Scandinavian design to you means all those mid-century greats such Arne Jacobsen, Poul Henningsen and Hans Wegner, it’s time to get with the 21st century and feast  your eyes on the work of companies such as Bolia which continue in the spirit of their not so distant forefathers.

Pages