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Brick by Brick Report

Brick by Brick Conference:
Achieving local sustainable construction
(April 2006)

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre was recently the venue for a major Conference on Sustainable Construction - the first of its kind in the County - and attended by nearly 200 delegates.

A wide audience of local planners, developers, architects, builders, businesses, representatives from local housing associations, and local authority Officers and Members attended the Conference.

Speakers included Jim Fitzpatrick, MP, from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), Professor Sandy Halliday from Gaia Research, Jim Wiltshire from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Jim Fisher from the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Presentations focussing on biodiversity were given by Kate Dewey from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) and Katrena Stanhope from ecological consultants Atkins Ltd. Richard Paynter from Staffordshire County Council's Design and Facilities Management Team, together with Bill Munn from Thomas Vale Construction, spoke about the rise of sustainable construction up the agenda in Staffordshire, giving examples of local projects.    

The construction industry is facing and beginning to embrace a wide range of new challenges at the moment. From giant improvements in energy efficiency, to green rooves, from using materials with recycled content, to incorporating renewable energy technology, from new building regulations, to customer demand. It is some of these challenges organisers of the Conference hoped to explore.

The Conference was led by local voluntary group, 'Sustainability Matters in Stafford Borough', with support from Stafford Borough Council's Local Agenda 21 Team. Other key partners included Staffordshire County Council and the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. The majority of costs were covered by a successful application for funding from Awards for All. The aim of the Conference was to bring delegates up to speed with current national trends and new policy and provide sources of information and give practical, examples, which will encourage local decision makers and those in the building industry to take the sustainable construction option in housing and commercial buildings.

The Conference itself tried to demonstrate good sustainability practice where possible - refreshments for instance included Fairtrade beverages, local ice cream from the Red lion Ice Cream Farm at Bradely, local milk, chicken and some vegetables, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified salmon and free range eggs. Stage decorations included flower arrangements 'recycled' from the Queen's visit and willow sculptures made from local willow by the Riverwoods Project.

The Conference is topical in Stafford Borough at the moment in particular, with significant developments and regeneration in the pipeline, a new Housing Association, plus a wide range of new national policies, regulations and guidelines coming through. Web pages will be developed shortly with Conference presentations, feedback and follow up information included. These will be available on www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21 and soon after on the County Council and Wildlife Trust websites.

Contact: Karen Davies, Local Agenda 21 Co-ordinator