Explore how to source and use sustainable and healthy building materials on this two day course.

Aimed at homeowners, self-builders, tradespeople and anyone interested in living in a healthier, more sustainable home, this short course will provide a detailed overview of sourcing and using sustainable, healthy building materials and help you to identify and avoid unsustainable, unhealthy materials.

Key Information

• Duration: 2 days, Sat 20 – Sun 21 May 2023
• Start and finish times: starts at 10am and ends at 4pm on the last day
• Fees: £295
• Includes: tuition, all materials, full board shared accommodation (single accommodation is available for an additional £20pppn)
• What to bring: as this course requires some tours around our site, sensible shoes are required and waterproof clothing is advised
• Terms and Conditions:
  • you must be 18 years or over to attend our courses.
  • For full list of terms and conditions click here

What you will learn

The two days will involve interactive discussions, lectures and an opportunity to look at a wide range of materials and construction techniques.

Day 1 morning:

• Introduction to what is wrong with conventional construction methods and building materials.
• An explanation of airtightness and indoor air quality problems.
• Have a look at where construction materials come from. How they are manufactured and how they can damage the planet.

Day 1 afternoon:

• A short tour of buildings on the CAT site where we will look at examples of different materials and how they can be handled.
• A session on the theory of embodied energy, chemicals and bio-based materials. The methods of checking and testing indoor air quality will be demonstrated.

Day 2 morning:

• Details of all the alternative eco, bio-based and recycled building materials.
• A look at construction methods, including timber framing and other options.
• Where to source building materials and how to save money and keep budgets low.

Day 2 afternoon:

• Opportunity for participants to discuss their own homes or plans and get some answers to question they have about what to do. Participants are encouraged to bring photos and drawings of their own houses, sites, planning permissions, etc.

Meet your tutor

Tom Woolley

Tom is an architect who has published eight books on sustainable construction but has also constructed many eco buildings and runs training workshops around the world. He has been a Visiting Professor at the CAT Graduate School for a number of years. Tom’s latest book Natural Building Techniques will be available able at a significant discount to participants.