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Category: Sustainability

Scaffolding up at a historic thatched building in the countryside
Vernacular and earth building

What can builders of the past teach us about sustainable building methods?

Monday 19 February 2024

At its core, vernacular building is about local knowledge and local materials. Our Vernacular Buildings Craft Fellow, Ross, shares his experience of working on vernacular buildings across Scotland and explains how they could help modern building practices become more sustainable.

A small, thatched roof hut in the countyside. The hut is made from earth and has a large, rectangular opening for a door.
Skills

Grassroots hutting: an architecture borrowed from the soil

Wednesday 24 January 2024

How can local materials and ancient skills help us with sustainable building practices for the modern age? That's a question we've explored on a recent project to construct a traditional turf hut near Comrie, Perthshire.

A blacksmith forging a piece of steel on a large anvil inside a workshop with lots of tools hanging on the wall.
Conservation

Why building conservation is important for the future

Thursday 12 October 2023

Scotland has approximately 450,000 traditionally-made buildings. Discover the principles behind looking after them, and why it's important.

A stone lodge, with a slate roof and sash and case windows, situated in Holyrood Park
Sustainability

Energy Efficiency Standards and Traditional Buildings

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Making traditional buildings energy efficient is vital as we journey towards net zero. Senior Technical Officer, Moses Jenkins, busts some common myths around energy efficiency building standards in this blog.

A white stone cottage with a corrugated iron roof, in a countryside setting with hills in the background
Materials

Binding with earth: what we know about earth mortars in Scotland

Monday 5 December 2022

Building with earth mortar is a tradition that's over 5,000 years old. So why do we know so little about this material, and how to use it, today? Traditional Skills and Materials Project Manager, Graham Briggs, is here to help you find out more.

Sustainability

“The greenest building is the one that already exists”: How traditional buildings are key to a circular society

Wednesday 20 July 2022

The construction and demolition industry is responsible for huge amounts of waste every year, in the UK accounting for around 60% of material use and waste. Madeleine Clark explores how traditional buildings are part of the solution.

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Thank you

The Engine Shed is accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and National Open College Network (NOCN). The Engine Shed was supported by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to share knowledge of traditional building materials, develop skills and raise standards in conservation for traditional buildings.

  • Heritage Lottery Fund

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Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.

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