Hab | Happiness – Architecture – Beauty

Reminiscing

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:12:16 +0000

Energy Minister Greg Barker MP, Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns WWF-UK and Kevin McCloud

Why? Because after three years’ slog at the political coal face, Habees Kevin and Simon are signing off from the Grand Designs Great British Refurb campaign. At the swansong event for the campaign’s competition for film-makers to energise and enthuse people about the munificence of home energy refurbishment (lower bills / warmer, healthier, comfier homes / kinder to the planet – what’s not to like), a cadre of senior government, energy efficiency, broadcast and marketing luminaries came to view the winning films and debate the merits of the government’s approach on the issue. Weighty stuff… Vote for your favourite and help get the eco-refurb message out and about.

Watching television

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:41:31 +0000

Why? Because we’re on it. Because Talkback Thames has been following the trials and tribulations of getting Hab up and running and building our first project. And it’s going to be on Channel 4 at 8pm on Thursday 8th December and at the same time the following week.

Making movies

admin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:28:05 +0000

Why? Because there is an unfortunate double whammy that creative and clever film-making could go some way to overcoming. We need to deal with the fact that our home energy use is responsible for over a quarter of our carbon emissions, but this is coupled with widespread public apathy. So we’re helping the Great British Refurb campaign work out how to reverse that – so make a movie to make home insulation chic…

Celebrating…

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:35:01 +0000

Why? Because our wonderful landscape architect Luke Engleback has just won a Landscape Institute Award for ‘Grow to Eat’, the incredible edible landscape manual he produced for residents at The Triangle, the housing development we have just completed in Swindon. It lets residents know about all the different fruit and veg that has been planted round the site, gives helpful information about how best to look after them and, best of all, offers delicious suggestions as to what to cook with the produce that’s available at any given time of year. Hurrah!

Smiling!

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:13:37 +0000

Why? Because our Triangle project in Swindon is finished and it looks like this….

Click here to see more – and - and more professional! – photographs of the Triangle and its residents.

Eating English cobnuts

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:50:17 +0000

Why? Because they’re in season, they’re delicious and they’re a great source of protein. And because the Kentish Cobnuts Association is fighting a heroic battle to protect this traditional Kentish crop in the face of stiff competition from cheaper foreign imports.

Gardening

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:42:22 +0000

Why? Because, while we’re proud as Punch of our new houses at the Triangle, the kitchen gardens are looking decidedly bare….

Photograph by Richard Wintle of Calyx Multimedia

Taking photos

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:17:00 +0000

Why? Because our project in Swindon is starting to emerge from underneath the scaffolding, and we’re very very excited indeed. Click here to see how it’s starting to take shape…

Adding Spice

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:00:52 +0000

Why? Because Spice has designed a system of ‘time banking’ which is elegant in its simplicity. Like any bank system, you deposit and withdraw but this trades in time/skills/experience rather than hard currency. So an hour spent helping your neighbour with their tax return is afforded the same value as them babysitting for an hour in return. Or you can earn your time credits by helping organise community events like the flamboyant Blaengarw festival in Wales. We’re on a mission to to encourage sharing and community action. And this absolutely hits the mark.

Growing Veg

admin — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:54:20 +0000

Why? Because the allotments at our Cashes Green site in Stroud are finally back into use having been fenced off for nearly 20 years. Hurrah!