Kevin McCloud - 2017 Green Heroes

On 2nd May 2017, Designing Buildings Wiki attended the Grand Designs Live London exhibition, for a private tour of ‘Green Heroes’ by the face of Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud.

Returning to the exhibition, ‘Kevin McCloud’s Green Heroes’ is inspired by his passion for innovative eco-friendly product design and green building products.

Read our interview with Kevin McCloud here.

This year’s list of brands that have been carefully curated by McCloud, include the following:

[edit] Egloo

3D printed non-electrical heater than can heat an entire room.

Developed as a means of combating the waste of continuous electrical energy used for heating domestic environments, Egloo, offers an alternative for fueled heating.

The 3D-printed design is simple: Egloo features a double-dome layout where the smaller, inner dome heats up quickly, then slowly radiates heat to the outer dome so that the unit remains safe enough to touch. The design only takes about five minutes to reach its highest heat and with four candles inside it, will last long enough to heat a 20 sq. m (215 sq. ft) space for up to five hours.

[edit] Piñatex by Ananas Anam

Piñatex is a sustainable alternative to leather, made from pineapple leaf fibres.

As a by-product of the pineapple harvest, the raw material requires no additional land, water, fertiliser or pesticide to produce, and provides an additional income stream to pineapple farmers. Ananas Anam is collaborating directly with farmers in the Philippines to create a vibrant, stable industry that supports social and economic community development.

[edit] The Used Kitchen Company

The original and most extensive online marketplace for used and ex-display kitchens.

This service makes great ecological and financial sense for buyers and sellers alike, offering hundreds of high-quality designer kitchens at greatly reduced prices, often at up to 70% off RRP.

[edit] Wallpapering by Dear Human

Modular acoustic tiles made from recycled paper.

Wallpapering is a totally handmade process, making each new tile different from the last. Combining different paper types creates all sorts of new exciting variations. Paper is pressed into air release dyes, which is similar to the process of creating industrial ceramic tiles. As a result, it’s still strong and durable, but can be printed and painted on like normal paper.

[edit] Solidwool

A unique, composite material, created from bio-resins and wool from hill-farmed sheep.

This hard yet warm material can be used to build chairs, countertops and even baths. Through innovative design, Solidwool has found a way to address multiple problems, while simultaneously creating a high-value product that can serve many purposes.

[edit] NewspaperWood

Turning newspaper back to wood.

This material can be treated like most other wood products by cutting, milling, sanding, and finishing with paint or varnish. It reverses the traditional production process, not from wood to paper but from newspaper to wood.

[edit] Biomass Light by Jay Watson Design

A pendant lamp made from fallen ash branches.

Inspired by biomass heating systems that re-use natural and urban residue to produce heat and electricity with less impact on the environment, Jay Watson developed the idea of using forest-foraged materials for his latest ‘eco’ lighting design. The raw beauty of nature meets the latest high-tech, energy-saving lighting solutions in the form of ultra-efficient LED fittings, hot white (2700K, 90CRI) and rated to 75,000 hours.

[edit] DuraPalm

Palm based plywood, panelling, flooring, veneer and lumber.

There are vast resources in palm whether it is in Central America, Africa, the Pacific islands or South East Asia. Much good can be done in these locations creating sustainable industries, jobs and offering an alternative to cutting old growth trees that are hard to replace.

Palm plywood, panelling and veneer have been fabricated into residential and commercial cabinetry and fixtures as well as freestanding furniture pieces and wall coverings. Palm flooring has also been use widely in both environments.

Sponsored by Anglian Home Improvements, the exhibition is held at the ExCel centre until 7th May 2017, offering a myriad of innovative ideas for the home, interactive workshops, instructive talks and demonstrations.

Grand Designs Live will return to the NEC from 11 – 15 October 2017. For more information, visit Grand Designs Live website.

Images and content courtesy of Grand Designs Live.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Ecobuild 2017.
• Interview with Kevin McCloud 2017.
• Interview with Kevin McCloud 2018.
• MIPIM 2017.
• Recyclable construction materials.
• Self-build home: project plan.
• Sustainable development.
• Sustainable materials.