Having purchased a breathtaking site overlooking Loch Nedd in the village of Nedd, north of Lochinver, the Clients approached Locate with a view to developing an eco-friendly house and work space utilising in particular reused compressed tyre bales.
 
The bales (pictured, below right) have been developed by Northern Tyre Recycling of Evanton, near Dornoch and have been used for civil engineering projects in Scotland and elsewhere, but outside the US, they have never been used for a house. The plan is to ‘float’ the house on a raft of tyre bales and in addition to use the bales – which are both insulating and thermally massive because of their size – for part of the house walls. They will be rendered inside and out.
 
The house will be highly energy efficient with other innovative details such as a proposed free draining, concrete-free floor build-up, full height sliding glazing and natural clay and timber finishes throughout. Particular attention will be paid to water conservation measures and low energy fitments.
 
With Planning Permission and Building Warrant Approval achieved, the house is now on site (see right) and is due to be wind and watertight by Christmas.