January - March 2008

Taigh Chearsabhagh Finished
The Studio extension to the Museum and Arts Centre, see right, on North Uist has been completed on budget and a successful public launch party was held in early January 2008. The inside spaces are already being used though the outside decking will probably not come into its own until the summer!

Locate has re-located (again)
All change as Chris Morgan is now installed in Dunblane with partner Christine, they have a seven month old daughter called ‘Ella’ and Chris is now operating from an office – a lovely old cottage - about eight minutes walk away from home.

3 New Projects
Locate has been appointed to carry out a feasibility Study for a Village Hall / Community Facility for the ‘ABC Group’ (Achnacarry, Bunarkaig and Clunes) in North West Lochaber. We’re also currently working on a low energy house in the Borders for couple looking to re-locate to Scotland and live a more self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle.

And Locate are working on an exciting feasibility study for Fife Council to investigate what might be Scotland’s first passivhaus standard Office Unit in Glenrothes, Fife.

Public Appearances
Chris Morgan was asked to deliver a presentation with Bernard Planterose of North Woods Construction on opportunities for Zero carbon buildings at a recent conference in Edinburgh. Chris outlined ways to ensure zero carbon projects could be met whilst also addressing other sustainability aspects, while Bernard focussed on the hard economic realities we face to bring ourselves up to the levels of support and expertise of other European countries.

Chris has also been asked to take place in a debate on natural materials as part of this year’s ‘Ecobuild’ Conference at Earls Court in London which is taking place toward the end of February.

Eco-Renovation!
With the existing stock of buildings the biggest issue for energy now, Chris has been getting more involved. He recently undertook a study for the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit of the Medical Research Council into an ‘eco-refurbishment’ of their offices in Glasgow’s West End, and he has been involved with Glasgow based Eco-Renovation Network whereby we gather in someone’s home and discuss potential alterations to improve the environmental performance of the dwelling. Several people attend who all have similar types of property, and in this way, the discussion can benefit a larger number of people (and cheaper) than in a typical domestic consultancy.

Projects on Site
The Hostel in Peebles is well advanced now and the House at Glenreasdale is also moving forward, more details of which can be accessed via John and Suse’s own website.

Highland Housing Fair Success!
A bold modern scheme utilising massive timber and designed by Bernard Planterose of North Woods Construction with Locate won one of the limited sites at the Highland Housing Fair, Inverness. Work is underway to develop the scheme in collaboration with a Developer.

SEDA
Chris stepped down as SEDA Chairman in May 2007 to concentrate on the arrival of the little one, but remains a regular attendee of the monthly Steering group meetings.

Other Project Progress
The Kilfinan Community Forest project Consultancy was completed in May and the Queens View Visitor Centre has now been submitted for Building Warrant approval.

Both refurbishment projects, at Garden Cottage in East Lothian and An Goirtean Steading in Argyll have also been submitted for Building warrant, while the Fair Isle Bird Observatory consultancy is ongoing.
 

photo: Stephen Carter

April 2007

2 new projects!
Locate have been commissioned for two major new projects. One is for a £1m design upgrade for Queens View Visitor Centre for the Forestry Commission, while the other is a complex community based housing / land use / renewable energy joint consultancy for the Kilfinan Community Forest Project Steering Group and Fyne Homes in Tighnabruaich.

Taigh Chearsabhagh
The Arts Studio part of the Taigh Chearsabhagh Project has now returned from tender and is due to start on site any time now (April 2007). The new building projects out onto the beach and a major complication has been having to move the village sewer outfall!

Compost Toilet Completed
This tiny building (see image, above right) has now been completed. Built from timber harvested on site, and without any services, the toilet facilities allow the Sgoil na Coile Education Centre to be used to its full potential.

Other Project Progress
Both refurbishment projects, at Garden Cottage in East Lothian and The Old Steadings in Argyll have now been granted Planning permission and work is underway on Building Warrant.

The Hostel in Peebles is on site with groundworks complete and the timber frame now emerging, while the low energy house at Glenreasdale in Argyll has also now received planning permission so detailed drawings are underway.

Conferences galore
Following a talk to the ‘Growing Community Assets’ Group in Aviemore in January, Chris recently gave a presentation on the use of natural materials at the huge ‘Ecobuild’ conference at Earls Court in London and is off in April to the international ‘Passivhaus’ Conference in Bregenz, Austria to find out more about these ultra-low energy buildings.

Move to Dunblane
And lastly…moves are afoot to re-locate to Dunblane. We are in the process of negotiating the lease to a delightful and very old property about one minute’s walk from the train station. This will allow Chris to walk to work when he finally moves in with partner Christine and an expected new arrival in mid-May!

 
October 2006

New A+DS Enabling Role
Chris Morgan has recently been invited to become an Enabler for Architecture + Design Scotland which is a real honour, and looks forward to becoming involved in Projects when required.

Tyre Bale House Site Start
Having successfully gained Building Warrant approval, the house at Nedd (see right) is now on site with the aim of making it wind and watertight before Christmas. It has already featured in the Press & Journal and Construction News because of the ‘World First’ tyre bale foundations!

Business Incubator Unit
Locate have been commissioned by Fife Council to prepare a Feasibility Study for a Business Incubator Unit in Burntisland. The building is to be to a very high environmental specification and will be managed by a local community body.

New Observatory in Fair Isle
Locate are working with Shetland based Consultants to prepare a Feasibility Study for a new Bird Observatory on Fair Isle. This major new building will be built to the highest environmental standards, against extraordinarily high wind loads and on land with every Nature Conservation designation imaginable!

Other Project Progress
With Building Warrant Approval for the Hostel in Peebles anticipated soon, site works are due to start in September.

The House at Inchdryne has featured in a number of Scotland- and UK-wide publications, including a front page on the Sunday Times Homes Supplement and a forthcoming feature in Homebuilding & Renovating. New photos by Andrew Lee have been used for the updated project page and website generally.

Locate have been commissioned to work on two projects involving existing stone cottages; one in Argyll which has received Planning Approval, and Garden Cottage in East Lothian, for which a Planning application has been submitted.

Locate are in the early stages of designing a new ‘Eco-house’ at Glenreasdale near Tarbet in Argyll. The timber building will be highly insulated and feature extensive water treatment features.

Chris has been working with Forestry Commission Scotland, the Sunart Oaklands Initiative and local community representatives to develop a Composting Toilet at Sgoil na Coille Woodland near Acharacle, Ardnamurchan.

SEDA Eco-Assessment Project
Chris Morgan has been managing an exciting project over the summer to evaluate the many and varied ‘eco-assessments’ out there, to try and establish a view of common procedures such as ‘Ecohomes’ and others. The research will be available to SEDA members and possibly others if there is interest. See SEDA’s website.

Tyre bale house at Nedd

 
March 2006

Project Progress
The house at Inchdryne is now complete, while the house built using tyre bales at Nedd has been granted Planning permission. Building Warrant drawings for this, and the Hostel in Peebles will soon be submitted and it is hoped both will be completed on site by the end of the year.

Locate’s major research project for SEDA on design for airtightness is now complete and was successfully launched by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs, Rhona Brankin on the 13th March at the Scottish Executive in Victoria Quay.

The feasibility study for the new Arts Centre in Ullapool is complete, along with another project in Ullapool – a proposed extension to the swimming pool – the feasibility study for which Locate completed early in March. Both projects now await funding efforts and further business development.

Chair of SEDA
Following the AGM of the Scottish Ecological Design Association in May, Chris Morgan was asked to be Chair, after one year as Co-chair, sharing with Dr. Fionn Stevenson and two years as Vice-chair. With a new development officer in place, it promises to be an exciting time for SEDA.

Consultancy work going well!
Locate have been involved in an increasing number of small scale consultancies for a variety of Clients wanting to clarify project briefs, and/or ensure that their environmental aspirations would be appropriately and cost effectively integrated into projects of all shapes and sizes.

These have ranged from commissions from the UK based Camping and Caravanning Club, to one-off commissions to appraise domestic refurbishment for those who want to improve the energy efficiency of their property. (See image right).

Energy Efficiency
Chris has contributed an article on energy efficiency for the forthcoming Reforesting Scotland Journal. This will be downloadable from the site once the article has been published.

More Woodchip Heating in Scotland
Working for Buccleuch Bioenergy, Locate have recently completed drawings for a new Woodchip fired boiler in the Gleneagles Hotel, home of the recent G8 Conference. The project is one of several biomass boilers being increasingly specified for larger scale projects.

Sustainable Timber Construction
Locate completed a study on the potential for promoting more widespread use of homegrown timber in Housing Association projects for the Forestry Commission Scotland. This is one of several projects and initiatives in which Locate are involved to push forward the use of more sustainable timber in Scotland.

For example, Chris delivered a presentation to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors at the SNH Centre in Battleby in April, and has been shortlisted by Forestry Commission Scotland to produce scheme designs for a 300-seat amphitheatre near Dornoch.

Green Building Bible
Following the three articles contributed by Chris in last year’s Green Building Bible, by Green Building Press, Chris will be updating the current three and adding a further article about health and heating. Once published, the article will be available for download on this site.

domestic refurbishment appraisals

Taigh Chearsabhagh

Feasibility study,
Glen Cochill