Martlesham Training Space

Description

Natural Building Systems has developed a construction system made with biogenic materials to address embodied emissions, operative emissions, and the waste associated with construction. Their system includes lightweight, breathable insulated wall, roof, and floor panels, which are standardised and designed to be efficiently assembled on site and easily disassembled and reused. Natural Building Systems’ primary innovation is the integration of HempSil, a natural insulation made from hemp, with demountable structural cassettes. During its growth, hemp absorbs up to 14 tonnes of carbon per hectare annually and is a good crop to incorporate into sustainable field rotation strategies. When used as an insulation material, hemp absorbs and desorbs moisture in the air, regulating indoor relative humidity and temperature.

The system is also well suited to address other problems typically attributed to the built environment. The panels themselves are self-similar to reduce costs and waste during production, but they can be combined with each other and bespoke components to provide a great amount of flexibility in design. Natural Building Systems’ panels can be delivered flat-packed or pre-assembled depending on the project needs. Assembly and disassembly are both quick and easy due a patented method of securing panels together using timber pegs and T&G cones. This method also allows reconfigurations or alterations to be made without waste.

Natural Building Systems are committed to the circular economy and even provide BIM material passports for all their products. Currently, this system is limited to 11m high buildings for residential use in the UK, but for non-residential uses it can be used for structures up to 8 stories high when paired with a timber structure.

Green Light Trust (GLT) provide training and support for people suffering mental illness, near woodlands and forestry environments. Natural Building Systems was commissioned to design and manufacture the wall and roof elements for a new building, in an under-used car park adjoining woodland near Martlesham, owned by Suffolk County Council.  

Tom the then CEO of The Green Light Trust on why choosing Natural Building Systems;

“We made a really conscious decision we wanted to stick with the environmental credentials of GLT as an organisation so having the minimal impact and more so having a positive impact on the environment is a key part to us and a lot of the decisions we have had to make on this project have deep green credentials at heart”