In the northern corner of our site a stand of Japanese Larch was planted on what was originally ancient woodland. As part of our woodland restoration work, we are gradually thinning the larch to allow the struggling plant and tree regeneration from the original ancient woodland to re-establish and flourish. Thinning this area has provided us with a very valuable harvest – our own supply of sustainably resourced timber. Using this timber, we have built a compost toilet and a round shed on our land. This has dramatically reduced the carbon footprint of both buildings. In keeping with our desire to be as sustainable as possible, we have sourced any other materials needed as locally as possible and used craftspeople and contractors from our local area.
Construction on the compost toilets began in late April 2019. We contracted Mark Vrionides, a community build project co-ordinator, to plan, design and co-ordinate the build with Esme Walker, a traditional builder and conservator. Local contractors were bought in when necessary and we were helped by some of our regular local volunteers as well as occasional groups of volunteers from further afield including a group of staff from Chester Zoo for a week. This provided an opportunity for skill sharing and for people to learn about sustainable building and carpentry skills.
The compost toilet is of roundwood timber frame construction, with waste collection areas at ground level and steps leading up to 2 separate cubicles on the level above. Due to the whole of our site being off-grid, only tools ‘powered by people’ were used apart from the occasional battery-operated drill. Volunteers spent many hours peeling the bark from the Japanese Larch poles with draw knives before the poles were then individually measured, marked and the joints cut out with chisels. Fourteen large poles were prepared in this way for the timber frame. Mark Vrionides commented, “With the timber coming from trees so close by, this build has the smallest carbon footprint I’ve ever worked on.”
Tynnu’r rhisgl
O’r diwedd, cyrhaeddodd y diwrnod mawr – codi’r ffrâm. Roedd angen yr holl ddwylo posib i godi ac arwain y polion pren trwm yn ofalus i’w lle – tasg oedd yn gofyn am gyfathrebu da, gwaith tîm, cyhyrau, penderfyniad a mesurau diogelwch trylwyr.
Paratoi’r polion ar gyfer y ffrâm bren
After successfully raising the frame, the wooden walls (larch cladding), floor, roof and waste storage bays were constructed.
All that remained now was to create a living roof and to build the two ‘thrones’. We wanted a living roof to help the building to blend into its surroundings. Firstly, a layer of pond liner was put down, followed by old carpet salvaged from skips. Stone from around the site was dug and hauled up to the roof to be spread, with a little soil, over the carpet layer. Finally, sedum seed was sown amongst the stone and soil. Trees are being planted around the structure to further help it to blend in with the landscape.
Just over a year after completion now, the wood has mellowed, and the roof is greening over. The compost loos are in regular use and have even provided shelter to some of our local wildlife, with house martins nesting successfully last summer on one of the roofing beams and a family of tawny owls choosing to roost there in the autumn. It seems everyone likes our ‘loo with a view.’
Y toiledau compost wedi cwblhau
Dechreuodd y gwaith ar ein hail adeilad ym mis Awst 2019 ar ôl derbyn caniatâd cynllunio ar gyfer sied storio. Unwaith eto, Mark Vrionides a arweiniodd yr adeiladu, gydag Esme Walker yn arwain ochr plastro’r prosiect. Roeddem yn ffodus unwaith eto gyda gwirfoddolwyr a chontractwyr lleol yn helpu gyda’r adeiladu. Dyluniodd Mark adeilad crwn 9m gyda ffrâm pren crwn a tho dwyochrog. Mae to ffrâm dwyochrog yn cynnig man agored y tu mewn heb fod angen cefnogaeth ganolog. Defnyddion ni gyfanswm o 74 o’n polion llarwydd Siapaneaidd wrth adeiladu’r ffrâm bren a’r to. Ar gyfer y waliau, penderfynon ni ar fyrnau gwellt ar gyfer yr inswleiddiad gorau posibl, wedi’i rendro mewn calch.
Ffrâm bren y sied crwn
Y waliau o fyrnau gwellt
Louis Sutton, a local stonewaller, built a low slate wall on the foundations of the outer perimeter to support the straw bale walls and prevent damp rising from the ground, which would cause the straw to rot. Kit Jones, a local straw bale builder, led the building of the straw bale walls. We used 90 bales of barley straw sourced locally from Aberystwyth University. Building with straw bales is a relatively sustainable construction method, using an agricultural by-product. As the cereal crop grows, it takes in carbon dioxide which is stored as carbon in the stalks after the grain has been cut. Straw bales take little energy to manufacture, with the baling process and transportation the only additional energy required. They are also 100% biodegradable and can easily be ploughed back into the earth if they are no longer needed.
Once the walls were constructed, work started on the roof. After the supporting poles were in place, the main roof was covered with chestnut planks before the smaller reciprocal roof with skylight was created above. As with the compost toilet, we wanted a living roof to help our round shed blend into the landscape, so countless buckets of stone spoil dug from near the structure were hauled up and spread across the roof.
Edrych i fyny ar y to dwy ochrog
Gorchuddiwyd y waliau gwellt â tharpolinau dros y gaeaf, hyd nes rhoddwyd rendr calch, a allai gael ei niweidio gan rew’r gaeaf. Ym mis Ebrill 2020, gan ddefnyddio deunyddiau o Tŷ-Mawr Lime Ltd ym Aberhonddu, rhoddodd Esme galch gyda gorffeniad gwasgaredig ar y waliau allanol. Cafodd y waliau mewnol eu plastro â chlai, gan ddefnyddio deunyddiau o Womersley’s. Yna paentiwyd y waliau â phaent keim (paent mwynau naturiol, sy’n anadlu) yn yr hydref. Meddai Esme, “Roedd yn wych defnyddio deunyddiau naturiol, cynaliadwy, er enghraifft y clai y gellir ei ailddefnyddio, a’r calch, sy’n cymryd carbon deuocsid o’r atmosffer am 3 mis ar ôl ei osod.”
Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda phlant ysgolion cynradd lleol ar brosiect i addurno waliau’r sied unwaith y bydd cyfyngiadau Covid yn cael eu codi. Diolch enfawr i Mark, Esme a’r holl gontractwyr a gwirfoddolwyr lleol a helpodd i adeiladu’r ddau strwythur rhyfeddol hyn. Mae’r toiledau compost yn hanfodol ar gyfer ein hymweliadau ysgol, gwersylloedd, a chysur ein holl ymwelwyr â’r safle. Mae’r sied storio gron yn llenwi’n gyflym ag offer ac adnoddau ar gyfer ein diwrnodau gwirfoddol a’n tasgau ar y tir. Mae’r ddau adeilad yn adnoddau amhrisiadwy ar gyfer prosiect Coetir Anian, a gwyddom y byddant yn para am nifer o flynyddoedd.
Er mwyn cysylltu neu weld mwy o waith Mark Vrionides’ ymwelwch gyda’i wefan.
Gallwch gysylltu gyda Esme Walker trwy anfon neges atom ni.