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Growing demand for greener buildings

Posted: 01/04/2007

A Norfolk construction company has found there is a growing demand for high quality environmentally friendly properties. Willow Builders, based at Ditchingham, near Diss, specialises in the construction of individual residential properties and small commercial premises.

The business was founded by Gary Hayes 18 years ago when he relocated to Norfolk from the South East. Initially the company specialised in providing disabled access for local authority premises. More recently it has branched out into residential work, including the conversion of barns and listed properties, as well as the construction of new buildings, and development of its own.

Mr Hayes is finding there is an increasing demand for environmentally friendly buildings, with the company specialising in the use of timber frames and ground-source heat pumps to reduce the environmental impact of its properties.

Properties built by Willow Builders have also won awards. Holly Barn at Reedham, which was designed by Knox Bhavan Architects, picked up a prize at the Royal Institute of British Architects regional awards. It also won the Manser Medal last year, awarded to the best one-off house designed by an architect in the UK, as well as an award from the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Mr Hayes said: "We have worked on a range of projects. We target the better end, the more complicated work. As a building company we like to problem-solve and manage the situation. For us quality is really very important. I really feel that at the top end of the market, where we operate, we are as good as anybody at what we do, if not better. As well as our staff we have a good list of contractors that we use who understand the demands and requirements and maintain the quality standards that we want."

Willow Builders now has a turnover of around £2.5m and 22 staff, with as many as 14 different projects on the go at one time.

The company is also building an eco-house in Cringleford. The home is timber-framed with extra insulation and thicker glazing. Running costs will be reduced with the installation of a ground-source heat pump which runs off a small electric motor and is less polluting than oil or gas-fired heating.

Mr Hayes said: "We can see growing demand for this sort of building and we are building up a good deal of expertise in this area."

Chris Starkie / Eastern Daily Press  
 

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