The National Home Improvement Show

This was on at Earl's Court on the 1st - 3rd of this month, and it had a huge emphasis on being green. Some of the free seminars, for example, were titled:

- Greenfurbish Your Home - by Charlie Luxton - I'd not seen any of his work before, and I really liked his approach, practical, down to earth, and willing to literally put his money where his mouth is, in creating a retrofitted house full of best practice.

- An Introduction To Renewable Energy Technologies - I didn't see this one, but it certainly sounds good....

- Rainwater Harvesting Techniques - again, I didn't see this one, I think it clashed (with lunch ... I was pretty tired by then :) ) but I must follow up on that firm at some stage.

- The Clean Energy Cashback Scheme - I have to say, the number of firms offering to give me quotes made it feel like a 1970s double glazing convention.... I was hunting manufacturers, having my own agenda, so it wasn't too bad, but really, without that I'd have been completely lost.

- How To Reduce The Energy In Buildings - I only saw about 60% of this talk, by Mike Hillard, I believe - a real enthusiast, but seemed to be very sweeping and very detailed in his condemnations of various accepted practices without showing very much of the scientific backup - while I was there, anyway. However, I completely support his main point, that implementation of the basics first is what can make most difference: insulation, insulation, insulation, in other words. I like it!

- Period Home to Low Carbon Home. Since my new house was built in 1939 (and I have the date scratched in the mortar of the chimneys in the loft!) I didn't attend this, but I'm putting it here just to show that such a concept exists :)

- Using Technology - to reduce your bills and manage your carbon footprint. I did manage to attend this one, and I'm staggered that they couldn't find a snazzier title than this! Some really good concepts.

I'll transcribe my notes of the best seminars, and the best firms and technologies, at another time, but I have to say, it was well worth going - I might be a little prejudiced, as I got a free ticket and was on the lookout for specific technologies, but I enjoyed it, I met some really enthusiastic people, and I really had a ball.