Cuerden Valley Park Trust (CVP)

Living Building Challenge

Carbon Tracking Volunteer/Intern

We are looking for a volunteer interested in environmental materials and community development to support us in achieving the first Living Building Challenge certified development in the UK.  The Living Building Challenge is the built environment’s most rigorous performance standard.  It calls for the creation of building projects at all scales that operate as cleanly, beautifully and efficiently as nature’s architecture.  The Visitor Centre at CVP is the first building in the UK working towards this standard.

Designed by Straw Works, it is a hybrid of loadbearing straw and timber frame, made entirely of natural materials including straw, timber, cedar shingles, lime plaster, smartply, sheepswool and hemp and is being built by the volunteers of CVP with Straw Works running courses and providing construction support.

As development progresses on the new Visitor Centre building we need to track and log all materials used throughout the construction process and ensure they meet the exacting standards of the Living Building Challenge requirements.

This role will be focused on the completion of a detailed spreadsheet along with interaction with suppliers across the country.  In addition the thinking, approaches and data from the project can be used, with appropriate permissions, within your research, dissertations or papers.

Unique Opportunity.

Involvement with this project offers a truly unique opportunity;

  • Participation with potentially the greenest building in the UK, the 1st UK Living Building Challenge project.
  •  Working with the UK foremost advocates who are pushing the boundaries of green build towards a restorative, just and healthy sustainable future.
  • Discover, first hand, more about the Living Building Challenge, related programmes and topics such as biophilic design.

Tasks will include:

  •  Reviewing and updating the embodied carbon profile for the project
  • Logging analysing the carbon profile for the construction phase
  • Producing a carbon profile for the operational phase (first 12 months)
  • Carbon reporting at regular intervals  Following up details necessary to complete the evidence and narrative required for submission to the Living Building Challenge to allow accreditation
  • Updating team members with necessary information and researching alternative low carbon options for inclusion in the development
  • Researching carbon offset options (it is anticipated the project will be net positive carbon, hence will potentially attract carbon offsets, rather than seek to offset)
  • Ensuring carbon records are backed up, secure and disseminated at regular intervals. Person specification
  • A commitment for details, and environmental work
  • Some experience of materials or building construction
  • Interest, experience or knowledge of conservation and/or community development work
  • A good working knowledge of MS-Excel

Ideally we would like someone who could offer 5 days per week in volunteer time for a minimum of 3 months between June and September. However, we are open to suggestions for any time you can offer.  Working from home or through time spent in the office.

Project Team

Client: Cuerden Valley Park Trust

Design & Construction Support: Straw Works

Living Building Challenge Support: Fairsnape

Sustainability Support: Green & Castle

Applications to strawworks@gmail.com