CAT Trip

Center for Alternate Technology, 14th November 2013
On Site Research Task.

An Innovative use of materials in architecture - The 'rammed earth' lecture theater. It was suprising how warm it actually was when we stepped inside.

An Innovative use of water for transportation - unfortunately we were unable to use it but have witnessed its process in a video.

Interior of the shop - where you can buy books on sustainability, green food and drink and other interesting items and gifts. 

Jo Gwillim Lecture - I found it very useful to learn that it's important not just to look at what materials are recyclable or natural, but to look deeper into how much energy has been used to process that material, how much it takes to recycle, how much it has to travel about to achieve this and so on. An interesting example - Steel processed in Korea takes half the amount of energy as Steel produced in the UK, due to technology and so on. 

An interesting thing on sight - The Treadmill of Happiness. Something to reiterate that energy is needed to make and buy things, and that the concept of generating that energy yourself (on a treadmill for example) can bring you happiness. Work More, Buy More. 

An interesting display on site - Pieces of wind turbines scattered around. It was interesting to see the size of them in comparison to a person.

A curious thing I came across on sight - an art installation that mimics a tree trunk sticking out of a wall, but serves as a platform to grow fungus and a perch for birds and wildlife.