| 
An
Eco-Centre giving the green light to sustainability in Lancashire. The
Barn, headquarters of the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & N. Merseyside,
was opened in October 2003 by Professor David Bellamy. The building, granted award-winning
Eco-Centre status by ENCAMS in 2006, comprises of a visitor centre and conference
facilities on the ground floor with offices upstairs. The
building was constructed in the style of an old Lancashire barn and adheres to
the philosophy of sustainable development in its construction and maintenance,
utilising reclaimed bricks and slates, recycled and re-used wood flooring, carpet
tiles and office equipment. Several
innovations contribute to The Barn's highly efficient energy usage, low emissions
and minimal running costs. These include a passive ventilation wind-catchment
system and rainwater retention and re-distribution facilities that provide all
of our washroom water. All washrooms are fitted with dual-flush controls and press
taps to minimize water wastage. Our
heating system is partly comprised of solar panels that collect the sun's heat
and transfer it to a water tank to provide hot water during the summer months.
During periods of insufficient sunlight the system switches over to our biomass
(woodchip) boiler, which heats the building in winter. The
Barn's wood fuel heating system provides a productive outlet for waste wood generated
during ongoing woodland management in Cuerden Valley Park (CVP) and helps the
park rangers combat storage problems because any trees lost during storm damage,
clearance or other means can be converted to fuel. By obtaining our wood from
CVP we're eliminating transportation costs and the increased fuel emissions that
transportation entails. Even the wood itself is theoretically zero carbon rated
- it's a sustainable source. The
Barn is a leading example of environmentally sensitive building design and is
highly effective in helping the Trust to raise awareness of sustainability throughout
the community and amongst other organisations in Lancashire. | 
