Start London is an initiative by Start, a national scheme by The Prince's Charities Foundation, which promotes and celebrates sustainable living. It aims to help people across the UK take clear, positive and practical steps towards a better future by showing them what a more energy efficient, cleaner and healthier future could look like.
The Start London initiative has seen each Willmott Dixon office across the country work with a local school and architect to design, build and exhibit a sustainable structure at the Princes Trust Start London garden party festival. The twelve-day festival celebrated the opportunities for everyone in the UK to live a more sustainable life. In addition to the exhibitions, the festival also included comedy, music and speakers.
The eco-pavilion, which was built by the Willmott Dixon office in Bristol, was created for Crispin School in Street. The school has strong links with educational establishments in Kenya and with this, the structure was based on a Kenyan hut. A number of diverse materials were used in the eco-pavilion’s creation including waste wood and a guttering/rainwater harvesting tank from the Glastonbury Festival, wooden columns from British Waterways, bottles from a local pub, recycled straw and plastic bales which were used for seating.
Through the use of the various materials, the structure was built at Wilmot Dixon’s site at St Katherine’s School in Bristol before being dismantled and transported by Jewson to the festival in London where it was rebuilt and exhibited for two weeks. It was then dismantled again for Jewson to transport it to its final destination, the Crispin School.
Mark Reston of Willmott Dixon commented, “I cannot thank Jewson enough for their efforts in transporting the eco-pavilion. Transportation was a real challenge but Jewson, in particular Andrew Clements, were committed to the project and moved the structure successfully there and back in one piece (even the glass bottle roof was undamaged!). Without the support of Jewson we would not have been able to complete the project and showcase Willmott Dixon and their supply chains commitment to sustainability. Jewson continue to be a very important member of our supply chain.”
Andrew Clements, Jewson Regional Sales Centre Manager - SW commented, “We were very keen to be involved with this initiative and to support Willmott Dixon by helping in anyway we could. Jewson prides itself on being the leading sustainable builders’ merchant and is committed to working with our customers to help build a sustainable future.”
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