Carpentry and Brick students Inspired by Sustainability Experts

Sustainability and energy-efficiency is a big topic in the world of construction right now and our brick and carpentry students have been finding out how they can make changes to ensure that buildings are energy-efficient.

For the first time since March 2020, we have welcomed industry experts into the College to speak to our students about their careers and impart their knowledge.

Paul Mallion, director of Conker Conservation Ltd, spoke to our students about alternative materials he uses to insulate and construct buildings, including hemp and natural cork wood. He then introduced students to his thermal camera, a piece of equipment which identifies which parts of buildings are losing heat and could be better insulated.

Andy Turner, of Air Smart, gave our students a demonstration of an air pressure test. This test shows how you can find out which parts of a building are losing heat, and where there are draughts. These tests are an essential part of learning how to insulate buildings so that they can be more energy efficient.

So that students could put the theory into practice, Andy ran a fan through the College main hall and they could explore where the cold air was coming from.

Chris Simmons, brick programme director, commented, “The sessions were really engaging, and I thought the heat gun was awesome. It was really interesting learning about the different materials that could be used. It was a great experience for the students.”

Find out more about our brick and carpentry courses.