Eco-building project at the Macaula farm, Clare Island

Among our many plans for the future is to make use of eco friendly building techniques for a number of small scale buildings near the Centre.

While the Centre itself is quite eco-friendly: a timber building with excellent insulation qualities, using passive solar heating, a wood burning range, as well as solar panels for water heating, we are nowtying our hand at something more ‘down-to-earth’ and on a scale where we and other like-minded people can do most of the work.

Our previous attempts at eco-building so far have been a small wooden shed behind the main house, a small timber barn on a concrete base, a cob bread oven and the renovation of our old cottage using hemp and lime. We have learnt a lot in the process and are now trying our hand at something bigger. 

We are working on the convertion of an old stone barn into accommodation, using only natural material (lime mortar and plasters, wood, slates, sheep's wool insulation, etc.).
The walls were rebuilt and partially pointed using lime mortar  and we roofed the building in June and July. During the next work period, we will finish the pointing and plastering of the walls, insulate the building with sheep's wool from the island, and install  a solar water heater and solar panels for lighting (the building will be of the grid).

This project is a great opportunity for anyone planning the renovation of an old stone building to learn and practice some of the techinques involved, such as lime mortar pointing, hemp and lime plastering, etc.  We are also hoping to build an outdoor compost toilet, a good introduction to timber frame building techniques.

We are inviting people who have either experience in eco-building techniques and/or high levels of enthusiasm and energy to help us in these projects.  Carpenters amateurs or professionals, are particularly welcome! Unless you have been here before or have definite building skills which can easily be put to use, we are asking you to commit to at least 5 days with us. There is no charge for staying at the centre at this time, but you will be expected to work for about 6 hours / day (depending on weather) in exchange for accommodation and food, and the work can be physically demanding.

This project will be running from the 1st of February to the 31st of May.

If interested click  with details of your relevant experience (if any) and dates you would be coming.

Newly pointed wall  Pointing in progress  Preparing for plastering  more pictures...