Planning the build - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 181

like), these buildings were usually designed and built by ordinary people - either the even-
tual occupier of the building, or local craftsmen who were part of the small community that
the buildings served.
Vernacular buildings were built without any formal plans or access to architects, according
to 'patterns' of building developed over thousands of years by the population of the local
region and handed down through the generations, gradually being refined and incorporat-
ing new technologies (such as clay tiles or window glass) as the years passed. The style of
these buildings varies dramatically across different parts of the UK (and across the world),
but all vernacular architecture reflects the sum of centuries of finely honed knowledge
about how to use locally sourced, natural materials to best effect in the geography and cli-
mate of any particular region. This 'lost knowledge' of our ancestors extends to the siting
and orientation of buildings within the landscape to make best use of natural features such
as shelter, exposure to the sun and drainage, thereby creating buildings that work passively
with the local climate to minimize the fuel consumption needed for comfortable habitation.
The sensible siting and orientation of buildings can easily reduce energy in use for little or
no extra cost, but sadly it is something that is hardly ever considered during the planning
process.