EBUKI, Earth Building UK & Ireland
Earth Building UK & Ireland is a Charity membership organisation working in the field of sustainable construction and conservation. Earth building is widely recognised as being both an historic building method and a progressive technology with high levels of environmental sustainability in an industry noted for its high emissions. EBUKI was established in 2009 and is actively involved in technical research and innovation, cultural heritage, vocational training, adult education, developing best practice standards and other things. EBUKI regularly works in partnership with statutory bodies, communities and other third sector groups in the cultural heritage field, including Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw and Historic England. We also have a growing international network supporting partnership interests and activities, especially at a European level.
EBUKI is largely run by volunteer staff, through an Executive group and project officers, overseen by Trustees and working with members and partners. We have around six paid part-time staff and a membership of around 100 individuals and organisations. Our diverse activities, wide membership and stakeholder network gives us a good understanding of the cultural heritage sector in the UK and ability to support projects such as this. For this project we will closely work with two organisations who are members of EBUKI and involved in adult learning in the cultural heritage sector: Auchindrain Township and The Shieling Project.
EBUKI operates in the following fields:
- Increase awareness about earth building
- Keep our website and social media resources updated on a range of earth building topics
- Provide expert speakers and workshop leaders at our National events
- Arrange information gathering and dissemination
- Work with National and International partners to write, publish and set new standards for earth building techniques
- Develop accredited standards in training for earth builders
- Send earth builders, trainers and assessors for accredited training
- Work to develop a library of information about materials and techniques
- Work to develop a mapping facility of UK and Irish earth buildings
- Act as an umbrella for research, development and practice funding applications
- Participate actively in a European earth building network
- Pursue a range of agendas, which make the use of earth much easier
- Encourage similar earth building organisations in Africa
- Coordinate with joint research (Currently exploring opportunities in India)