The UK’s first earth-sheltered, self-sufficient, ecological housing development is at Hockerton, near Southwell in Nottinghamshire. The residents of its five houses generate their own clean energy and harvest their own water. They also recycle waste materials without producing pollution or carbon emissions.
Hockerton Housing project © HHP Trading Ltd
Hockerton Housing Project (HHP) takes education very seriously and runs on-site visits for primary and secondary schools. If a visit is not feasible, you can still download key stage 2 resources and ideas for lessons on topics such as shelter and energy or waste and water to use in your school these resources are very practical and well laid out.
There is also a virtual tour on the website. By moving your mouse over a map, you can see images of, and information about, HHP’s reservoir, the sustainable resource centre, compost bins, organic vegetable growing area and so on. The tour perhaps used with the whole class via electronic whiteboard would be a good way of introducing students to the concept of sustainable living.
Key stages: 2, 3 & 4
Key subjects: science, design & technology, geography
Built environment education: environmental issues, environmental sustainability, urban & rural planning, building construction
Access from the Hockerton Housing Project website
Visit the Hockerton Housing Project page
