Site Excavated Subsoil Earth Blocks

Event details

Wednesday 12 March, 1pm – 2pm

Join us for the second in our series of four lunchtime CPD lectures addressing the theme ‘New Ideas for Old Buildings’.  

Using site excavated subsoil to make earth blocks for building construction

Part of a Lunchtime CPD Lecture Series

Using the Tribeca development near King’s Cross, London, as a case study, Nikolay Shahpazov will be discussing the use of site excavated subsoil to make earth blocks for building construction.  These earth blocks were used in place of concrete in the building of a new laboratory for the London BioScience Innovation Centre (LBIC), the first project in the UK where their application has been achieved at this scale.  Emitting just 1/10 of the CO2 of cement alternatives, they highlight one of the ways traditional construction methods and materials can be combined with modern manufacturing techniques to produce low-carbon building products.

Topics covered

• How can we move towards using regenerative building materials?  
• What does this type of architecture look like? 
• How did the site earth block idea come about and how has it been developed into a viable product? 
• Why are we running out of sand and what other building materials could we make out of excavated subsoil? (or … and how can this material be applied to flooring, wall finishes and insulation?)

Speaker bio

Nikolay is an associate at Bennetts Associates who has pioneered the use of site-excavated subsoil to manufacture ultra-low carbon earth blocks for building. Bennetts Associates’ first project to use the blocks is the Apex, a new laboratory building that forms part of the Tribeca development near King’s Cross in London and will be occupied by the London BioScience Innovation Centre (LBIC). It is the first project in the UK where the use of earth blocks has been achieved at this scale. The building will be completed in Spring, 2025. Nikolay is part of the Bennetts Associates Sustainability Team where his task is the implementation of regenerative building materials.

About this series

The SPAB launched a series of online CPD sessions in 2020. These short sessions are specially designed to give you a way to easily meet your CPD requirements and improve your understanding of building conservation during your lunch break or in your own time. 
Following on from the success of the 2024 SPAB-STBA conference on ‘New Ideas for Old Buildings’, we will be continuing on this theme with a series of four lunchtime lectures throughout March.  Our traditional and historic buildings are facing unique challenges in the face of climate change, technological advancements, skills shortages, and economic pressures.  These talks will help us explore where tradition meets innovation, and how the past informs the future.  

The talks will be held via Zoom and followed by live Q&A sessions with the speakers. The recordings will also be available to watch for one month after the events.

The CPD sessions are £20 each (£15 concessions*) and can also be booked as a package of four at the discounted price of £65 (£48 concessions*).

* These concessions prices are available for students and people who are unwaged or on low income. There are no eligibility criteria, these discounts are available for anyone who needs them. This is a trust-based system and we do not require proof or even an explanation of the rate you choose

Other talks in this series

Wednesday 5 March 2025, 1pm – 2pm BOOK HERE
Matt Bateman and Greg Meeson, Refinery Studio - Technology and Tradition: using digital tools to support the traditional woodcarving process

Wednesday 19 March 2025, 1pm – 2pm BOOK HERE
Laura Morgante, Peregrine Bryant Architects - A lime seamless floor at the Royal Hospital Chelsea: an experimental approach from the tradition of Venetian beaten lime floors of the 18th century

Wednesday 26 March 2025, 1pm – 2pm [add hyperlink]
Jonathan Garlick, The SPAB and Mal Fryer, Malcolm Fryer Architects - New Ideas at the Old House Project

CLICK HERE to book all four lectures as a package for £65 (saving £15) or £48 for concessions (saving £12)

Assessment / Accreditation 

A CPD certificate can be issued upon request. 

Accessibility

• We will enable live transcriptions in Zoom.  To find out more about this feature, please visit the Zoom website: Using call live transcription

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email education@spab.org.uk

Partners

This event is brought to you in association with the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA)

We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions. 

Photo credit: Alastair Bogle / Bennetts Associates