Ecologgia concentrates on advising clients on how to make the best use of the limited resources of our planet. Apart from obvious things like high levels of insulation, beyond what is required by the Building Regulations, there are many things that can make a significant difference. For example, instead of using air conditioning to cool a building in summer, which uses a lot of electricity, it is possible to use night air to cool the heavy parts of a building (such as walls and floors), which can then absorb heat during the day.

While new technologies in the form of photovoltaic cells and micro wind generators are now becoming more affordable, simpler, cheaper and less obvious things can have a big influence, such as sourcing materials locally in order to reduce the environmental impact of transport, and reusing reclaimed materials wherever possible. One of the most cost-effective strategies is to ensure that buildings are air tight.

A database of 'green' materials and suppliers is maintained, and materials are assessed to ensure that as far as possible they are produced with consideration for the environment, that they do not require large amounts of energy, or use toxic materials or produce toxic waste in their manufacture or final use. However life-cycle analysis of the overall impact on the environment of individual products can give surprising resluts.

Appropriate solutions are sought for each individual case, in order to optimise available resources. There is no reason why new buildings should not use cheap and readily available materials such as straw bales, or rammed earth without compromising quality. At all times primary consideration is given to the health and welfare of the end users, as well as construction personnel.