Sustainability

HERITAGE PRESERVATION & SUSTAINABILITY

The most sustainable approach is not to build new buildings, thus avoiding the carbon footprint of demolition, redevelopment, and new construction. The merits of preservation and sustainability are well known with many social and environmental benefits to preserving historic properties such as The Carrington.

Abandoned and near derelict, a haphazard restoration of The Carrington began in the late 1900s.

In 2003, the current owners committed to heritage preservation, sensitively restoring the property to what it is today. Their commitment balances preserving heritage with improved energy efficiency, adopting sustainable practices wherever feasible within conservation constraints.

Salvage of appropriate historic material can be seen throughout The Carrington. Historic fixtures are retained, repaired, or upgraded, rather than replaced. The sustainable reuse of existing materials includes original timbers repurposed into doors, window frames, stair treads – even a coat rack from an old wardrobe.

Local, artisanal trades were contracted, providing specialist expertise and traditional techniques in stained glass, bricklaying and carpentry.

A significant project was the restoration of the Chimney. After numerous lightning strikes over the past 100 years,
a major crack developed in the top crown. Over a period of weeks, highly trained specialists methodically removed over 5 tonnes of brick by hand. The bricks were preserved and remain in storage on site ready for reconstruction once an appropriate engineering solution is found.tj