Nigel Griffiths reveals whether hiring a specialist contractor is the best way to achieve your green goals

Kevin McCabe, cob building specialist, was behind this home, which was constructed from natural and local materials. It offers excellent thermal performance, and hot water and heating is provided by a ground source heat pump

When our editor suggested this title for an article, I thought: “what a great question!” The answer depends on what sort of dwelling you are trying to build and on the type of procurement method you are planning to use.

Your own level of knowledge comes into it as well – it’s very common to have to help a novice contractor deal with new materials or techniques.

Let’s pause and consider what we mean by an eco home. Do you want a building which is simply low energy in use? Or do you want one which has minimal impact in construction and enhances the local area with low water use, sustainable drainage and a garden for wildlife?

Design is everything, and you’ll only get a beautiful and genuinely eco-friendly dwelling if you establish a wide set of objectives at the outset.

Traditional procurement routes

If you’re intending to leave the whole build to a single main contractor, then you’ll need a specialist. Low-energy buildings such as Passivhaus-standard homes require high levels of airtightness, for example, which needs careful coordination between trades. It’s also common to appoint an airtightness champion who can facilitate this process and ensure the required membranes are fitted at the right stages. These need to be built into the heart of the structure as it’s very difficult and sometimes impossible to go back at a later stage and retrofit them.