Neighbourhood Toolbox

The Exchange #20 Specifying Stone
2026-05-18 09:45 - 14:30 UTC | Momentum Engineering, Momentum Engineering, 30-32 Westgate Buildings, Bath, BA1 1EF, United Kingdom
On Monday 18 May 2026, NTB hosted workshop #20 Specifying Stone at Hadspen Quarry in Somerset.
We began the day at Hadspen Quarry – Evercreech Junction Industrial Estate – where we met their expert team, who introduced us to their stone stock and guided us through the extensive range of local stones. Attendees gained practical insight into what local stones were available, their potential applications, and how to approach specifying them in our projects.
Next, we travelled to Hadspen’s nearby decommissioned quarry to tour the site and explore the limestone quarrying process in detail. In this beautiful setting, we enjoyed a picnic lunch, providing time to network and discuss the potential of local stone in design and construction. After lunch, we took a short stroll to The Newt in Somerset to explore the impressive use of Hadspen Stone across the country estate.
Agenda
9:45 | Arrival, teas and coffees
10:00 | Introductions and NTB updates
10:10 | Introduction to Hadspen Quarry
10:20 | Tour of Hadspen Quarry Stone Stock and how and where to specify
11:15 | Travel to Decommissioned Hadspen Quarry
11:25 | Tour of Quarry and discussion about Limestone Quarrying Process
12:00 | Lunch
12.45 | Walk to the The Newt
13:00 | Tour of the Newt to see Hadspen Stone products in use
14:00 | Walk Back to Quarry
14:15 | Thank you and close

The Exchange #21 Passivhaus Design
2026-05-18 09:45 - 14:00 | Momentum Engineering, Momentum Engineering, 30-32 Westgate Buildings, Bath, BA1 1EF, United Kingdom
On Monday 22 June 2026, NTB will be hosting The Exchange #21: Passivhaus Design at the award-winning Dundon Passivhaus, Somerset.
We’ll begin the day with reflections from Graham Bizley (Prewett Bizley Architects), who will draw on lessons from Dundon and other Passivhaus projects to share insights into the realities of low-energy design in practice. Graham’s talk will then be followed by a guided tour of the award-winning Dundon Passivhaus — a rare opportunity to experience the building first-hand.
After lunch, Beth Williams (Momentum Engineering) will take us behind the scenes of structural engineering on Passivhaus projects, sharing how engineering decisions can influence everything from performance and buildability to the long-term success of a passivhaus building.
We can’t wait!
Agenda
9:45 | Arrival, teas and coffees
10:00 | Introductions and NTB updates10:20 | Reflections on Designing Passivhaus | Graham Bizley
11:15 | Break
11:30 | Tour of Dundon House | Graham Bizley12:00 | Lunch13:00 | Structural Engineering on Passivhaus Projects | Beth Williams 13:45 | Reflection and discussion14:00 | Thank you and close
Parking: There will be free parking available for those attending this event.

The Exchange #19 Designing For Dementia
2026-03-16 09:30 - 14:30 | Newton Park Campus | Bath Spa University, Newton St Loe, Bath, , BA2 9BN, United Kingdom
On Monday 16 March 2026, NTB hosted workshop #19 Designing for Dementia in collaboration with We Are The People at Bath Spa University’s Newton Park Campus.
This session brought together the We Are The People research team at Bath Spa University and Reminiscence Learning to explore how designers could better support people living with dementia within the design of the built environment.
The session began with Dementia Awareness training from Reminiscence Learning, grounding attendees in the everyday experiences of people living with dementia and providing insight into the daily challenges they faced when engaging with environments that had not been designed with their needs in mind. The We Are The People team then shared insights from their co-production research in Wellington, exploring what made a place dementia-inclusive and approaches designers can take to meaningfully engage people with dementia in their design processes. After lunch, participants put these ideas into practice through a collaborative workshop, tackling dementia-related design challenges and developing practical, inclusive solutions together.
Agenda
09:30 | Welcome & refreshments
09:45 | Intros & NTB updates10:00 | Dementia Awareness | Reminiscence Learning
10:45 | Break
11:00 | What Makes Wellington Dementia-Inclusive | Bath Spa University11:20 | Involving People with Dementia in Design | Bath Spa University11:40 | Dementia Accessibility Audits | Bristol Dementia Action Alliance
12:00 | Lunch
13:00 | Workshop: Designing For Dementia
14:30 | Workshop Close

The Exchange #18 Communication in Practice
2026-02-23 10:00 - 14:00 | silk mill studios, Studio 1, Silk Mill, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1PT, United Kingdom
On Monday 23 February 2026, NTB hosted Workshop #18: Communication in Practice at the office of Studio SAAR, Silk Mill Studios, Frome.
The session was led by Alice Caudle from Alice Caudle Parenting, who shared her expertise in effective communication and active listening as a way to build trust, connect meaningfully, and communicate more effectively. Alice demonstrated how the same principles she uses in her work can be applied by design professionals to strengthen client relationships and improve their practice.
Her session was followed by an active listening exercise, in which participants paired up and practiced active listening through a reflection on their own routes into the profession. This was followed by a round-table discussion on communication with clients, where participants reflected on their approaches and shared experiences. The session offered a valuable opportunity to learn from peers and gain insights into connecting more effectively with clients and collaborators.

Agenda for the day:
10:00 | Welcome & refreshments
10:15 | Intros and NTB Updates10:30 | Active Listening – Alice Caudle | Alice Caudle Parenting
11:15 | Tea Break
11:30 | Round-Table Discussion: Communication with Clients
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch14:00 | Session close

The Exchange #17 Retrofit Skills Level 2 Training | The Green Register
2026-01-19 09:00 - 17:30 | The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB, United Kingdom
On Monday 19 January 2026, NTB hosted a free Retrofit Skills Level 2 Training at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon, funded through Retrofit West’s Community Grant Programme.
Delivered by The Green Register, the course provided building professionals with practical and technical training in insulation and airtightness, heat pumps, and ventilation, supported by online learning modules. Lunch and refreshments were provided.
Participants who completed the training became eligible to join the Retrofit West supplier database, helping connect them with clients seeking retrofit support. As part of the programme, attendees were also asked to complete online modules by March 2026 and contribute up to three hours of volunteer time at community design surgeries in B&NES during April–May 2026.
Agenda for the day was:
09.00 | Welcome & refreshments
09.15 – 12.45GROUP 1 | Module 5 — Insulation & Airtightness (Dave)GROUP 2 | Module 6 — Heat Pumps (Nigel), followed by Module 7 — Ventilation (Ben)
12.45 – 13.45 | Lunch
13.45 – 17.15GROUP 1 | Module 6 — Heat Pumps (Nigel), followed by Module 7 — Ventilation (Ben)GROUP 2 | Module 5 — Insulation & Airtightness (Dave)
17.15 – 17.30 | Session wrap-up and close

The Exchange #16 People Centred Planning
2025-11-17 09:45 - 14:30 | The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB, United Kingdom
On Monday, November 17, 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #16: People Centred Planning at Silk Mill Studios, Frome.
We were excited to welcome Veronica Barbaro, Planning Director at Avalon Planning, who led the workshop and brought her expertise in planning strategy and community engagement. She guided participants in exploring how national policy shapes local outcomes and how community-led change can influence planning decisions.
The morning began with a talk on national policy and local practice, considering how the National Planning Policy Framework and the recent New Towns policy affected small practices and community-scale projects. After a short break, we took a site walk and workshop around Frome, exploring different ways to gather and map on-the-ground insights about place and people.
After lunch, we discussed the different approaches to mapping used during the site walk and the types of data collected, followed by Veronica sharing mapping and analysis tools to help us organise and visualise the data, enhancing its accessibility and impact.
It was a fantastic day!
The agenda for the day:
9.45 – 10.00 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
10.00 – 10.15 | Intros and NTB updates
10.15 – 11.00 | National change, Local impact | Veronica Barbaro
11.00 – 11.15 | Tea Break
11.15 – 12.15 | Walking Workshop: Site Analysis and Qualitative Mapping | Veronica Barbaro
12.30 – 13.30 | Lunch
13.30 – 14.30 | Mapping & Analysis: Open Source Tools and Data | Veronica Barbaro
14.30 | Workshop End

The Exchange #15 Community-Led Conservation
2025-10-20 09:45 - 14:00 | The Hop Pole Inn, The Hop Pole Inn, Woods Hill, Limpley Stoke, BA2 7FS, United Kingdom
On Monday, October 20, 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #15: Community-Led Conservation at The Hop Pole Inn, Limpley Stoke.
This time we were joined by James Sibson of FCB Studios, Rhys Brookes of Harrison Brookes Architects and Hannah Jones & Rob Stepto of Greengauage who guided us through the inspiring story of the community-led conservation of the Hop Pole Inn—the very building where we gathered.
This session kicked off with James Sibson who shared the inspiring story of how the community of Limpley Stoke came together to take ownership of this historic Inn, develop a shared vision, and restore the building collaboratively — a process that involved a huge amount of volunteer time and hard graft!
We then heard from Rhys Brookes who discussed the journey of conserving this historic asset, balancing competing priorities — respecting and maintaining the heritage of the Inn, ensuring the space complies with modern standards, and realising the community’s vision to repurpose it as a hub for modern village life!
If that wasn’t enough, we then heard from Hannah Jones and Rob Stepto who shared their approach to decarbonising this historic building. Their talk emphasised the importance of getting the ventilation strategy right first in heritage buildings and shared valuable insights to demystify heat pumps and their suitability for heating historic buildings.
It was an inspiring day of collaboration and learning — showing what’s possible when communities lead the way in shaping their built environment!

The agenda on the day was:
9.45 – 10.00 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
10.00 – 10.10 | Intros and NTB updates
10.10- 10.50 | The Story of Hope Pole Inn and Tour | James Sibson
10.50 – 11.30 | Design Approach and Detailing Hop Pole Inn | Rhys Brookes
11.30 – 11.45| | Tea Break
11.45 – 12.30 | Approach to decarbonising the Hop Pole Inn | Hannah Jones
12:30 – 14:00 | Lunch and Networking
14:00 | Workshop End.

The Exchange #14 Design Safely, Build Naturally
2025-09-22 09:45 - 14:30 | Horningsham Village Hall, Water Lane, Horningsham,, Warminster, BA12 7LL
On Monday, September 22, 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #14: Design Safely, Build Naturally at Hornuingsham Village Hall.
This time, we heard from Amy Jones of Amy Jones Architects, who led a session on the steps and processes small practitioners can take to minimise risk and uphold our professional duty of care—while continuing to practise sustainably and confidently within the evolving framework of the Building Safety Act.
We then welcomed Chris Brookman of Back to Earth, who introduced the company’s inspiring range of natural wood fibre insulation. Chris shared practical insights into how these materials can be specified and applied in our projects, helping us bridge the gap between sustainable intention and real-world construction.
After a delicious lunch, we gathered outdoors for a roundtable discussion, where we built on the morning’s themes, shared the challenges our practices face when specifying natural materials, and exploring opportunities for us to take collective action to overcome them.

The agenda on the day was:
9.45 – 10.00 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
10.00 – 10.15 | Intros and NTB updates
10.15- 11.00 | Design Safely, Build Naturally | Amy Jones
11.00 – 11.15| | Tea Break
11.15- 12.30 | Back to Earth: Build Naturally | Chris Brookman
12.30 – 13.30 | Lunch
13:30 – 14:30 | Round Table Discussion
14:30 | Workshop End.

The Exchange #13 Water, Biodiversity and Design
2025-07-14 09:45 - 14:00 | Heal Somerset, Lower West Barn Farm, Bindon Ln, Frome, BA11 5HH, United Kingdom
On Monday, July 14, 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #13: Design for Water Quality at Heal Somerset in Frome.
We were joined by Gregor Neeve from Thompson Environmental Consultants, who led two key sessions during the workshop. In the morning, he shared the latest water quality regulations and practical approaches designers can apply to homes and neighbourhoods to support healthier waterways. In the afternoon, he introduced the growing potential of nature markets and how new funding opportunities are emerging to support riparian corridors and landscape-scale restoration.
We also heard from Gemma Annan of Frome Families For The Future, who shared how their group is empowering local communities to build agency and stewardship in support of a healthier River Frome.
To end the day, Dan from Heal Somerset and Alex from Providence Ecological took us on a guided walk through the breathtaking rewilding landscape at Heal. We followed the course of the land to the source of the River Frome, learning about their bold and visionary approach to restoring the site’s natural ecology.
Thanks to everyone who joined us!

The agenda on the day was:
9.45 – 10.00 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
10.00 – 10.10 | Intros and NTB updates
10.10- 11.00 | Water Quality: Regulation & Design Approaches | Gregor Neeve
11.00 – 11.15| | Tea Break
11.15- 11.30 | Frome Families For The Future River Vision Project | Gemma Annan
11.30 – 12.15 | Tour of Heal Somerset to source of River Frome | Heal Somerset
12.15 – 13.15 | Lunch
13:15 – 14:00 | Nature Markets for Riparian Corridors | Gregor Neave
14:00 | Workshop end.

The Exchange #12 Beyond Bricks and Mortar
2025-06-16 09:30 - 14:30 | Frome Town Hall, Christchurch St, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1EB
On Monday, June 16, 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #12: Beyond Bricks and Mortar at Frome Town Hall.
This time, we were joined by the Elephant Team from the University of Bath, who led a session on the societal pressures—beyond cost—that prevent our clients from utilising more innovative and sustainable materials in their projects. They introduced us to Manfred Max-Neef’s model of fundamental needs versus satisfiers and presented a newly game “Beyond Bricks and Mortar.” This game is designed to help people establish their needs for their homes and demonstrate the importance material choice has for satisfying those needs.
After lunch, we had the privilege of hearing from Caroline Till, who highlighted the impactful work of Franklin Till. She shared invaluable insights from their pioneering experience in design and material innovations. This presentation provided us with a compelling vision of a regenerative future that promotes positive social and environmental change, emphasising the critical importance of innovation in our material choices as designers.
It was great!

The agenda on the day was:
09.30 – 09.45 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
09.45 – 10.00 | Introductions and NTB updates
10.00 – 10.15 | Introducing the Elephant | Taghried Abdelmagid, Bath University
10.15 – 10.55| Needs vs Satisfiers | Joel Lazarus, Bath University
10.55 – 11.00 | The Elephant Game Introduction | Patrick Barry, Bath University
11.00 – 11.10 | Tea Break
11.10 – 12.30| The Elephant Game | Facilitated by Patrick, Joel, Laura and Taghried, Bath University
12.30 – 13:15 | Lunch
13:15 – 14:00 | Regenerative Design and Alternative Materials | Caroline Till, Franklin Till
14:00 – 14:15 | Reflection and feedback.

The Exchange #11 From Sawmill to Structure
2025-05-19 09:45 - 14:00 | Studley Saw Mill, The Sawmills, Studley, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 9NH, United Kingdom
On Monday, 19 May 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #11 From Sawmill to Structure.
This time we visited Vastern Timber for an exclusive tour of their Sawmill in Studley and Mill in Wootton Bassett. During our visit, the Vastern team guided us through their entire process, from sourcing timber to its sale. They shared expert tips on how to responsibly specify timber products for both external and internal use, supporting us in sourcing more local timber for our projects.
After lunch, we heard from Tom Kinsella, the traditional carpenter. He discussed the role of oak and pine for structural framing in contemporary architecture. The session covered traditional detailing and jointing and essential considerations for designers when incorporating timber framing into their designs.
The Agenda for the day was:
9:45 | Arrival | The Sawmills, Studley, Calne SN11 9NH |
9:55 | Introductions
10:00 | Tour around Vastern Timbers Studley Sawmill
11:00| Travel to Vastern Timber, Royal Wootton Bassett SN4 7PD |
11.15 | Tour around Wooton Basset Mill |
12:00 | Lunch
13:00 | Traditional timber framing and its role in contemporary architecture | Tom Kinsella
14:00 | Thanks & Session close.

The Exchange #9 Calculating Embodied Carbon
2025-02-24 09:30 - 14:30 | Chancellors Building, 274 Convocation Ave, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7PA
On Monday, 24 February 2025, NTB and University of Bath hosted The Exchange #9 Calculating Embodied Carbon.
At the workshop we were joined by A/Professor Aoife Houlihan Wiberg, Dr Taghried Abdelmagid, PhD researchers Abdulrahman Ba Jaman, Nithya Thomas, Omer Ahmed and Patrick Barry who led an exciting workshop to help us understand the concept of embodied carbon and its significance in delivering a net-zero whole life carbon (WLC) built environment.
On the day, we embarked on a sensory journey to understand the importance of embodied carbon and the life cycles associated with every material. We also discussed where to find energy performance data (EPD) to make quick comparisons that inform our material choices during the early stages of our projects.
This session emphasised the challenges that design professionals encounter due to inconsistencies in the way manufacturers provide their Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) information. It underscored the urgent need for standardisation to simplify how EPD information is presented to ensure that inaccessible EPD data is not the barrier preventing us from making environmentally responsible choices.
The Agenda for the day was:
9:45 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
10:00 | Introductions and NTB updates
10:10 | Introduction to Embodied Carbon
10:40 | Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Calculations
11:10 | Break, Tea and Coffee
11.20 | Multi-Sensory Material Workshop
12:00 | Lunch
12:45 | Calculating Embodied Carbon Workshop
14:30 | Thanks & Session close.

The Exchange #10 Small Practice
2025-02-24 09:30 - 13:30 | Prewett Bizley Architects, Unit 4, 2 Glastonbury Road, Wells, Somerset, BA5 1TH
On Monday, 17 March 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #10 Small Practice.
We met at Prewett Bizley Architects’ office in Wells for an engaging workshop focused on small practices.
On that day, we were joined by Emma Keyte from Free Projects, who delivered a talk titled “Recipe for Agility.” Her presentation highlighted the importance of agility in our daily work and shared the essential ingredients needed to position our practices to remain agile (and fragile) to navigate significant moments and realise our professional trajectory.
Following her talk, we conducted a workshop in which attendees explored what success looks like for their practice, the barriers preventing them from achieving that success, and a round-table discussion to identify common obstacles they face and derive collective strategies that we can implement together to overcome these.
We had a great time!
The Agenda for the day is:
9:30 | Arrival, Teas and Coffees
9:45 | Introductions and NTB Updates
10:00 | A Recipe For Agility | Emma Keyte, Free Projects
10:45| Break, Teas and Coffees
11.00 | Workshop Exploring Small Pracitce
12:30 | Lunch
13:30 | Thanks & Session close.

The Exchange #8 Participatory Design
2025-01-20 09:30 - 14:30 | The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB, United Kingdom
On Monday, 20 January 2025, NTB hosted The Exchange #8 Participatory Design.
At this workshop, we heard from two organisations that specialise in developing grassroots approaches to foster diverse and meaningful community participation in the design and construction of the places we inhabit.
We were joined by Tom Spencer from Terrestrial shared his work and through a participatory workshop taught us ways to build more meaningful and creative partnerships to uneart more meaningful community arts adventures.
We were joined by Malcom Hamilton from Play Disrupt who showed us how embedding play – drawing on an array of creative play, technology, theatre, storytelling and visual art – can help broaden and diversify participation on projects.
The Agenda for the day was:
09:30 | Arrivals, Tea and Coffee
09:45 | Introductions and NTB updates
10:00 | Using Play To Build Participation | Malcom Hamilton, Director, Play Disrupt |
11.00 | Break, Tea and Coffee
11.15 | Designing Community Adventures | Tom Spencer, Director, Terrestrial Consultancy |
12:15 | Lunch
13:15 | Workshop Exploring Ways To Building Community Partnerhips
14:00 | Thanks & Session close

The Exchange #7 Forest to Workshop
2024-11-18 09:30 - 14:30 | Prewett Bizley Architects, Unit 4, 2 Glastonbury Road, Wells, Somerset, BA5 1TH
On Monday, 18 November 2024, NTB hosted The Exchange #7 From Forest to Workshop.
With our wellies and raincoats on, we ventured into Longleat Forest with Jim McConkie, the Head Forester, to learn about the continuous cover forestry technique. We learnt so much! From the considerations needed to create a balanced and resilient ecology to the benefits this has for commercial harvesting.
In the afternoon we visited Somer Furniture’s workshop where Will Floyd-Maclean gave us a tour and shared the company’s ethos and research journey to a beautiful modular furniture solution that takes responsibility for the process from timber source through to use, end of life and on to reuse.
The Agenda for the day was:
09:45 | Arrivals | Meet at Firewood Retail Point, Longleat Forestry, Warminster, BA12 7NE |
09:45 | Introductions and NTB updates
10:00 | Longleat Forestry Tour | Jim McConkie, Head Forester |
12:00 | Lunch
12:30 | Travel to Somer Workshop | Meet at Marston Trading Estate, Unit 14, Mooracre, Frome, BA11 4RL|
13:00 | Somer Workshop Tour | Will Floyd-Maclean, Director |
14:30 | Thanks & Session close

The Exchange #6 Equity By Design
2024-09-16 09:30 - 14:30 | The Hop Pole Inn, The Hop Pole Inn, Woods Hill, Limpley Stoke, BA2 7FS, United Kingdom
On Monday, 21 October 2024, NTB hosted The Exchange #6 Equity by Design in Frome.
We were joined by Stuart Reed, Hazel Vernon from We Are The People a research unit of Bath Spa University who provided lots of thought provoking insights into how we can build more equity into the process of designing!
We were also be joined by Robin Meader and Simon Blakeman from Open Storytellers, who shared equitable lessons from their collaboration with We Are The People advising Frome Museum on how to co-produce access awareness in the cultural heritage sector for people with learning disabilities.
The Agenda for the day was:
09:30 | Arrival, tea & coffee
09:45 | Introductions and NTB updates
10:00 | Equity by Design | We Are The People, Bath Spa University |
11:00| Break
11:15 | Case Study: Frome Museum | Open Storytellers |
12:15 | Break for Lunch
13:15 | Workshop exploring ways to design equity into community projects.
14:15 | Thanks & Session close

The Exchange #5 Biodiversity Net Gain
2024-09-16 09:30 - 14:30 | The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB, United Kingdom
On Monday, 16 September 024, NTB hosted The Exchange #5 Biodiversity Net Gain at the Silk Mill Studios in Frome.
We were joined by Gregor Neeve from Thomson Environmental Consultants who shared insight into the work of an ecologist and shared his advice and insights regarding the government’s recent Biodiversity Net Gain 2024 mandatory policy. On the day we also get a tour around the Saxonvale site from Jonny Buckland from Studio Saar and members of the Mayday Saxonvale team about there proposals and approach to developing a community-led scheme to regenerate this area. Alongside the site walk, Gregor shared his insights as an ecologist as to how he would approach undertaking an ecological impact assessment of the site.
The Agenda for the day was:
09:30 | Arrival, tea & coffee
09:45 | Introductions and NTB updates
10:00 | Intro to Biodiversity Net Gain
11:00| Break
11:15 | Walking tour of Saxonvale site in Frome through the BNG and Ecology lens
12:30 | Break for Lunch
13:00 | BNG Discussion and Q&A
14:00 | Thanks & Session close

The Exchange #4 Conservation & Retrofit
2024-07-15 09:30 - 14:30 | Manvers Street Baptist Church, Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JW
On Monday, 15 July 2024, NTB hosted The Exchange #4 in Bath on Conservation and Retrofit workshop in Bath City Centre.
At the session, we were joined by Gabriella Herrick, Director at Llewellyn Harker Lowe Architects, who shared the history of conservation, how to prepare heritage impact assessments.
After a break we heard from Sara Grimes from Bath West Community Energy who told us about the work of their organisation and their new Green Heritage Homes Programme they have developed in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council to offer the We also heard from Alexandra Best from B&NES who shared insight and misconceptions about listed building consent processes and their new Service Level 0 agreement supporting their community to attain early advice to support them to attain early advice as to how to approach their retrofit of heritage properties.
This was followed by a talk from Sally Richards from Frome Town Council regarding their Retrofit Assessment Programme who shared how the assessments are undertaken and early insights and lessons/challenges they are facing in delivering their programme.
After the provided lunch we hear from James Sibson and Tim Greensmith from FCB studios about their approach to conservation retrofit projects including Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings which was followed by Matthew Somerville providing a tour of their award winning Bath Clore Learning Centre.
The Agenda for the day was:
09:30 | Arrival, tea & coffee
09:50 | Introductions
10:00 | Conservation Basics | Gabriella Herrick LHL ARCHITECTS |
10.45 | Break
11:00 | Green Heritage Homes & Service Level 0 |Sara Grimes BWCE & Alexandra Best B&NES |
11:45 | FTC Retrofit Assessments Programme |Sally Richards FROME TOWN COUNCIL |
12:00 | Break for Lunch
12:30 | Reuse & Retrofit | James Sibson and Tim Greensmith FCB STUDIOS
1:00 | Guided Tour around Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre | Matthew Somerville FCB STUDIOS |
14:30 | Thanks & Session close
If this is of interest to you and your not already a member of the exchange please scroll down to get your individual ticket now. Or if you are be interested in becoming a member please click here.

The Exchange #3 Natural Materials | Event Passed
2024-06-17 09:30 - 14:30 | The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB, United Kingdom
On Monday 17th of June Neighbourhood Toolbox hosted The Exchange #3 Natural Materials. At this workshop we explored how we as designers can make better use of natural materials both above and below ground when designing buildings.
On the day Tom Graham, Director of the Tom Graham Workshop who shared an introduction to ACAN and the work of their Natural Materials group followed by a deep dive on Wood Fibre Insulation from the perspective of an installer. This was followed by a group discussion where everyone shared information about the array of natural materials they brought. In the afternoon, Beth Williams, Associate at Build Collective, who shared her experience of alternative solutions to achieve concrete-free foundations on projects.
The Agenda for the day was:
09:30 | Arrival, tea & coffee
10:00 | Introductions and Member updates
10:30 | Intro to ACAN and the Natural Building Materials Group | Tom Graham |
11:00 | Break
11:15 | Above The Line – Building in Natural Grown Materials | Tom Graham |
12.00| Natural Material Show and Tell
12:30| Break for Lunch
13:15| Concrete-Free Foundations | Beth Williams |
14:15 | Thanks & Session close

The Exchange #2 Building and Fire Safety | Event Passed
2024-05-20 09:30 - 16:30 | The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB, United Kingdom
On Monday, 20 MAY 2024, NTB hosted a Building and Fire Safety workshop. Andrea White, A W Fire Ltd Director, joined us at the session.
Andrea White, the Founder and Director of the Women Talking Fire group, is an inspiring figure in the UK fire safety industry. Her influence was recognized by IFSEC Global in 2022, and she was honored as one of the Top 100 most influential women in the construction industry in 2023.
During her first talk, Andrea not only provided a comprehensive overview of the Building Safety Act 2022 legislation but also shared practical tips from the designers’ perspective. This practical advice empowered us with the knowledge of how to navigate these regulations more effectively.
Andrea’s second talk was particularly relevant for design and construction professionals. She discussed Fire Statements and Fire Strategies, sharing exemplar strategies that are crucial to consider when delivering projects at various scales, from residential to commercial, across the RIBA work stages.
The full agenda for the day was:
09:30 | Arrival, tea & coffee
09:50 | Introductions
10:00 | The Exchange Updates and Volunteer Programme
11:15 | Break
11:00 | The Building Safety Act For Designers
12:00 | Break for Lunch
13:00 | Fire Statements and Fire Strategies
14:00 | Workshop exploring fire safety strategies on different projects
14:30 | Thanks & Session close

The Exchange #1 | Circular Economy | Event Passed
2024-04-22 09:30 - 16:00 | Makers Yard, 37 Lower Keyford, Froome, BA11 4AR, United Kingdom
Neighbourhood Toolbox has hosted The Exchange #1 Circular Economy.
Attendees learnt about the Circular Economy and provided with a Toolkit that provides a framework to support them to practice in a more circular way.
KEY SPEAKERS:
Lea Esteban (ARUP Circular Economy Skills Manager)
Hannah Stopford (Frome Town Council)
WHEN: Monday 22 April 2024
WHERE: Makers Yard, 37 Lower Keyford, Frome BA11 4AR
Start Time: 9.30am End Time: 2.30 pm
WORKSHOP ITINERY:
09:30 | Arrival, Tea & Coffee
09:45 | Introducing The Exchange
EXPLORE
10.00 | Theory: What Is The Circular Economy?
11:00 | Client Context: Understanding Local Need For A Circular Economy
11:20 | Break
DESIGN
11:40 | Introduction To Circular Economy Toolkit
12:40 | Lunch
REALISE
13:20 | Workshop Exploring Ways To Implement Circular Processes In Practice
14:20 | Thanks & Session Close
