Lodsworth Larder wins award from Sussex Heritage Trust

Lodsworth Larder are delighted to announce they have been awarded the "Public and Community Award" from The Sussex Heritage Trust in the section covering "a new project which provides or improves facilities for the community".

Lodsworth Larder is an eco-friendly, sustainable community shop which opened in 2009. The The building is entirely constructed from locally sourced materials that can regenerate. The shop was designed by local architect Valerie Hinde and built by The Roundwood Timber Framing Company Limited, a specialist Lodsworth-based eco-friendly building firm, run by Ben Law whose 'Woodland House’ was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs.

Lodsworth Larder is not just green in its construction but also in its day-to-day operation: photovoltaic tiles on the roof generate electricity for the shop (a meter inside the shop indicates the kilowatt savings for all to see); there is heat reclamation from the fridges; the walls are thickly insulated with local sheep’s wool; and the shop also features low-energy lights and water recycling systems. These measures should all reduce the running costs of the shop to levels below those of a traditional build. Plus, of course, the sale of local produce and the very fact that the residents can shop within the village means a great saving in food miles and CO2 emissions.

To find out more about Lodsworth Larder, please visit the Be Inspired section of the Network to view the casestudy.