Image: Catherine Walsh
Groundwork for the Berkeley Bat House has now finished, and the structure itself is beginning to take shape with scaffolding surrounding the walls as they are built and cured. The bat house will be built from Hemcrete – a concrete substitute made from renewable hemp materials – which is breathable and should be ideal for the bats to roost in. It also absorbs CO2 in its manufacture, which is great for the environment more generally.
It is hoped that the bat house will act as a leading example of how architects and developers can create space for wildlife within new buildings in an innovative and artistic way.
Carol Williams, bats and built environment officer for BCT told The Landscaper “Bats and their roosts are protected by law due to the large declines they have suffered in recent decades. This has been partly due to the loss of suitable roosting opportunities. The culmination of this project and construction of the bat house is an example of a building that is sustainable in the fullest sense of the term.
The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) is the only national organisation solely devoted to the conservation of bats and their habitats in the UK. Its network of 100 local bat groups and more than 1,000 bat workers survey roosts and hibernation sites, and work with householders, builders, farmers and foresters to protect bats. BCT operates the National Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228, providing advice for all who come into contact with bats or have questions about them. More information can be found on BCT’s website,
www.bats.org.uk