London's green buildings open doors

The annual Open House weekend in London is offering tours around a host of sustainable buildings. The free tours will take place on 15-16th September. The event hopes to encourage the public to identify with and take pride in London's wealth of architecture. Open House has been running annually for the past 15 years and is an architecture education organisation committed to raising the standard of London’s built environment. Tours can be taken of the some of the capital's most green buildings where all kinds of sustainability will be showcased.

Here's a selection of green projects on display:

John Perry Children’s Centre, Auriel Avenue, Dagenham RM10 8BS

A sustainable purpose-built place FTE Nursery for local children with integrated landscaped activity and an outside teaching zone. The design was developed by listening to the client’s needs. RIBA Award Winner 2006, DSDHA 2004. Sat 12noon-5pm. Tours every half hour. Pre-book ONLY on 020 8724 1560. Last entry 4.30pm. Max 6-10 per tour.

Granville Plus Community and Youth

80 Granville Road NW6 5RA: The new build element of this centre takes the form of simple timber boxes piled up like children’s building bricks that form a new entrance. The community centre has been refurbished to include sustainable aspects including wind turbines and PV and solar thermal panels to generate electricity. Anne Thorne Architects 2006. Sat/Sun 10am-5pm. Max 15 at one time.

27A Redington Road (access via Chesterford Gardens) NW3 7QY:

Distinctive private new house designed on ecological and sustainable principles including, sheep’s wool insulation and rainwater storage for garden use. Winner of 2007 Camden building sustainable award and British home award 2007. Sat 10am-5pm. First come basis, queuing outside if necessary. Last entry 4.45pm. Max 6 at one time.

73 Chester Road N19 5DH:

Semi-detached Victorian house (1870) transformed in 2007 to make it fit for 21C , reducing its carbon footprint by 60%. Sustainable features include, internally insulated walls, solar panels on rear extension and water saving techniques. Sat/Sun 10am-5pm. Tours on the hour, first come basis. Last tour 5pm. Max 6 per tour.

Gunpowder Park, The Field Station

Gunpowder Park, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey EN9 3GP: The Field Station is an environmentally friendly working space for exhibitions, workshops and special events which supports Gunpowder Park’s experimental programme of arts and the environment including an exhibition on building and park’s development and presentations on arts and environment projects. Sustainable features include, gabion wall using recycled materials and rainfall collection. Sat/Sun 11 am-5pm. Ranger guided walking tours through park Sun 12noon from Field Station, approx 45 mins. Last entry 4.30pm. Max 100 at one time.

Millennium Primary School

Millennium Primary School, 50 John Harrison Way SE10 0BG: A new kind of facility for a sustainable urban community which is part of the Millennium Village on the Greenwich Peninsula. The building incorporates many energy saving features. Edward Cullinan Architects winners 2001. Sat 10am-3pm. Last entry 2.30pm. Max 20 at one time. Entry: hall, classrooms, Early Years Centre, playground.

17 Rowe Lane, off Urswick Road E9 6EL

A timber-framed family home combined with environmentally friendly features including, natural building materials and harvested rainwater. The building features a timber pellet boiler, a rain screen and a cedar-clad roof. Marcus Lee– FLACQ 2005. Sun 10am-5pm. Regular tours. Max 15 per tour. Entry: all areas.