Not one to let festival season pass us by, two directors at gcp donned their wellies and traipsed over to Off-Grid, Sunrise Festival's pioneering, younger sibling, to explore the ways in which we can all live with a lighter footprint.
In-between live music, practical workshops and a local, organic lunch, gcp directors Jonathan Platt and Colin Powell presented seminars to other attendees, lending a hand to the festival's mission to develop and explore sustainable development techniques and technologies.
Speaking in two different venues, Jonathan spoke about submitting and gaining planning approvals for low impact, off grid developments in sensitive rural locations, whilst newly Certified PassivHaus Designer Colin presented on the principles around low energy PassivHaus design. Talks by all speakers were delivered in extreme low energy buildings, agricultural barns!
The Off-Grid's ethos of community living, low environmental impact and creativity was reflected in all aspects of the festival. Colin Powell, reflecting at the end of a long day over a pint of local cider said "the opportunity to have such an intimate environment in which to share skills, trade knowledge, impart wisdom and make a difference is really important". gcp will be back next year for some more reflection.