GFB has a proud history of social enterprise involvement and investment into environments, communities and people. Our company has always been involved with and supportive of local groups and trusts, particularly those associated with sustainability projects and the environment. Working alongside GFB, organisations can develop skills and knowledge enhancing their enjoyment and appreciation of the countryside, whilst achieving innovative environmental and conservation projects.
The Green Business Network
Green Future Building has a rich heritage in community development, in part through its ‘sister’ organisation The Green Business Network. GBN, established 1995, is a multi award-winning association with over 18 years experience in the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF), delivering over 200 successful community and conservation projects worth £4.7M.
The Green Business Network is now the community grants arm of GFB
GFB is an ethical organisation and aims to source certified, sustainable or alternative timber for its projects. We have worked with disadvantaged communities, groups and individuals to deliver training courses in green and sustainable building (as part of an ESF programme “Skills for Climate Change: Low Carbon Living and Working”), resulting in participants continuing on to further training, employment and self-employment. We also provided a green skills academy to improve the employment prospects of offenders, as part of a National Offender Management Service ESF “Step Change” programme.
GFB supplies products for priority species and habitats, designed and built to a high standard to meet the requirements of sensitive or designated areas. One of our recent commissions was for a bespoke FSC timber and recycled plastic hide, for the “increased monitoring, recording and understanding of natural history on a hill farm” reserve in Yorkshire Dales National Park. Everyone at GFB is passionate about the countryside and we actively participate 24/7 in monitoring and conservation for local, regional and national wildlife organisations, with hands on experience dating back to the 1970s. We are proud supporters of work at UK bird observatories, Wildlife Trusts and RSPB.
GFB grew out of one of the very first Landfill Communities Fund ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ (Category DA) projects in UK. Starting in 2004, Green Business Network (GBN) worked in partnership with Calderdale Bird Conservation Group to build a bespoke bird hide and purpose-designed wetland area in an acutely exposed location, at over one thousand feet in the South Pennine Moors.
We are always happy to talk with clients and customers about their schemes no matter how quirky, especially if they involve exciting ways we can incorporate recycled, renewable and sustainable products and materials.
This is not to say we are not involved with familiar and conventional products and projects but needless to say, at GFB we strive to deliver everything with the minimum carbon footprint and environmental impact.
We continually re-design and re-develop our product range often pioneering the inclusion of innovative recycled materials such as boards made from recycled plastic and next generation cladding. We are always on the hunt for new and sustainable products that can help us manufacture our conservation range as ethically as possible.
Keep an eye out in our news section for updates on projects e.g. involving our newly acquired Brick Press, which makes bricks suitable for the outer skin of a building from waste substrate on site. We are excited about the huge potential applications for these bricks and already have a couple of projects lined up to get us started.
