INTERVIEW: Ian Pritchett
Managing Director/Greencore Construction – UK
Ian Pritchett is managing director at Greencore Construction Ltd. in the UK. A physics graduate from Durham University with over 25 years experience in historic building repair and eco-buildings, he previously was managing director at both IJP Building Conservation, and Lime Technology Ltd. That’s Ian’s hemp home!
HempToday: The Marks & Spencer Cheshire Oaks project was revolutionary in its use of hemp in a large-scale project. What were the lessons learned, and how does the market shape up for the future in this sector?
IP: The project was a great success. It demonstrated that off-site panels are the best way to deliver fast track projects for mainstream clients. The independent post occupancy evaluation (POE) showed that the store used 60% less heating energy than predicted. It is unique to have such a large (positive) performance gap, but we need to find better ways to accurately predict thermal performance in order to convince others of the benefits of hemp construction.