Name:
Joel
Minot
Qualifications:
3-year Diploma in Engineering and Electronics (France) |
| Q:
What types of jobs did you do in your past life? |
|
A:
My father was an engineer with his own workshop and
from an early age I got access to many tools and machines
for wood and metal work.
It's
from my father that I also acquired a comprehensive knowledge
in construction techniques; we actually built our own house
and restored several other heritage buildings in France.
I now have 25 years of experience in carpentry skills.
At
college I studied physics and chemistry then moved on to
specialise in engineering & electronics in which I obtained
a
diploma. I then worked for five years in the Industry for
a manufacturer of electronic components (machine design,
automation, pneumatics), then for a large public works contractor
(power supply systems, design installation and maintenance).
|
| Q:
What experience do you think you gathered from this? |
|
A:
After my time in industry, I then moved to the South of
France to live and work within an eco cooperative. This
group was very proactive and innovative in applying new
approaches to a green agenda that encompassed self-sustainable
micro-economics, renewable energies as well as utilising
knowledge of traditional techniques and skills.
My
involvement with this group covered a wide range of disciplines
including: a local radio station studio technician, forest
maintenance and exploitation and traditional stonework.
As a group we ended up renovating a 13th century village!
|
| Q:
What area are you currently working in? |
| A:
Ah, I am like the wind and am carried by whatever
takes my interest. I am currently working on designing and
building a Pergola which reflects my interests in the Japanese
aspect of wood design.
|
| Q:
What interests you about it? |
|
A:
The simplicity but nevertheless pure functionality of
the form. The Japanese use fewer tools than a Western carpenter
and even the saws work in reverse to western ones. I am
very interested in the strength brought about by using pegging
mechanisms rather than artificial materials like iron/steel
that form nails.
To
only use pegs in holes shows a fundamental faith in the
strength of wood, which, when chosen well, can stand the
test of time compared to any modern building material. Did
you know that the earliest remaining intact structure is
a Japanese temple dating back to the 7th century?
|
| Q:
What aspects of the environment really interest you and why? |
| A:
I come from a place in France that is almost totally natural
in aspect. There is no heavy industry but more cars are appearing
due to good train links and tourism in general. I am naturally
concerned about the detrimental effect this will have on the
environment. |
| Q:
How do you see the environmental agenda progressing in Britain? |
|
A:
France is very different from the UK. The distribution of
population is much more evenly spread - with municipal large
towns forming the nucleus of a region which gradually steps
down to smaller and smaller villages spaced about 5-8 miles
apart.
Most
of these villages have managed to remain very much authentic
and many still use old ways of generating energy such as
water wheels and windmills. Of course, the great contradiction
is that most of France's electricity is generated by nuclear
power stations dotted around the French coastline!
In
the UK, the locals throughout the land seem hell-bent on
destroying any traces of the past. I would like to see old
methods of generating power, which are after all sustainable,
brought back into use in these smaller communities.
The
British do not seem to have much regard for their past except
in the preservation of stately homes! So there needs to
be a huge raising of awareness - probably through more sustainable
television programmes - as that seems to be the UK's favourite
pastime - watching tv!
|
| Q:
What sustainable technologies do you see finding adoption
in the UK by 2010 and why? |
|
A:
Well I thought wind was likely to be the most widely used
as there are lots of areas in the UK which suffer high winds
for
most of the year. What does alarm me is that there are very
organised groups trying to stop wind farms being erected.
I'm
not aware of this being an issue in any other countries
which have much the same climatic conditions as Britain.
So there is something very resistant in the culture to new
technologies that are sustainable. How many PV panels have
you see on roofs in London recently?
|
| Q:
How does your specialist field fit in with the environmental
agenda? |
|
A:
Well my main interest is in environmental building. Its
a natural extension of my interest in medieval architecture
and
Japanese carpentry. Our understanding of the effectiveness
of natural physics to conserve or generate energy, allied
to very old building techniques makes for the ideal living
environments.
Of
course, the quality of the wood you use in a building has
everything to do with how you will feel about the ambient
factors it will create as a living environment.
|
| Q:
Is it a burgeoning sector in the long term or just a fad? |
|
A:
Well I cannot see how it could be a fad - when the oil
is due to run out in 20 years! There are a lot of people
who take to this field as a fashionable stance.
Fashion
waves come and go, but necessity will make take this field
from fringe to mainstream over the next decade - like it
or not!
|
| Q:
What are your other current/continuing interests? |
|
A:
When I was in Paris, I used to draw and paint, then
I moved to London for a mural design commission and decided
to settle there. I was a dedicated fulltime freelance artist
for ten years.
After
seven exhibitions in London I set-up the "Ink and colour"
art-school. The school was run as a learning organisation
and was a pilot project for a period of five years.
It
then moved to the Crouch Hill Community Centre, North London,
for a period of three years. There I continued the "ink
and colour" project at the centre, gradually developing
the site as a learning centre. Last year I decided to retire
from the group after a long involvement with the management
committee.
|
| Q:
Are there any other subjects/areas that you are just starting
to take an interest in? |
|
A:
I have recently been splitting my time between project
managing the construction builds on HBC tasks alongside
some private carpentry work.
From
the age of fifteen I began the practice of Drawing and engaged
in various courses. My interest in Fine Art has grown over
the years and now it is time for me to prepare for my latest
art exhibition of my paintings.
|
| Q:
How do you see your role as a member of HBC? |
| A:
Right now I am always interested when we get involved
with unusual projects - and the new Hive Harvester one is
just the sort of thing I love investigating and contributing
to at the development stages. Hey, we're breaking new ground
here! |
| Q:
If HBC reaches its stated goals of achieving national training
schemes throughout the UK in the environmental field in the
next couple of years - what role do you see yourself playing
in the organisation at that stage? |
|
A:
I hope to become one of the main carpentry instructors
on the HBC courses, leading to an NVQ Assesor status, as
well as continuing project mangement on unusual jobs.
I
feel I have a lot to give to others ( no matter how excluded
they may have felt in their past lives) through my years
of experience working with wood.
|
