What video styles can be used to share information about sustainable construction?

A host of styles can be employed when creating video content about low energy buildings or sustainable construction products and techniques. You might choose to use a voiceover, feature a neutral presenter, or appear in the video yourself. A larger budget can allow you to employ directors and scriptwriters, or you might prefer shorter content that focuses on the people who benefit from the project or solution being featured.

Key to selecting the style of video is understanding what you want to get from the content and planning accordingly. For example, you may want to produce educational or training content featuring experts. Or you may need to explain a technical concept that can only be illustrated through animation.

If you are a building owner or technical expert who is best placed to talk about a project or solution, appearing in a video might be a daunting prospect. However, not every video production is a large-budget, multi-day shoot with a big team. In fact, most aren’t, and this case study focuses on what can be achieved with a smaller and less intense production process.

Case study: video short featuring EcoCocon and Old Holloway Passivhaus

As part of showcasing projects in the Exemplar Sustainable Buildings Awards, architect and self-builder Juraj Mikurcik introduced his Old Holloway Passivhaus, and the EcoCocon straw bale panel system used to build it.

Regen Media’s role in the project

Similar to the short videos we have produced for the UK Passivhaus Awards, Regen Media was asked to film and edit showcases of shortlisted projects. Old Holloway was one such project. Thanks to our longstanding relationships with people in the low energy building sector, we had already worked with Juraj before (such as on the House Planning Help podcast) and were familiar with his home.

Strategy

Old Holloway was the first building in the UK constructed using the EcoCocon system. As such, it is a great example of a particular project in action. Key to successfully telling its story was showcasing the product and its benefits.

In contrast with the video we produced for 21 Degrees, where we used animation to explain MVHR, something we had to get across with Old Holloway was the tactile nature of the natural materials used throughout the home.

Challenges and solutions

As Juraj is an advocate for both the Passivhaus standard and the EcoCocon system, and hosts Passivhaus open days at Old Holloway, he is experienced in talking about the property, and its features and benefits.

We therefore put him front and centre of the video, effectively acting as presenter, and the style worked well. The footage of Juraj guiding the viewer around his home was interspersed with other clips for context – such as straw harvesting for the panel system, or drone shots of Old Holloway to give a broader perspective of the site.

Results

EcoCocon went on to win at the Exemplar Sustainable Buildings Awards. With an outstanding product like this, it was easy for the video to gain traction and just let the product speak for itself. View the finished video on the Passivhaus Trust project page.

Creating a natural approach to talking about sustainable construction

The best approach to a video depends on who you are working with and what the subject is – but a natural approach to content tends to be preferable and more engaging than a scripted one. We are strong believers that communicating what is good about sustainable and low energy construction means using real projects and real people.

Of course, not everybody is as comfortable speaking on camera as Juraj, and sometimes even technical experts need a script to help them with filming. Wherever possible, we try to get people to say things in their own words, and a smaller set up with just a videographer filming often creates that more natural feeling of simply having a conversation with someone.

Extensive experience in the low energy and sustainable building sector means Regen Media understands how to get the best out of different people and situations, whether explaining the technical details of a complex product or the comfort benefits of a Passivhaus building. Contact us today to learn more about how we guide you through the process of creating video content that suits your needs and budget.