A FESTIVAL dedicated to greener buildings and lifestyles is taking place across Cumbria this month.

From energy-saving home projects to vegetable growing and beekeeping, the Cumbria Green Build Festival is aimed at everyone from DIYers to hobbyists, self-builders and professionals.

Now in its 13th year, the programme of nearly 40 county-wide events features talks, workshops and tours of energy-efficient homes.

The organisers, Cumbria Action for Sustainability, say they hope it will equip people with ideas, inspiration and skills to "green up their lifestyle, homes, offices and communities".

Festival manager Frankie O’Keeffe said “This year we’ve got some fantastic events to help Cumbrian residents take practical action to live a little greener, like growing their own veg and flowers, making furniture out of pallets and building their own wind turbine.”

Events to look out for include:

- tours of a self-built, low-energy Passivhaus in Milnthorpe, a detached family home with increased amounts of insulation and a high level of airtightness, on September 15

- a workshop about low-carbon communities at Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre on September 18

- tours of an upgraded 1970s bungalow in Kendal, where the owners have improved the energy rating from E to A+ thanks to work including solar PV panels which power their home and electric car

- and events in the Appleby area including a workshop on making furniture from unwanted pallet wood, and a visit to a flooded house that is being renovated using traditional techniques.

Cumbria Green Build Festival is funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Cumbria County Council, Electricity North West, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, SLDC and Historic England.

For the full list of events, see www.cafs.org.uk/events or call 01768-210276.