TEN students from Callington Community College travelled to France recently to attend workshops and site visits organised as part of the ECOBEE project.

ECOBEE is funded through the Interreg IVA European Fund and is a cross-channel project sharing knowledge about green building and energy efficiency, being managed by the Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust.

The students are taking part in a Green Schools Challenge as part of ECOBEE, which involves them designing a green home for the future.

Their visit to France included visiting eco homes open to the public for inspiration in designing their own eco homes as part of the challenge.

They visited three architect- designed houses, including a PassivHaus, a very low energy holiday home and one built from straw and rammed earth.

The students were also shown round a refurbished 1960s house to show how retrofitting a standard property can dramatically reduce its energy use.

The students also took part in a straw bale building workshop as part of a conference organised by the French project partners at an eco centre in Normandy.

Dr Jo Turner, a science teacher at Callington College who accompanied the students, said: 'It was an amazing experience for all the students that were involved.

'They saw the science behind what they have been studying in the classroom in a real life context.

'Talking to industry experts and academics has inspired some of them to look into a career in renewable energy and sustainable building.'