Open Homes April 2015 - Home no. 8 (Holwell House)

The eighth home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is a 1940's end terrace in Holwell near Melton Mowbray.

This home has had to be withdrawn

There are others with some similar features such as 

Greenstone in East Leake.

So far, the owners have installed:
- low energy lighting
- PV panels on the roof linked to a system that diverts spare electricity from the roof to heat water.

They installed the PV panels in December 2014 so know how the system will run through the winter (the worst months for PV) and are no doubt hoping for a sunny summer!

Open Homes April 2015 - Home no. 7 (Wollaton Road)

The seventh home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is an 1870's semi-detached house, now in the later stages of the refurbishment project and with a large side extension added.

The work included:

High levels of insulation throughout including external wall insulation - in progress

Mechanical ventilation with Heat Recovery system

Solar thermal hot water system with large thermal store - in progress

Underfloor heating throughout, fed from thermal store - in progress

All windows high performance triple glazed

Solar Photovoltaics

This home is open on Saturday 25th April at 2.30pm (and the architect will be giving a talk and answering questions)

To book your free place, click here.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-wollaton-road-tickets-16287759126

Open Homes April 2015 - Home no. 4 (Lady Bay)

The fourth home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is a 1930's semi-detached house in West Bridgford.

In 2014 it was extended and refurbished. The works include:

New gas boiler and controls
New double glazed windows and doors
Additional loft insulation (including loft hatch)
Draught-proofing
Through-the-wall fan with heat recovery installed in the bathroom
Internal insulation (front elevation)
External insulation (back and side elevations)
Single storey extension (cavity wall construction to building regulations)
Solar PV panels fitted to south and east facing roof

This home is open on Saturday 25th April (2pm and 3.30pm) and Sunday 26th April (11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 4pm).

To book your free place, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-lady-bay-house-tickets-16036048252)

Open Homes April 2015 - Home no. 2 (Belmont Villas)

The second house taking part in this year's Open Homes event (25-26th April 2015) is in Beeston.

Belmont Villas house is an Edwardian semi-detached house built in 1901 which underwent extensive renovation work in 2014.

The owners are happy to talk about their successes and also their errors - so if you want the low down on a refurbishment project, this is a really useful one to see.

The upgrade to this solid wall home includes:

Triple glazed sash windows (except double glazed rooflights and attic).

Internal insulation to external walls.

Ground floor: 150 mm floor insulation and underfloor heating.

First floor: rockwool under floor boards and underfloor heating.

Draught proofing

New condensing boiler.

Low energy lighting

Water saving devices include low flow shower, and low flush toilet

This home will be open to visitors on 25th April at 1pm

To book your free visit, click here.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-belmont-villas-tickets-16016377416

For photographs and more details about this house, go to the Superhomes website (it is Superhome 170). 

Open Homes April 2015 - home no. 1 (Musters Road)

Over the next few weeks, details of all the April 2015 Open Homes will be listed here.

First up, a 1930's detached house in West Bridgford with a conservatory (2001) and loft conversion (2007).

Like many homes of this age in the local area, it is heated with a gas boiler and has solid walls that cannot be insulated with cavity wall insulation.

However, unlike most homes in the same street, in 2014, this home was insulated using external wall insulation, and the conservatory glass roof was replaced with high-tech glazing which is more energy efficient.

Better still, the owners were able to use one of the recent government grant schemes (Green Deal Home Improvement Fund) to help significantly with the cost of the insulation.

Did it work? Was it worth it? Was there much disruption?

The home owners have definitely seen a significant improvement in comfort. And if you'd like to know more, book on to a visit and ask them about it yourself.

Open Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April at 10am and 2pm

And on Sunday 3rd May at 2pm

To book your free visit, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-musters-house-tickets-15937830480)

Open Homes in and around Nottingham, April 2015

Transition West Bridgford's springtime Open Homes event is taking place on the weekend of 25th and 26th April 2015.

We're expecting to have more homes to visit than any time before (eleven so far) so there will be plenty to choose from. Several have only just completed their refurbishments in the last 12 months, and some are still in progress.

All the details will be posted here in the next month. And if you'd like to receive an email when the opening times have been finalised, just email wbecohouses@gmail.com with OPEN HOMES WEEKEND in the header.

This is event is supported by funding from the Green Open Homes network with additional sponsorship from local companies Carbon Legacy Ltd, Westville Ltd and John A Stephens (the local builders merchants). Co-ordination of the event is by local consultancy EcoHouseNet.

If your company would like to sponsor community energy events like this one, please get in touch.

Organised by: and


With funding from:    

And additional sponsorship from....

 

Home energy efficiency grants re-starting soon

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (worth up to £7,600) was launched in June and axed just 6 weeks later due to popular demand.

However, it has been announced today that the grant scheme will re-open before the end of November, with an additional £100million in the pot. So if you missed out last time, it's time to check it out again.

Update: Phase 2 of the grant scheme started in December 2014. Phase 3 is expected in March 2015.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/an-additional-100-million-for-household-energy-efficiency

Whether the grant is as generous as previously (for example, offering up to £6,000 and later up to £4,000 towards the cost of External Wall Insulation), remains to be seen.

If you are considering various options to make your home warmer or to cut the energy bills, it is a very good idea to do your research and think it all through carefully. Maybe get some quotes. Then if the grant scheme does start up again, you are poised and ready to see whether it will help  you, and if so, to make the most of it!

There is a handy report about energy saving options from zero cost to high cost on this site, co-written by me and an architect who specialises in low energy buildings including refurbishments. Just go to the "HOBBS Report" on the second tab - it is free to download.

If you live in or near to West Bridgford, then there's local help at hand. With our Transition West Bridgford thermal imaging camera, we can now show you where heat is escaping from your home!

Tina (tinaholt@ecohousenet.co.uk / 07962 453037) uses the camera as part of a whole house assessment to highlight energy saving options which might be suitable in your home.

Event - Know your energy efficiency options, grants and loans!

When and where: 28^th November from 7-9pm in West Bridgford, Nottingham.

Whether you are just thinking about a few low cost options for saving energy or wanting to find out about current loans and grants for energy efficiency work, this is the event for you.

For example, would you be interested in Solid Wall Insulation if there was a government scheme to reduce the cost?

If your home is not suitable for Cavity Wall Insulation, there is a new scheme to subsidise the cost of External Wall Insulation (EWI) and Internal Wall Insulation (IWI), which extends to a range of other energy saving improvements made at the same time. This subsidy, called ECO, can reduce the cost of the work by several thousand pounds and is not income-dependent – so it is worth knowing more about it!

There will be 10 minute talks on:

• ·        Insulating solid wall homes – what is the ECO subsidy? Could it help me?
• ·        Is the Green Deal a great deal? Or are there better alternatives?
• ·        Energy Efficiency and a Healthy House – how to do both.
• ·        Draught-busting and other low cost / DIY ways to save energy.

Then from 8-9pm there will be mini-surgeries, giving you the chance to put your questions to the speakers in small groups or individually.

If you would like to know more, why not come along to this information evening at Jesse Gray Primary School in West Bridgford, Nottingham on 28^th November from 7-9pm?

For more information, email wbecohouses@gmail.com. To reserve your free place and get full details, go to Event Brite at http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/9210154821/eac2. Numbers are limited so please book in advance.

Open Homes in September

Two homes in Nottinghamshire will open their doors this month to people who are interested in low energy new build and refurbishment.

On Saturday 28th September at 2pm, there are still spaces available to visit an ultra low energy home near Newark. See the previous post for more about the house and email wbecohouses.co.uk if you would like the chance to join the tour.

On Sunday 29th September, an ultra low energy refurbishment in West Bridgford will open to visitors. All spaces have now been taken for September so a second date will be arranged. Just email wbecohouses.co.uk to join the waiting list if you are interested.

Old gas boiler? Big bills?

If you live in West Bridgford, have an old gas boiler, and maybe a large or solid wall house that is expensive to heat or just doesn't get that warm, read on....

(click on the image to see at full size) Call 07962 453037 for further details.

Energy saving schemes and events

Looking into ways of making your home more energy efficient and cheaper to run?

If you live in West Bridgford and your home is heated by an old gas boiler, see the post below for details of a scheme which may interest you.

If you are looking for inspiration or information about a range of energy saving options, why not go along to an open house event and see what other home-owners have done? Details on our local open home day (3rd March and additional dates now added) are given in the second post below, together with links to regional and national open homes events in the same month.

Thermal imaging

This time last year, a few lucky householders (those who put their homes forward as case studies in the HOBBS report) had thermal images taken of their homes.

Within the Eco House Group, many have expressed an interest in having this done and I promised that I would look into it. I've just had a trial run on my own home (see the blog for the full details), and I'll be emailing out to the Eco House Group when I have dates and details for those who would like their homes to be assessed in the same way (for a very reasonable fee to cover the cost).

If you are in or near West Bridgford and would like to join the Eco House Group email list, just email wbecohouses@gmail.com and ask to be included.

Energy Event in November

With winter on its way and energy bills rising, you may be considering what else could be done to improve comfort or reduce the bills in your home. If you are in easy reach of Nottingham, why not come along to our next energy event...?

(just click the flyer below to zoom in)

Open house visits this weekend

15th September
• David Hill's zero carbon barn conversion in East Leake (superinsulated, renewable technologies and now an electric car)
There will be a tour starting at 2pm.

16th September (10 mins walk between this house and the 2000's house)
• 1950's ultra-low energy refurbishment (passivhaus) in West Bridgford
• Website (http://www.eco-retrofit.blogspot.co.uk/)
There will be a tour starting at 2pm and a later one from 3.30pm.

• 2000's house with cutting edge renewable technologies in West Bridgford, and a ultra-insulated extension under construction
• Website  (http://chargingtheearth.blogspot.com)
There will be a tour starting at 3.30pm.

Contact wbecohouses@gmail.com 

to book your place and to obtain location details.

Aiming for EnerPHit

In line with Superhomes week in September, we've decided to put some local case studies of low energy homes on the blog, some of which will open their doors to interested visitors (see previous posts)

Kate and Geoff's house in Derby is likely to become a Superhome very soon. This house is currently being refurbished to EnerPHit (the Passivhaus refurbishment standard).

This 1950s detached house is East-West facing and has been extended at some point to give 5 bedrooms, and a 1980s single storey extension. 

The refurbishment work includes insulation under floors, a "warm roof", external wall insulation (and some cavity wall insulation - rather odd original construction to say the least).

The work also includes Passivhaus-suitable triple glazing, a new boiler but some old radiators retained, lots

of water saving improvements, a recycled solar PV system, a tank suitable for adding solar hot water in the future, ...plus big fruit and vegetable plots, and ex-battery chickens!

Open house visits in September

Several local homes which have been built or refurbished to use less energy will be opening their doors during September to interested visitors. Visit and ask any questions you like.

Keep an eye on the website as additional houses and other details may be added in the next few days:

1st September
• 1950's ultra-low energy refurbishment (passivhaus) in Derby.
There will be a tour from 10.30am to noon and a later one from 1pm if numbers require a second tour.
(Child-friendly arrangements are possible here - just ask for details).

8th September
• Penney and Gil's 1890's house (now very low energy indeed) in West Bridgford
There will be a tour from 11.30am and 1.30pm,

• Edwardian home in Carlton - book your visit on 8th or 9th September via the Superhomes website: (http://www.superhomes.org.uk/superhomes/nottingham-carlton-mayfield-road/)

15th September
• David Hill's zero carbon barn conversion in East Leake (superinsulated, renewable technologies and now an electric car)
There will be a tour from 2pm,

16th September (10 mins walk between these two)
• 1950's ultra-low energy refurbishment (passivhaus) in West Bridgford
• Website (http://www.eco-retrofit.blogspot.co.uk/)
There will be a tour from 2pm and a later one from 3.30pm,

• 2000's house with cutting edge renewable technologies in West Bridgford, and a ultra-insulated extension under construction
• Website  (http://chargingtheearth.blogspot.com)
There will be a tour from 2pm and a later one from 3.30pm.

Unless indicated otherwise, contact wbecohouses@gmail.com 

for more details or to book your place.

The Energy Bill Revolution

Ok, so August is not the obvious time to be thinking about fuel poverty and rising fuel bills, but the Energy Bill Revolution alliance is gaining momentum, with the support of concerned individuals and a diverse range of well known organisations and charities.

Whether you are worried about your own fuel bills or the growing numbers of people falling into fuel poverty, you may be interested to read more about this campaign, and perhaps to register your support:
http://www.energybillrevolution.org/whats-the-campaign/

The government's current plans to encourage household energy efficiency (the Green Deal and the ECO) look likely to fall short of the kind of step change needed to reverse the increasing occurrence of fuel poverty in the UK. On top of that, the Department of Energy and Climate Change anticipates energy shortages in the UK by 2015 - although the risk could be reduced if substantial improvements in energy efficiency are achieved.

If you are hoping to reduce your energy bills through home improvements in the next year, keep an eye on this blog, or email wbecohouses@gmail.com to receive local (East Midlands) updates by email.

Achieving air tightness

After the first air tightness test at the 1950's refurb (see previous post), we were very honoured to have a visit from Bill Butcher, Director of the Green Building Store. Bill has many years of sustainable building experience and was one of the team working on the world's first Passive House with cavity wall construction (in Denby Dale).

Bill spoke about his experiences of low energy building projects to a gathering of sustainable builders (AECB members). The discussions focused on achieving air tightness, and the 1950's refurb provided many examples of areas that present challenges!

To name a few: round the windows and doors, round pipes and cables, up through the edge of the floor, through the walls where plaster is missing / cracked, round the joists, at the eaves, and almost anywhere in the loft conversion!

Over the next few weeks, we'll be working hard to banish all draughts - with progress updates from time to time at http://www.eco-retrofit.blogspot.co.uk/.

Energy Workshops and useful info from NEP

If you are thinking of doing some DIY this summer, and maybe making a few energy efficiency improvements ready for next winter, Nottingham Energy Partnership (NEP) are offering free Energy Workshops. These workshops are on offer to any groups and organisations who may be interested. 


NEP are particularly keen to help vulnerable groups such as the elderly, families who are less well-off, and people with health issues. So if you belong to or work with these kinds of groups, or if you can spread the word to those who may be interested, please do! 


Also, click to read the first edition of NEP's Greener Living news, their newsletter for community groups. This is usually sent out to their Energy Champions within the community groups that they work with. It includes the latest updates on help available with saving energy at home, so do make the most of it!

More open house visits in May or June

For the last two years, members of Transition West Bridgford have organised an eco house open day linked to the West Bridgford Summer Gathering.

This year's Summer Gathering is on 19th May, and if you are interested in visiting a local home with eco features, you can sign up there or contact us directly on wbecohouses@gmail.com for more information or to book a place.

For anyone interested in renewable technologies, David's house is worth a visit. With solar PV panels on the roof generating electricity and a ground source heat pump system linked to "sunboxes", this well-insulated house is a great example of how these technologies can work really well.

Peveril Solar house: PV, Heat Pump, Solar thermal, Light tube

If solid wall insulation is something you are considering, there are two homes that might be of interest. One has been insulated externally with 100mm of Phenolic boards on the back and side walls.

Harms house: External Insulation, done very thoroughly

The other is undergoing a whole house refurbishment and should achieve the Passivhaus standard for retrofit when complete. This youtube video gives a flavour of the work involved, or check out the blog to follow progress.