3 Nottingham SuperHomes Opening to Visitors in September 2016

3 Nottingham SuperHomes Opening to Visitors in September 2016

The pioneering owners of some of the UK's most eco-friendly SuperHomes will be opening their doors to the public this September. SuperHomes are older homes refurbished by their owners for greater comfort, lower bills and fewer carbon emissions - at least 60% less!

This year, three SuperHomes in the Nottingham area will take part. Entry is free, making this an ideal chance to talk to the home owners and receive feedback on how they successfully transformed their old homes, making them cheaper to heat and more comfortable.

1890's semi detached SuperHome in West Bridgford, click here.

One of the first ever SuperHomes, this home is still ahead of its time, with a 90% reduction in carbon emissions (lower than most new builds)!

Edwardian SuperHome in Carlton, click here.
This detached home has undergone an extensive eco-refurbishment bringing energy use and carbon emissions down below levels seen in many modern houses.

1960s detached SuperHome in West Bridgford, click here.
The poorly maintained and insulated house bought in 2000 has been transformed into a SuperHome through improved wall, floor and roof insulation as well as draught-proofing measures.

Booking in advance is essential for these free events, where visitors can expect to come away with plenty of energy saving ideas for their own home. To find out more and to register your interest visit www.superhomes.org.uk

Photo: The exterior of one Nottingham SuperHome.

4 Nottingham SuperHomes open to visitors in September 2015

September is the month when many SuperHomes across the UK open their doors to visitors.

This year, 4 SuperHomes in the Nottingham area will take part. As ever, it's free, and a great chance to talk to the home owners and find out what they did to make their old homes cheaper to heat and more comfortable.

1950's detached SuperHome in West Bridgford, click here. 

This 4 bedroom home has negative energy bills following a refurbishment which used the Passivhaus methodology as a guide. It is currently for sale, so September 2015 may be one of the last chances to visit (unless whoever buys it decides to take up the SuperHomes baton).

1890's semi SuperHome in West Bridgford, click here.

One of the first SuperHomes, this home is still ahead of its time, with lower carbon emissions than most modern new builds!

1900's semi SuperHomes in Beeston, click here.

A traditional home with a modern extension, and greatly reduced energy use, bills and carbon emissions as well.

Edwardian SuperHome in Carlton, click here.

This detached home has undergone an extensive refurbishment bringing energy bills, energy use and carbon emissions down below levels seen in many modern houses.

Open Homes weekend a success - and more to come!

The last weekend of April was a busy one, with 70 visits to nine lower energy homes.

High tech, low tech and home made ways to save energy were on display.

I particularly liked Jake's double-hatched loft hatch (see photo), a modification to the original hatch which was designed and made by Jake himself. The top hatch which lifts out is insulated and draught-proofed, while the lower hatch (below the ladder) is just draught-proofed.

   

And the event is not over yet - the tenth home, on Peverill Drive in West Bridgford, opens its doors on Sunday 3rd May at 11am. (Click here to book)

Note - full address and other details will be emailed to you after you make your booking.

On the same day there is a further chance to visit the homes on:

Patrick Road (12.30pm) - click here to book

Musters Road (2pm) - click here to book 

Harrow Road (3pm) - click here to book

So if you or someone you know would like to see these, just book your free visit.

There are further details of all these homes here 
(http://nottingham.greenopenhomes.net/transition-west-bridgford-open-homes-153)

However, if 3rd May is not convenient, there are other Open Homes events in the UK during May. The closest being this one (click here).

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. 5 (Harrow Road)

The fifth home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is a 1950's detached house in West Bridgford.

  

It was extended and refurbished using the Passive House refurb standard (EnerPHit) as a guide. The works include: 

External wall insulation with render and some brick slips

Super-insulated loft conversion (insulation above and between rafters)

300mm insulation between ground floor slab

Triple glazed doors and windows, quad glazed roof light

Air tightness just over 1 ACH (extremely draught-proofed)

Whole house MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery)

Replaced all light bulbs with CFL or LED bulbs

Installed 3.2 kw solar PV system

Low water use features

This home is open on 11am and 3.30pm Sunday 26th April and at 3pm on Sunday 3rd May

To book your free place, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-harrow-house-tickets-16286678895) 

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. 3 (Greenstone)

Our third home on the list was probably the first zero carbon barn conversion in the UK.

The barn, built in 1860, was converted in 2008 and now generates more energy than it consumes.

As you might expect, this was achieved with a highly efficient building fabric and a range of renewable technologies which not only serve the home but also help to run the electric car.

Super Insulation (25w/m2)

Air tight (2.3m3/m2@50P)

Whole house ventilation with heat recovery

Triple glazed

Underfloor heating

Ground sourced heat pump with bore hole heat collection for space heating and hot water

Biomass pellet stove for backup/occasional room heating

Solar thermal

Solar PV roof and ground mounted

Solar battery storage

Optimersion (using surplus solar electricity to generate hot water)

High use of thermal mass to reduce heating required and control summer overheating

Rain water recycling

Electric car charging

Detailed energy monitoring

For anyone wanting highly technical information about various renewable technologies, home owner David Hill will be able to answer a wide range of questions.

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

To book your free visit, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-greenstone-tickets-16024926988 )

David is also MD of Carbon Legacy Ltd., a local company which installs renewable technologies, and also one of the sponsors of this event.

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....

 

Open Homes May 2014 - open for bookings!

Here are the links to each home on the booking system (with further details on these and other homes across the East Midlands in the blog posts below).

For last minute bookings (on the day, or the evening before), text or call 07962 453037 with the house name, date and time for the visit you wish to book. We will get back to you with the details and confirm whether there is space still available.

* Book here for Wollaton Road Refurb in Beeston - in mid refurb! (17 May: 2pm)

* Book here for Charnock Avenue Refurb in Nottingham - also in mid-refurb! (18 May: 2pm)

* Book here for Elm Avenue in Beeston - the new addition to our booking system (17 & 18 May:  hourly tours from 2.30pm both days)

If you have any questions or any difficulty booking a visit, just email wbecohouses@gmail.com or phone 07962 453037 and we'll get back to you.

All these homes and others can be found on the Green Open Homes website - just put in your postcode to find a low energy home that is local to you.

Homes which have already opened are listed below. If you missed visiting one of these, there may be opportunities for "ad hoc" visits in the next month or so. Just email wbecohouses@gmail.com with your enquiry as we now have a waiting list for several homes.

* Worwood Drive (left hand branch)  on 10th May between 11am & 3pm and make your way to the house with the gazebo and the green balloons in the front garden.

* Greenstone - a zero carbon barn conversion in East Leake (10 May: 10am and 2pm)

*  Harrow House (towards EnerPHit) - a nearly Passive House refurb (10 & 11 May: 2pm both days)

* The Green Man House - an ultra-low energy new build near Market Bosworth (10 May: 10am and 2pm)

* Peveril House - solar power & ground source heat pump (11 May: 12 noon and 4pm)

Open Homes May 2014 - House number 2 of 7

A little closer to home, in East Leake, is our second open home, Greenstone.

It's a zero carbon barn conversion with a long list of features. And since this home last opened to the public, there have been a few additions to maximise use of the elecctricity generated. If you have not been before, it is well worth a visit!

To book your free place for the 10am or 2pm tour on the 10th May 2014, click here.

·         Super insulated 9” solid brick walls (oldest barn built in 1860)

·         Factory made Insulated roof panels (SIPS)

·         Super insulated floor slab with wet under floor heating (ground and first floor)

·         Extensive use of thermal mass in floors, internal walls and ceiling

·         Itho Whole house ventilation with heat recovery 90% efficiency

·         Triple glazed timber windows with aluminium outer skin (Rationel)

·         Draft lobby with highly insulated doors (Rationel)

·         Air tight construction with measured value of 2.3m3/m2@50Pa pressure

·         Thermal store feed by oversized Solar Hot water panels and heat pump for space heating and domestic hot water

·         10kw roof mounted Solar PV system

·         20kw ground mounted Solar PV system

·         Powerrouter 5kw battery storage system providing solar produced electricity at night and back up electricity in the event of a power cut

·         Two intelligent immersion switches using spare solar generated electricity to heat hot water in 400 and 300L thermal stores

·         Ground sourced heat Pump (GHP) providing space heating and some of the domestic hot water

·         Electric car powered from the solar PV panels

·         Experimental Solar PVT panels providing Earth charging energy from solar panels to improve the efficiency of the GSHP

·         Recently installed Web based energy monitoring equipment measuring electrical use, solar power generated, appliance consumption, heat generation

·         Rain water recycling from underground tank to provide water for toilet flushing and garden irrigation

·         Presence and daylight sensor light control in common areas of the house

·         100% low energy lighting and low energy appliances

·         Reserve wood pellet 5kw stove in case of power failure

Interesting facts/results:

·         It works!

·         It has met its target energy consumption with 3 years’ worth of all power consumption (electricity) 10,500kwh/year

·         The house is now a net exporter of  Solar generated electricity providing a very useful additional income stream

·         It  also provides free electricity to charge 2 or more electric cars the first of which is doing really well (Volt)

·         The family loves it because it is comfortable and pleasant to live in all year round

Open Homes May 2014 - House number 1 of 7

Of the homes we're opening to the public in May 2014, this is the first to be featured here in the run up to the open days.

The Green Man House is a new build to almost Passive House standard, and it's near Market Bosworth! It may seem a little way outside Nottingham, but it's a great house so it would be a shame to miss it out.

Owner Peter said

"Of the number of approaches to building a ‘green house,’ we decided to emulate the Passivhaus standard. We decided on a timber frame construction built off site, with good insulation, air tightness, solar water heating, and a ventilation system with heat recovery. The house was orientated and designed to take advantage of the warmth of the sun within a fairly tight site.

The house has performed well since it was completed five years ago, although it just failed the Passivhaus air tightness standard. A log burning stove is used on colder winter evenings to bring temperatures up to a comfortable level and to boost the hot water supply."

If you would like to visit this house, click here to book your place. Numbers are limited so that you get the best from the visit, with a chance to put your questions to the home owner.

Open Eco Homes event in May 2014

If you are interested in seeing inspiring examples of energy efficient homes, there are various events coming up across the UK in May.

Here in the East Midlands, we're joining in the fun as usual. There are plenty to choose from in Nottinghamsire and Derbyshire (here) and in Loughborough. 

Transition West Bridgford's Eco House Group has a number of interesting homes lined up and a few more to be confirmed. If you would like to receive an email invite once all our homes and opening dates and times are confirmed, just email wbecohouses@gmail.com to join the mailing list. Or check this website as every home will be featured here over the next 4 weeks and booking details will be provided.

If only we could see the heat escaping from our homes....

Well, you can of course see heat escaping from a house using a thermal imaging camera. Taking photos inside the house shows the cold spots where the cold gets in (i.e. heat is lost). From the outside, you see hot spots where escaping heat emerges.

In December 2013, Transition West Bridgford put in a bid for funding to buy a thermal imaging camera and now we are ready to use it!!

If you live in or around West Bridgford and think you might be interested in a thermal imaging survey of your home, get your name on the waiting list here. There's no obligation - this is just so we can contact those who are likely to be interested in a home survey or a community event showing the typical areas of heat loss.

We hope to carry out the visits in March (before the weather gets too warm).

For the full details, here's the press release:

E.ON’s Energy Action Fund powers Transition West Bridgford’s energy education

Community group, Transition West Bridgford, has been awarded a grant of £1,790 from energy company E.ON to promote energy efficiency across the local area.

The grant from E.ON will enable the organisation to purchase a thermal imaging camera, which will be used in free educational events for local residents. These workshops will help residents to understand how energy is commonly lost in the home and subsequently how this can be reduced, potentially resulting in lower energy bills.

Images from the camera will also be used in educational materials and online to raise as much awareness as possible across West Bridgford with the wider community.

  

The E.ON Energy Action Fund is part of the company’s commitment to helping local communities use no more energy than they need, benefitting both individual groups and the wider community.

 

Jake Jackson, Treasurer at Transition West Bridgford, said: “The funding received from E.ON will have a positive impact on the local community. The camera will not only be used to support educational events and materials, but also to carry out paid thermal imaging surveys for individuals and businesses.

“The funding raised through these surveys will provide long term support to Transition West Bridgford, enabling us to continue running the awareness raising events.”

Amy Cross, Senior Community Relations Executive at E.ON, said: “We’re really keen to support this project as it has the potential to educate many people across the community and the initial funding will help this to continue. We hope this will make a big difference to local people.”

For further information about Transition West Bridgford’s forthcoming Energy Saving Event or to find out more about the thermal imaging surveys, email wbecohouses@gmail.co.uk or visit http://transitionwb.blogspot.co.uk/. To find out more about how E.ON can help you save energy visit eonenergy.com/savingenergy.

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.

Low energy home in Derby offers tutorials

If you are interested in learning about a local low energy home (in Derby), this could be the perfect opportunity.

Homeowner, Kate, is offering some free tutorials about her experience of transforming her home from a very ordinary brick house into a "passive house" that needs almost no heating.

Click here for more details and to book:

http://thornhillecohouse.eventbrite.co.uk/

Open Homes, March 2013

As part of regional and national open homes events in March, 3 houses in West Bridgford will open their doors to visitors. If you want to take part, click here to register your interest, see which homes are open and when, and to request a booking.

The oldest, built in the 1890's, was a G rated house before it was turned into the "Nottingham Eco Home". Full details can be seen here.

The next, a typical 1950's house of solid wall construction, has been extensively refurbished and now approaches the new Passivhaus Refurbishment (EnerPHit) standard. Further details can be seen here and here.

The youngest house on the list was built in 2006, and the owner was able to dictate above average levels of insulation as it was built. This house uses solar energy to match its entire annual heating and hot water requirements. For more details, click here.

If you live in or near to Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, a diverse range of events running in early March will be listed here:
http://www.everybodys-talking.org/ecohomes/events

And later in March, it is national Superhomes Week, when homes all over the UK will open their doors. Look for events running near you on http://www.superhomes.org.uk/.

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.

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 Race Is On: Free Insulation in 2012

The race is on to get your home insulated for free during 2012! Until the end of this year households in Rushcliffe (and elsewhere in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) can take advantage of free loft and cavity wall insulation for their home regardless of their income, thanks to Warmstreets, the only insulation scheme endorsed by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

This time limited offer includes free loft insulation for any private household (owned or rented) that currently has less than or equal to 100mm, as well as free cavity wall insulation. Those who already have over 100mm of loft insulation can pay a subsidised price of just £99 to have it topped up to the recommended level of 270mm.

Sheila Hood, Community Energy Officer at Rushcliffe Borough Council, said:
‘This offer is better than free! Not only can we now install loft and cavity wall insulation without charging, but you will save money on your energy bills for years to come as your home will be easier to heat – up to £175 a year if you install loft insulation and £135 if you install cavity wall insulation. It will also reduce the impact of your home on the environment.’


She added a warning:
‘Free insulation is only possible due to government subsidies which are due to end in December 2012. After that we expect loft and cavity wall insulation to cost several hundred pounds. Take advantage while you can! Almost 400 Rushcliffe residents already have!’

Householders who are interested can call Warmstreets on 0800 043 9569, or if calling from a mobile, 0333 577 9569, to arrange a survey today. Alternatively, visit: www.warmstreets.co.uk. Offers are subject to survey and depend on house size.

HOBBS project draws to a close

The final event of the 'Homes Behaving Badly' series took place on Saturday 24th March when 36 people visited the site of an ultra-low energy refurbishment to see progress to date. So far, the roof is weather-tight and the external insulation has begun, but there's a bit of work to do on the extension still.

This open day was also part of Superhomes week - when all over the UK, Superhomes which have cut energy use and carbon emissions by at least 60% open their doors to visitors.

Tina and Richard talked about the house from the home-owner perspective, and Gil Schalom (the architect) and Sean (from Westville) shared their technical knowledge and experience.

Earlier in the week, another local Superhome in Radcliffe on Trent (also a HOBBS project case study) opened its doors to visitors. It was a friendly and informative visit according to those who took part, showing  solid wall insulation and other low energy solutions.

While the HOBBS open days and the workshops held earlier in March are now complete, this project will also have a lasting legacy in the form of the HOBBS reports. Detailed energy information was collected from 8 local houses to form a set of case studies showing what each house was like when the current occupants moved in, what efficiency improvements have been made so far, and what further work is intended. The impact on the energy bills for each house is included.

These reports and a film of the 1950's ultra-low energy refurbishment in progress will be posted here in the next week.