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.

Timetable of Open Homes April 2015

Homes are open on 25th and 26th April, and also 3rd May.

To see details of all the homes,  click here.

(or copy this into your browser:
http://nottingham.greenopenhomes.net/transition-west-bridgford-open-homes-153)

For a timetable of all the homes, read on...

Saturday 25th April

10am - Musters Road, West Bridgford and Greenstone, East Leake

11.30am - Charnock Avenue, Wollaton (talk by the architect)

1pm - Belmont Villas, Beeston

2pm - Musters Road, WB  and Lady Bay Road, WB

2.30pm - Wollaton Road Beeston (talk by the architect)

3.30pm - Lady Bay Road, WB, Burnside Road, WB

For anyone wanting to visit several homes in a more or less logical order geographically, the Saturday sequence would be 10am - Greenstone in East Leake, 11.30am Charnock Avenue, Wollaton, 1pm Belmont Villas, Beeston and 2.30pm Wollaton Road, Beeston (or 3.30pm Burnside Road, West Bridgford).

Sunday 26th April

10am - Musters Road, WB

11am - Harrow Road, WB (talk by the architect) and Lady Bay Road, WB

12.30pm - Lady Bay Road, WB

2pm - Musters Road, WB, Patrick Road, WB (talk by the architect) and Greenstone, East Leake

2.30pm - Lady Bay Road, WB

3.30pm - Harrow Road, WB

4pm - Lady Bay Road, WB

For anyone wanting to visit several homes in a more or less logical order geographically, the Sunday sequence could be 10am - Musters Road, 11am - Harrow Road, 12.30pm - Lady Bay, and 2pm - Patrick Road


Sunday 3rd May

11am - Peveril Solar House, WB

12.30pm - Patrick Road, WB (talk by the architect)

2pm - Musters Road, WB

3 pm - Harrow Road, WB

Open Homes April 2015 - Home no. 11 (Burnside House)

The eleventh home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is on Burnside Road in West Bridgford.

This semi-detached house built in 1939 has been improved step by step over the last 7 years, and further work is planned.

Eco-features on display include:

• Solar PV and solar hot water (2008-9)
• Timber triple glazing (2014)
• External wall insulation with government grant (2015)

For anyone considering External Wall Insulation, and interested to know more about the government's Green Deal Home Improvement Fund grant scheme that helps home owners with the cost of installation, this home and the one on Musters Road are very relevant.

This home is open on Saturday 25th April at 3.30pm

To book your free place, click here. 

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-burnside-house-tickets-16324249269)

Open Homes April 2015 - Home no. 9 (Patrick Road)

The ninth home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is an 1890's semi on Patrick Road in West Bridgford.

This home was possibly the first radical refurbishment in the UK. The owners have around 15 years experience of living in their low energy home since the bulk of the refurbishment was done, and have made further adjustments over time. 

The work has included:

Insulated roof with ply webs and 300 mm cellulose insulation U value = 0.12

Insulated side and rear walls with external insulation (EWI) with 140 mm EPS and render finish U=0.23

Insulated floors with natural insulation (sheep’s wool and wood fibre board)

Newly rebuilt front bay (due to severe structural movement)

Refurbished interior and front of house following house fire in 2014

Insulated front wall with 100 mm internal insulation (IWI) U=0.2

Timber triple glazing including brand new sliding sashes and fully glazed front door

Solar thermal (tubes)

Wood boiler and heat store in cellar

Heat recovery through the wall fans

Energy and water efficient appliances

Rainwater harvesting and water management

Green oak and living roof structures in garden

Two different recycled kitchens (bespoke and low cost examples)

Second hand furniture

Natural paints

LED lights (first generation and latest)

This home is open on Sunday 26th April at 11am and 2pm 

And on Sunday 3rd May at 12.30pm

To book your free place, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-patrick-road-tickets-16296243503)

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. 6 (Charnock Avenue)

The sixth home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is a 1930's bungalow in Wollaton.

It has been extensively refurbished to near Passive House standards. The work includes: 

- insulation, air tightness and a ventilation system with heat recovery

- modern gas boiler and solar hot water system with large thermal store

- LED lighting and water efficiency

This home is open on Saturday 25th April at 11.30am

To book your free place, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-charnock-avenue-tickets-16287550502)

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. 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 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, Thermal Images and Cake!

It's been a busy couple of months!

The Open Homes days in May are now over but if you missed out and would like to join the waiting list for next time, just email wbecohouses@gmail.com. (Scroll down to find a summary of each home which opened its doors this May.)

Visitors and householders alike enjoyed the days, with some people just visiting out of curiosity and others taking notes and picking up tips for their own homes.

And then, we celebrated the end of the Thermal Imaging Camera pilot project with a bit of a gathering and some cake. The cake was so great we just had to put a couple of pics here. (If you have seen thermal images of any houses from the outside, you'll like this cake!) It also tasted fantastic - not just a pretty cake!

(If you'd like to receive an email when we start up the thermal imaging surveys again in the autumn, email tinaholt@ecohousenet.co.uk and ask to join the waiting list.)

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.

Open Homes events in September 2013

During September, there will be Open Homes events running in many parts of the UK, many of them belonging to the Superhomes network.

Here in the Nottingham area, we'll be joining in the fun with Superhomes and other local low energy homes opening their doors to the general public.

Whether you are mulling over the most cost-effective ways to save energy next winter, or considering more costly ways to save energy and improve comfort in your home, keep an eye on this blog or email wbecohouses@gmail.com to make sure you get all the details. It's also a chance to find out more about the Green Deal and government incentives to help with the cost of external wall insulation, other energy saving measures and renewables.

If you already live in a low energy home and would like to open your home as part of this event, do get in touch - it's always great to have a wider range of examples.

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.

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/.

The first two Homes Behaving Badly workshops on Saturday 3rd March 2012 attracted an audience of home owners looking to make energy efficiency improvements to their own homes.

Tina Holt, Penney Poyzer and Gil Schalom ran the workshops, which started with the free ways to save energy. The audience were already saving a packet between them, with a host of money-saving tips like "using the hot tap with the shortest pipe run" or "only using hot water when really necessary".

For those who were looking to make free or very low cost improvements, Julie "Queen of Mean" told her story - and entertained the group with her humorous promotion of the low-tech solutions.

Great low cost options were discussed - bubble-wrap over north facing windows that are obscured anyway, plastic film over window panes (fix it on with double-sided tape and a hair-dryer), or the power of the humble curtain - with thermal lining or an older curtain behind for extra insulation.

Gil Schalom, green architect, gave information of a more technical nature, as the audience asked specific questions about their own homes and the issues they want to tackle.

Rushcliffe Borough Council's Energy Officer provided a stand and gave out information during the tea breaks, and Michael and Mo brought samples from their low energy refurbishment project and shared their experiences. At the same time, a short film of an ultra-insulated loft conversion (one of the case studies) ran in the background.

One person noted on the feedback form: "I thought I had a pretty good energy efficient house. Now I know there's a lot more I can do!"

The next 2 workshops on 10th March will focus on whole house retrofit (generally a higher cost option!) and on low and high cost ways to make attic rooms and loft conversions more energy efficient.

To book your place on a workshop or to visit the 3 Nottingham homes which will open their doors this March during SuperHomes Week, contact sarah.goodman.ehg@gmail.com.

To see details of these open SuperHomes, just search for Nottingham on the SuperHomes "Open Homes Events" list.

Eco Houses Under Construction - First Event

The first in the series of at least 8 free events will be held on Zero Carbon Britain Day:

Saturday 16th July, 12.30pm
West Bridgford, Nottingham
Talk by Steve Day, Fabric Architects

Steve is in charge of the eco-refurbishment design and will give an overview of the key aspects of this ultra-low energy refurbishment. His talk will include the “fabric first” approach and an introduction to the kind of work needed to achieve or move towards Passive House standard. From 1.30pm onwards there will be the opportunity to visit the house in its “pre-refurbishment” state for those who wish to do so. To reserve your place(s) and to receive details of the venue, email info@wbecohouses.co.uk.

The second event will be held the following weekend when architect Mike Siebert of Ecologic Homes Ltd. will talk about achieving a low cost, high code new build using timber frame. The frame arrives in early July and should be up by the date of the event! To receive full details of this or any future event, email info@wbecohouses.co.uk.

To see what other projects Transition West Bridgford has to offer, go to www.transitionwb.co.uk.

The Eco Houses Under Construction project is funded by Climate East Midlands, East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership and Communities and Local Government with a Growing Climate Friendly Communities grant. It is delivered by the charity Groundwork East Midlands.

The Eco House Group is also supported by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Eco Houses Under Construction

This summer’s project, Eco Houses Under Construction, is now underway!

Following the interest in Eco House Open Days here and across the UK, Tina Holt and Julie Lygo decided to organise a series of open house days with a difference.

In July 2011, Julie’s eco house is due to “arrive” on site, in the form of timber frame panels ready to assemble. Tina’s 1950’s brick house with no cavity walls or insulation of any sort is already firmly on site, but essential maintenance and extension work is due to start in July as well. In the next few months, both houses will become well-insulated and highly energy efficient – the aim is to achieve at least Code 5 for the new build and to come close to EnerPHit (Passive House retrofit standard) for the refurbishment.

We will arrange a series of open days when the eco features of these houses can be seen and discussed before they disappear for ever beneath a tidy surface of cladding or plaster. Experts will be brought in to talk and answer questions about the products installed and the methods used as the work progresses. Julie and Tina will be on hand to give the “home owner’s view” of the pros and cons.

Email info@wbecohouses.co.uk to be added to the Eco House Group email list and to be first to receive details of the events as they are organised.

A project like this could not easily be undertaken without funding, to bring in experts at weekends and for the Public Liability Insurance needed to allow members of the public into the houses once the work is underway. We were very fortunate to be successful in our bid for a Growing Climate Friendly Communities grant, and are very grateful to Groundwork East Midlands for their support.

The Eco Houses Under Construction project is funded by Climate East Midlands, East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership and Communities and Local Government with a Growing Climate Friendly Communities grant. It is delivered by the charity Groundwork East Midlands.

The Eco House Group has been supported by Rushcliffe Borough Council since it started in 2010.

Eco House Open Day 2011

Our second Eco House Open Day took place on Sunday 15th May 2011. Six houses with eco-features were open to the public and about 70 visits took place during the day.

Some houses showed renewable technologies installed: solar PV, solar hot water, and a ground source heat pump (with charging using sun boxes).

Some houses demonstrated the benefits of insulation, either because of the original construction, or due to the addition of insulation by the home owners in roofs, walls and floors. The two solid wall houses with significant internal or external insulation attracted a lot of interest this year after the recent cold winter and rising fuel prices!

Other features included draught proofing, water saving options and changing habits with a smart meter. Home owners talked about what worked, and what didn't!

If you missed the open day there will be more events in the summer as part of the newest project "Eco Houses Under Construction". This project is funded by Groundwork with a Growing Climate Friendly Communities grant. During the summer, there will be talks and demonstrations led by experts in aspects of building and refurbishing to create low energy houses.

Just email info@wbecohouses.co.uk to get your name on the list if you want to be invited to these events.

New directions for Ecohouse group

Tina Holt writes:

Dear Eco House Group,

Following on from the two PV events on the 15th and 23rd August, I’m making final arrangements for an evening event in September. You will be invited as soon as the date and venue have been confirmed!

I have in mind to run around 6 evening events, the one in September being the first in the series.

For each, the plan is to have a couple of experts to speak, then have some refreshments, then have time to mingle, have a chat with the speakers and the chance to ask them the more in depth questions that you may have.

Please have a look at the draft overview below for each event. I’d like to have some feedback, as follows:

Can you let me know which you would want to attend? (e.g. 1, 4 and 5, or “all of them” or “none”)
Any subjects not covered that you’d like to see included
Any suggestions
Any offers of help!

This first event should be absolutely free as I think I’ve secured a free venue plus refreshments, and free speakers.

The events proposed are as follows:

1. Prioritising your eco-refurbishment actions: Environmentally? Financially? Logically?

Including
□ The low-cost and no-cost options
□ How to make the most of your house based on its existing features and orientation, through the seasons.
□ How hotter summers and other climate related trends may affect your house in the future
□ How future energy costs may affect you

2. Insulation, insulation, insulation: roofs, walls and floors.

Including
□ Draught proofing
□ Attic, basement and garage conversions
□ Internal and external insulation
□ Cavity walls and loft insulation

3. Green extensions, conservatories and sun spaces

Including
□ Benefitting from solar gain
□ Too much sun and what to do about it
□ Windows and doors – solar gain and heat loss
□ Blinds, shutters and curtains
□ Environmentally friendly building materials and methods

4. Solar hot water, solar PV and wood-burning boilers and stoves

Including
□ Feed in Tariffs and Renewable Heat Incentives
□ Is my house suitable?
□ How green is it really?
□ Is this your best option (financially? environmentally?)
□ Can you have them for free?

5. Heat pumps and Ventilation systems

Including
□ Ground, air and water source heat pumps
□ Is my house suitable?
□ Passive and mechanical ventilations systems
□ Air quality, heat recovery and cooling

6. Build and refurbish to PassivHaus standard

Including
□ What does it mean?
□ What’s involved?
□ Can it really be done?