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 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.

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/.

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.

SuperHomes Week set to inspire your eco makeover

Pioneering owners of some of the UK 's most energy efficient SuperHomes will be hosting free Open Days between Sat 17th - Sun 25th March. SuperHomes are older homes that have been refurbished for greater comfort, lower bills and reduced emissions (at least 60% less). Joining a tour will give you actionable ideas for greening your own home.

Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and post-war houses are amongst the 65 renovated homes open to the public. Most have superior insulation; many have alternative heating sources and some produce their own energy. To find out more or to pre-book a place on a tour, visitwww.superhomes.org.uk

Several Nottingham SuperHomes will be holding Open Days during SuperHomes Week:

Tue 20 Mar 10am – 4pm

http://www.superhomes.org.uk/events/nottingham-johns-road/

Sat 24 Mar 10am – 5pm

http://www.superhomes.org.uk/superhomes/aspiring-superhome-nottingham-harrow-road/