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).

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. 10 (Peveril Solar House)

The tenth home taking part in this year's spring time Open Homes event is on Peveril Drive in West Bridgford.

Peveril Solar House is a 2000's detached house. It is fairly standard in its original construction, but is far from ordinary in the renewable technologies employed. It is the UK's first entirely solar heated house, using a combination of power generation and underground thermal storage. 

Eco-features on display include:

• Ground source heat pump drawing energy from vertical borehole
• 6 sqm of innovative self-built sunboxes burying thermal energy 16 storeys underground
• PV panel array producing more electrical energy than the annual heating requirement
• Passive house style extension in SIPS panel construction
• New - innovative composting and vertical farming systems
• Solar dehydrator (will be on show before it gets moved to an organic farm)
• Electrical car charging point

The home owner has developed the sun boxes as a research, design and build project, and monitored their impact, and has lectured about it, home and abroad. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about what renewables can achieve.
Other features that may be of interest is the disability adaptation of the house - sliding doors, wheel chair accessible bathroom, disable designed kitchen, platform elevator. 

This home is open on Saturday 3rd May at 11am

To book your free place, click here.

(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/twb-open-homes-2015-peveril-solar-house-tickets-16303006732)

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. 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 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, 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 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 events across the East Midlands

This May (2014) there will be a huge range of low energy and sustainable homes opening across the UK for interested householders to visit for free. It's a great way to suss out ways to make your home more comfortable and reduce your energy bills.

Many of these events are supported with funding from the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and all the homes are listed on the Green Open Homes website.

Within the East Midlands, there will be our own "Transition West Bridgford" event organising open homes visits in Beeston, West Bridgford, East Leake and Market Bosworth (!). Every home is described in a series of posts below, and also here on the Green Open Homes website.

And we are not the only ones!
There's the "Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Open Homes Week" here -  (some of our Transition West Bridgford homes are listed here as well, being in the same geographical area).

Then there's the Nottingham Green Door tour here.

And Loughborough Energy Efficient Homes here.

Or if you are north of Nottingham, then maybe Green Homes Sheffield is closer to hand.

Open Homes May 2014 - This year's theme - seeing heat loss!

This year, we have 7 great open homes and a new display.

Details of the 7 homes are in the preceding posts (below). And they are pretty diverse, including two homes that will be "mid-refurb", some extreme refurbs, 2 new builds and a cavity wall insulated house that has cut its energy bills in half with very moderate energy and cost saving measures.

Our theme this year is "seeing heat loss" - because we have been out and about with a thermal imaging camera. We'll have displays up in each home showing good and bad examples of the places where our homes typically lose heat.

For most of the homes open this year it is necessary to book your place - details are in each post below. This keeps numbers manageable and gives you a better chance to see and hear everything!

We send out directions and other useful information (e.g. bus routes, parking etc) to those who book a place, and if for any reason a tour has to be cancelled or rearranged, we can notify you if we have your contact details.

Read on, book on, and I hope you find this year's Open Homes enjoyable and useful!

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 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.