Welcome
Around 50 SuperHome households will be hosting Open Days this September, including 8 opening for the first time. As the excitement builds we look foward to welcoming you on a tour. Please ‘like’ or ‘retweet’ the good news – Bookings are now Open!
SuperHome Open Days 2016 - big in the blogosphere
Gervase Magwana enjoying his transformed home
SuperHomers opening their doors this September are attracting plenty of attention in the blogosphere.
At 10:10 you can meet Gervase Mangwana, the DJ who quit his job to make his home into a climate change-busting paradise [1]. Visit on 10 Sep, Manchester [2].
On the Energy Saving Trust blog, Simon Burton explains how to renovate your flat and keep neighbours on side [3]. Visit on 17/18 Sep, King’s Cross [4].
For Luke Smith’s story of the renovation of an unloved home – SuperHomer style, see the Green Building Ezine [5]. Visit on 10 Sep, Milton Keynes [6].
Or, see YouGen for Zoe William’s Top Tips for cooking using a solar cooker [7]. It’s fun to experiment! Visit on 24 Sep, Faringdon [8].
With some 50 SuperHomes opening their doors to the public, sweet inspiration to green your home may be very nearby – see the SuperHomes Locator map to browse your options.
Visiting a SuperHome is a great way to introduce friends and colleagues to the possibilities for a greener future. Please help us spread the word by tweeting or liking the following links…
5 reasons to visit SuperHomes
10 reasons you feel better in a SuperHome
Bookings open for SuperHome Open Days
Could home refurb be the key to a comfortable retirement?
Gretchen – external wall insulation has greatly improved comfort levels
Keeping out the cold, or rather, keeping in the heat, has been at the forefront of Peter and Gretchen’s minds and has acted as a driving force behind their home refurbishment project.
Over the past 23 years, the south-east London couple have transformed their 1930s solid brick property into a warm, energy efficient SuperHome that will provide a comfortable sanctuary for their later years.
You can join a free tour of Peter and Gretchen’s house in Catford on 18 Sep 2016 as part of SuperHome Open Days.
See the YouGen blog for the full story.
Is a wood burning stove for me?
In this video Mark Brown of SuperHome59 talks us through the pros and cons of using a wood stove. This includes how he empties and lights the wood stove, with tips on getting the best results, safely and without mess.
Reports, tools and guidance
A Bristolian’s guide to solid wall insulation
This guide was assembled for a 2015 project encouraging the adoption of grants and uptake of solid wall insulation in Bristol. The guide, which you can digest on your mobile using the Issuu app covers a lot of useful ground including the when, where and how of solid wall insulation, planning a retrofit, getting permission and acting responsibly.
SuperHomes resources
We’re working on a new Product Reviews section due to go live later this year. In the first instance, this will provide in-depth user insights into around 40 different products that have been installed by SuperHomer owners as part of a successful whole house refurbishment. As the owners have lived with these products for some years, we’re excited to share their long-term benefits and anything the owners feel might be improved.
In the meantime, do take advantage of our SuperHomes case studies (you can search by technologies installed), video flythroughs, eco renovation FAQ articles and our
SuperHome Q&As where SuperHomes respond to your questions drilling down into what really worked or didn’t work so well during their home refurbishment.
On the YouGen Blog
Some interesting questions answered on the YouGen blog since our last news update:
[1] Should we bring back window shutters?
[2] How can I calculate the electricity baseload of my home?
[3] Is my garden windy enough for a wind turbine?
[4] How do you clean solar panels?
[5] Battery storage for solar PV: Which battery to choose?
The National Energy Foundation coordinates both YouGen and SuperHomes websites.
Training opportunities
There is a wide range of training available in retrofit, renewables, Passivhaus and energy assessment. For details of what’s available, see The Retrofit Academy, Parity Projects , AECB, LILI, The Green Register, SPAB, CAT, BRE, STBA and NES.
Events
[1] Community Energy Fortnight 2016
There are lots of events taking place during the fourth Community Energy Fortnight from 3 -18 Sep. You can party at a festival, see a hydro power system, attend electric vehicle and Earthship open days, join walks, networking and drinks events. Positive Vibrations, a 100% solar powered off-grid festival with a focus on energy and technology, runs from 9 – 11 Sep (pictured).
[2] Other Green Open Days in autumn 2016
SuperHomes is not alone in hosting Open Days this autumn. SuperHomers are opening as part of Heritage Open Days (8-11 Sep), Open House London (17 & 18 Sep) and as members of a number of local groups. As more events are confirmed we’ll list them here:
10-18 Sep West Dorset Open EcoHomes
11 Sep Leicester Open Green Homes and Lives
18-24 Sep Cambridge Open Eco Homes
24-25 Sep Worthing Eco Open Houses
10-16 Oct Totnes & District Open Eco Homes weekend
15/16 & 22/23 Oct Lewes Eco Open Houses
[3] Zero Carbon Buildings Today and in the Future 2016
Hosted by Birmingham University, 8 -9 Sep.
[4] Designing energy use and comfort into major home extensions
SuperHomes Patron John Doggart will be co-chairing a Highgate Society one-off event aimed at architects.
An appeal to past visitors - tell us what YOU installed
If you have made any energy saving improvements in your home since your visit to an open home event, this is your opportunity to share these with us! Green open home groups across the country have clubbed together to invite our visitors to complete an online survey. Our hope is that the results will give us more insights into our impact. This could help us attract a national sponsor to support future events. The survey will take under 5 minutes to complete but will give you a quick summary of responses to date on completion. All responses will remain anonymous. To get started and help us gather the data we need, simply follow the link.
A big thank you to Camille
Camille Van Rooyen, who has helped SuperHomes grow and blossom since 2008, is now moving on to pastures green in terms of her role at National Energy Foundation (NEF). Most SuperHomers know Camille as the person who organised the assessment of their home and helped smooth the path to them joining the network and opening their homes. Camille’s bubbly personality and super-efficient administrative skills make her the kind of team player you’d never want to lose, so we’re delighted that she is remaining at NEF and taking on greater responsibilities in a new role. Thanks Camille for all your hard work.
Suggestions Box
We hope you find these news updates helpful. Please email us any ideas for other things you’d like to see included. And do help us spread the good news – simply tweet or ‘Like’ this page…
John, Gordon, Camille, Gabby
& volunteers Kaoutar and Sam