Personal story:

Both Melissa and myself are pharmacists working locally. I grew up in the town and we bought this property in 2003 as our first home together. I am a keen DIYer and the improvements made have been as a gradual piece by piece process rather than a fully blown eco-refurb. We started with small improvements such as changing to low energy lighting and then progressed to topping up the loft insulation and having the wall cavities filled.

Motivations:

Our motivation has changed over time as the project has developer. Initially working to be free of fossil fuels and very environmentally driven, as well as providing challenging DIY projects. This has then been added to by a desire to use as little bought in fuel as possible.

Key changes made:

• Double glazing throughout
• Cavity wall insulation- 75mm blown glass wool
• Internal wall insulation in progress
• 400mm loft insulation
• Floor insulation
• Radiators fitted with TRVs
• 4.5kw log burning stove
• Gas fire to open chimney changed to log burning stove, air brick removed as not needed with new stove
• Solar with original 1995 gas boiler used as backup in summer (i.e. when not using pellet boiler) guesstimate used for 1hr 20-30 days per year
• 50 evacuated tubes (navitron) wsw orientation, 172l cylinder 75mm pu insulation
• 2.1kw photovoltaic system
• 15kw pellet boiler, 300l accumulator with 100mm pu insulation, all primary pipework and exposed secondary pipes insulated
• Low enegry lighting throughout
• Low energy appliances
• Water saving devices include; electric power shower removed, 6lpm restrictor to showers, 2lpm restrictors to taps in both bathrooms and toilet, 8lpm restrictor to utility tap.  Rainwater harvesting supplying toilets, washing machine and 1 outside tap.

Measures installed in detail:

• Double glazing throughout
• Cavity wall insulation- 75mm blown glass wool
• Internal wall insulation in progress
• 400mm loft insulation
• All radiators fitted with Thermostatic valves
• 4.5kw log burning stove
• Solar hot water (50 evacuated tubes)
• 2.1kw photovoltaic system
• 15kw pellet boiler
• Low energy lighting throughout
• Low energy appliances
• Water saving devices include; electric power shower removed, 6lpm restrictor to showers, 2lpm restrictors to taps in both bathrooms and toilet, 8lpm restrictor to utility tap.  Rainwater harvesting supplying toilets, washing machine and 1 outside tap.

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