Opening doors to low energy refurbishment
SuperHome Database
Chalfont St Giles, Palliser Road
House Summary
Owner(s):
Charles and Judy AingerHouse Type:
1960s detached bungalow, extended in 1980sCarbon saving:
84%Reported saving on bills:
29%, but 46% including FiT and RHI subsisdies, at 2013 prices
Measures installed:
- Extra 200mm thick loft insulation (total 400mm).
- Hemp insulation of sloping roof and dormer windows .
- External insulation to 30m2 of single brick wall.
- Fully draught proofed – leaks sealed; air-tightness test 8.6.
- Solar thermal - 2 x 6 evacuated tube units, generates 1200 kwh/yr hot water output. Does all hot water over 5 summer months. 6 evacuated tube units, generates 1240 kwh/yr hot water output Solar panels.
- Solar PV on South facing roof; 2.4 kWh peak; generates 2200kwh/yr.
- Automatic feed, Wood pellet boiler, 10-15 kW output. 3T storage hopper.
- Rainwater Harvesting; 110m2 roof fills 3,300 m3 storage tank; feeds 1 WC, wash m/c, 2 garden taps.
- Whole house MVHR, uses 880 kwh/yr electricity.
- All bulbs low energy, also 50% low energy fittings. Upgrades (following renovation)
- External post box added and letter box flap sealed
- New front door with 'U' rating 2.0w/2k
- Case Study - Rainwater Harvesting
- Case Study - Wood Pellet Boiler
Upcoming events
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What visitors are saying
"So impressed at the way you had thought through the whole workings of your house and then come up with viable low impact solutions.""Really interested in heat loss and draft surveys. Impressed by the attention to detail and the honesty in presentation (what we did well/badly)."
"Very useful visit. I hope planning/building control will allow me a PV system on my south facing roof."
"Very informative - the improvements are very impressive and I'm sure they'll inspire others."
"Encouragement to do some further energy efficient actions and relook at some basic items. Front and back doors, draught proofing and lighting."
"Very well organised and presented. Good to see theory put into practice!"
"Really practical advice which allows one to take a plan forwards and prioritise what to do."
"A thoroughly interesting insight into the various possibilities for making a home greener and more energy efficient. Never cease to be amazed at how much the Aingers have achieved..."
"A fascinating, informative visit. I have learnt a lot about various technologies. Really inspiring to see so many examples of eco living, in practice!"
"Charles and Judy were very knowledgeable and happy to explain what they had done why and what they would do differently with hindsight. A very useful visit."
"The organisers were extremely professional and had plenty of knowledge, and were very inspiring. Very interesting to see what to look for and what to plan for."
"I found the experiences and demonstration of the actions they had taken both positive and negative very helpful and relevant. Inspirational. Got a good idea of what's worth doing and what's not."
Personal story:
Charles is a retired water enginer, ex Director of Sustainable Development with a consulting engineering firm. Judy is a retired social worker. After having installed solar PV in 2003, and solar thermal in 2005, we wanted to add a ‘sun room’ extension, and do other eco-retrofit improvements in 2008.
Motivations:
Motivation was originally strongly ecological, to save carbon emissions. Now that we have the house in use, comfort is better, and saving over 40% of energy and water costs is valuable for us as pensioners.
Property background:
Detached bungalow, built 1950s, extended 1980s. The Superhomes entry describes eco-retrofit, summer 2008 [but solar PV and solar thermal were installed in 2003 and 2005 respectively]. Heated living space is 126m2 + 20m2 unheated ‘sun room’. Household is 2 retired people (occasionally 3).
Starting point for the changes was: Old gas (65% efficient) non-condensing boiler for heating (radiators) & hot water. ‘Low hanging fruit’ had already been done – cavity wall insulation, double glazing, reasonable loft insulation, foil behind + control valves on radiators.
Key changes made:
Extra roof and loft Insulation, draught-sealing and a MVHR system, and low energy light bulbs throughout, reduced energy use by about 15%.
MVHR uses electricty for fan, but makes the house very comfortable to live in, with no moisture or condensation problems.
Renewables – biomass boiler, solar PV and solar thermal – systems generated approx 16,700 kWh in 2012.
Wood pellet boiler runs usually for 7 winter months; solar thermal does all hot water during 5 summer mnths; they work well togther.
Benefits of work carried out:
Savings of 84% in carbon emissions and 46% in energy and water costs.
Great eveness of temperature between rooms, and absolutely no moisture and condensation problems in spite of no draughts.
Sun room, unheated, is so well insulated (big window is triple glazed) that it is useable all year; great for being a greenhouse too for our plants.
Reasuring to know that ~85% of our energy is not subject to fossil fuel price increases.
Favourite feature:
Being able to grow a lime tree in the sun room, with harvest of very tasty fresh limes; and the high comfort level in all rooms.
Project update:
Rain water submersible pump installed 2008 was not very efficient; replaced with low energy membrane pump in 2011.
Solar PV was 9 years old in 2012; needed attention to one inverter.
Wood pellet boiler was 4 years old in 2012, needed DIY-fitted new ignition unit.