Personal story:

I retired to Devon in 2005 with a plan to build or rebuild a house to achieve excellent energy saving and to require low maintenance. Having an engineering background I project managed the re-construction with an eye for detail.

Motivations:

Recognizing that energy is likely to be in short supply and increasingly expensive, I wanted to achieve a high level of energy efficiency. Also the low maintenance design better suits my life in retirement.

Property background:

The house was built in 1989 of a conventional cavity wall and tiled roof construction. The design did not make best use of the internal space. There was only limited insulation in the loft and none elsewhere. The uPVC windows and doors were approaching the end of their useful life, as was the gas boiler.

It was decided to retain only those outside walls that would form part of the new design and to replace all fixtures and fittings. The floor screed was dug-up and the roof removed. From that point on the project effectively became a ‘new build’.

Key changes made:

The house was extended but only to allow optimum use of the internal space.

Now insulated throughout to regulation standard

Underfloor heating – large bore pipework/low temperature – compatible with solar thermal and the thermal store

Solar thermal is estimated to have reduced gas usage by 22%

Solar PV has approximately halved our purchase of electricity. Solar PV typically generates 73% as compared with the amount of electricity purchased.

Full details of measures installed:

Insulation: Warm roof – 60mm Celotex over rafters & 100mm Rockwool between rafters

Walls: new walls – 50mm Celotex in cavity, original walls – cavity insulation

Underfloor: ground floor – 50mm Celotex, first floor – shredded Celotex below UFH in bathrooms

Solar thermal: 6sqm tubes feeding 800lts thermal store, Consolar system

Underfloor heating: Large bore pipework supplied @ 35degC. Zonal control by computer

Solar PV:  21sqm array

Windows/Doors: Wood frames, aluminium clad, double glazed

High efficiency gas boilers: System boiler in house & Combi boiler in studio building

Low energy appliances and lighting

Measures installed in detail:

• New double glazed, wood frames, aluminium clad
• New brick walls: 50mm Celotex. Original walls: Cavity insulation . Annex walls 100mm Celotex between studs.
• Warm roof, 60mm Celotex over rafters & 100mm Rockwool between rafters
• Ground floor: 50mm Celotex below UFH. First floor: Shredded Celotex below UFH in bathrooms
• Thermal Solar/gas boiler back-up, via thermal store
• Photvotaic panels, 21sqm
• Low energy lighting throughout
• low energy appliances throughout
• Water saving devices include; pressure regulated, hot water supplied through small bore pipework. Garden mainly supplied from water butts.

Benefits of work carried out:

Underfloor heating and quality windows & doors provide an excellent living environment and at relatively low cost and low carbon.

What Worked:

The combination of good insulation, solar energy and efficient use of energy has worked well, matching expectations.

Favourite feature:

Underfloor heating.

Contact this homeowner