Categories
Solar panels, batteries, and solar water heating
Insulation, draught-proofing, and DIY solutions
Home heating including heat pumps and other low carbon home heating
Food growing, composting, food preserving, and supermarket alternatives
Recycled, upcycled, eco-friendly materials, and plastic-free
Sustainable travel, cargo bikes, electric cars, and car-free
Rainwater harvesting and water saving
Wildlife, eco-friendly gardening, re-wilding
Banister Park
1930s semi-detached house partly triple-glazed, solar PV with battery plus air source heat pump. Uses heat pump electricity tariff in conjunction with battery to take advantage of off-peak rate; e-car plus charger. Low-plastic packaging household.
Bassett
1960s detached house with PV panels, battery and EV charger. Front and rear gardens designed for water resilience. Front – no paving – shingle and beds to allow rainwater to soak in; less run off to mains. Rear – small veggie patch, compost bins, rainwater collection for garden use (or to flush toilets when Southern Water has a problem). Resilient garden (no annuals, only hardy and drought tolerant plants grown).
Bitterne Park A
1960s house with solar PV, air source heat pump, green roof (modular self install). Front lawn returning to meadow, partial rewilding, retention and use of organic material – wood logs, tree stumps, tree clippings as mulch. No dig stumpery (work in progress using cardboard as weed suppression.) Many water butts – almost all rainwater goes to waterbutts or ground rather than main drain. EV and charger, bike/e-bike.
Bitterne Park B
1920s semi-detached house with air to air heat pump installed with two blowers which cool and heat. Gazebo built to carry solar panels (panels and battery should be installed by September.) Crushed whelk shells used as a sustainable replacement for gravel on path. New downpipe installed to service four water butts. Wildlife pond in progress.
Bitterne Park C
1920s detached house with re-insulated loft, heat pump, composting, plastic reduction, EV+charger, long tail cargo bikes (one with electric assist), and wildlife friendly garden.
Freemantle
1950’s detached house. PV solar panels, insulated walls and roof, EV car charger, waterbutts, Air Source Heat pump, reused roof tiles when roof replaced, recycle when possible, use recycled paper etc. vegetable box scheme. Double glazed, requires positive input ventilation (PIV) to ameliorate lack of drafts. Bucket used to flush toilet after shower. Attempt at growing fruit and veg. Cycles with secure storage.
Access to house 2 steps at front door, small step to side door and garden with small step into house.
Highfield A
1970s terraced house with solar hot water, solar PV, heat pump, low energy. Low water bills due to using shower water to flush, waterbutts for garden and flushing. Lots of eco-friendly lifestyle tips. Easy-to-grow foods, compost, mini-ponds, wild meadow areas, wood piles etc. Car-free household.
Highfield B
Detached, chalet-style house built ca 1937, extended in 1984 and 2009, ‘A’ rated EPC and a Superhome. Solar PV panels, battery storage, solar thermal water heating, modern condensing gas boiler with Nest thermostats, well- and rainwater reuse (toilet flushing and washing machines), sun-tunnel interior lighting and passive stack ventilation in bathrooms and kitchen.
Highfield C
A 3 storey Edwardian house which was showhome in 1907 which has had extensive home energy efficiency improvements made since taken over by the current owner in 2013. It now has insulation (loft, underfloor, windows), a ground source heat pump for heating and hot water with integrated solid fuel boiler (smoke exempt), PV panels on the roof, waste water heat recovery, an EV charger with bi-directional charging storage. There is a detailed analysis on the Costs and savings available too.
Shirley A
Edwardian semi with double glazing including laminated wood to look like old sash windows and triple-glazed replacement period door. Underfloor, wall, loft insulation. Air source heat pump fitted after long journey through planning application. Solar PV (2012) being replaced as units now 440W & battery added. Raised beds on front sunny side of house – 5m by 5m micro- allotment with veg, fruit trees in rear garden. Wildlife pond. Bicycle retrofitted with battery assist. Older, very economical e-car & charge point. Kefir and sourdough enthusiast for low packaging & health (& cost).
Shirley B
1907 semi with heat pump, solar panels and battery. The garden has water butts, bins for veg waste and cycle storage.
Swaythling
1960s bungalow with 6KW air source heat pump, solar panels, solar water immersion diverter, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing, use of eco-friendly materials. Largely ornamental garden but with raised beds for veg and wildlife areas including log piles, pond etc. Rat-proof composter. Low utility bills.
Woolston
Many changes made to live simply, cheaply and reduce carbon footprint.