19 Hope Street, Beeston, NG9 1DJ.
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Our very well insulated timber frame 4-bedroom eco-house was purpose-built in 2008-2009 to meet level 5 of the code for Sustainable Homes. It is heated exclusively by a ground-source heat pump via underfloor heating. We have a large solar PV array and solar thermal panel for hot water.
See below for more information, with the least expensive first and the number of £s giving a rough indication of cost. [Information provided March 2026.] |
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1. LOW ENERGY LIGHTING £
We have low energy lighting throughout the house.
We have low energy lighting throughout the house.
2. PASSIVE STACK INSULATION £
We chose not to have mechanical ventilation, and instead the architect went with a passive stack ventilation design, with a remotely-controlled roof light over the stair well, which allows fresh air to be drawn through the house on warm days.
We chose not to have mechanical ventilation, and instead the architect went with a passive stack ventilation design, with a remotely-controlled roof light over the stair well, which allows fresh air to be drawn through the house on warm days.
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3. SOLAR THERMAL PANEL ££
Solar thermal provides most of our hot water over summer months, with an electric immersion heater to provide the rest. |
The solar thermal panels.
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4. LOW FLOW WATER FITTINGS ££
The bathrooms fittings and toilets are all low-flow / low water usage, which saves water.
The bathrooms fittings and toilets are all low-flow / low water usage, which saves water.
5. SEDUM ROOF ££
A sedum roof over the single-story kitchen helps to insulate the kitchen and capture water.
A sedum roof over the single-story kitchen helps to insulate the kitchen and capture water.
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6. SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE ££
The house is surrounded by several sustainable urban drainage solutions (gravel over a honeycomb grid at the front of the property, including the car standings) and SUDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) block paving for the rear patio. Combined with the rainwater harvesting, this means there is no surface rainwater run-off from the property. |
SUDS block paving on the rear patio.
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7. UNDERFLOOR HEATING £££
The ground-source heat pump supplies the wet underfloor heating system throughout the house.
The ground-source heat pump supplies the wet underfloor heating system throughout the house.
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8. LARGE SOLAR PV ARRAY £££
We have a large solar photovoltaic (PV) array that provides much of our electricity usage during the day (including charging our electric car), and we export the excess to the grid. |
The large solar PV array.
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9. RAINWATER HARVESTING £££
All roof rainwater run-off goes into a 3000-litre rainwater tank (after filtering) and is used to flush all toilets, for the washing machine and for the garden tap. If this gets very low in dry summer months, an automated mains top up will put in just enough water to keep toilets flushing and the washing machine running!
All roof rainwater run-off goes into a 3000-litre rainwater tank (after filtering) and is used to flush all toilets, for the washing machine and for the garden tap. If this gets very low in dry summer months, an automated mains top up will put in just enough water to keep toilets flushing and the washing machine running!
10. WALL & ROOF INSULATION ££££
The house is timber frame with around 30-35cm glass wool insulation in the wall and roof spaces, surrounded by an airtight membrane. The brick fronting to the house is aesthetic rather than structural.
The house is timber frame with around 30-35cm glass wool insulation in the wall and roof spaces, surrounded by an airtight membrane. The brick fronting to the house is aesthetic rather than structural.
11. GROUND-SOURCE HEAT PUMP ££££
We have a ground-source heat pump, which has loops that run down into, and back up from, two boreholes (one 60 metres, one 40 metres) under the rear patio.
We have a ground-source heat pump, which has loops that run down into, and back up from, two boreholes (one 60 metres, one 40 metres) under the rear patio.
BENEFITS
- The house has performed consistently well over the 17 years since we moved in.
- The solar photovoltaic (PV) array provides much of our electricity usage during the day (including charging our electric car), and we export the excess to the grid.
- The sedum roof over the single-story kitchen helps to insulate the kitchen as well as capturing water.
LESSONS LEARNED
The passive stack insulation works very well to keep us cool when the weather is hot.
The passive stack insulation works very well to keep us cool when the weather is hot.
Disclaimer: Please note that EcoTrail-NG9 aims to provide information as accurately as possible but the information on this page has been provided by the property owner.
