As we strive for a more eco-friendly lifestyle, Jane McGowan finds out about the green home revolution.
Once seen as quirky and a little eccentric (think Tom and Barbara Good transforming their suburban Surbiton house into a self-sufficient oasis in the 70s sitcom The Good Life), embracing a greener existence has become the norm as people come to terms with the worrying state of our environment.
Before Covid-19 brought the world to a standstill in March 2020, movements such as Extinction Rebellion – not to mention the extraordinary impact of teenage environmental inspiration Greta Thunberg – had put the environment at the top of most government agendas.
This had also begun to filter down to local councils as they were urged to rethink planning policies and the carbon footprint of new developments. But there is one house design movement that has long been advocating a more ecological and bio-diverse style of build.
Known as Passivhaus, it is a concept that offers standards of energy efficiency, affordability and sustainability.
To achieve Passivhaus status, architects and developers must attain high standards in certain key green areas. For example, a Passivhaus build must deliver energy savings of up to 90% compared with a typical new build which is around 75%.
Pablo Lambrechts is the award-winning principal architect and founder of East Sheen-based L+Architects.
He is currently overseeing two Passivhaus developments in Fulham and Sheen.
We actually go beyond what is expected to deliver exceptional environmental benefits. We follow biophilic design practises, which aim not only to enhance the natural world but also the psychological wellbeing of the people living in the house.
First used by social psychologist Eric Fromm in the early 1960s, the theory of biophilia urges architects to physically connect a building’s residents with a more natural environment.
The concept uses such elements as natural light and ventilation, as well as incorporating features of the local landscape. “This type of scheme goes much further than just a ‘green roof’ or reducing the carbon footprint of a development,” says Pablo.
“We actively include swallow homes and bat boxes into our designs. We work out where best to put them and create safe spaces for nature to exist and thrive alongside the homeowner.“
South West London has many parks and green spaces and our work can complement and help the local area. By focusing on bio-diversity, we are allowing nature to return, while enabling residents to enjoy and participate in the natural environment.
”Over the past couple of years, increased environmental awareness has gained traction with both developers and local councils as they begin to embrace more sustainable housing policies. However, Pablo believes more could be done to help those looking to transform their current home into a cleaner, greener space.
"For new builds, councils are certainly more receptive to eco-friendly design and are getting stricter with sustainability measures. But when it comes to retro-fitting, extensions and conversions there is still no requirement to include environmentally friendly aspects, which I personally think needs to be addressed as soon as possible.”
To find out more, visit: lplusarchitects.com
Make your home more energy-efficient
While you may not be in a position to fully follow the concept of biophilia, there are nevertheless several simple steps you can take to ensure your home is more energy-efficient:
- Insulate your loft – Decent insulation could save you more than £200 in energy costs per year
- Upgrade your boiler – Accounting for almost 60% of your home’s emissions, a new boiler will drastically cut your carbon footprint and your energy bills some power showers use as much hot water in a few minutes as it takes to run a bath. Fit a water-saving showerhead to reduce heat waste and costs.
- Buy an eco – Kettle and immediately save up to 30% of energy usage on your cuppa.
- Solar panels – One of the original cash and money-saving measures are now a regular feature on many new and traditional houses. Experts claim that installing panels on your roof can generate between 40% and 80% of your energy.
Time for Timber
A great way of embracing a more eco-friendly build is to opt for timber frame construction.
Billingshurst-based Target Timber Systems is leading the way in Surrey and South West London when it comes to sustainable builds, using wood from European forests and participating in the ‘2-for-1 tree replanting’ scheme that ensures an area the size of Cyprus is replanted with trees each year.
According to Target Timber Systems, on average a home constructed using timber saves four tonnes of carbon dioxide from being pumped into the environment –the equivalent of someone driving 14,000 miles. Not only that but concrete uses five times (and steel uses six times) more energy to produce than timber.
To find out more, visit: targettimber.com
