Climate
As with many people, I am increasingly conscious of the impact that we all have on this small planet and want to do my best, both personally and professionally to help the transition to Net Zero. I appreciate that it might be a bit of 'buzz' word at the moment, but reducing waste and making better use of energy has always been an important part of my life. More than 20 years ago I was writing my Degree Dissertation about how Ground Source Heat Pumps work and looking at why they didn't seem to be taking off in the UK.
If we work together we can go as far as you wish in considering climate concerns in every aspect of your build.
Materials
Whilst there will always be an impact when we build things, it is possible to reduce this by using different materials. It's certainly a complicated subject to say the least, however choosing more natural materials can help.
There are a raft of natural insulation materials for example, ranging from cork, hemp and straw through to upcycled polyurethane that would otherwise end up in landfill.
These materials are typically more expensive than the well known alternatives, although there are an increasing number of places where you can buy these materials.
As with all decisions in a renovation, an extension or building a new home, the sooner we can discuss these in the process the better.
Technology
The use of ever improving technology can make a good house great!
Good ventilation
Improvements with internal air quality can reduce the risks of mould and also help to replace stale air with fresh. A whole house ventilation system will tackle these issues with relative ease, although once again, it can't be fitted as an afterthought. They are commonly referred to as an 'MVHR' system, which stands for 'Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery', so not only does it change the air, but it works hard to rescue the heat from the stale air too.
Nice and cosy
Heat pumps have come a long way since I studied them 20+ years ago for my Degree Dissertation and as with most new things on the open market there is hesitancy at first, followed by a realisation that these alien objects might be just the ticket to wean us off of fossil fuels. They are still a large capital outlay, but as always, it's important to compare apples with apples, so a high specification heat pump cannot be compared with the cheapest gas boiler one can find.
There are also comparison studies already showing cost savings when using an Air Source Heat Pump (abbreviated to ASHP) vs a gas boiler.
You are my sunshine!
Solar panels have been around for a good while now and in that time they have improved in terms of efficiency, lifespan and also reduced dramatically in cost too.
There are studies with properties in the UK to show that a solar installation could have paid back the capital outlay costs within 7 years or less, so if you're looking at extending your home or building a new one, the chances are it would be a sound investment.
Couple this with a home battery and whilst the payback on the battery might be a longer journey, it will mean that you are able to capture more of the electricity generated by the solar panels if you're not home in the daytime.
Design
As with many things in life, technology can be brilliant, but it can't fix everything. This can be where good design comes into play. This could be over-specifying thermal insulation to go beyond the minimum standards or working hard to get the detailing right at junctions of different materials. Go one step further when building a new house and it leads you into what's known as 'Passive House', which is to create a home which needs no additional form of heating beyond the heat created by the occupants, household appliances and the sunlight through the windows.
There is also a version for renovating existing houses too, known as EnerPHit, which is to undertake such a radical 'retrofit' to resolve earlier design issues and poor detailing to significantly reduce the energy required for the property with improved fittings and insulation.
This is once more, something that you can take as far as you wish, so let me know where you sit on the scale and we can take it from there.
The Company
To try and reduce the impact of our company we use The Co-Operative Bank to ensure that the financial elements adhere to a strict set of ethical principles.
The power for the office (which is home based), comes largely from our own solar array, which is a good deal larger than most residential systems and any remaining power needed comes from Ecotricity in the darker months, although we are still a net exporter of electricity over a 12 month period. This also includes powering our electric car that might pay you a visit, but don't worry, even that's not new as it had already covered 100k miles before we bought it!
Looking further afield, the company has made monthly donations to WaterAid and Friends of the Earth since day one and we also donate personally to these causes on a monthly basis too. I am also trained to give voluntary talks to local groups and schools on behalf of WaterAid to tell them of the hugely important work being done Worldwide.
I have also been involved with the local Green Party and stood as a Candidate to become a Green Councillor for the Forest of Dean in 2023. Sadly I was unsuccessful in gaining a seat this time, although I met some lovely people and learnt a lot in a short space of time.