Posted on 30th June 2014 by Hintons
The rising cost of energy bills and increasing environmental concerns have resulted in the need for a more sustainable way of living throughout the globe. Here in the UK we have been making great efforts to meet targets set by the EU and one area of interest to everyone will be the way in which future homes are built.
Any property now in development usually comes with some added sustainable element such as better windows or greater insulation, but these steps are only the first wave. As some of the houses in this article show, there is a great deal more which can be done to get sustainable living to reach a point where we need very little energy for heating and electricity.
Marsh House, Nottingham
As something of an experiment for the area, architect Julian Marsh and his wife created the Marsh House on a small plot of industrial land and have turned it into a stunning eco-home. Close to the river Trent, the house features hemp insulation, sustainable timber and clay plastering, while the layout of the building itself traps heat from the sun in its outer layers.
The nature of the materials in the house negate the need for heavy lighting as it’s mostly white flooring and see-through walls, but the greatest feat of this home is the compostable toilet. It might seem a backwards step but it allows for the sustainable growth of fruit and vegetables in the garden with huge reserves of compost.
The Pavilion, London
Nestled neatly into the garden pavilion of a listed building in South East London the Pavilion building was built by Sam Cooper who had it created as an environmental home for his parents. The home features German thermal principles to create the best temperature performance possible, with heat sourced from the ground and a green roof to capture and repurpose rainwater.
It is a modern detached house which doesn’t suffer in terms of design because of its dedication to being eco-friendly – although to achieve such a beautiful home it did cost around £980,000.
Underhill House, Gloucestershire
Featuring the same PassivHaus German engineering as the Pavilion, Underhill House was featured on the popular television show Grand Designs. Helen Seymour-Smith is the architect behind this exemplary property, it was a difficult build though as it had to retain and incorporate a 300-year-old barn. For this reason the house itself was placed into the ground, tucking itself behind the barn and the hills. With a huge triple glazed frontage the house gets heat from both the sun and the ground with which it is dug into, doing away with the need for central heating.
This home is spread across a single level with all the internal workings exposed, including wiring courses and ventilation, making this sustainable living project look as modern and chic as some of the grandest designs you might find in the inner city.
A key aspect of sustainable living is the responsibility which we take for our waste. All of these homes feature ways to reduce bills but the way in which we dispose of our waste is vital if we are to make a dent in emissions and reduce landfill usage.
Here at Hinton’s Waste we provide a range of environmentally friendly services including our skip hire and recycling service which helps us to recycle at least 90% of the waste we deal with. Regardless of your recycling needs we can provide a service to suit you, simply contact us either online or by calling 020 3124 1971 today for more details and to learn how you can help create a more sustainable future for your home or business.