Ecohouse

Expert in energy efficient homes, Robin van der Bij, who runs St Agnes-based Ecohouse, has praised government moves to improve the energy efficiency of all new homes and commercial buildings by 25% from 2010.

Ecohouse designs homes which need minimal space heating, easily met with a small wood burner.

Robin says the government’s new proposal is a bold step in the right direction, but that eliminating the need for heating should be the ultimate goal for self-builders.

Robin said: “If you are building a dream home for yourself and your family you are looking to spend a good number of years in that house.

“It is imperative therefore that you invest enough time and money at the design stage to ensure your home is a energy efficient as possible, by installing high levels of insulation, ensuring the airtightness of the building and insisting on high quality detailing, to reduce the need for space heating and ultimately to remove the need for heating at all.”

“Energy costs are highly likely to rise over the long term so removing this unknown will help long term family budgeting.”

Housing minister John Healey has proposed changes to Part L of Building Regulations which will introduce a 25% improvement on current standards of energy efficiency of both homes and commercial buildings from October 2010.

The 25% improvement in domestic performance forms part of the Code for Sustainable Homes and aims to go some way to achieving the proposed 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.

However, these positive proposals come shortly after moves to improve existing housing stock were pulled. Previous proposals would have insisted home owners address the energy efficiency of their existing home before embarking on any new extension works.

Robin said: “The efficiency of existing housing stock is still a big problem and something that urgently needs addressing with government incentives and tax breaks.
“However, there is nothing to stop homeowners addressing this problem themselves. It will save them money in energy costs and may add value to their property as more and more people will be looking to buy energy efficiency homes as energy prices increase.”

Ecohouse offers a free initial consultation on site to discuss a potential project and how they may be able to help.

The company can produce planning permission documents for submission, obtain building regulations approval, as well as providing a full build service.

Five homes projects – a mixture of new homes and extensions - designed by Ecohouse have been completed in Cornwall in the past three years, three are under construction and work is to start on three more in the coming months.

For more information please contact Ecohouse on 01872 554014 or visit the website at www.theecohouse.co.uk