In their 1970s home, Cleland and Sharada have made considerable effort to reduce fossil fuel energy use. They monitor and observe energy and water use and have found that they have saved carbon emissions as well as money on their bills. Improvements include reducing heat loss through adding a porch as a buffer zone against cold air coming in and adding bubble wrap (acting as secondary glazing) to windows. They have also undertaken basic draught proofing – a simple and effective way of making savings on heating, but one which is often overlooked.
Cleland and Sharada have a solar energy company ‘Ecohisolar’ (www.ecohisolar.co.uk). In January 2007 they installed a solar thermal system to provide hot water, reducing their gas use by about 25%. They also produce their own bio diesel for their car and have installed a 2000L rainwater harvesting system to collect rainwater.
Features
+ insulation
+ solar thermal
+ rainwater harvesting
+ energy efficiency measures
+ biodiesel
+ water conservation
Further information
The renewables installers, Sharada and Clelands’s own company: Ecohisolar
Case study: background, features and suppliers