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1/ Exterior Introduction As Gil and Penney have been generally working from the inside out, the exterior remains the most incomplete part of the house and so there is not a great deal to see, save for a few key features and a lot of building materials. The facade is south facing and so benefits the most from sunshine all year round. It is a common and well understood design principle to orientate a building according to the sun's path, as the original architects did here - large bay windows in the south, smaller ones elsewhere. With a low energy house it is important to maximise the use of the warmth of the sun so that it can help heat the house in the colder months. This principle is known as passive solar design. To maximise the retention of this heat it is necessary to 'trap' it by means of high levels of insulation and by minimising the amount of warm air that is lost to the outside. This principle, taken to its extreme, is known as superinsulation. When the sun's energy is used to make electricity or heat water this is known as active solar design. When a building's fabric is able to store heat when it is warm and then release it a few hours later when it becomes colder, this is known as thermal mass. It is these four basic principles which have been carefully combined in the retro fit of this house to drastically reduce the energy consumption, and hence the CO2 emissions. While the existing south facade is ideal for taking advantage of the sun, the building's main drawback is that it has a north facing garden which receives virtually no sun in winter. This is where design compromises come into play, and what makes working with an existing building so challenging. In Progress The roof, although leaking slightly in two places was not in a terrible condition when Gil and Penney moved in. It may have had another ten years of life left. Nevertheless, it was decided to overhaul and renew it for a number of reasons. Firstly, to avoid the hassle factor of having to renew it anyway in the medium term. The major reason for this major task was the lack of roofing felt under the tiling battens. Normally, this would not be a pressing issue, as the building had functioned adequately without one for 100 years. However, with the high level of insulation Penney & Gil were looking to add underneath, some at very close proximity to the tiles, there was a worry about it getting wet. The third reason was that a thick external insulation system was planned on the walls, and there was an opportunity to extend the roof at the eaves and gables to join the roof with the wall covering more seamlessly. The roof was entirely stripped of its slates and battens, a breather membrane was laid down and new battens laid. The old slates were reused where possible and supplemented by reclaimed slates - which can be seen on the front face of the roof. As part of the new hot water system (see later boards) a flat-plate solar water heater was fixed to the front face of the roof. It measures 1m x 4m and provides about 50% of the annual hot water need of the house. The rainwater goods have been replaced. The original cast iron gutters and downpipes were damaged and leaky in places and - because of their age - rusty. Copper was chosen for the new gutters and downpipes, which form an integral part of the rainwater harvesting strategy. Although more expensive than some other options, copper does not rust and turn the water orange and has a mild disinfecting affect on the water - particularly relevant for storage of untreated rainwater. Gil & Penney also fell in love with its appearance, both before and after it forms the patina layer - a pale green called verdi gris. At the foot of the two downpipes rainwater filters by WISY can be seen. These rely on the fact that water spirals down the inside edge of the downpipe. A mesh filters dirt and leaves and the water is diverted into the cellar for storage. Externally, the rainwater is supplied to the garden tap on the side of the house. Another item noticable on the outside is the damaged brickwork at low level. The previous owner had tried to mask the damage by applying some render and synthetic exterior paint. The problem was made worse by stopping it at head height. Because the materials were not 'breathable', rain had driven into the brickwork just above the render, soaking downwards into the wall and becoming trapped, causing internal damp problems. The problem was only discovered on plastering the Family Room, when a damp patch appeared and has remained to this day. Despite the removal of the render, heavily soaked bricks take a long time to dry. Other features visible externally are the two new sets of French windows, connecting the Kitchen and Family Room with the garden (see later boards). The kitchen set opens out onto temporary steps, made of spare timber from site. A new MDPE plastic water mains supply has been installed because the old one was made of lead which is toxic. The mains connection is free through the water board as long as the owners dig the trench on their land. Evidence of this work can be seen on the ground around the site entrance. Future These steps will be replaced with timber decking made from British green Oak. An additional area of decking will be made outside the Family Room, extending the room outwards in summer and easing the transition from inside to outside. The garden, although small, will be made as productive as possible with food plants all year round. This small scale landscape management will be entirely organic and based on permaculture principles, with composting bins, wormery and natural pest control. A small greenhouse is planned as well as a bike shed. The hard landscaping will use tiles reclaimed from the house as well as additional natural materials. External insulation is the biggest single outstanding item on the house and is due to be installed over the coming months. As the walls are of 9" (215mm) solid brick there was no possibility of installing cavity insulation. Except for the front face of the house, the entire exterior will be clad with a layer of rigid insulation boards, fixed to the walls mechanically with pins. This will then be reinforced with mesh and rendered for weather protection and appearance. This practice is far more widespread on the continent but is available in the UK through a network of specialist installers. While 50 - 80mm is the usual range of thicknesses of insulation specified, this house will receive about 150mm (6") for maximum energy efficiency. The front face of the house will be insulated internally (see later boards), so the brickwork here will undergo repairs including replacing damaged bricks and re-pointing with lime mortar. Footnotes: Breather membrane is an alternative to sarking felt which helps the roof void to breath by being impervious to water but allowing water vapour to migrate from the inside out. Used correctly, it also avoids the need for purpose-made roof ventilators. The membrane used here is made by Proctor (tel. 01250 872261), and commonly available. Reclaimed slates avoid the use of new materials and keep an old material in circulation. Available from all good architectural reclaimers. Flat-plate solar water heater see Top Landing for further details Rainwater harvesting strategy - to collect rainwater from the roof, store it and reuse it for flushing WCs, washing machine and external tap - for water conservation. See later boards for details. 'Breathable' refers to the quality of a building material to allow two way migration of water vapour and air. This can prevent build up of unacceptable levels of moisture within the fabric and can also moderate the internal conditions by a continual dialogue of absorbing then releasing moisture. Natural materials generally tend to be breathable, as do traditional construction methods. Rainwater filters by WISY, available from Green Shop (tel 01452 770629) and Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211) Timber decking made from British green Oak. Oak is naturally a highly durable timber and needs no toxic pressure treatment (see later boards). Specifying British reduces the energy used in transporting the material. Green Oak means it has not been kiln dried. This has energy saving implications and can be used in areas where high levels of precision are not required Permaculture. The word is derived from permanent agriculture and is a comprehensive age-old discipline which involves the use of the forces of nature to allow the land to provide food in the long term without the use of artificial chemicals. Long term planning, compost and crop rotation stop the soil from being depleted. External Insulation. The manufacturer and exact specification have not been fully agreed. If you require further information about the systems available, please ask Gil or Penney. The target U value for the walls is under 0.25 W/m2/K

2/ Creative Room Past On moving in, Gil & Penney were faced with an unattractive brown and grey 1940s fireplace, some damp problems around the bay, and recently installed uPVC windows with shabbily reconstructed reveals. An ancient, dust-filled fitted carpet covered the floorboards. In Progress Work started in this room by ripping out the old fireplace, to reveal an attractive arched opening and a badly damaged original Victorian tile surround. The reveals were patched using lime plaster. Several layers of wallpaper were stripped off to reveal an eccentric pencil drawing of a pipe-smoking monster, reminiscent of drawings by Lewis Carol. It also showed the plaster base to be sound, except where the damp was penetrating. This damp was found to have been caused by a cracked gutter outside, which had been dripping onto the brickwork and soaking through the 9" solid wall. The affected plaster was removed, along with the window reveals, also affected by the damp. The next stage was to install dry-lining. In a building with no cavity walls there are two possible ways to insulate the external walls - inside or outside. Gil & Penney decided that for the front elevation of the house internal insulation would be easier to detail while allowing the external brick appearance to remain, in keeping with the street. The material chosen was Knauf dry-lining board which although synthetic has a much higher performance. Two layers of 52.5mm boards (one layer around the reveals) were securely fixed to the wall with dabs of resin and mechanical fixings to achieve insulation levels equivalent to 150mm of rockwool. The returns at each corner were included to allow an overlap with future insulation on the opposite faces of those walls. This overlap is used where insulation is discontinuous, to reduce the 'cold bridge' effect, which can reduce the effectiveness of the insulation and lead to localised condensation problems. The dry-lining was then plastered with ordinary gypsum. The room was then painted using B&Q white emulsion, a low VOC paint - this is not the 'greenest' paint that could have been used, but the decision was made to try out a variety of paint finishes, including high street alternatives. The window sills and hearth were finished with hand-made, English tiles with a plain glaze in a deep cobalt blue, to give the room a clean, Mediterranean calm. The low cost Ikea aluminium blinds were chosen to add to the sleek finish. The skirtings, architraves and door were taken away and dipped, to remove the paint. The off-site use of strong paint-stripping chemicals was weighed up against the environmental disadvantages of discarding and replacing those elements with new materials. The floors were cleaned, sanded, mended and coated with a natural hard-wax oil by OS Colour as used in the new British Airways headquarters. Future Installation of the double glazed PVCu windows by the previous owner was a mixed blessing. They replaced old single glazed sash windows which would have been unacceptably draughty and cold (but which could have been refurbished and upgraded). The fact that double glazed units were installed meant that not all the windows had to be replaced at once, giving a bit of breathing space to save up the money to eventually replace all the plastic windows, with high quality, sustainably produced wooden double glazed windows with low emissivity coating and gas fill. The blinds will be augmented with thermally lined fabric blinds to increase night time insulation. The original cornice, damaged by the installation of the dry-lining, will be made good by a local specialist. Footnotes: Lime is a traditional material used well before the widespread availability of gypsum and Portland cement. Today, it requires specialist knowledge to prepare but is applied like ordinary plaster. It takes several weeks to 'cure' to full strength but can take 'breathable' paint soon after application. Its advantages are that it remains workable for longer, uses less energy to manufacture than gypsum, absorbs C02 during curing, and is easier to remove and so aids the reuse of bricks. Lime also has widespread application as a brick mortar. It was the original material used in this house, both as plaster and mortar. Knauf dry-lining board is a zero ozone depleting phenolic foam board bonded to a 12.5mm layer of plasterboard. Phenolic foam is one of the more expensive insulation materials but is twice as insulating as Rockwool or polystyrene of the same thickness (conductivity = 0.018 cf 0.036). It is manufactured in the UK under licence. (Knauf Tel. 01795 424499) Natural hard wax oil by OS Colour from ECP (tel. 01484 854898) contains entirely natural ingredients. It is water-based, free from allergenic, high energy petrochemicals and is as hard-wearing as many of the more common synthetic coatings. As it is based on 'soft' rather than 'hard' chemistry, it works together with the timber and allows it to 'breathe' PVC - poly vinyl chloride - is an environmentally problematic material which Gil and Penney have tried to avoid as it is not biodegradable or readily recyclable and produces carcinogenic and environmentally damaging dioxins during both manufacture and incineration. It is a product of the oil industry and takes more energy that metal to produce. It is a product that has found favour because it is cheap and easy to maintain but has hidden long-term costs to the environment. It is commonly used on rainwater goods, sanitary pipework and electrical cabling as well as windows. In this house, safer alternatives have been found for these items. Low emissivity coating and gas fill - modern technology has enabled windows to have much higher insulation values. Low-e (for example Pilkington K glass, or Interpane Iplus - see later boards) is a microscopically thin film, which is applied to an inner face of a sealed glazing unit. It reflects much more heat into the room whilst allowing the majority of light to pass through. Some units can be filled with a noble gas e.g. argon or xenon, which are more insulating than air and further increase the overall performance of the windows. A combination of these relatively low cost devices can provide up to 60% improvement in thermal performance.

3/ Hallway/Porch Past When Penney and Gil moved in they were totally unaware that lurking under a grotty carpet in the hallway was the original Victorian Minton tile floor. The original timber front door had been replaced by the previous owner with the current door - regrettably in uPVC. Several layers of wallpaper and paint covered the walls, and the stairs are still covered in the same carpet. The internal doors were covered with boarding and paint In Progress The majority of work in the hall involved stripping back the old wall, floor- and door-coverings. The tile floor received a coat of Linseed oil as a protectant. The internal doors have been stripped back to the original pine. The walls up to the foot of the stairs have been painted with Holtzweg casein paint. They were easy to mix and use and were quite economical. The porch ceiling has been lined with polystyrene between the joists plus two layers of Knauf Dry Lining on the underside. The electrical fuse box has been replaced with the RDS type and the house electrically earthed. Future Further painting is planned in order to introduce colour into the hallway using natural paints. Repairs to the tile floor are needed, but will require a relatively expensive matching process. Most of the doors need repairs and new latches and handles. There is further work needed in the porch. The existing front door will be replaced with a non pressure treated softwood door with double glazing by Interpane Safeheat. The arched outer doorway of the porch will also receive a new door, to the same specification, except for the timber. Budget allowing, it is intended to use sustainably produced English Oak, which will allow maximum durability without the use of pressure treatment - especially needed on the strongly sunlit south side. The porch walls will then be dry-lined as in Room No. 1. The addition of a second door will have the effect of virtually eliminating drafts, as well as acting as buffer zone to stop cold air from escaping when the door is opened. The insulation will be added to reduce fabric heat-loss and improve the thermal comfort of the hallway. The new doors will have a larger area of glass, which will help the house make better use of the sun for its energy needs. Footnotes: Holtzweg casein paint is a natural paint with no petrochemical content, whose ingredients include chalk, lime and natural minerals. It is supplied in powder form, which saves energy by not having to transport the water and can be quickly and easily mixed on site with cold water. Natural pigments can be added for colour - varying the mix will vary the depth of colour. For brighter, more vivid colours, the pigments can be mixed with a colourless distemper glaze (containing linseed oil) and applied over the casein. This glaze (e.g. also improves the washability and hard-wearing characteristics. These paints offer a surprisingly affordable alternative to synthetic paints. The problems with synthetic paint are not only environmental (derived from crude oil, non-biodegradable, high energy), but also health related. Many synthetic solvents are classified as carcinogenic; even synthetic water based paints contain vinyl resins which can damage lungs, liver and blood, are skin irritants and possible carcinogens. Many components of these paints take a long time to evaporate and can affect human physiology. Holzweg and Aquamarijn products are available from Construction Resources (Tel 0171 450 2211) who also stock a comprehensive range of other natural finishes. Natural paints. There are other companies supplying natural paints and stains, including Nutshell (tel 01364 642892), also available from Out Of This World, Beeston 0115 9431311), Auro (tel 01799 584888), Lakeland Paints (tel 01539 732866), Livos (tel 01952 883288) and OS Colour (from ECP 01484 854898). Green Paints (tel 01246 432193) are not strictly petrochemical-free but have far fewer damaging ingredients and offer a colour matching service. All are available mail-order. Pressure treatment, otherwise known as vacuum impregnation or tanilisation is an application process which uses a potent synthetic fungicide and insecticide to give softwoods a longer life (e.g. 25 years). They are applied under pressure so that they penetrate deep into the timber. Although this process significantly increases the life of the wood the chemicals used are highly toxic and can often leach out over the lifetime of the product. There are more environmentally benign alternatives which are applied with paintbrush or sprayed. Although they are less effective they have no hidden costs to worry about. They are based on boron salts and can be purchased from Auro (tel 01799 584888) or Environmental Construction Products (tel 01484 854898). Interpane Safeheat (Tel 01457 837779) producers of high performance glass, use Iplus - an advanced bismuth based low-emissivity coating which can result in improvements of upto 30% over the more conventional Pilkington K glass low-e. They also make use of gas-fill in their sealed units as a low cost extra. For a 20mm double glazed unit the approx. glass U value = 1.2 compared to1.8 for Pilkington K. PVC-free electrical wiring is commonly available as LSF (low smoke fume) sheathed cable, is made of synthetic rubber and is approximately 50% more expensive than the standard environmentally damaging and potentially hazardous PVC sheathed cable. stainless steel fittings by MEM (tel 0161 6521111)

4/ Kitchen Past Prior to refurbishment, this room was a student study-bedroom. The window reveals were as poorly completed as in other parts of the house and there was originally an ordinary window where the French windows now stand. An ugly 1940s fireplace was in place and old carpet adorned the floor. The wall was partly covered with thin particle board - probably a vague attempt to limit condensation. This was finished with wallpaper. In Progress The carpet was removed, walls and ceiling stripped and the fireplace ripped out. The room, along with most others around the house, had additional PVC-free electrical wiring installed (the existing not renewed, just added to), along with new stainless steel fittings, which are more recyclable and hard-wearing than the standard all-plastic variety. The floorboards were sanded back and treated with OS Colour natural hard wax oil as in Room No.1. The previous window reveals, made of MDF or particle board and supported with timber studs, were at 90 degrees to the window and took the place of the former box housing for the original sash windows. The studs were simply angled to 45 degrees and plasterboard overlaid to form the shape. The hollow behind the studs was injected with an ozone-friendly expanding foam for greater insulation and airtightness, before the final layer of plaster skim was applied. The result is a beautiful reveal which bounces light further into the room. The French windows were specially designed to fit into the existing window reveal, whose cill was knocked out and repositioned at floor level. They were manufactured by Environmental Construction Products - specialists in ecological windows and doors - and include triple glazing and non pressure treated softwood. Triple glazing was chosen for these windows as they face north and so receive no sunlight in winter, which means that they cannot contribute to the warming of the house. Triple glazing lets less light through but allows far less heat out. These windows enable the room to be used more effectively as a kitchen, with free access to the garden, washing line and compost heap. As there is no draught lobby here, their use will be limited in winter to prevent excessive escape of warm air. In a low-energy house heat loss due to ventilation can make a real difference. Here, with a more airtight and well insulated construction, condensation can become a problem, especially in 'wet' areas. Conventional extractor fans would suck out an unacceptably large quantity of warmth with the air. Here, the chosen solution has been to use a heat recovery fan. This unit extracts air from inside the room, but also feeds fresh air in from outside. It has a small heat exchanger inside which works on the principle of the car radiator, extracting the heat from the outgoing air and using it to warm the incoming cold air. At peak efficiency this can recover upto 80% of the heat from the air. The device is linked to a humidity sensor which only activates it when needed and not simply when the light is switched on. It can be manually overridden so that in summer it can be switched off and the windows opened instead. Penney and Gil needed some new furniture as their previous house had a fitted kitchen, so they decided to buy second-hand. This is greener as it saves on resources and keeps old items in use, giving them a longer life. In contrast to the prevailing buy-cheap-discard-quickly trend, Gil & Penney have found that quality second-hand furniture can be found at reasonable prices, its value increasing over time rather than reducing to nothing. The Victorian dresser, a former bookcase, provides for most of their storage needs and cost £1500. With a bit of work it could be sold for a much higher price, and it can also be moved or its use changed. It is long-term thinking which has driven Gil & Penney to avoid fitted units. The smaller unit was a house original, rescued from the lobby (Room No. 4), where it been boarded up and its paint flaking off. The kettle, toaster and teapot are genuine 1950s design classics which can be repaired rather than discarded if they go wrong. As the couple planned to invite lodgers, they needed a second fridge/freezer, so naturally. They decided to find an energy-efficient and ozone-friendly model. It was also fitted with a SavaPlug which saves a further 20% on what is the most energy-intensive device in the house after hot water and central heating. The cooker is a combi-oven which allows the user to mix microwave with conventional grill or oven, thereby producing great tasting food using less energy. Future The current temporary sink unit has been reused from elsewhere in the house, while Gil & Penney save up for a quality bespoke unit made of natural and recyclable materials. The washing machine, which already runs on part solar heated hot water and rainwater will in time be replaced with a much more energy/water-efficient model. Footnotes: PVC-free electrical wiring is commonly available from electrical retailers and has been produced as an alternative to standard PVC sheathing. It is known as LSF or low smoke fume sheathed cable, is made of synthetic rubber and is approximately 50% more expensive than the standard. French windows by Environmental Construction Products. The Yorkshire based company manufactures high quality timber windows and doors. There are several profiles, insulated glazing units, timber species and preservative treatments to choose from and each unit is manufactured to order. These windows are made from 75mm softwood 'Super Stormproof' profiles, treated with borate preservative and OS Colour natural coatings. The glass is Interpane Iplus 28mm triple glazed sealed units (4/8/4/8/4) with two bismuth-based low emissivity coatings, giving a glass U value of 0.6 W/m2/K - approx. three times better than the currently bare 9" brick walls, and five times better than conventional double glazing (ECP tel. 01484 854898) Quality second-hand furniture was purchased from the Cattle Market near Notts County football ground, and the genuine 1950s design classics were from Luna in Hockley (0115 9243267). Energy-efficient and ozone-friendly fridge/freezer by Bosch. It is A-rated (the most efficient rating) for both fridge and freezer cycles and uses a hydrocarbon instead of the more prevalent HCFCs as the coolant fluid. This model was a mechanically perfect slight second (note light scratch on front) so was reduced to £600 from £1000 from Roy Waring (Engineering) Ltd (tel 01777 870487). The combi-oven was £600 from the same place. The SavaPlug is a British invention which will save about £12 a year per unit and costs £25 from the highstreet.

5/ Ground Floor WC Past Previously, the WC room had a standard WC, a small basin and an electric shower. The room was rife with condensation problems, despite the walls being lined with thin particle board. The floor was carpeted and tiled beneath with blue and red clay tiles, many of which were probably the originals. This portion of the house along with the rear rooms were the only areas to have a solid floor with no cellar below and so required a different treatment. The ceiling was covered with 1970s polystyrene tiles - both unsightly and highly toxic when burnt. In Progress For several months during the renovation, this room was the only bathroom in the house. The entire suite was ripped out along with the wall coverings. Much of the plaster was badly damaged with condensation, so was hacked back to the sound areas. For a changeover period of 8 weeks (caused by delays in supply of materials and labour) there was no shower or bath in the house. The occupants had to make use of neighbours' and friends' facilities during this time - cited by Penney & Gil (and teenage daughter Lucy) as the most gruelling period of the entire renovation. It was decided that the floor would be hacked up and renewed in this area, as well as in the back room. There were several reasons for this. Firstly, the existing concrete was uneven and cracked in places and had no damp-proof membrane underneath, leaving it vulnerable to rising damp from direct contact with the soil. The opportunity was taken to heavily insulate the floor. When it comes to insulation, the floor is all too often neglected, because the popular conception is that heat rises. While it is true that more heat escapes through an uninsulated roof, the floor can account for 25-30% of all heat loss in a typical house. In solid floors the heat loss is greater due to the three dimensional flow of heat into the ground, so the edges become much more significant. In this part of the house, the soil beneath the floor was excavated by a further 10" (250mm), which allowed for a thin layer of sand blinding, followed by a polythene damp proof membrane taken up at the edges, then 6" (150mm) of ordinary polystyrene insulation laid flat. 2" (50mm) of the same was placed upright all the way around the perimeter (including internal walls), taking care to avoid gaps. This means that the heat has much further to travel in order to escape and so is retained for longer. A 6" concrete slab was laid over the top, to the level of the old floor. A damp proof course was then installed by injecting a silicone compound into holes drilled in the base of the wall just above floor level. The floor covering is Cornish slate, chosen for a combination of beauty, low-cost, hard wearing, low maintenance and relatively short transport distances. It was sealed with Revol natural floor oil. The original timber steps were found to be rotten on removal and so were replaced to Gil's design using timber reclaimed from the neighbour's garden (thanks Bill) - formerly used as rafters in their roof and full of nails. Old timber is often of higher quality because previously, trees were not so intensively farmed. While the new basin and tap have no particular ecological features, the new WC and plumbing do. The standard British flush is currently 7.5 litres. This represents 35% of typical water consumption for a dwelling - water which has been purified upto drinking standards only to be flushed away with no human contact. This water saving WC is imported from Sweden, where it is a standard item. Using a drop-valve mechanism, it has a rocker switch - easily distinguishing between half and full flush - and easier to use than the conventional handle. The flush is adjustable between 8/4 l and 4/2 l. Currently set to the minimum, it has proved to be at least as effective as a standard British model, as the water actually travels faster. The water used for the WC is rainwater, collected from the roof and stored in the cellar, while mains water runs through the taps. The waste pipes by Geberit are made of 100% recyclable polyethylene, as an alternative to PVC. The walls were plastered with clay based plasters: Claytec undercoat for the patching and Tierrafino for the finish, which was sponged for the rough effect. Although slightly less durable than ordinary gypsum plaster, there are a number of advantages: there is no chemical set, and the process relies on the water evaporating off for hardening. Tierrafino comes in a range of subtle colours, very similar to adobe-style interiors. This also means that the materials can be wetted and reworked at any time. Like lime, the working time is increased. Less energy is used in manufacture of clay plaster which justifies the energy used to import them from Germany and Holland. Future The pipework will be boxed in using zero formaldehyde MDF. The clay tiles recovered from the renovation of the floor are being stored in the garden and will be used for landscaping. Footnotes: Water saving WC by Ifo, from Elemental Solutions, sole UK importers (tel 01981 540728) although Construction Resources do a similar one by Ido priced at around £180 per toilet. Waste pipes by Geberit, supplied by Ashworth Frazer (tel 01902 867400) Revol natural floor oil, part linseed based, supplied by Construction Resources (tel. 0171 450 2211) and made by Aquamarijn Aquamarijn Revol and clay based plasters available from Construction Resources (tel. 0171 450 2211)

6/ Family Room Past This was previously two rooms - a study/bedroom and a utility room/kitchen to the rear, complete with washing machine plumbing, stainless steel sink, and laminate cupboard units. The two rooms were separated by a non structural brick wall. There was one step down into the utility but no change in level where the current steps are, so that the floor level in the study/bedroom was the same as the lobby. The floor was solid, tiled and carpeted, as in the lobby and WC. The back wall housed the original back door which was draughty and damaged and a small PVCu window. The chimney breast was originally 500mm deep and housed the old uninsulated hot water cylinder and yet another 1940s fireplace complete with a defunct back boiler. In Progress The decision was made to make this the family room despite it being on the colder north side, because of the importance of a connection with the garden. The door and window on the rear wall were removed and the openings bricked up, while a new opening was created for the new French windows (to the same specification as the set in the kitchen), but they were not installed immediately to avoid damage and facilitate builder access to the room. This presented a security issue and - because it was late winter- a very cold space. In spite of these factors work proceeded smoothly and the windows were installed undamaged on completion of the floor. The chimney breast could not be altered until the all-new hot water system was in operation which, once completed, allowed the old cylinder to be removed. The floor joists above had to be strengthened before the entire chimney breast could be removed, and a single skin of brick was built up in its place, its top stepped to line up with the one above. The old worn-out (non-wool, therefore non-biodegradable) carpet was discarded, the tiles taken up and stored for reuse and the cracked uneven concrete taken up. The sink was removed and reused in the current kitchen on a temporary basis. The intermediate wall was knocked down and the bricks salvaged for reuse in the garden. As in the lobby/WC, the soil below the floor was excavated, this time by upto 16" (400mm), not only to accommodate the sand, damp proof membrane, 150mm polystyrene insulation and 150mm concrete, but also to drop the final floor level to form one continuous level. This resulted in a higher ceiling and greater privacy from the side window. Again, 50mm insulation was employed vertically around the perimeter. The floor was finished with Cornish slate and coated with Aquamarijn Revol. The entire room was rewired with non-PVC cabling prior to plastering and fitting of the stainless steel fittings. Although the exterior wall will be insulated from the outside, some interior wall insulation was also required in order to avoid cold-bridging - the phenomenon of disproportionate heat escape in spots where there are gaps in the insulation. Cold bridges can also lead to localised condensation problems, and the problem can be much more acute in a well insulated house. The corner of the room where the external wall adjoins the party wall is one such vulnerable place, where the outside insulation will end, leaving heat to escape diagonally through the corner. To avoid this, 52.5mm Knauf dry-lining board was placed in the corner forming an L shape some 400mm wide each way. To prevent a 'bitty' appearance on the affected walls, they were studded out in timber and lined with plasterboard to the same thickness, concealing the corner insulation. Square and rectangular niches were formed for visual interest, picture hanging and CD storage. All the way along the base of the party wall was another potential cold-bridge to be avoided - caused by dropping the floor level - where heat could escape into next door's floor. A 400mm high strip of dry-lining board was placed here, concealed upto the chimney. Around the chimney and upto the steps a thinner, exposed board (42.5mm) was used with a softer, angled edge, cut on site by the contractor. Claytec undercoat, was used where necessary on the walls and ceiling. It is particularly suitable for patching and renovation work because of its flexibility and strength afforded by its straw fibre reinforcement. It can be seen in the niches on the party wall where the top-coat has yet to be applied. The sponged Tierrafino plaster finish is available in five colours which can be mixed on site. The ceiling is 100% Delphi White, the shorter walls are 100% Roman Ochre, and the hallway/WC is a 50-50 mix of these. The longer walls have a 70-15-15% mix of Delphi White, Roman Ochre and Djenne Red. Although it needs no painting it can be painted at any time in the future. Gil & Penney needed a new lounge suite and opted for a set made of beech frame, covered in linen and filled with duck feathers, providing long-lasting quality from natural materials. Future The niches will be finished in different colour mixes of Tierrafino and small shelves will be added. The floor may be waxed to a shine. The plastic window will be replaced with a timber and high performance glass window, and a wooden shutter added. The French windows will receive heavy natural curtains. Footnotes: Heavily insulated floor using ordinary polystyrene, one of the cheapest insulation materials - non biodegradable but one of the few suitable for under-slab solid floor construction. Widely available, this brand is Jablite by Vencel Resil (01322 626600) Clay based plasters: Claytec undercoat and Tierrafino available from Construction Resources (tel. 0171 450 2211) Cornish slate purchased direct from John A Stephens (tel 0115 941 2861), a third of the price of some Welsh slate Lounge suite from the Sofa Workshop (tel 0115 9504232)

8/ The Cellar Past This area originally consisted of two, rather than three useable chambers. The one to the rear was completely hemmed in by brick walls, and the only way in was via the small opening in the brickwork at the foot of the stairs. This space had the bare soil level approximately 400mm higher than the present floor. The timber floor above was uninsulated and the head clearance in the accessible areas was 1750mm (5'8"). Because there was no damp-proofing, a high water table and ventilation openings had been boarded up for security reasons, the two existing chambers were very damp. In Progress The majority of the work undertaken in the cellar was in relation to creating access space in the rear chamber and installing the special equipment. Siting this equipment here rather than in the existing chambers was decided for reasons relating to pipe runs, travel and heights, as well as for the maximising of storage space for the family. A structural engineer was engaged to ensure that the proposals had sufficient design strength and stability. The current opening to the rear cellar was knocked through and a steel lintel installed to support the wall and floor above. A brick pier was formed to resist the increased stress on the edge of the opening. The foundations of the rear chamber were found to have been built directly onto the soil and no deeper. Since the intention was to excavate below the foundations, down to the current floor level, temporary propping was needed while the soil was removed in stages. The notches chalked onto the timber beam were not made by an incarcerated non-rent paying student, but by our increasingly frustrated builder, Jay, who became increasingly despairing of the task Penney & Gil had set him. The notches represent the number of wheelbarrow loads needed to remove the soil - 297! The foundations required a partial underpinning with in-situ concrete reinforced with steel mesh. This also had to be cast in stages. With the floor complete, the chamber was now ready for the installation of the rainwater storage and reuse system, and the WC composting system. Rainwater harvested off the roof, makes its way down through the copper guttering and downpipes, passing through WISY filters (which form part of the rainwater kit bought as a package) and is collected in two polypropylene tanks by Titan with a total capacity of around 2000 litres. The size and shape of the tanks were dictated by accessibility to the cellar: the width of the corridor, the ceiling height and angle of the entrance to the area where the tanks were to be installed. In the event, a section of wall had to be removed to allow the tanks to finally be manoeuvred into position. This rainwater storage system is not limited to houses with cellars - the tanks can be buried in the garden. The other parts of the rainwater kit consist of a level sensor linked to a controller, which trips an automatic mains water top up when the level is too low. The pump automatically switches on when the washing machine or external tap is turned on or a WC flushed and supplies the rainwater. If the tanks get too full, the excess runs off to the mains drain. The WC composting system has been used to address the highest source of pollution from houses after CO2. The chosen system is a hybrid combining the benefits of a flushing WC with a composting system to deal with solid waste. More usual types of composting WCs use a dry system i.e. a WC without the W! Penney & Gil opted for a system that was closer to the conventional for several reasons; resale, the lack of an easily engineered vertical drop for waste and the fact that a straw poll of friends and family indicated that they could not contemplate using a non-flush loo (amateurs, where is their sense of adventure)! The composting chamber itself is a bespoke design by Elemental Solutions, built of engineering brick and a concrete slab top, incorporating an inspection cover and a device called an Aquatron Separator. The waste water for the entire house feeds into the Aquatron which acts as a centrifuge (uses no energy), forcing the liquid part to cling to the edges and is then driven off into the mains drain. The solid portion is deposited into the composting chamber where it lands on a raft, which is set about 6" off the ground, forming a raised floor. The raft, made of plastic pallets, is covered in netting and then a 2" layer of coir compost. If you were wondering how the compost was spread evenly, it was by Penney climbing inside the chamber and swearing a lot - shame about her slight claustrophobia. Efoetida worms, supplied by Wiggly Wrigglers were then added to the chamber. The worms, which are similar to those used in worm bins, aid the composting process by digestion, speeding up the rate at which the solids are reduced. The chamber is ventilated with a soil vent pipe. The composting action, accelerated by the worms, reduces the volume of solids by 90% and so needs no emptying for at least 3 years by which time the bulk of the waste is reduced to harmless, odourless matter ready for composting in the garden. Hygiene and maintenance are issues which do arise with this type of system; nature is doing most of the work but the user does have to ensure that the correct balance is maintained. This means that the matter needs to be raked every few weeks to allow circulation of air and to distribute it evenly across the coir. Gil tends the tank and says that it is no worse than having to change a nappy every six weeks. Lime is also added to control acidity and prevent flies and white worms becoming a nuisance. Although the Aquatron Separator is highly efficient, excess water does accumulate in the chamber. This is pumped out and can either be used as fertiliser in the garden or piped directly to the drain. At present, a simple manual marine bilge pump is used every 2-3 weeks for around 15 minutes. Future The marine bilge pump will be supplemented with an automated, solar powered pump to cut down maintenance and to prevent the possibility of the worms drowning by overfilling. Insulation will be added to the underside of the timber floor above. It will be made from loose cellulose (shredded newspaper) held in by 60mm thick panels of Gutex rigid wood fibre insulation board, fastened to the underside of the joists, thereby reducing the cold bridging effect of the timber. The walls will receive downstands of polystyrene again to reduce cold bridging - this time at the junction of the floors and walls. Ventilation needs to be increased to address the current problem of damp. The currently blocked up openings will be reinstated with secure grills and additional grills formed. The cellar will be an important storage facility for the house. The front chamber will be used to store foodstuffs and the middle chamber will be used to store tools. Footnotes: Loose cellulose and Gutex wood fibre insulation board - both natural insulation products from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211) which utilise waste materials as their main ingredient. The cellulose, treated with a borate salt which is a non-toxic fire retardant and fungicide, has a very low embodied energy. Both materials are breathable, and have a thermal conductivity value of 0.04 - around 90% of the value for polystyrene or Rockwool. The rainwater storage and reuse sustem consists of the rainwater kit plus the storage tanks, pipework, rainwater goods and water meters. The rainwater kit consists of WISY filters, automatic mains top-up, sensor and pump and costs around £1,000 from the Green Shop (tel 01452 770629). The polypropylene tanks by Titan supplied by Peveril Machinery Supply (tel 0115 9255538) cost around £500. As metered water prices will be low, the system will save substantially on running costs and could pay for itself within a decade or so. The WC composting system was designed and supplied in part by Elemental Solutions - specialists in water conservation solutions. The Aquatron Separator is made in Sweden where its use is much more widespread. Coir compost is based on the waste from coconut husks and is used as an alternative to peat based material which depletes the natural landscape. Efoetida worms from Wiggly Wigglers (tel 0800 216990) who, as the name implies, deal in worms and all aspects of composting and wormeries for the garden.

9/ 1st Floor Landing Past This area, like most, was carpeted and walls were covered in painted wallpaper. All doors were painted white and the bannister was as it appears now. The rooms on the lower landing were arranged differently. While there are currently two bathrooms and a kitchen, there was one kitchen - the only one in the house at the time of moving in - where the two current bathrooms stood. The present kitchen takes the place of the former bathroom and separate toilet. In Progress The alterations which took place on the lower landing were made in order to gain an extra bathroom from the same space. The partition between the old bathroom and toilet room was taken out and the old toilet room door was moved forward to its current position at the end of the hall - now the kitchen door. The old bathroom door was moved further into the hallway to form the current opening to Bathroom 2. The most complex aspect of this rearrangement was the sheer logistics involved in making sure there was a working kitchen and bathroom with privacy at all times, more of which later. The doors were taken away and dipped, as were the architraves and skirtings and await further treatment. The walls have been stripped right back to the plaster - quite a time consuming job due to the several layers of wallpaper and ancient glue and flaky paint underneath. Two coats of Holzweg casein paint were then applied, unpigmented. The paint is very transparent while still wet, and gradually becomes opaque as it dries. Gil and Penney found this quite bizarre to start with but now enjoy applying a coat, going away and coming back to a room which transforms itself in their absence. The natural paint will assist the lime plaster to act in its capacity as a breathable material, moderating humidity and odours, while the absence of wallpaper will allow access to and functioning of the thermal mass of the solid walls. Temperature fluctuations will now be evened out more effectively. Houses with high thermal mass tend to need less heating than low thermal mass houses with the same insulation values because the mass stores daytime heat and re radiates it at night. Future The walls will be coloured by mixing pigments into the casein as in the attic rooms. Penney and Gil have found that leaving the walls white for a while tends to gradually reveal the areas that have blemishes or need filling. The doors, skirtings and architraves will be coated in a clear natural varnish to express the beautiful grain of the old pine. The glass in the doors will be replaced with toughened sandblasted glass for safety and to blend old and new. The floor will be covered with a natural material such as Sisal or non-chemically treated wool to protect the floorboards and reduce noise transmission Footnotes: Holzweg casein paint from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211) comes in powder form and is completely natural and non-toxic. The manufacturers boast that users can sleep in a newly painted room the same night Natural varnish by one of the following: Auro (tel 01799 584888), Lakeland Paints (tel 01539 732866), Livos (tel 01952 883288), OS Colour from ECP (tel 01484 854898) and Construction Resources.

10/ Bathroom 1 Past This room was formerly half of the old kitchen - the only useable kitchen in the house at the time Gil and Penney moved in. There was no window in this half and there was a chimney breast with the original small cast iron open fire. The sloping part of the ceiling was at a higher level and covered in polystyrene tiles. The walls were covered in thin particle board (in an attempt to limit condensation) and painted white. There were some fitted units and the doorway was in its current position.   In Progress This kitchen was used for a period of around four months whilst the ground floor kitchen was being prepared. The ghastly wall and ceiling coverings were removed, the defunct (but original and quite charming) fireplace removed and sold. This was one of the items that the couple felt uneasy about removing but decided it was acceptable to do so because of the two identical models remaining in the attic rooms. The chimney breast was demolished and a new opening formed for the new window. Bearing in mind this was November, things got quite cold and draughty during this time. The new low-e double glazed Oak window was designed as a long thin strip to afford maximum privacy while maintaining a view out. The double openings are designed to maximise ventilation in warm weather, while the size was kept small to minimise heat loss. The ceiling was dropped by some 300mm (12") using plywood and timber webs, in order to accommodate the high levels of insulation necessary. A more detailed description of the roof construction can be found upstairs in the attic rooms. The partition separating the two bathrooms was then erected out of 3" (75mm) studwork clad in Claytec boards as an ecological alternative to ordinary plasterboard. This board provides thermal mass and breathability and acts as a moderator of the internal conditions (humidity, temperature and odours) - particularly useful in a bathroom. It is also completely natural and biodegradable* and helps reduce sound transmission. The structural engineer was concerned that the removal of the chimney breast would reduce the flexing strength of the exterior wall and requested that the partition be strapped to the wall plate to increase the resistance to lateral movement. The next stage was to install the pipework for the shower - which was then concealed with studwork and Claytec board. The low flush WC was plumbed in using Geberit PVC free pipework for the waste pipes and copper for the supply. This is the only room in the house where another clay based plaster has been used - Claytec topcoat. Finer than Tierrafino and reinforced with fine fibres, it has been found to be more resilient although it is not fair faced and therefore needs painting. The heat recovery fan was installed ready for when the bathroom is commissioned. Future Zero formaldehyde MDF and Scandinavian birch ply will be curved into shape to form the shower enclosure which will incorporate storage and be faced with mosaic tiles internally and painted externally. The basin will sit at an angle in the corner in a unit of similar construction to the shower enclosure. Footnotes: Low-e double glazed Oak window by ECP (tel 01484 854898). British Oak was chosen for these windows for low maintenance and durability, specially suitable in the bathroom which sustains regular rapid changes in humidity. Being small, low-e double glazing was deemed sufficient with a glass U value of 1.2 W/m2/K. Claytec boards from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211) made from reed matting tied together with wire (*the only non natural material) and bound with un-fired clay and layers of hessian. It is expensive at £15 per m2 because of the labour involved but is a delightful low tech, low impact, high performing material to use. Claytec topcoat (Fienputz) also from Construction Resources Low flush WC from Elemental Solutions (tel 01981 540728) - can run on 2 and 4 litre flushes. Geberit PVC free pipework from Ashworth Frazer (tel 01902 867400) Heat recovery fan HR150 by Vent-Axia (tel 01293 526062) cost £200 including sensor. There are now considerably cheaper alternatives, e.g. Eclipse (tel 0181 5314433), Silavent (01252 878282)

11/ Bathroom 2 Past Previously the other half of the old kitchen, there was one larger PVC window. In common with Bathroom 1 and Kitchen 2, the sloping part of the ceiling was higher and covered in polystyrene tiles - an unsightly fire risk. The walls were boarded in thin particle board and fitted units were in place including a sink. There was no doorway in this half as the access into the kitchen was via the door in what is now Bathroom 1. In Progress Gil and Penney made use of the kitchen until Kitchen 1 was ready. After stripping away the wall and ceiling coverings, the old window was removed, leaving a gaping hole in the wall in winter while the brickwork was remodelled ready for the new window. The new Oak window is identical to the one in Bathroom 1 and coated in exterior translucent wood stain - not just for protection but also for visual preference. As in the two adjacent rooms, the ceiling was dropped to form a sub-structure for the loose-fill cellulose insulation by Warmcell. See later boards for more details. The new partition and ceiling were clad in Claytec boards, while the external wall was patched with Clayec Undercoat. The pipework for the shower was concealed within the partition and the low flush WC received rainwater via a separate supply. Geberit PVC-free waste pipes were plumbed entirely internally for several reasons. The exterior needed to be kept clear to avoid future complications for the installation of the exterior insulation and for avoidance of unnecessary cold-bridging by piercing the insulation. The internal run at the perimeter can also be hidden away from view by boxing in. The space-saving bath by Ideal Standard is only 1200mm long and provides a water-saving alternative to a standard bath. The thermostatic shower system by Grohetech allows very accurate and consistent control of the water temperature. It has water-saving 'eco' settings and because it has separate flow and temperature controls it is possible to switch off the supply during shampooing without the need to readjust. It also has child-proof manually overridable anti-scolding safety feature which limits the water temperature to 38ºC. The basin and mixer tap are from B&Q. Tierrafino clay-based plaster in Delphi White was used - trowelled for a smooth finish. The lodgers requested that it be painted and Penney & Gil agreed to do so as an experiment. Casein paint by Nutshell was applied, followed by a glaze to which natural pigment was added, also Nutshell. The glaze improves the washability and longevity of the wall finish, while producing a brighter, more vivid colour rendition with the pigments. The heat recovery fan, linked to a humidistat, was installed after plastering and has been working effectively ever since. Future The floor covering will be natural linoleum by Forbo Nairn - a completely biodegradable, non-toxic PVC-free alternative to vinyl. The waste pipes will be boxed in using zero formaldehyde MDF. Footnotes: Oak window by Environmental Construction Products (tel 01484 854898). Loose-fill cellulose insulation by Warmcell, available from Fillcrete (tel 01482 223405), is a low-impact insulation material made from shredded surplus newspapers impregnated with a borate fire retardant. Claytec boards, Claytec undercoat and Tierrafino - natural clay-based materials from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211). See other boards for more details. Low flush WC from Elemental Solutions (tel 01484 854898) - see other boards for more details. Geberit PVC free waste pipes from Ashworth Frazer (tel 01902 867400) Thermostatic shower system by Grohetech (available from Stephen Jenkins tel 0115 9864757). Space-saving bath by Ideal Standard (tel 0181 9477700). Casein Paint, glaze and natural pigments by Nutshell (tel 01364 642892). Also available from Out Of this World (tel 0115 9431311) Heat recovery fan by Vent Axia (tel 01293 526062) Natural linoleum by Forbo Nairn (tel 01592 643777) available from Jessop's department store, Nottingham Zero Formaldehyde MDF by Medite (tel 01702 619044) - type ZF or E1 (low formaldehyde).

12/ Kitchen 2 - Lodger Use   Past This room was formerly a separate bathroom and WC. The partition which separated the two was made of original studwork and wood lath plastered with hair-reinforced lime plaster. The old bath was situated in the far corner with a basin between the window an the partition. The full British 7.5 litre flush WC was situated against the back wall facing the corridor. An old steel header tank was supported off the partition and connected to the old hot water cylinder with lead pipes. The floor was carpeted and the walls papered and painted.   In Progress Firstly, the window reveals were rebuilt in the same manner as most others throughout the house. The doors were moved long before the partition was knocked down because of the header tank it supported. This tank could not be removed until the new hot water system was operational, otherwise there would have been no hot water. Once the tank was taken down, the lathes were stripped off carefully for reuse. The roof received the substructure for the insulation, 300mm (12") thick on the slope. The flat portion of the ceiling was left in place throughout the landing and received 400mm (16") of the same above it, installed from the loft hatch in Bathroom 1. As in the Family Room directly below, the junction between the party wall and the exterior wall has been clad in zero ozone depleting phenolic foam backed plasterboard, to reduce the cold bridge. The newly constructed ceiling structure was underclad with the recovered wood lathes, matching the existing construction on the flat part. Claytec Undercoat was used as the base coat directly onto these lathes, a process similar to traditional wattle and daub, so that the performance and suitability of the material could be observed. As the lathes are absorbent, cracking in the plaster occurred as they dried - overall, the technique was found to be effective, if more labour-intensive. Tierrafino was used once again as the finish coat - this time sponged. The fourth and final heat recovery fan was installed and the dipped skirtings put back up. Penney and Gil's old fridge/freezer was fitted with a SavaPlug and set up in here for use by the lodgers. The only remaining gas appliance in the house - the cooker which came with the house - was connected in here. The sink has been reused from the former kitchen next door as a temporary measure, while the plywood worktop was put together from site surplus - again for temporary use. Future The floor will be covered with linoleum as in the bathrooms and the sink and worktop units will be renewed. Footnotes: Insulation by Warmcell, from Fillcrete (tel 01482 223405) Zero ozone depleting phenolic foam backed plasterboard by Knauf (tel 01795 424499) See Rooms 1 and 7 boards for more details.. Claytec undercoat and Tierrafino - natural clay-based plasters from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211). See other boards for more details. Heat recovery fan by Vent Axia (tel 01293 52606) SavaPlug is a British invention which will save about £12 a year per unit and costs £25 from the highstreet. The more inefficient your appliance the more you will save. Linoleum by Forbo Nairn (tel 01592 643777) is a natural, biodegradable, and PVC free alternative to vinyl flooring. It is linseed oil based and is cost effective compared to some other natural coverings

13/ Lucy's Room Past This room was probably always a bedroom. In common with many rooms in the house, the window reveal had been badly rebuilt following the installation of the PVCu window by the previous owner. An old carpet covered the floor and the walls were, again, papered and painted. In Progress This was one of the first rooms to be tackled as Penney & Gil thought it very important to provide a sanctuary for Lucy (aged 11, now 13) as soon as possible. Firstly, the carpet was removed, revealing a darkly stained border on the floorboards. These were sanded using an industrial floor sander which required many sheets of sandpaper to remove the thick sticky stain. The freshly sanded boards were then coated with a hard wax oil by OS Colour - this time in semi-transparent white. The window reveal was rebuilt using the existing timber, plasterboard and expanding foam filler to improve the insulation and keep out draughts. The ceiling revealed itself to be badly cracked beneath the paper and was re-skimmed using gypsum, as the plasterer did not trust lime - Gil's first choice - to have sufficient strength and adhesion for application on a ceiling. Lime was however used on the walls to make good where necessary. The final stage was painting, on which Lucy wanted relative free-reign. As a compromise between the colours she wanted and the environmental criteria, Penney & Gil agreed to her any colour from the B & Q Low voc range. Three wall colours were chosen off-the-shelf from here while the ceiling was coated in emulsion from Green Paints. The yellow wall was painted with Green Paints emulsion - left over from the recent decoration of MSA's offices. The skirtings and fireplace were painted in a water soluble gloss from Green Paints which proved effective, although required three coats instead of the usual two. The light switch, 'Splat' by Tin Shed was expensive but bought as a special treat. Future The room is virtually finished and will need only a replacement window in timber and insulating glass - it will be replaced in the fullness of time as the budget becomes available. Footnotes: Hard wax oil by OS Colour from ECP (tel 01484 854898) B & Q low voc range - low in volatile organic compounds - those solvents contained in paints which are the source of smells - in synthetic paints these are often very toxic and damaging to the environment because they cannot be broken down by natural processes. Emulsion and water soluble gloss from Green Paints (tel 01246 432193). A company based in Yorkshire, providing more environmentally compatible paints and a colour-matching service by mail order. Contains no strong solvents or vinyl. As used at the offices of Mark Stewart Architects.

14/ Main Bedroom Past The largest room in the house, this was always a bedroom. Very similar to the Creative Room directly below, the room had an ugly 1940s fireplace and badly reconstructed window reveals. The floor was carpeted throughout and there was a small access hatch in the ceiling above the bay. In Progress The fireplace was removed, followed by the ancient carpet which was thrown triumphally out through the window for more direct access to the skip. The levels of dust which filled the room were unpleasant but almost insignificant compared to what was to fall from the ceiling over the following lung-hammering months. When the ceiling was stripped off badly cracked plaster was revealed, which slowly and continuously shed a seemingly never-ending supply of dust until it was boarded up. The former hatch allowed access to a roof void which existed behind the attic room - prior to the room being extended into it. As well as revealing the structure of the roof, looking through the hatch revealed something altogether more alarming. Due to the terrible installation of the current PVCu windows The ceiling joists - also the floor joists to the floor above - were floating with no support above the bay windows. The original wooden sash windows were set further back, providing direct support to the bay floor structure. The current windows were set forward, which meant that the joists were simply left hanging. To remedy this a timber beam was added spanning the bay, to which the joists in questions were strapped. The void directly above the bay area was then filled with 400mm of fibreglass insulation recovered from the roof void above. A contractor was brought in to strip back the floorboards and to apply the same OS colour hard floor wax in semi transparent white 'Spruce' as used in Lucy's room. To speed up the process, and against advice the contractor decided to use one thick coat instead of the recommended 2 thinly applied coats to give an even finish. The result was patchy and unsatisfactory but by this time, Penney and Gil were so desperate to get their room back, that they decided to leave the re-stripping to a later date. This has yet to be completed. The reason for general avoidance of fitted wall-to-wall carpets is to reduce the House Dust Mite which is a major cause of allergies and asthma and to reduce the build up of ingrained dust and dirt. Knauf dry-lining board was then applied in the same way as used in the Creative Room with two layers of 52.5mm boards fixed to the walls. The return at the right hand corner was used to reduce the 'cold bridge' through the party wall. The return on the left is to mirror the overlap with external insulation on the front elevation that will be applied in the near future. This room receives the greatest amount of sun and therefore the most passive solar heating. The dry-lining helps the room to make the most of the heat. Because this wall is yet to be plastered it is possible to see how the boards were applied and cut to angle, revealing the construction of the board. The ceiling has been covered in Gyproc GRG glass fibre reinforced plasterboard. The reason for using glass reinforcement is the board can be thinner and in this case, 6mm. This was chosen so as not to interfere with the cornice detail around the edges. Future The dry-lining and the boarded ceiling will be skimmed in Tierrafino - in different mixes of Delphi White and Roman Ochre. The walls will be painted with casein paint and natural pigment as elsewhere in the house. Once the floor has been made good, the bedroom furniture will be brought in from storage, including a Victorian wardrobe formerly used in a church to hang surplices and cassocks in a church vestry. Footnotes: Hard wax oil by OS Colour from ECP (tel 01484 854898) Knauf dry-lining board is a zero ozone depleting phenolic foam board bonded to a 12.5mm layer of plasterboard. Expensive but twice as insulating as Rockwool or polystyrene of the same thickness (conductivity = 0.018 cf 0.036) (Knauf Tel. 01795 424499) Tierrafino - natural clay-based fair-faced plaster from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211). See other boards for more details. Casein paints - natural non-toxic petrochemical-free paints. See other boards for more details.

14/ Top Landing/ Airing Cupboard Past On moving in, Gil & Penney found the landing floor covered in carpet. The ceiling was covered in polystyrene tiles and although there was a roof-light it was much smaller, fixed and single glazed. The sloping ceiling was some 300mm higher and the current 'airing cupboard' was a boarded out roof void with a small access hatch. The bannister was painted white as were the architraves, skirtings and doors and the walls were papered and painted. In Progress The walls were stripped and man-made fibre carpet on the top landing disposed of. The polystyrene tiles were laboriously scraped off including the stubborn glue. The next stage was to augment the roof with a sub-structure in order to accommodate a thick blanket of insulation. Details of how this was done can be found next door in the Lodgers' Bedroom. As the ceiling level had to be dropped, the head height at the top of the stairs could have been a problem. The old skylight was replaced with a centrally pivoted Velux roof light - the smallest one available - placed strategically to maximise the head height. The glass specified was also the most insulating type available by Velux - twice as good as standard double glazing. The reveals were splayed to maximise both light and height. Positioning this opening window at the very top of the stairwell helps cool the house in summer by allowing the hot air to rise and escape. The ceiling finish is once again Tierrafino in 100% Roman Ochre. On completion of the roof the floor in the airing cupboard was laid using reclaimed floorboards but not before placing 150mm of glass fibre insulation underneath. This is because this area will be completely enclosed with insulation to minimise still further the heat losses from the hot water cylinder. The new solar assisted water heating system was now ready for installation. The system was installed through a scheme run by the Rushcliffe Solar Club in partnership with Environ, which offers substantial discounts over the list price. It consists of the 4m2 flat-plate solar collector panel mounted on the south face of the roof (for maximum sunshine). The hot water storage cylinder is twice as insulated as the standard tank which means it can make better use of the sun's energy. The cylinder has an immersion heater as a top-up - run through a timer on cheap-rate night time electricity. On a yearly basis the system generates approximately 50% of the household's hot water requirements - much more in summer than winter, but sunny winter days still offer substantial savings by pre-heating the water ready for the immersion. The pay-back period can be as short as 5-10 years depending on the system and user management. The LED display shows the temperatures in various locations, automatically switching between exterior, panel and tank water temperatures. The system chosen is an unvented hot water system which provides hot water to the tap at mains pressure with no pump, but there are other options available. The system has worked well. The floors were sanded back and coated in a clear natural floor coating from Holland, donated by a Dutch friend who had some left over after having used it on her own West Bridgford house. The floors have also been maintained by regular waxing with beeswax, preserving the warm deep glow. The walls were painted with casein paint and pigments from Nutshell. Future The airing cupboard will have timber doors put on to contain the heat further and improve the appearance of then landing. Footnotes: Tierrafino - natural clay-based fair-faced plaster from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211). See other boards for more details. Solar assisted water heating system, including flat-plate solar collector and double-insulated cylinder all through Rushcliffe Solar Club (Peter Stroud tel 0115 9148560) in partnership with Environ, a Leicester based body offering advice on th environment and energy conservation (tel 0116 2220222). The system cost around £3500 including cylinder and installation. With careful selection of the system and DIY installation it could cost as little as £1500. The installer (Sustain, tel 0116 2249021) offers training to those wishing to install the system themselves. Casein paint and pigments by Nutshell (tel 01364 642892) also available from Out Of This World, Beeston - natural non-toxic petrochemical-free paints. See other boards for more details.

15/ Lodgers' Bedroom Past A very old carpet, polystyrene ceiling tiles, paint and wallpaper were the surface coverings in this room. The ceiling sloped toward the eaves as it does now but stopped some 1200mm (4') in front of the eaves so that the room was narrower. A stud wall separated the room from the roof void behind. The original cast-iron fireplace was painted white. In Progress The walls, ceilings and floor were cleared as in the landing, and the skirtings, architraves and door were taken away to be stripped. Several layers of wallpaper were discovered, including one in matt black, depressingly. The strategy was then to simultaneously extend the room into the roof void and to build the roof sub-structure ready to accommodate high levels of insulation. The plaster on the stud wall and ceiling was hacked off and the timber lathes were pulled off taking care not to damage the rafters. The vertical rafters or 'studs' which formed the structure of the removed wall were actually found to be forming a kind of hybrid structure, transferring some of the loading from the roof onto the floor and vice-versa. Their removal would result in both an understuctured floor and roof. To deal with this, the purlin running along the top edge of the line of studs was strengthened with a steel plate. The floor, already 'bendy', was dealt with later. The studs were removed and the former roof space opened up. As the insulation required was of loose construction, a rigid structure was built up which would allow the insulation to be blown in. Because of the existing structure, this method is inherently more time consuming and therefore expensive than building from scratch - but it does use fewer materials. Sheets of 9mm Scandinavian Birch plywood were cut into 300mm wide strips which were then fixed to the side of each rafter. To the bottom edge of each plywood 'web' was fastened a 50mm (2") square softwood batten which formed the lower flange of the new 'beam' structure. To the top edge of each 'beam' - just below the tiling battens - a 25mm (1") square batten was added to each side, forming an air gap for ventilation. These battens were then underclad with 15mm Bitvent rigid breather board cut to fit between the rafters. The underside of the completed structure was clad with a thin polyethylene vapour barrier followed by ordinary plaster board. The first choice here would have been Claytec boards as used in the bathrooms, primarily to increase the thermal mass, but for reasons of cost the plasterboard was used as a compromise. A Velux skylight was installed, this time top-hung, to introduce more light, ventilation and drama to the room. A silver-backed blackout blind in white was added for extra night time insulation. As described in board No.1 (Exterior), the external roof covering was overhauled from above. The slates were carefully removed as were the tiling battens. A new layer - breathing felt - was then introduced and new battens laid. The slates were then reused where possible (some do break on removal) and these were supplemented by closely matching reclaimed slates. Before the plastering, the Warmcell loose cellulose insulation was installed by a specialist contractor. The procedure involved the material being delivered compressed in bags, which was then fed into a special machine which loosens the fibres and blows it under pressure through a long flexible pipe into the required area. While most of the insulation was blown in from above, accessed through the roof hatch, the area at the rear close to the eaves was accessed differently. Because of the purlin supporting the roof, the insulation was not able to fill the space from above, so 75mm (3") holes were drilled between each of the joists and the insulation blown in from here. The holes were then re-sealed and can still be seen in the airing cupboard behind the hot water cylinder. The slope and the vertical received 300mm (1') while the flat received 400mm. The floor needed to be strengthened to make it less flexible. The floorboards had to be taken up for this - another time consuming but necessary job. Once they were all removed, steel plates were bolted to the sides of the floor joists. The opportunity was taken to insulate the floors for sound - particularly useful in a house with mixed occupancy. For this, loose-fill Rockwool insulation was used, followed by a 5mm layer of Regupol. This is a sheet sound-insulating material made of cork and recycled rubber. The floor boards were then replaced, sanded, coated and waxed as in the landing. As the floor area was extended, extra boards were needed which were taken from the floor in the room adjacent. Extra reclaimed boards were purchased and used in the next room. The plastering was then progressed, with lime used on the walls and Tierrafino on the ceiling in Delphi White, trowelled for a smooth finish. The walls were then painted with Nutshell casein paint and Ochre Red natural pigment in the ratio of one kilogram to one sachet. Finally, the woodwork was refixed and the original fireplace stripped back. The sound insulation has had the effect of also acting as thermal insulation. This has meant that despite the external wall insulation not being in place the room is virtually surrounded by a thick blanket this room warms up very quickly when occupied and only requires minimal heating on very cold days - the theory is proved even before completion! Future The room is virtually finished except for touching up and the lodgers have been enjoying the space for some time. The window will eventually be replaced with a high performance window Footnotes: Scandinavian Birch plywood. Some plywoods contain tropical hardwoods. This variety is generally guaranteed to contain only timber from sustainably managed forests. 15mm Bitvent rigid breather board. Made from cellulose pulp - a waste material - this product compliments the Warmcell insulation by being completely breathable, allowing condensation to evaporate and migrate through. Available from Fillcrete (tel 01482 223405). Warmcell loose cellulose insulation - also by Fillcrete is made from surplus newspapers which are shredded finely and coated with a boron based fire retardant. It is a very low-impact material and costs about the same as Rockwool. Breathing felt by Proctor (tel 01250 872261) See Exterior board for more details. The material is totally waterproof in one direction while allowing vapours to pass through in the opposite direction. Reclaimed slate. Save using new materials and keep old ones in circulation. Available commonly through architectural salvage yards. Lime. See other sectionsfor details. Commonly available from builders merchants. Tierrafino - natural clay-based fair-faced plaster from Construction Resources (tel 0171 4502211). See other boards for more details. Claytec boards also from Construction Resources, see Bathroom boards for details. Regupol - available from Construction Resources. Casein paint and pigments by Nutshell (tel 01364 642892) also available from Out Of This World, Beeston - natural non-toxic petrochemical-free paints. See other boards for more details.

16/ Lodgers' Sitting Room Past Very similar to the previous room (Lodgers' Bedroom) with the finishes that were prevalent throughout the house at the time Penney & Gil moved in. In Progress Worked on at the same time as the previous room, this one was also treated much like the Lodgers' Bedroom, except for a few details. When supporting the roof with extra steel, a different design was required because of the larger span. At 5.5m, a single length of steel would have been impossible to bring into the room, except through the roof via a crane. The structural engineer devised an alternative. A steel C-channel was brought up the stairs in two halves and joined with a prefabricated collar detail and four large bolts. The Velux roof light is slightly bigger, both to take advantage of the southerly direction for more sun, and to allow more light in because of the larger room size. The extra reclaimed floorboards that were brought in were wider than the existing ones and compliment the proportions of the room well. The same casein paint was used as in the bedroom but the pigment chosen was Orange. Penney and Gil are delighted that this room has been used to such good effect by lodgers, Percy and Simon - the furniture and treatment work really well with the warm wedge shape, making it firmly the favourite room in the house.   Summary The house has cost more to restore than a conventional renovation but is planned to save about £800 a year on bills and cut atmospheric and water pollution down to a minimum. A major saving has been made by avoidance of central heating. Any top-up heat will be supplied by portable plug-in heaters and by candles. The couple have just signed up to Unit[e] (tel 01249 705550) - one of the first national electricity companies in the UK based entirely on renewable generation of electricity. For only a small increase in costs over the standard tariff, the house will become a zero-C02 producer, except for a very small amount of gas for cooking in Kitchen 2.   Contractor List NSM Building (tel 01636 812774) - roof substructure, concrete/foundation, work in cellar, composting chamber, floor base in family room/lobby/WC, joinery and some decorating. Sustain [formerly MVK Contracts] - solar assisted hot water system, (tel 0116 2249021) plumbing, waste, rainwater system and dry-lining. Scandicom (Timber Construction Ltd) (tel. 01903 742333) - roof insulation Bee Group (tel 0973 305883) - electrical works Brown Bros (tel 01636 705766) - plastering including gypsum and traditional lime Eamonn Finnegan (tel 0410 593334) - plastering including gypsum, Claytec & Tierrafino Preserva (tel 0115 9587220) - damp proof course in rear of house Jason Lewis (tel. 0115 9810559) - the majority of the rest of the works to date. Consultant List Elemental Solutions (tel. 01981 540728) - advice and feasibility for rainwater system, design of composting system Brian Laycock (tel. 0115 981 3253) - structural design for roof, cellar and walls Ward Cole (tel. 0115 981 3253) - structural design for family room Rushcliffe Borough Council Building Control - affirmation of compliance (tel 0115 9819911) with Building Regulations Mark Stewart Architects - Gil's place of work www.msarch.co.uk   return to the beginning *website update* links & contacts features at a glance