These are some of the suppliers and materials that we used in making zero carbon house.
Air-tight membrane
The air-tight membrane that goes all round the house was supplied by Niall Crosson and Penny Randell of Ecological Building Systems.
Solar water heating
A Thermomax vacuum tube system provides around 70 per cent of our annual hot water.
Light transmission
Mykon translucent panels are used for internal screens and landing floor to allow light into the heart of the house.
Light fittings
We have used a variety – iGuzzini, gfclighting, Erco and Louis Poulsen
Internal plaster
We used Glaster, a traditional vapour-permeable plaster using ground up recycled glass, supplied by Ty-Mawr
External wall insulation
Neopor with no mechanical fixings using a system from Sto
Load-bearing construction
Sumatec earth blocks are used as the main load-bearing construction. These are blocks that have been hydraulically compressed rather than fired at high temperatures.
Cavity wall insulation
Warmcel is used as cavity wall insulation. Warmcel is manufactured from 100 per cent recycled waste newspaper and has extremely low embodied energy, requiring far less energy to produce than any other mainstream insulation material. It does not contain any added formaldehyde and is free from CFCs, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other toxic substances.
Wall ties
Wall ties are usually small stainless steel objects which stop the inner and outer brick skins of a cavity wall from parting company. We used TeploTies which are made from basalt fibre instead of stainless steel because of its insulating properties.
Heat Recovery Ventilation
This came from the Green Building Store.
Solar water installation and woodburning stove
Greenshop Solar supplied and installed these.
Windows
Our ENERsign opening windows are from the Green Building Store. The fixed windows are frameless triple-glazed units sealed into the building structure.
Rooflights
Two of our four rooflights were produced by Vitral.
Kitchen work surfaces
Bottle Alley Glass supplied these. They are made from recycled glass.
Architectural ironmongery
This was supplied by Williams Ironmongery The lever handles, designed by the Danish architect Arne Jacobsen – AJ handles – are reclaimed from a 1960s building.
Low flush WCs
Ideal Standard provided our low flush WCs
Bathroom floors
Our bathroom floors were supplied by South East coatings.
Rainwater harvesting
We collect rainwater from the roof for toilets, laundry and the garden. The water is filtered and stored below ground, using equipment from Rainharvesting Systems.
Letter box
The letter box is sealed in three places to help insulation. It’s called an Ecoflap.
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