There are two principles in creating a zero carbon building. The first principle is to reduce energy use right down to almost nothing. The second principle is to use 100 per cent renewable energy to meet that need: the energy of the sun. Our zero carbon house has been created with a third principle in mind – make it beautiful too.
gallery
Click on an image to view the gallery as a slide show and see the captions. Images by Martine Hamilton Knight, Richard Stanton and John Christophers. All rights reserved. To…
architectural design
A new kind of architecture John Christophers, the architect of zero carbon house, says: “My architectural design ideas were not imposed arbitrarily, but grew out of the green agenda. Some people run away from…
insulation and airtightness
Insulation and airtightness makes an enormous difference to how much heat is lost in a house. People generate heat simply through living – through cooking, taking a shower, having the…
renewable energy
Almost all of the energy that we use in our home is generated by the sun. This means we don’t burn fossil fuels, which are the primary source of global…
ventilation
A house as well insulated and airtight as zero carbon house has to be well ventilated. Otherwise the air would quickly become stale and there would be a risk of…
light and the ash tree
We created a house that is bathed in natural light. The more daylight in a home, the less electricity is used in lighting. The changing patterns and colours of the natural…
water and waste
Water itself is a renewable resource but there is a hidden energy cost in cleaning, purifying and pumping water into our homes. In our zero carbon house we use rainwater…
materials
We used 14 different reclaimed building materials in zero carbon house. Some are visible but many are not. Earth block walls We used unfired earth in a way that has…
ecology and community
We have included the wider community and site ecology within the design considerations of our zero carbon house. Homes for creatures Preserving wildlife and improving biodiversity are ecological concerns that can be…
inspirations
World religions We have been inspired by: Thich Nhat Hahn, a Zen Buddhist monk who wrote Love Letter to the Earth Pope Francis in his encyclical letter Laudato Si on…