IF you want to get some ideas to make your home more energy efficient, go and poke around Kit Knowles’ place this weekend.
"The Sustainable Energy Academy have deemed it one of its SuperHomes, 40 of which are open this weekend all over the country."
He has made it his business to test out the most efficient systems on the market and has put many into practice in his own home, a hundred year old Arts and Crafts house in Chorltonville.
He refurbished the house putting in more than 100 sustainable technologies and without using any renewable electricity generation has reduced its carbon footprint by 62% and cut energy bills from £2,500 to £500.
Exterior of energy efficient home
Quite an achievement and the Sustainable Energy Academy have deemed it one of its SuperHomes, 40 of which are open this weekend all over the country.
The latest bit of groundbreaking kit on show in Chorltonville will be a new hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) system that combines electricity and hot water production in one panel, with a new technology to preheat air coming into the house and provide cooling in the summer time.
As Kit explains: “The Achilles heel of normal photovoltaics is the drop in efficiency occurring at the height of the day due to the panels overheating. By running cool water though the panels a lower temperature is maintained, greatly increasing electrical output and providing hot water as a by-product. Battery storage and energy management then enables the property to store excess energy and distribute it at times it would otherwise be required to pull from the national grid.”
Energy efficient roof
The system was commissioned through a partnership between Kit’s company Ecospheric and Newform Energy.
He said: “We love working with companies to test emerging technologies in the energy efficiency market. This is a very exciting new system that will allow us to harness more potential energy from the sun than any other type of domestic solar equipment.”
The Chorlton Eco Show Home will be open 7th-9th September, 10am-5pm and is free to attend with Ecospheric sustainability consultants on hand to answer any questions you may have relating to your own property.
To register your interest in the open days please visit: www.superhomes.org.uk
For more information, visit www.ecospheric.co.uk or call 0161 881 4173
Bedroom of an energy efficient home
Interior of energy efficient home
Thermograph demonstrating the thermal efficiency of the rear of house
