As part of Muswell Hill Sustainability Group's Green Open Homes season: an annual opportunity to see sustainable domestic energy in situ, be inspired by emissions & energy reducing measures and pick brains for lived experiences and expert advice …

Join us for a 30-minute tour and Q&A with the architect host, covering a rear extension, loft conversion and refurbishment of an Edwardian house into a comfortable, low-energy, show-stopping home, where all internal partitions at ground floor were removed. The project includes ...

• Insulating and improving air-tightness

• Triple-glazing

• Masonry nib walls retained at ground floor to avoid energy-intensive steel box frames

• Natural materials including stone, timber and lime plaster, rather than cement-based products

• Rear extension built in highly insulated 172mm SIPS and all existing building elements achieved a Passivhaus standard U-value of 0.15 or better

• An MVHR system provides pre-heated fresh air and filters the incoming air, removing pollen, diesel particulates ad NOx to create a healthy indoor environment

Design features:

• Minimising concrete structure

• A continuous airtightness layer, formed by either intello plus membrane (where timber construction eg: floor, loft and rear extension) or 10mm lime plaster where existing masonry walls

• Insulation to existing floors and masonry walls: externally at the side and rear, and internal wood fibre at the front

• No steels: only timber structure has been used in the loft conversion

• Retaining some masonry nib walls downstairs to avoid steel box frames where possible

• Natural stone rather than concrete floor finishes

Awards:

o DMI Environmental Leadership Prize

o AJ Small Projects finalist

o RIBA London Award shortlist

Credits:

• Architect: Architecture for London

• Structural engineer: Architecture for London

THE HOMEOWNER says …

"I designed the house to reveal the original structure of the property and celebrate its modest beauty; while aiming to be an exemplar for the sustainable refurbishment of a typical terraced home in London with a constrained budget – both embodied energy and energy in-use have been considered in depth". Ben Ridley, architect, owner and designer of the house and director of Architecture for London.

TOUR DATES available for this house …

Sunday 8th November: 10am until 10.30am

PLEASE NOTE …

Tours will begin promptly at their start times

Full addresses will be emailed to those with booked tickets the day before the tour

If fully booked, a waiting list can be joined, and notice given to the first names on it if tickets are released and reallocated. If you can no longer use your booked ticket, please cancel it through WeGotTickets, so that it can be re-homed.

ABOUT … Green Open Homes

For 14 years, Muswell Hill Sustainability Group has been running a free three-week Green Open Homes season every November, including expert speaker meetings on a range of energy efficiency topics, and tours of a cross section of 10 – 15 local homes that have been future-proofed against heat, cold, energy bills and emissions, amongst other climate change threats. They range from quick fixes to major installations to entire builds, with the intention of offering unbiased, experienced and - where professionals are present - expert advice; to inspire, inform and encourage visitors considering similar.

MHSG is pleased to be presenting Green Open Homes this year in collaboration with Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, a long-standing (78 years!), independent, non-partisan amenity society, committed to protecting the local environment and quality of life across Muswell Hill, Fortis Green, and Alexandra ward.

Description supplied by the event organiser.