Simple steps to make your self build greener
5th October 2009

There is an increasing temptation for those embarking on self build projects, to fill their homes with high tech, complicated green technology that in many cases will not pay back for years, if ever the cost of its installation.

Obviously the individual companies promoting their particular branch of Eco-technology will do their best to convince you that their product is just what you need to save the world. It can be difficult to find (and then to decipher) independent information.

So what simple steps can you take to make your self build greener?

The first, indispensable and essential item on the agenda is INSULATION. Walls, floors and roof space need insulated and the thicker the better. Insulation itself is relatively inexpensive so it is worth going over and beyond the current building regulation requirements to ensure that the energy used to heat your home stays indoors and doesn't escape through the walls and roof.

If super insulation is the core to green self build then its sidekick is airtightness. All German buildings routinely have to pass an airtightness test, but in the UK, even so called green builds would be struggling to reach the Germans minimum requirements. Draughts cause heat loss and their elimination will improve the green credentials of your home. However the downside of sealed houses is moisture control and so a ventilation system may be required.

A number of architects are now calling for more buildings to be built to a passive (zero heating) design. Savings made in not investing in technology, can instead be used to maximise the quality of the building materials to create a super insulated house.

My personal favourite is a wood burning stove (although this may not be an option if you live in a town). Not only do they look great they really do work as well. We had one in our five bedroom barn conversion (converted to slightly better than 1995 Building Regs). It was a cavernous house, full of floor to ceiling voids and the wood burner was set in our living room. When lit, it could heat the entire house if we left the internal doors open. The central heating was needed from November to March only - a huge saving, and it only needed a log or two a day.

A water butt in the garden is an inexpensive way of storing rain water. Every little bit helps and even if you only use it for watering plants in the summer months, that much drinking water will not be wasted.

The Victorians had the right idea about insulating their windows. Before the days of double glazing, on cold winters nights, the shutters were closed and the family lived in cosy, fire light rooms. Modern day shutters can keep the cold out too and thick, heavy curtains, will also keep the warmth in.

Simple measures such as ensuring your house is not filled with hardwood imported from the other side of the world, using local materials and even local builders (less travelling time) also keeps your carbon footprint down.

So before you are mesmerised by glossy brochures and feel you've not done your bit unless you empty your bank account, remember. Being green is not all about flashy high tech gadgets and technology. Simple changes that don't cost that much money, can make an enormous difference too.

Once only of interest to a small minority, green is the new black as far as self-building is concerned.

With the effects of global warming becoming increasingly apparent, more and more people are seeking greener ways to provide the energy needed to run a home.

Whether it's solar panels, heat pumps, high specification glazing or eco-friendly wool insulation in the loft space, there is little doubt that it is self-builders who are setting the standards for a greener future for the building industry and the way we live our lives.

Underfloor heating for example, has been available for years but, by and large, the self build market has been the industry's bread and butter - with large scale property developers still opting for standard, less efficient radiators.

But it's not all about saving the planet. Incorporating green ideas into a home can lead to reduced running costs and save you money in the medium to long term too. And when you come to sell your home in the future, you can guarantee that the greener it is the more attractive it will be to prospective buyers.

There is a greater sense of purpose from the government to promote green alternatives too with a stick and carrot approach in place.

Building regulations now demand far better energy efficiency while government grants are available for loft insulation right through to solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines and other microgeneration technologies.

Self-builders are leading the way as far as greener homes are concerned and greenselfbuild.co.uk will be with you every step of the way towards a greener future for you, your family and the wider community.