Energy Saving Homes during Oxford Open Doors 2025
13 - 14 Sep 2025
Saturday 13th: 10:30am-12:30pm
Sunday 14th: Not Open
Just turn up
A 1980s end of terrace, 4 bed, 3 storey house, where the residents have contributed to lower carbon consumption / output through:
Ø Old meter systems replaced with Smart 2 electric and gas meters,
Ø Smoke alarms fitted on each floor, carbon monoxide meter, fire extinguisher and fire blanket fitted in kitchen,
Ø Electric doorbell fitted with alarms in kitchen and on 1st and 2nd floor stairs,
Ø Cavity wall insulation check: thermal imaging of house exterior to identify points of heat loss, and bore holes made at ground floor and 2nd floor walls both found insulation in good order,
Ø Photo Voltaic (PV) Solar Panels to harvest energy from the sun thus reducing our use of gas and electricity:
o Batteries: store PV generated electrical energy for evening use,
o Excess generated electricity exported to the National Grid,
o Under consideration - solar panel energy diverter to divert it to heating an immersion water heater,
Ø An electric kitchen hob, replacing the previous gas one,
Ø New draft-free and low conductance front door fitted in March 2023,
Ø Heat pump to warm in winter and cool in summer the two 2nd floor rooms, through two Daikin air conditioners connected to a Daikin Heat Pump installed at the rear of the house. Installed by MGi Limited,
Ø Old water system with large and small water tanks in the attic removed and replaced with mains direct system which also allowed the electric showers on 1st and 2nd floors to be replaced with a mains water driven shower that are much cheaper to operate,
Ø Rain water tank, 400 litre: to store rainwater for watering the garden,
Ø Lifestyle:
o Growing home fruit and veg,
o No car: on return to the UK in 2010 for retirement the owner abandoned car ownership - relying on walking, cycling, bus, train,
o No flying since 2010.