10 of the greenest homes in Bristol

Thirty-two of Bristol’s greenest homes are opening up this month as part of Bristol Green Doors, taking place on September 26 and 27. The weekend will give you a chance to visit homes that have been made more comfortable, cheaper to heat and kinder on the environment across the city. Here’s our pick of the bunch:

1. Paleas Court, Shirehampton
Constructed from ModCell prefabricated straw bale panels, this is one of the first commercially available straw bale houses in the world. Designed to lock in carbon for the lifetime of the building, it’s extremely well insulated and heated with an air source heat pump.
2 Paleas Court will be open on Saturday, September 26 from 12noon-6pm.

2. Redland Hill, Redland
Lucy’s primary motivation for adding energy saving measures was to reduce the carbon footprint her family had on the environment. The complete refit achieved a 73% carbon saving on the home from what it was when it was bought, and has been awarded SuperHome status.
29 Redland Hill will be open on Saturday, September 26. Book your free place here.
 

3. Rose Cottage, Kingsdown
Tom is a local architect and has worked on many low-energy urban housing projects in Bristol. This new house provides a modern home for Tom and his family that is an exemplar for low-energy housing. The house features an airtight, well insulated timber-frame with a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system.
Rose Cottage will be open on Sunday, September 27 from 12noon-6pm.

 
4. Ashley Hill, Montpelier
Here’s a renovation with a real commitment to sustainability. This lovingly retrofitted communal creative house share showcases natural and breathable materials such as hemp and lime plaster, sheep wool insulation and a green roof. The kitchen also features reclaimed materials such as floorboards re-used from the attic, and hardwood worktops from Portsmouth harbour.
5 Ashley Hill will be open on Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27 from 12noon-6pm.

5. Bannerman Road, Easton
Both the heating and hot water in this off-gas Easton Terrace are supplied by renewable energy technologies including a wood burning stove with back boiler and solar thermal panels. The home features some brilliant low cost DIY tips such as polycarbonate secondary glazing.
28 Bannerman Road will be open on Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27 from 12noon-6pm.

6. Colston Road, Easton
This beautiful timber framed new-build embodies much of what is considered the best practice in environmentally conscious building today. Features include use of sustainable materials wherever possible, maximising solar gain and generating its own heat and power.
139 Colston Road will be open on Saturday, September 26 from 12noon-6pm.
 

7. Kingsley Road, Easton
Here the homeowners have always considered the environment when they have updated and improved their home. The home now features external wall insulation, triple glazing and a green roof, as well as clever use of indoor-outdoor spaces.
32 Kingsley Road will be open on Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27 from 12noon-6pm.

8. Southernhay House, Cliftonwood
This large five-bedroom, stone-built end-terrace both conserves and generates energy. A gas condensing boiler is integrated with hot water generation from a solar thermal system, dramatically improving the efficiency of the heating system. The home has recently achieved SuperHome status, being 68% less reliant on fossil fuels since refurbishment.
Southernhay House will be open on Saturday, September 26 from 12noon-6pm.
 

9. Colston Yard, Central Bristol
This fantastic new-build live-works space in the centre of Bristol cleverly merges contemporary sustainable design with Victorian industrial architecture. The timber frame home features an airtight design, solar water heating and mechanical ventilation and heat recovery.
10 Colston Yard will be open on Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27 from 12noon-6pm.
 

10. Thanet Road, Bedminster
This home is completely off gas. In fact it’s never been connected. All of the house’s heat is provided by a single downstairs woodburner, and modern electric radiators. Rooms can be independently heated and controlled by each radiator’s thermostat. External wall insulation has been added to both the front and the back of the property, dramatically reducing heat loss.
41 Thanet Road will be open Sunday, September 27 from 12noon-6pm.

Interested in finding out how you could make your home greener and cheaper to heat? Visit a home or two at Bristol Green Doors on September 26-27. Find your nearest green open home here.

Read more about Bristol Green Capital 2015.