Tommy Walsh's eco-friendly house
 

I had a look at this yesterday (Sun 24th June) - I'll have some
pictures shortly, but in the meantime here's a link
http://www.cambs-times.co.uk/content...A40%3A35%3A570

(my pics don't include Tommy anyway, no-one at all was on site
yesterday)

If you want to see it for yourself, it's right by St Wendreda's church
(very fine carved roof beams) in the town of March, Cambridgeshire.

Anyway, my impressions were quite an attractive design, on a very
small plot. Quite a large area of photovoltaics on the roof (maybe 5
sq m.). Roof is slate and these tiles match the slates very closely,
very unobtrusive, mostly a change from matt grey to a glossy grey.

I couldn't see the high levels of insulation as the build is near
finished. What could be seen on the lower floor and amongst the
builders rubble was 50mm Kingspan. Lower half had just had mesh
attached ready for rendering. Upper half has chestnut cladding, and
very neatly done too.

Windows looked to be pine timber framed quality units, though no large
areas of South facing glass for solar gain. No apparent sign of solar
water heating.

I haven't seen the earlier stages of construction, though the picture
on my link above shows blockwork, certainly up to first floor windows.
There's a small amount of exposed lower floor brickwork around doors
and windows.