An eco-conscious home.... 'back to the future'.

When first looking at the photographs & brochure details for this stunning contemporary home on the edge of Stamford, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was built only a month or two ago, such is the quality of finish & the range of environmental 'green' factors taken into consideration within the build. However, St Martins Lodge in First Drift, Wothorpe was actually built in 2010 - designed by local architects Harris & McCormack to the owners' brief of creating a highly energy-efficient but stylish home.
As the issue of rising energy costs becomes more prevalent with the price cap being lifted on energy bills, as well as the need to limit factors potentially affecting climate change, then a home like this with a range of 'green' credentials becomes more critical for some, as well as futureproofing for the market in years to come.
Looking at some of the specifics, some construction parameters really were ahead of the time. Since there is a heat-recovery ventilation system (recovering over 60% of extracted heat in winter months), air-tightness was an important factor - a rating of 2.8 was achieved, five times better than building regulation standards 10 years ago & reputably still better than current regulation limits. To enhance heating efficiency, there is sophisticated zoned under-floor heating throughout on all levels - whether for the five luxurious en-suite bedrooms, extensive open-plan family kitchen area, or the media room on the lower floor. All windows are double-glazed, set in aluminium frames, with Krypton gas used in larger units for improved u-values. Most significantly, the highly efficient heating system works with a heat reservoir, so that small heat demands are supplied from the reservoir rather than the need for the boiler to run. The boiler will then only run fully (& most efficiently) to bring the reservoir back to temperature or for reheating the hot water tank.
Other small, but significant, additions include - extensive lighting systems (compatible with highly efficient bulbs), with sensors where possible to prevent lights being left on unnecessarily. Fibre broadband is fully available, with Cat6 cabling throughout. And for the garden there is an underground rainwater harvesting collection tank, with an automatic pumping system for ease of use.
Looking ahead over a decade ago, there is still the opportunity to install other energy efficient systems, such as photo-voltaic panels & air-source heat pumps, which at the time of the build were in their design infancy & not as efficient as now. Provision was made for installation for either of these items, with space specifically allocated for convenience.
And for a final perspective on environmental savings, there is a studio in the garden which could be ideal as an alternative home office.... and Wothorpe is a gentle stroll down-hill past Burghley Park to Stamford, with the railway station & Georgian town centre under a mile away - negating the need even for a car, electric/hybrid or otherwise. This exceptional home really does combine convenient country living with modern-day work trends in an environmentally sympathetic way, ready for the future ahead.