The GREEN Tour - 1 hour
Introduction
Farlands House was built in 1870
and is a traditional stone house with thick walls and a tiled roof. An
extension of a cottage (a separate freehold property) was built in c1970 and we
added an extension comprising a gym and a boiler room in 2012.
When we bought it
in 2010 it used two oil boilers for heating and hot water. It enjoyed spring
water, used septic tanks and was not on the gas network.
We now run Farlands
as a smallholding with chickens, turkeys, bees and have become just-about
self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables.
In our development
of both the house and land our aim is for a greener, more sustainable way of
life.
Wood
pellet boiler
(Okofen, fitted by Sustaburn)
·
used
for heating and hot water at both Farlands House and Farlands Cottage
·
Boiler
installed in 2012
·
RHI
(Renewable Heat Incentive, non-domestic use (because of 2 freehold properties)
guaranteed for 20 years
·
Over
20 years, RHI should pay for the boiler and 85% of the pellets
Solar
panels
·
16
panels installed in 2011
·
capacity of 3.76 KW
·
we
were assessed as 7% shading and we get sun 9ish-3ish; generation prediction v
accurate
·
FIT
(Feed In Tariff) guaranteed for 25 years (we applied at the most optimum rate)
·
Years
1-5 have averaged 2400 KWh a year
·
Break-even
should be in about year 13 (halfway)
Water
·
Septic
tanks
·
Spring
water source
·
Water
system installed in 2012; 800 litre water tank with a ph
corrector, UV purifier, filter and pump giving a pressurised system
Energy
use
·
Insulation
– loft, cavity walls (installed in dining room; probably a negligible energy
saving but does give a warmer room)
·
radiator
reflectors
·
light
bulbs – LED in kitchen
·
**KEY ** owl-type energy monitor in
kitchen (washing machine, dishwasher etc)
·
scythe,
tree-planting
Recycling
·
Compost
heaps, Turkey House made from recycled materials
Conclusion
In effect, Farlands House is now
a zero-consumer of non-renewable energy (net, ie taking a year as a whole).
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