Durham architect wants national award to spark local action insulating housing

The North-East’s first Net-Zero retrofit home has won a national award from the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

And the architect behind it hopes the recognition will point the way for the region to improve homes that currently leak energy far too much and cost a fortune to keep warm.

Mark Siddall of LEAP: Lovingly Engineered Architecture Practice, in Durham, designed Shepherd’s Barn in Lanchester – a house that produces more energy than it consumes, so pays its own bills.

Now recognised as Best Green Home winner in the Telegraph’s prestigious Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2022, the accolade ensures Mark ended 2022 on a high after winning a string of awards for the retrofit throughout the year.

The Telegraph citation for the Best Green Home winner declared: ‘This zero carbon-rated home should act as a blueprint for those looking to rejuvenate brownfield plots and derelict buildings around the UK.

And Mark said: “While I was thrilled to win a national award, I was equally delighted that the judges suggested it was an example that could and should be followed by others.

“I really hope the publicity spurs others to look into what they might do in their own homes both to reduce energy bills and emissions.

“At a time when energy prices have never been higher, and people are struggling with huge bills, there has never been a better time to think of long-term ways to tackle the problem.

“It’s great that the Government is supporting people through the winter with subsidies on their energy bills but if you insulate a home well, it doesn’t just lower your energy this winter but for many years to come and is a long-term solution.

“For instance, the energy price guarantee which currently subsidises gas bills is costing us £31bn for just 6 months of support.  

“But recent research from the University of Warwick established that investing £60bn-£65bn in retrofit would pay itself back within about seven years – rather than saddling the nation with long-term debt.”

Shepherd’s Barn is built to Passivhaus standards – the only internationally recognised, performance-based energy standard in construction.

The one-and-a-half-storey home, nestled in a valley, has been designed to minimise the amount of energy used for heating and hot water while providing a high standard of comfort both in summer and winter

The building achieves Net-Zero Carbon status, under UK standards, and satisfies the RIBA 2030 targets for Operational and Whole Life Embodied Carbon, showing what can be achieved when seeking to reduce environmental impact.

In addition to super-insulation, ventilation heat recovery, and excellent draft proofing, the build utilises solar panels, a Tesla power wall, and creative use of brownfield land.

Mark said: “Health, air quality, and comfort are the key areas to look at because are the things that people really want.

“They only need energy companies so that they can get those things – but if you use a modern approach you can cut the fat cats out of the picture, get what you want AND reduce bills and combat climate change.

“There’s so much that can be achieved, not just with insulation but with draft proofing and ventilation.”