Introduction--List of homes and gardens--Dates of open days--Location map--Products, builders and suppliers--Our sponsors--More on eco-renovation

Summary

This four bedroom farmhouse (part of a larger building) was built in 1800 in a remote location on the ‘Isle of Wedmore’, above the Somerset levels. When Steve and Helen Mewes moved into the property, they set about restoring their new home, with the aim of lowering its environmental impact wherever possible, most notably eliminating the use of fossil fuels. Future plans include gradually replacing the UPVC windows with double glazed wooden ones, building a porch to help shelter the front door from the wind, and getting chickens and bees. Steve is a founder member of the Wedmore Green Group (www.wedmoregreengroup.co.uk),

Green features in the home

• 8 photovoltaic (PV) panels for electricity production
• 30 solar hot water tubes
• A 20 kilowatt Froeling wood boiler for all central heating and hot water in the winter, and a small wood stove in living room
• Extensive insulation in the roof (30cm of old-style insulation and thermafleece in the main roof and 40cm of Warmcell insulation in new roof above the extension)
• Extension built of I-beam construction reducing cement use
• Double glazing in all windows
• Dual flush toilets, and spray attachments on all taps to reduce flow
• Water meter, and careful water usage, for example re-use of water for garden, and showers rather than baths
• Bamboo flooring
• Additional electricity bought from Good Energy
• Environmentally-friendly paints and recycled glass worktops
• A-rated appliances
• Low energy lightbulbs

Green features outside

• Wormery and composting
• Water butts and other water collectors (and no hose)
• Recycled materials used eg old carpet as weed mulch
• Owl box and wildlife habitat
• Large spring-fed pond
• Organic Vegetable growing

Energy use

The panels have proved to be ‘exceptionally effective’. 1900 kilowatts of electricity were used in 2008, but this is expected to be reduced in 2009 as the PV cells were only installed in October 08. No oil is now used.

Suppliers used and recommended by owners

Steve recommends the following companies which supplied products for their home and garden: Econergy which supplied his wood boiler, Solar Sense which provided the photovoltaic panels, Wiggly wigglers (for garden items including the wormery), the Organic Gardening Catalogue and Disney Flooring. He would also recommend his builder, Tom Day, and his plumbers, John Adams and Mark Griffiths.

To find out more

For more information about Lands End Farm House, or the Wedmore Green Group, contact Steve Mewes at s.mewes@virgin.net or go to www.wedmoregreengroup.co.uk

Directions

From Wedmore village church head up the hill towards Blackford and Mark. Take a small road on the left, opposite the recreation ground, then after another 200 metres, take a right at the T-junction. Continue for a mile, downhill through a small village, and turn right at the sign for Lands End Nursery and Fishery. Continue to the end of the lane, where it opens up into a farmyard, opposite some poly-tunnels. Park by the open barn with the big pile of logs.

There are a limited number of buses to Wedmore, which is about 40 minutes walk away.

See the calendar for open days and times