The hosts are volunteers, keen to show what they’ve done and to inspire you in doing something similar. But they’re not selling anything; in fact, they’ll discuss what went wrong or was difficult, as well as their triumphs. Each home has a Case Study with details of contractors, suppliers, etc.
Many hosts are early adopters of new technologies. Some have retrofitted their homes with natural materials, while some are on a budget, using lots of DIY.
9 open homes:
- Oakington 1935 detached home, with a new extension and very high standard of retrofit
- Queen Edith’s 1963 home with DIY-led retrofit. Fully electric, with Vehicle to Grid
- Whittlesford new-build, near PassivHaus new-build with walls of hollow clay blocks
- Impington 1929retrofit & new extension that doubled floor area & cut total gas use by a third
- Suffolk 1600 timber-frame architect’s home: sympathetic deep retrofit using natural materials
- Ely 1975 ‘living lab’ terrace home with lots of new tech: PV, batteries, linking to electric car
- Queen Edith’s 1905 semi phased retrofit with a net-zero plan: vacuum panels in sash windows
- Melbourn new-build near-PassivHaus. Stored rainwater for loos, washing machine & garden
- Oakington 1967 mid-terrace retrofit with natural materials, using all electric tech
OEH expert talks will also help people make their own home energy improvements:
- ‘Greening Your Older Home’ – advice on sympathetic retrofit and getting planning permission
- ‘Living with a Heat Pump’ – experiences of homeowners and a heat pump installer
- ‘Achieving Air Tightness Talk’ – why is this so important and difficult for deep retrofit?
- ‘Smart Electric Homes’ – saving costs and carbon using PV, batteries and vehicle to grid
- ‘Human Library on Home Energy’ - personal expert advice in Cambridge Central library
The big majority of OEH participants make their own home energy improvements as a result.
This year is a good time for homeowners to invest what they can in home energy efficiency, as the value of resulting energy savings is greater than before.
- Get ready for next winter: keep warm with less energy consumption
- Find your journey to a net-zero home, with a whole house plan
- Low-cost/DIY improvements, like draught-proofing will help ease the coming energy crisis
“This is such an impressive, comprehensive & beautiful project!” - 2021 Participant
