20 Avondale Road
Hove BN3 6ER

Oliver Heath’s award winning eco refurbishment of this 1960s detached house had key aims of creating a great family home and reducing the house’s carbon footprint by 75% from 10.9 to 2.7 tonnes a year, making dramatic savings on energy bills.

The brick exterior has been transformed using insulating render and locally sourced sweet chestnut cladding. Natural materials and finishes have been used inside to create Oliver’s trade mark ‘Eco Chic’ interior, and include reclaimed larch, Cumbrian slate, natural paints and Resilica recycled glass work surfaces.

Key areas of interest in Oliver’s refurbishment were: creating a healthy interior space; retrofitting a heat recovery system; maximizing the use of natural light; minimizing artificial light; and ingenious low flow water saving features. The 3.7kWp of photovoltaic panels generate electricity for the house as well as the electric car.

Oliver has used his design skills to create a home that reflects a sustainable approach in both practical and aesthetic ways, winning the British Institute of Interior Design eco retrofit award for 2011.