5 Ideas to Borrow from a Low-Energy Retrofit of a 1907 Townhouse
Photography by Christian Brailey,
courtesy of Architecture for London, unless otherwise noted.
Ben Ridley, director of Architecture for London, is an avid proponent of doing what you can to make your old house as energy-efficient and environmentally healthy as possible. The renovation of the 1907 London townhouse he shares with his partner, Susanne, and daughter Edyth was complicated and not inexpensive (construction costs were around £250,000), but the tradeoff is that the house now uses about 80 percent less energy. Take a look.
1. Preserve the good: The original front door here was restored by local stained glass expert Rachel Kemp.
2. Skip the paint: “We used lime plaster throughout which has a beautiful finish naturally and provides a further layer of airtightness,” says Ben.
3. Stick to natural materials: The triumvirate of oak, plaster, and limestone imparts texture and warmth—with the added benefit that each of these materials has low embodied energy (the energy used to make the product).
4. Bring in the light: As the north-facing front living room doesn’t get much natural light, Ben designed the dining area addition in the back to feature an oversized floor-to-ceiling window.
5. Connect to nature: The large picture window and glass door in the new addition provide easy visual (and physical) access to the garden.