'We wanted to reuse and recycle what we already had' – step inside this low-waste extension designed with the planet in mind

When the time came for Chris Newman and Nette Huntley to extend their Victorian terrace in 2022, the need for more space wasn’t their only driving force.

A shared passion for the issues of climate change and sustainability dictated all aspects of the project for the couple, who both work in eco-sympathetic industries.

The story began back in 2010 when Chris and Nette bought "a wreck of a house" in Peckham, south London. "Me and my dad, with some outside help, did a full eco renovation of it," says Chris. "It wasn’t very pretty, but we insulated it throughout, to a standard that was 50 per cent better than the required standards for a new build."

They also installed solar panels and a new boiler, and ended up winning a national award for 'eco renovation of the year’. The next 12 years were concentrated on raising a family. When they set out to continue with the project, the boys, Ralph and Ned, had reached their teens.

"We realised the configuration downstairs meant we were on top of each other, so drastic action had to be taken," says Chris. "Having a small garden meant we could only extend out so far, so we sought professional advice."

Project details

• Location South London
• Project Extension and remodelling
• House type Victorian terrace
• House size 187sq m
• Build cost £225,000
• Architects Proctor & Shaw

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The Accoya cladding helps the house feel at one with the garden's natural surroundings

The right architect

To find the best architect for the job, Nette made a shortlist of local practices, but also did a lot of research on the sustainability credentials of each – whether they were genuinely committed to the environment or simply "greenwashing". After interviewing three candidates, they chose John Proctor from Proctor & Shaw.

"He was surprised when we told him we wanted to retain our perfectly good wooden floor, a kitchen that was only eight years old and all of the existing structural steelwork," says Chris. "After his initial scepticism about the extreme degree to which we wanted to reuse and recycle what we already had, he got quite excited at the prospect of the project."

John takes up the story: "Design-wise, the idea of keeping the steelwork was a wonderful example of how good design can respond to a given constraint," he says. "Keeping the steelwork meant a pitched roof and a tight spot in the plan with a low ceiling. This became an opportunity for a tiered rooftop allotment and a contrasting super tall ‘tower’ that gifted volumetric generosity to the space."

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In the main extension, lower ceilings contrast with tall spaces to create a sense of drama

The living area has no shortage of natural light

Birch plywood sheets were used to line the walls and accentuate the double-height space

The build proceeds

"As far as existing materials were concerned, it was as much about must-keep features as must-have features," says Chris. "But there was no getting around the fact that we needed to create more space and we tasked John with that job."

With the challenge accepted, John came up with plans for a triple extension. Firstly, the existing side extension would be stripped back to floor finishes and steel frame – with rooflights retained for reuse – and the space remodelled with a highly insulated warm deck roof forming a new allotment garden.

Secondly, the small patio was infilled by adding double-storey space articulated with oversized windows, an oriel window framing views of the garden at ground-floor level and large high-level windows giving views to the sky and rooftop allotment. The third element was a new room at the bottom of the garden.

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To minimise waste, the builders fashioned birch ply doors onto the existing carcasses

The warm roof construction, with its structural beams and noggins, creates a quirky design feature in itself

The new design has allowed a clear sightline from the core of the house through to the garden

Recycling in action

The family had taken the brave decision to remain living on site while renovating, and luckily the build itself went as smoothly as they could have hoped for.

All helped by the fact that the builders were a "real delight to have around". "They were all super helpful and polite," says Chris.

Before the work started, Chris had taken the opportunity to switch over the heating system from a gas boiler to a heat pump, while retaining almost all of the original radiators, and the family were thankful for the efficiency of this system – especially given that it was a particularly cold winter.

"We were plyboarded into the middle part of the house and there was only one radiator downstairs, but thanks to the super-insulation that we’d installed all those years ago, we were fine," says Chris.

For a couple so opposed to wastefulness, a potential disaster was averted thanks to some creative thinking and flexibility. Through no fault of their own, a consignment of windows ordered directly from abroad arrived with the handles on the wrong side.

"To throw them away and have new ones delivered would have been a terrible waste of resources, not to mention the embodied energy cost," points out Chris.

"Two of them were just internal windows, so we simply installed them upside down to get the handles on the correct side. After we posted our dilemma on the local WhatsApp group, the other two windows found a new home with someone who was in the process of building a property in Devon."

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The house benefits from three and a half living areas

Like the rest of the house, the large bathroom window helps make the space feel bright and open

Green spaces

Chris and Nette were nothing if not ambitious. Not quite content with all of the new space that they had created, for an added eco dimension, they hankered for more greenery, too.

As a result of this desire, all of the flat roofs had a variety of gardens installed on them – including the small allotment garden – providing habitats for wildlife, plus a space to collect rainwater for reuse.

"On top of the tower we put a brown roof with an 'occasional' pond that fills up when it rains, then naturally drains," says Chris. "It contains gravel and sedum and we leave it to just go wild. And on top of the garden extension, we have a sedum green roof."

With the boys growing up and no longer needing a square lawn to kick a ball around on, Chris worked with a designer to landscape the garden and incorporate paths, a pond and lots of borders and shrubs, finished off with a seat around the tree – created out of offcuts from the Accoya cladding that had been used on the exterior of the house.

"Thanks to the ingenuity of the architect, we’ve gone from a house with a single living space to one with three and a half living areas," says Chris. "Although he didn’t add that much square footage, John created tons of space as well as totally changing the dynamic of how the ground floor works. What he also did was add a ridiculous amount of light – it’s all so open and airy."

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The window-cum-door out of the first-floor study leads out to the ‘mini allotment’ on decking

The property features two bedrooms, one of which has an en suite

"Regarding the house as a whole, it’s no exaggeration to say the finished result has blown through our expectations," concludes Chris. "We’re so thankful for what has been achieved here."

Enjoyed this tour? Take a look around this family home in Sheffield which was completely transformed by a glass-box extension. Or, step inside this copper-clad eco-home that's shaped like 'origami'.