From a £1m Passivhaus to a £475,000 eco home in London, these available eco homes showcase very high energy efficiency
(Image credit: Eden Estates)
A five-bedroom Passivhaus is among the impressive eco homes available to buy now that will ensure new owners have low running costs.
Eco homes can be built with sustainable materials and/or feature technology that means that the house uses minimal energy to run when it is finally inhabited.
Keeping bills low is imperative for homeowners across the UK, with energy prices set to rise by £800 per year for millions of households in October. And if you're an active house buyer concerned with your energy usage, you might need to pay more outright to secure an eco home, but it can have a positive long-term impact on your bills.
Sitting across a range of budgets, these are three of the most impressive eco homes on sale now.
1. Holly Hill
Where? Meopham, Gravesend Guide price: £1,000,000
(Image credit: Eden Estates)
This five-bedroom Passivhaus-certified eco home near Gravesend boasts breathtaking views and has an eye-watering guide price of £1m, although it’s not hard to see why. It features an array of green features designed to keep running costs low, including underfloor heating, triple glazed windows and 12 solar electricity panels.
There are also two solar thermal panels for hot water and a rainwater harvesting system to provide water for the toilets, outdoor taps and washing machines. There's an electric vehicle charging point in the garage, too.
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Equally as impressive on the design side, the property features a diagonally pitched zinc roof and Siberian larch cladding and decking. There’s also a 32ft sun deck, a master bedroom with an en-suite, and a fitted kitchen and utility room.
Where? Osset, West Yorkshire Guide price: £635,000
(Image credit: Holroyd Miller)
The new owners of this Yorkshire home will only pay net energy costs of around £100-£200 a year, estate agent Holroyd Miller says; the property was designed with energy efficiency as its primary consideration.
The four-bedroom property has an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate, which was achieved through the installation of thick insulation and mechanical ventilation heat recovery, while underfloor heating and UPVC double glazing has been installed throughout.
It also features 20 solar panels which are registered with the government’s Feed-in-Tariff scheme and will generate money back for the next 15 years.
Plus, there’s a study, a media room wired for a home cinema system, a summer house at the far end of the south-facing garden and four water butts to collect rainwater.
This contemporary one-bedroom detached house in Clapton was built with energy efficiency in mind. There are tripled glazed windows in every room, underfloor heating throughout the house and solar panels mounted on the roof to help lower electricity usage.
The home was designed to maximise space and light, featuring open plan kitchen and dining areas, as well as a bespoke joinery on the upper floor and a cantilevered balcony which leads from the first floor to the living spaces.
Jack has worked in journalism for 11 years and is the News Editor for Homebuilding & Renovating, a role he has had since 2019. He strives to break the most relevant and beneficial stories for self builders, extenders and renovators, including the latest news on the construction materials shortage and hydrogen heating. In 2021 he appeared on BBC's The World at One to discuss the government's planning reforms.
He enjoys testing new tools and gadgets, and having bought his first home in 2013, he has renovated every room and recently finished a garden renovation.
