Record heat waves, unexpected deep freezes, chaos, and crisis: Is there any way to prepare our homes for turbulent temperatures without steep costs?
One family's countryside oasis shows that the future secret to comfortable living (minus exorbitant energy expenses) could come from an initial approach to home construction.
Sneak a peek at Graham and Emily Bizley's new energy-efficient family getaway — recently featured in the home decor publication House Beautiful UK — and you'll likely notice the space's trendy yet timeless "luxury minimalism" aesthetic right away. The achievement was the result of a passion project, both personal and professional: Graham works as an architect; Emily is an interior designer.
Rustic materials, neutral tones, open-air concepts, and smart accents abound within the home's interior, interacting seamlessly with not only the expansive timber-clad exterior but also the gorgeous greenery beyond — a view that House Beautiful UK described "gives this property its wow factor." (The building is situated in Somerset, U.K. — an area known for its "lush countryside landscapes" along with "picturesque rolling hills, quaint villages, and meandering rivers," per its tourism association.)
The endeavor first began when the Bizleys stumbled upon dilapidated construction "on a wooded hill" in the scenic region, noted House Beautiful UK.
But the property's most striking feature isn't obvious in any photograph — and that's how the Bizleys chose to put "energy efficiency at the forefront of this design," explained House Beautiful UK. The couple relied on a set of decades-old Scandinavian construction principles known as Passivhaus (or passive house) to do so.
Per the International Passive House Association, those standards call upon buildings to provide "healthy, comfortable living and impressive energy efficiency, regardless of the regional climate." The goal? Structures that "[make] conventional heating and air conditioning systems obsolete" without sacrificing personal comfort.
Applying those principles to home construction resulted in "a system that combines advanced insulation, clever heat-exchange technology, and careful orientation to avoid the need for heating the house, even in the depths of a British winter," Graham told House Beautiful UK.
For example, House Beautiful UK detailed how the Bizleys crafted strategic blueprints that placed the "widest, highest aspect" of the home to "catch the warmth of the sun." Meanwhile, "the back of the house … has been built into the ground to minimize heat loss."
Multiple weatherizing upgrades to doors, windows, and insulation ensured shelter from extreme weather events (on the rise due to increasing toxic environmental pollution) without the accompanying energy waste.
This type of thoughtful, sustainable construction yields big benefits. Inefficient household energy use can be expensive, uncomfortable, unreliable, and unhealthy.
You don't need to build a house from scratch, either. Consider an induction stove, heat pump, or solar panel installation: all help to safeguard your health, minimize energy use, and save money — not just on monthly bills but through rebates and tax credits like those in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.
Because when you take care of your home, it can better take care of you.
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