Beith: Fairview, 18 Reek Street

Mr and Mrs Dickson lived in an old, draughty property in Beith for over 30 years before deciding to demolish it and rebuild a brand new air-tight and energy efficient home. The property will be 3 years old this October and throughout the project, the Dickson's lived in a caravan in their back garden.

The family incorporated many renewable technologies along with energy efficiency measures in the home. There is no central heating system in the property because Mr and Mrs Dickson over specified many aspects of the property, including the walls which are thicker than the required standard to allow more insulation and air flow. There is a 12kW wood burning stove in the main living area which is used in winter and this is able to heat a lot of the property.

They have a 4kW Solar Photovoltaic system. This consists of 16 panels situated on a South-facing roof. Mr and Mrs Dickson have adapted their lifestyle slightly to optimise their solar panels, including using the bulk of their electricity during the day when they are generating electricity.

They also installed an internal Air Source Heat Pump to heat their hot water. This works well in the property because there are few variations in room temperature and it is higher than outside temperatures. The heat pump is accompanied by a 300 litre hot water tank. There is an LCD control display but the couple opt to manually turn on the water heating in the afternoon for a few hours. Because the tank is fully insulated, it is able to retain heat very well and if the shower is used in the morning, it still needs to be mixed with cold water because it is too hot!

Mr and Mrs Dickson are opening their doors on Saturday 2^nd and Sunday 3^rd 10am ? 4pm for visitors to view and discuss the property. There will be walk rounds and explanations of the technologies throughout both days. These will be at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, no booking necessary. A Home Energy Scotland advisor will also be present to answer any questions about energy efficiency and renewable technologies. For more information, contact April Kilday on 01292 525500.