Carbon negative contemporary home

The Grade II listed Tower Mill in Little Downham, had fallen into disrepair, with no sails, windows or cap, but has now been sympathetically developed into a stylish and modern eco-friendly home while retaining the beauty of its wind-powered past.

The team at Eco Installer worked hand-in-hand with Freeman Brear Architects who developed the initial design and details such as a glazed viewing area and mezzanine which provide uninterrupted views over the surrounding countryside and allows night-time observation of the big Fenland skies.

As well as its architecturally-stunning exterior, it has been designed with energy efficiency at its core with a biomass boiler, rainwater harvesting system, and a mechanical ventilation system keeps the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer and re-uses up to 95% of the heat that would have otherwise have been lost.

Tower Mill is a prime example of how technology is helping to drive sustainable solutions and helping to address both environmental and economic concerns. Its 10-kilowatt photo-voltaic roof panels - which charge a state-of-the-art storage battery system - triple-glazed windows and heavily insulated walls all increase the mill’s energy efficiency and prevent unnecessary waste.

The mill’s owner Henry Martin said: “I was keen to invest in various renewable technologies to produce a property with the lowest possible carbon, running and maintenance costs”.

The architects' worked closely with Henry – and Eco Installer, who are responsible for many of the clever, energy-saving installations at Tower Mill – to create the home of his dreams - an exciting, contemporary, comfortable house which costs little to run and which requires minimum maintenance.

www.ecoinstaller.co.uk