House For Sale £745,000
Property number 49341. Click the "Request Viewing" or "Email Agent"button, submit the form and we'll text & email you within minutes, day or night.
The Autonomous House in Cropthorne is one of the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly houses known to exist in the UK. It’s construction between 2009 - 2011 has been well documented and featured in several magazine articles. The inverted layout with the bedrooms on the ground floor and living areas above was specifically designed to maximise warmth in the living areas during winter, and avoid overheated bedrooms in summer. This layout combined with the true south facing orientation and huge triple glazed windows also allows for spectacular and unrestricted views of open countryside for miles towards Bredon Hill and the Malverns in the distance.
This house not only meets, but exceeds the exacting German Passivhaus standards (although has not been officially certified as such), is completely ‘water neutral’ as it makes use of harvested rainwater and composting toilets (and therefore does not require mains water or drainage) and makes intelligent use of renewable energy, making it carbon negative. The house is completely off-grid except for the telephone line and a connection to the electricity supply. The latter supplies power from the grid when the occupants are using more electricity than is being produced by the solar panels mounted behind the house, and exports at times of surplus generation.
Running costs are therefore significantly lower than a house of standard construction where utility costs would typically be around £2,000 - £3,000 per year. In this house, the only utility bill is electricity, however the photovoltaic array and solar hot water panels generate a revenue of around £1200 each year from feed in tariffs, leaving a negative running cost (profit) which averages around £500 per year (last 5 years figures). The owners of this house have therefore benefitted from a saving of around £2500 - £3500 per year on overall running costs compared to a house of standard construction.
The layout of the house is summarised as follows:
Ground Floor
Entrance Porch: With internal front door designed to meet Passivhaus standards
Hallway: Leading to all ground floor rooms. With wall mounted controls for extraction system, monitor for solar panels and hot water cylinder temperature.
Bedroom 1: With windows to South and West overlooking rear gardens
Bedroom 2: With windows to West and North overlooking side and rear gardens
Bedroom 3: With window to East overlooking front garden
Bedroom 4: With window to South overlooking terrace and rear garden
Bathroom: 6’10” x 5’9” (2.09m x 1.76m). With toilet, pedestal wash basin and bath with thermostatic shower over. Obscure window to side.
Shower Room: 6’0” x 4’9” (1.82m x 1.46m). With pedestal wash basin and shower cubicle with thermostatic shower. Obscure window to sidet.
Utility Room: 8’5” x 7’11” (2.56m x 2.42m). With fitted kitchen units, worktop, ceramic 1.5 bowl sink and chrome mixer tap. Door to Lower Conservatory.
Lower Conservatory: 17’8” x 7’9” (5.38m x 2.35m). Fully enclosed with door to rear terrace.
Stairs to:
First Floor
Office: 18'0” x 8'5” (5.49m x 2.56m). With window to front.
WC: 5'4” x 3'8” (1.61m x 1.11m). Wall mounted sink with chrome mixer tap. Window to side.
Kitchen: 13’2” x 10'4” (4.02m x 3.14m), Featuring a range of kitchen base units with a worktop made from recycled plastic incorporating a 1.5 bowl sink with chrome mixer tap.Space for under unit fridge and freezer. Indesit double oven, NEFF dishwasher, Indesit induction hob, carbon filter extractor. Curved internal wall with feature leaded light windows. Windows to side and rear providing panoramic views through Upper Conservatory.
Living Area: 30’10” x 20'8” (9.39m x 6.31m). A huge and impressive vaulted room designed to maximise light, views, and warmth through 3 floor to ceiling triple glazed windows which provide outstanding panoramic views to the South towards Bredon Hill and The Malverns. This room also features an extra wide panoramic window facing due West with a large porthole window above. Door to Upper Conservatory
Upper Conservatory: 17’8” x 7'9” (5.38m x 2.35m). Fully enclosed with maintenance free decking made from recycled plasticDoor to Balcony
Balcony: 18’6” x 7'9” (5.63m x 2.35m) With maintenance free decking made from recycled plastic
Ladder access to:
Mezzanine: 10210” x 11'4” (3.92m x 3.44m). A useful storage area with decorative metal railings. Access to cold water storage tank.
Lower Ground:
Basement / Plant Room: 37’1” x 30'10” (11.30m x 9.39m). This area covers the entire footprint and contains the infrastructure required to run the house autonomously, including 10 x 1500 litre rainwater storage tanks, insulated hot water tank, the toilet waste composting system, high pressure water pumps, and internet distribution board with CAT 6 cabling.
Outside Areas:
Gardens: Wrapping around the house to the side and rear the extensive mature garden is designed to connect as closely to nature as possible. There are many mature trees including fruit trees, a vegetable patch, a pond (currently drained), and a border hedge. The garden is known to attract around 50 varieties of birds and over 20 varieties of butterfly.
Garage: 23’1” x 11'8” (7.03m x 3.54m). Detached single garage with driveway parking in front.
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