Case Study: Eco House

Many of us dream of building our own home but few of us also aspire for that home to be completely ‘off-the-grid’. Justin and Linda Tyers’s vision to power their new build purely on roof-top solar panels was achieved by careful planning, pure determination and (in no small measure) the efficacy of Integral LED’s lighting range.

Nestling in a steep valley in the middle of Somerset Exmoor National Park is a straw bale and timber-framed house, designed in a medieval style. It is the realisation of a life-long dream by the author and illustrator who built and designed the two-bedroom dwelling; an ambition sparked by childhood visits to a local open-air folk museum. The traditional ‘cruck’ design is sawn from local Douglas Fir and features exposed beams, wide-planked floors and lime plastered hay bale walls throughout. Externally the two-storey house is encased in an outer skin of barked edge weatherboards. Inside is an open plan wonder of wood and vaulted ceilings.

Powering today’s lifestyle needs within the house without mains electricity was always the goal of the project. The couple’s plan was always to live within their means by embracing free energy. However living purely on sunrays requires a tight grip on electricity usage. Although the home is fully equipped with all the usual appliances that make life convenient – powered items have to be used in a measured way. On long sunny days, the 15 rooftop solar panels are capable of producing 4KW which can generate 10 kWh daily from a Somerset sky. Justin and Linda draw 8 KWh from the system on a typical day. Naturally, it is dark winter days that pose the greatest challenge. The home then falls back upon its reserves stored in a bank of batteries and power usage becomes frugal.

It is on these short sunless days that LED lighting proves its worth as a key factor in the success of an off-grid ecohouse. Reducing the electricity needed to power a light from 50W to a mere 5W translates to a 90% saving when compared with conventional lighting. It seems that when generating your own energy is concerned, adopting LED is an essential step.

“LED lights are absolutely indispensable part of an off-grid installation. The daily energy savings are the foundation of making solar energy viable throughout the year,” commented Justin.

Broadly, the lighting scheme was split into two scenes that operate on separate dimmer controlled circuits. To suit the medieval and rustic charm of the interior, candle wall lights were chosen for the middle-level lighting. Integral LED filament ‘Omni-Lamps’ in clear glass were specified to produce a warm ambient glow throughout the dining and lounge area. For the alternative lighting phase the focus switched to the enhancement of the magnificent wooden beams and posts that make up the vaulted high ceiling. Here four Integral LED 5-meter Strip and Driver kits were installed to provide a concealed and subtle uplight to highlight the internal frame of the building. Integral LED Aluminium Profiles were also fixed over the LEDs to ensure a balanced diffused light which was free from glare.

At Integral LED we were delighted to have provided the lamps and luminaires for this inspirational and beautiful home. Beyond this, we were truly thrilled to receive the news that Justin and Linda Tyers have won a prestigious national Homebuilding & Renovating Award for their project, in recognition of a house that represents exceptional value and embodies the pioneering spirit of self-build.