I must have been the only person prioritising a simple box-like form as I looked at places to buy in Kendal.
Whilst it's possible to retrofit any type of home to make it more energy efficient, there are some features that will make the project easier. The first is a simple form, so that the overall surface area to floor area ratio is as small as possible. A bungalow isn't ideal - a two storey 'box' would be a lot more efficient. But I wanted to be on one level to 'future proof' what is to be my home forever - one that can cope with injury (all that skiing and climbing!), illness or simply old age. So - apart from the ridiculous sticking-out conservatory - the online details of my future EcoBungalow looked promising.
The second feature is that the property is detached. Again, not essential - but it does make life easier if you don't have to negotiate with neighbours.
Thirdly, the EcoBungalow is located in a low-key suburban neighbourhood. It's not a listed building or in a Conservation Area. So changes to its appearance were unlikely to be a problem in terms of planning.
The housing market in Kendal is fast-moving, and I was concerned that I'd struggle to buy something at arm's length from London. However, my future EcoBungalow hung around for long enough for me to be able to view it, see past the unappealing 'old lady' decor (I was grateful this seemed to have put other buyers off) and get excited about its potential as a low-energy home.
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