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An environmentally friendly home featured on Grand Designs, originally constructed for £600,000, is now available for sale at an astonishing £3.25 million — yet offers a benefit many property owners would love to have: completely free heating costs.
The Underhill House in the Cotswolds was showcased on the popular show or Featured on the successful series, Underhill House in the Cotswolds or Underhill House located in the Cotswolds appeared in the trending program Channel 4 highlighted when it was celebrated as England's initial officially recognized Passivhaus dwelling – indicating it is virtually sealed against air leakage and does not necessitate traditional heating systems.
A six-bedroom home, excavated into a slope so as to remain nearly hidden from the nearby landscape, was constructed by architects Helen and Chris Seymour-Smith in 2010.
The spacious house was sold for £1.4 million in 2012 — over twice what it originally cost to build — and is once again available for sale at £3.25 million.
However, although the listed price might cause many purchasers to be surprised, the operational expenses are remarkably minimal.
The home is constructed in such a way that it retains warmth extremely effectively, eliminating the necessity for traditional heating systems.
No radiators are present; instead, heat generated by sunlight, equipment, and individuals indoors is distributed via a ventilation system called an MVHR.
The present proprietor, Glenn Jones, expressed feeling "extremely confident" in his highly efficient residence as he didn't have any expenses to cover.
A university research published in 2014 stated: "Glenn mentioned that their electricity costs are zero because of the solar panels installed on the rooftop."
Apart from that, the only expenses are £300 per year for firewood and a new filter for the MVHR system every six months.
Amidst increasing gasoline prices, Glenn said, 'I feel incredibly comfortable.'
It appears that even though they didn’t intend to purchase a Passivhaus, Glenn and his family remain satisfied with the advantages of residing in one.
Adjacent to a renovated 300-year-old Cotswold stone barn, Underhill House lies in the preserved landscape along the boundary of Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, close to Barton-on-the-Heath.
It was formerly inhabited by a shepherd and was said to have belonged at some point to Roger Taylor, the drummer from Duran Duran.
Mr. and Mrs. Seymour-Smith shared with Grand Designs their need for an innovative approach to satisfy hesitant Cotswold planners—renovating the barn and concealing the family residence beneath it.
Back then, the concept was explained as excavating a pit bigger than an Olympic-sized swimming pool beside the barn, followed by placing the family residence within it.
Later, Mrs Seymour-Smith referred to the idea as "loft-style living beneath the surface."
The completed home was constructed using well-insulated concrete and covered with thick insulation, featuring large walls equipped with three-layer glass windows.
Grand Designs mentioned that the heat recovery system maintained an indoor temperature of approximately 20°C, even during colder months.
In 2010, the Seymour-Smith residence allegedly set the highest level of air tightness ever recorded in Britain. The overall leakage from the whole home was likened to an opening as small as a squash ball.
As snow descended, the home was said to remain cozy within—while snow accumulating on the exterior of the windows remained unmelted for four days.
Ms. Seymour-Smith stated that they didn’t desire "a penitential green house with compost toilets," but rather something "clean-cut, contemporary, white, and distinctly not Cotswold."
The construction was monitored by Kevin McCloud for Grand Designs, yet contrary to several of the program's most notable ventures, it didn't result in catastrophe.
Later, Mrs. Seymour-Smith humorously remarked, "I wasn't pregnant, and we didn't run out of funds."
After choosing to pursue another venture, the couple sold Underhill, which involved restoring a Grade II listed home in the same village.
The secret ecological house features six bedrooms, five bathrooms, five living areas, a movie theater, and occupies half an acre of land.
Rightmove lists: 'Underhill House is among the most significant privately built residences in terms of architectural and environmental importance within the English countryside.'
Created, developed, and constructed by architects Helen and Chris Seymour Smith from 2008 to 2010, it gained global attention as England's initial verified Passivhaus, establishing a fresh standard for eco-friendly country architecture.
The home is situated in a remarkable location below and next to a renovated 300-year-old Cotswold stone barn inside an area recognized for its extraordinary natural beauty close to Barton-on-the-Heath.
A fireplace can sometimes be utilized to warm water throughout the winter, yet when sunlight is available, 1,000 yards of rubber tubing installed in the roof allows water to capture solar heat and achieve temperatures up to 100°C.
The list goes on: "Temperature and indoor air quality are managed through an MVHR system (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery), which removes heated air from kitchens and bathrooms, cleans it, and uses the recovered heat to warm the new incoming fresh air."
'Solar thermal technology mounted on the southwest side of the barn’s roof mainly supplies hot water, supplemented by either the wood-fired stove or an electric heating element.'
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