Going Green

Solar Power has arrived!

Although we had aspirations to install all sorts of 'green' energy systems when we started renovating the Old Shop  none of them appeared to have a pay-back period that was acceptable given the initial outlay.

SO, finally we decided to 'Go Green' and install Solar Panels on our new garage roof.  As usual the timing was not ideal as the Government in it's wisdom has decided to reduce the feed-in tarriff again so they had to be fitted and registered before the end of September 2015.

 

The south facing elevation of the garage is now covered with 8 photo voltaic solar panels and it wasn't long before we were generating elecricity as the weather improved and the sun came out.

The control panel is in the man-cave which actually means there is now electricity in the man-cave!!

The fuse box and the panel where we can see how much electricity we are generating - dishwasher and washing machine are now operated during the day for free!!

The Bakehouse becomes the Sitting Room

August/September 2015

The electrician spent a couple of days laying the cables so that the builders can come back and put the insulation and plasterboard on the walls.

The plumbers have been in and connected the pipework in the Bakehouse to the main system so that the underfloor heating can be commissioned - so at least we have heating in the sitting room in the event that we dont get it all completed for the winter months.

As the summer (if we ever had one) starts to wane the builders are back to start lining the walls of the Bakehouse with plasterboard

The plasterboard is in between the purlins and there is 40mm of rigid insulation behind that - cosy!!

 The rigid insulation in the space above the bread oven.

 The gable end wall of the Bakehouse above the bread oven is next to be insulated and boarded.

 Lots of rigid insulation under the archway awaiting installation.

View from the mezzanine which shows the scaffold tower supporting the platform that the builders are using to insulate and plasterboard the gable wall above the bread oven.

Close up view through the beams......... 

 View from the mezzanine and the top sections of the ceiling are now plastered.

 Moving the scaffold platform around to plaster the various sections and levels.

 View from the far end of the sitting room towards the mezzanine - which will eventually be the ensuite!

 Wiring awaits the next visit from the electrician to connect it all up

 View through the roof trusses towards the gable end of the sitting room.  The 'cling film' wrap is saving the wood from plaster and eventually paint!

 View at floor level looking towards the old bread oven.

 

View through the folding doors into the courtyard.