»Key features
Key features of the Eco Plug are:

»The Eco Plug
The interior of the proposal is designed to provide high quality spaces and flexibility. The ground floor plan rationalises the service elements such as the kitchen, access ways and storage into a single homogenous wall. Dividing walls between the front and back of the house are removed to provide a flexible open plan space that can be adapted to suit occupants' needs.

A new plug in unit - the Eco Plug - acts as a new eco-friendly battery to power the living spaces. It has highly insulated cedar clad walls with new low-e double glazed windows. New apertures are made in the existing fabric to accept the Eco Plug and give through access to the gardens while allowing increased low sunlight into the space.

As an add-on unit, the Eco Plug can be manufactured off site and site fixed to reduce costs.

• Photovoltaics. The Eco plug system is capable of producing around 40% of the electricity of the household and of saving around 1200kg of CO2 per year. Any surplus electricity supply can be sold back to the national grid or stored. Savings can be considerable - around £200 off electricity bills per year. Maintenance requirements are generally small; the panels are at an easily accessible height and can easily be kept clean.
• Compost toilet, eg, the BioLet. This non-polluting environmentally friendly toilet is the same size as a conventional toilet, saves significant amounts of water and has negligible running costs and maintenance requirements. Depending on the model, it can accommodate continuous residential use by a family of four to six people.
• Green roof. The sedum green roof covering is very low maintenance and negates the need for draining the Eco Plug roof area.

The proposal aims for a viable and economical retrofitting of the space, making and reworking a set of non structural changes to make a real difference while keeping the character of the existing building and surrounding environment coherent.

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