A Grand Designs style Norfolk eco-house is in the running to win a national award.
The five-bedroom Forest House is a 3,300sq ft, five-bedroom family home which friends Ben Boon and Paul Smorthit have built on the site of an old bungalow on the edge of Norwich.
The original property was a 1960s bungalow set in 1.5 acres of woodland, and had been uninhabited and untouched for many years.
Mr Boon, who owns solar panels company Solar East Anglia enlisted the aid of Norwich-based carpenter Paul Smorthit, from NR2 Community Builders, who used to trade as The Vegan Builder, to replace the ageing bungalow with the sustainable new home.
The pair, both vegans, were determined their project - dubbed Grand Designs-esque after the popular Channel 4 TV show - would focus on preservation, reuse and maintaining the natural beauty of the area.
Bricks from the demolished bungalow were crushed down and used in the foundations of the new home, while wood from some trees which did have to be removed was salvaged. A donation of 105 trees to the Woodland Trust was also made.
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The new property consists of two large barns, running parallel, joined by a glass section.
The house is fully timberclad, with solar panels on the roof and high insulation levels, with a A energy rating.
Underfloor heating, powered from the solar panels, keeps the house at an ambient temperature and cuts the need for further heating, while the home also has an air source heat pump.
Mr Smorthit said: "Becoming a finalist for this award is a deeply emotional and professionally gratifying experience.
"Our construction of Forest House, a timber frame eco tech house, represents a commitment to pushing boundaries and embracing the challenge of sustainable living.
"Entering this competition was driven by a desire to challenge myself, to elevate our standards, to experiment with eco solutions that outdo the conventional and push the boundaries of sustainable living.
"Building Forest House is more than constructing a home; it's a personal challenge to experiment with eco solutions, seeking effective patterns and lifestyle-enhancing alternatives."
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The project is a finalist in the inaugural Making Better Homes Award run by builders' merchant Jewson. It is up against two other projects in the Best Use of Renewable Energy category.
People can vote for Forest House at www.jewson.co.uk/making-better-homes-awards-nominations/forest-house
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