B&Q develops Eco-house

DIY chain B&Q has bought a house in Bishopstoke near Southampton to refurbish into an EcoHouse.

B&Q's Eco-house is being extended with the addition of a prefabricated loft pod.

The house, a 100 year-old suburban end-of-terrace, has three bedrooms and will be used to show how the right products can be used to improve its levels of energy efficiency and its long-term sustainability.

Sustainability experts from the charity BioRegional have been helping to plan the project, which will also incorporate features to reduce water use.

B&Q plans to use the home as a test bed for new technologies.

Project manager James Walker says the house is almost complete. "Paint production can typically use a lot of energy, so our eco paint helps reduce this and also minimise the use of VOC (volatile organic compounds). As we improve the energy efficiency of our home through air tightness it becomes increasingly important that we minimise pollutants in the air."

More information on the B&Q Eco-House can be found by visiting the dedicated pages on the B&Q website:

www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/content/marketing/one_planet_home/eco_house/index.jsp&noleftnav=true&menu=eco

Source : Builders Merchants Journal
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net/news/news.asp?id=8031&title=B%26Q+develops+Eco-house