Could you tell us any interesting facts or remarkable features about your project?
Project Chafeys is like 10s of 1000s of other traditionally built properties with an EPC rating of D back in 2011. What is remarkable is that the EPC rating is now A with a score close to 118. The imported electricity is now very low even allowing for charging two EVs.

Alan’s Experience at National Self Build & Renovation Centre
How many times have you visited The National Self Build and Renovation Centre before?
Over the last few years I have visited the NSBRC three times attending a couple of courses covering renovation and heat pumps. Prior to this did visit around 2011.
What would you say is the most helpful feature or resource?
The NSBRC houses a host of displays and a wealth of knowledge that helps form the ideas and the project direction.
What did you enjoy most about your visit?The staff at the NSBRC are very helpful and carry plenty of knowledge that people can tap into. There is no pressure or hard sell and I have found it a relaxing place to visit and contemplate the project.
Would you recommend the NSBRC to a friend, and if so, what aspects of the Centre would you recommend and why?
As part of the Dorset Greener Homes network I always recommend the NSBRC to all my visitors. Whether you are building a ‘Grand Design’, or like me retrofitting, there are many solutions to be found through the courses, staff and displays.
Floorplans:

Elevations:


The Garden Room was built and again a bit of an experiment, and was used as a home office during lockdown. This is timber framed with 100mm of insulation in the walls, 125mm in the roof and upcycled double glazing units. There is a small wood burner in there and a temperature of 46C has been reached. The hot tub was a bit of fun but works so well using our summer surplus.
Technologies:

Information compiled in November 2024. Energy Use grid added March 2025.
View Alan's presentation 'A Journey to an Efficient House' here.
View further details about 'Project Chafeys' here
Project Chafeys is part of Dorset Greener Homes and is available to visit throughout the year.
Project Chafeys -The Electricity Figures
A full 12 months from September 2024 - 2025.
Pre-works we used gas, electricity and wood to power the house. It’s a bit difficult now to asses our energy usage but based on some old bills it was somewhere in the region of 13,200 and 17,000 KWh or 160 - 207 KWh/m2.
Making full use of 12 months of grid and self generated electricity figures over the last year we have used 3970 KWh to run the house.
That is just 48.4 KWh/m2.
A 70-77% reduction.
Grid to House.
Peak electricity 146 KWh x £0.2879 = £42.03
Off Peak (includes car charging) 3051 KWh x £0.07 = £213.57
- Total = £255.60
- Standing Charge = £156.73
- Total = £412.33
- 5% VAT = £439.35
Car Charging
We have imported nearly 2,000 KWh for charging our two EVs over the year at a cost of £140. This brings the cost of running the house down to c. £300. Naturally without the EV tariff this figure would be higher.
House to Grid
In July 2025 we moved our Deemed Export (from the Feed in Tariff) to a Negotiated Export with Octopus. Over the last 12 months we have exported c. 3,600KWh to the grid and we will receive payment for this.
Information added in September 2025.