Tom, owner of a storage and removals business in Oxfordshire, wanted to convert a local barn to use as his home. Ecology supported the sustainable transformation of the barn with a long term residential mortgage, initially provided on an interest only basis to enable the works to be carried out.

The design used Passivhaus principles – aiming to maximise airtightness and thermal insulation, along with mechanical ventilation – and was developed by Charlie Luxton, a leading sustainable architect.

The barn has achieved a B rating under the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) scheme, which is a remarkable achievement for a barn conversion. Work is ongoing at Bell Barn to complete the project, with further tests on airtightness and breathability planned.