25 October 2016
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| A farmhouse kitchen with bespoke timber cabinetry designed by Halstock |
Country houses aren’t known for their energy efficiency. Often bestowed with drafty windows, aged plumbing and an oil-fueled Aga, they are the kitchen equivalent of the “Chelsea tractor” 4x4. While there is an undeniable charm to these sorts of historic buildings (and most would be thrilled to find a range cooker already installed in their new home), high utility bills aren’t part of it.
In fact, one of the reasons so many large country houses were lost in postwar Britain is that they became too expensive and inconvenient to run. The British public wanted modern, well-insulated homes regardless of character. But today there are ways to make a country home more sustainable and there is no better place to start than in the kitchen.
The Aga is undoubtedly the predominant feature of the country kitchen aesthetic, but older versions that run on gas, or kerosene oil in the absence of a main gas supply, don’t have a reputation for being very green.
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| An AGA Total Control from £11,295 |
Some argue that Agas have a dual purpose, acting as a heating system as well as a cooker, and that they last a lifetime, meaning that there are no additional carbon emissions from the manufacturing, delivery and installation of a new system. It’s a contentious issue, but it seems that if you’re lucky enough to have one already installed you can justify keeping it.
If you’re buying a new range cooker, the latest generation of Agas now includes electric versions and dual-fuel models, which allow the hotplates to be turned off to reduce energy consumption. The fully electric, three-oven Aga Total Control starts from £11,295 (agaliving.com).
According to Aga’s energy report, this model uses 34.5kW of energy to cook dinners during the week and breakfast, lunch and dinner on the weekend. By comparison, the modern gas equivalent – which now allows you to program the Aga to come on when you need it and leave it sleeping when you don’t – uses 159kW.
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| Plugged in: the Everhot 100i range cooker runs on electricity and prices start from £7,225 (everhot.co.uk) |
Alternatively, Everhot range cookers claim to use a third of the energy of an Aga and can even be run from a solar panel, water mill or wind turbine. The company founder designed them as such because he wanted a range cooker that he could run from a small water turbine driven by a stream on his property. The electric Everhot 150i, which has independently adjustable oven and heating surfaces, and includes an induction hob, is priced from £9,020 (everhot.co.uk).
If you’re happy to go without a range cooker, then opt for an A+++ rated electric oven, which the Energy Saving Trust says will consume 60 per cent less energy than other models.
When it comes to fixtures and fittings for your kitchen, an easy way to go green is to repurpose something that has previously been used. There are good reclamation yards and salvage companies across the UK where you can buy second-hand sinks, handles, dressers and kitchen furniture (try lassco.co.uk). You can find beautiful vintage taps, too, but it may be worth investing in a modern water-saving or automated tap, which can cut water consumption by as much as 40 per cent (visit Grohe.com).
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| Conchetto tap From £261, by Grohe (grohe.co.uk) |
At Tavy House, a six-bedroom home in Tavistock, Devon, for sale through Strutt & Parker for £700,000 (01392 229405; struttandparker.com), the kitchen has been crafted using reclaimed floorboards from the rest of the house. This creates a rustic look while being sustainable.
A similar style can be sourced from the aforementioned reclamation yards or through specialist companies, such as English Salvage (englishsalvage.co.uk). If you’re not using reclaimed wood, ensure any timber is FSC or PEFC-certified. These classifications are awarded to wood from socially and environmentally responsible forests that are economically managed.
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| Recycle: the kitchen in Tavy House is made from reclaimed floorboards taken from the rest of the house |
Halstock, the kitchen designer and cabinetmaker, works with sustainably sourced and reclaimed timber (halstock.com). The company prides itself on creating built-in cabinetry to fit around the uneven walls or traditional beams commonly found in country homes. Bespoke cabinetry can also conceal the less aesthetically pleasing parts of being green, such as recycling bins or energy-efficient but unattractive fridges. Energy ratings now run from A+++ to F, with A scores using the least energy and F the most. Fridges and freezers must be at least A+, but the better the rating, the more energy efficient they are.
Bristol-based company Sustainable Kitchens will plant a tree for every kitchen it builds (sustainablekitchens.co.uk). Its designs focus entirely on sustainably sourced timber, usually oak and birch wood, and it re-uses and recycles as many materials as possible in the production process. According to founder Sam Shaw, wood is also the most sustainable option for worktops. “It’s very versatile,” he says. “With the natural oak, we can lighten it using a lye solution or use a natural eboniser made from vinegar and wire wool to darken it.”
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| Wall to wall: using reclaimed tiles is one simple wayto make your kitchen greener |
For areas that require a little more durability, Shaw suggests quartz. “It’s not as sustainable as timber, but the industry is catching up quickly with good eco options that use natural polymer resins and recycled stone.” Quartz generally has a lower environmental impact than traditional granite or marble because it is in more plentiful supply. Alternatively, opt for a worktop made from recycled glass waste mixed with a solvent-free resin. The effect is a unique polished surface embedded with fragments of glass that catch the light. It is hard wearing and resistant to heat, scratches and stains (resilica.com).
For walls and splashbacks, try the Reclaimed Tile Company, which specialises in encaustic tiles but also offers glazed, ceramic and terracotta options sourced from across Europe (reclaimedtilecompany.com).
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| Recycled glass worktops £400 per m, by Resilica (resilica.com) |
To bring colour to your walls or cabinetry, you can use an eco-friendly paint that is low in volatile organic compounds, such as Farrow & Ball, or ideally free of them: try Earthborn Paints (earthbornpaints.co.uk) or Ecos Organic Paints (ecosorganicpaints.co.uk), which also has a colour-matching service.
Of course, it’s not just how you design your kitchen but also how you use it day to day. According to the Energy Saving Trust, people waste an average of £40 per year in the home by leaving electrical appliances on standby. One of the simplest green moves you can make is to invest in a standby saver plug, which automatically switches off appliances when they’re not in use.
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| Claypaint: £36 for 2.5l, by Earthborn (earthbornpaints.co.uk |
Invest in an eco kettle, too. The average UK household boils the kettle 1,500 times a year – so doing it inefficiently can have a big impact. The Bosch Styline kettle saves up to 66 per cent more energy than a conventional one (£39.99, johnlewis.com).
Lighting accounts for 18 per cent of a typical household electricity bill. This can be decreased by making more of an effort to turn lights off but also by replacing traditional incandescent lightbulbs, which waste up to 90 per cent of their energy through heat, with more modern energy-saving ones. Philips offers both spotlights and bulbs that are energy efficient and can last a lifetime (lighting.philips.co.uk).
This is the key, according to Shaw. “It’s not just about making sure that the products and materials are non-polluting, ethical and sustainable,” he says. “It’s also about ensuring that we use and create things that will last, or even be passed on.”
Perhaps the excuse you were looking for to order that range cooker – guilt-free.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/buy/how-to-create-an-eco-friendly-farmhouse-kitchen/
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