Ipswich: We go inside town’s newest and most energy-efficient house

Oak House

Inside it’s like any other house, the rooms are spacious, the carpets thick and the kitchen is full of shiny surfaces.

Oak House, Belstead Road

But Oak House, in Belstead Road is different.

It is Ipswich’s newest and most energy-efficient house and it is on the market.

The brainchild of Suffolk Energy – a company that specialises in renewable energy – Oak House has been awarded an energy performance certificate (EPC) grade A.

Suffolk Energy director Greg Davis said the six-bedroom house has a number of energy-saving technologies.

He said: “The aim is to showcase what we do and create a house of the future. We believe this is the first newly-built house with a grade A rating in Ipswich.”

On the market for £675,000 the house boasts solar photovoltaic panels which generate electricity, a solar powered hot water system, an air source heat pump providing underfloor heating, energy efficient LED lighting, and insulation and double glazing.

Mr Davis, who built the house with business partner James Hudson, said: “These features will potentially reduce running costs by about 50% and when the renewable heat incentive comes into effect in 2014 the running costs will be zero, there will be no bills.”

Inside the three-storey house is large with a big kitchen, dining area, sitting room and study on the ground floor. On the floors above are the bedrooms – some ensuite.

The house is set in quarter of an acre of garden.

Mr Davis said: “We have purposefully included the highest quality fixtures and fittings like a bespoke kitchen and utility room and a high tech entry system.”

The building work was done by Colchester-based builders Anglian Building Contractors.