What makes a home sustainable? Design, building materials and energy consumption all have their parts to play. But how do we actually go about making a difference?

To begin with, we spend a lot of time researching environmental building techniques. How can we build our houses with minimal impact and as importantly, how can they be run efficiently?

Having trialled a range of systems, the focus of our work is on reducing the amount of energy required. This means careful siting of our houses; drawing in passive solar gain and holding it through suitable floor finishes such as tiles and slates; installing solar panels for hot water and minimising heat loss by increasing the insulation within the house and getting rid of drafts. We try and do this in a sensitive manner, using where possible reclaimed materials.

And we're talking about real differences here - differences that make themselves felt in the quarterly energy bills.

But we want to do even more. Which is why we're always ready to hear - and search out - new ideas.