Extensive insulation, new windows and doors have been used to bring a 1950s former council house up to Passivhaus standards.

The project, by Orbit Heart of England, has used a range of energy efficiency measures including installing 200mm XPS polystyrene external insulation to foundations;200mm Kingspan Kooltherm K5 insulation and Wetherby Building Systems render to external walls; new triple glazed UPVC System 10 SmartSash windows; new insulated external doors, fitted within new 200mm external wall insulation and a new floor slab with 200mm Celotex insulation.

The semi-detached house is part of an estate of semidetached, end terrace and midterrace housing built in the 1950s and is the first Wimpey no-fines construction to be refurbished to the Passivhaus retrofit standard (EnerPHit) in the world.

The house has a floor area of 70m2 and previously produced heating bills of £1,100 a year.

Once the house is retro-fitted to the Passivhaus standard, then energy consumption will drop by around 85%.