Eco-house hopes to take Grand Designs title

02/05/2008

A secluded house which boasts an underfloor heating system is in the running to win an award from Grand Designs, it has emerged.

On May 4th, a live vote will determine the winner of the Best Conversion category and Scottish house hopes to take first place, reports the Stornoway Gazette.

Black Sheep House in Strond has been rebuilt from a sheep shelter into a luxury home, in an 18-month project by owners Pete and Christine Hope.

The couple have installed an underfloor heating system into the property, which is powered by an air-to-water heat pump. Domestic hot water can also be provided by the pump, further reducing energy use.

If it wins the category, the former blackhouse, which has two bedrooms, a bathroom and an open-plan living area, will be competing for the Home of the Year title.

Mr Hope told the paper: "Some people thought we were mad, but for us it became a mission to prove that restoring a beautiful old blackhouse as a living space was affordable and rewarding."

Other categories in the Home of the Year contest include best new build, best restoration, best eco home and best redesigned home, according to the Architects' Journal.