As part of Muswell Hill Sustainability Group's Green Open Homes season: an annual opportunity to see sustainable domestic energy in situ, be inspired by emissions & energy reducing measures and pick brains for lived experiences and expert advice …

Join us for a 50-minute tour and Q&A opportunity with the host of an 1893, Victorian, mid-terrace, retrofitted house. Key retrofit activities began planning in April 2026 and were carried out during August 2026. They include ...

• Heat pump - Mitsubishi Ecodan 6kW (with water cylinder in loft)
• 5 x 450w panels; 1 x Fox ESS H1 G2 3.68kW; 1 ph Hybrid inverter. 11.5 kWh battery storage. Expected payback 14 years.
• Needed to replace two radiators: one in kitchen (to three fin stelrad) and one in back bedroom. Otherwise existing designer radiators were used.
• Received first quote 24th April; Installation took four days in August. All work undertaken by Sustain Homes.

• Prior to installation - over 14 years:
o All windows except in bathroom double-glazed sashes
o New front door
o Loft insulation
o Underfloor insulation in sitting room
o New kitchen extension


THE HOMEOWNERS say …
“My main motivation is to keep warm during the winter and to do what I can to mitigate our climate emergency. I am 71 so not sure I'll survive the payback period, but I'm also aware that the older I become the more sensitive to cold I become. So rather than saving money, I'm more interested in having a warm house all day. In the past I have only had the heating on two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, and piled on clothes as the winter had progressed. I am confident, however, that I will be more protected now from the volatility of the energy market, and quite possibly see my bills reduce, as well as enjoying better quality of life.

As I have as yet no experience of the heat pump in operation or the effect of my new Octopus Flux tariff, I'm not sure how effective the heating will be or what the financial implications are, but I will be monitoring closely during the first year.

The price I paid I do believe was fantastic value. I was interviewed by a researcher looking for case studies, and he assured me that I had got a lot of kit for the money I paid. This must be due to the Group Buy scheme I joined, and also the £7,500 government grant towards the heat pump, and the further grant of £1,100 I am due to receive from Haringey Council towards the solar panels and battery.

Sustain Homes have been very good to work with. They were responsive from the start and I had confidence in the original system designer who led me through the process. He was realistic and built around what I had rather than expecting me to replace all the radiators. It helped that my home is well insulated. I paid extra for an upgrade to the Mitsubishi Ecodan heat pump, which is one of the quietest on the market as I'm sensitive to noise. The work was done efficiently and the engineers were imaginative in working round problems presented by an old house. I had always thought that my house was completely inappropriate for a heat pump and solar energy, but I was wrong. Retrofitting is possible with the right expertise.

You do need patience and application. It has taken a while to learn to use the apps and change electricity tariff, and there was a week of disruption and then some making good to do in the house. But you have to hold your nose and jump and hope for the best, and I always knew there would be a bit of a trade off and some compromise needed to achieve what I wanted. So far so good.”

TOUR DATES available for this house …
Saturday 7th November: 11am

PLEASE NOTE …
Tours will begin promptly at their start times
Full addresses will be emailed to those with booked tickets the day before the tour
If fully booked, a waiting list can be joined, and notice given to the first names on it if tickets are released and reallocated. If you can no longer use your booked ticket, please cancel it through WeGotTickets, so that it can be re-homed.

ABOUT … Green Open Homes
For 14 years, Muswell Hill Sustainability Group has been running a three-week Green Open Homes season every November, including expert speaker meetings on a range of energy efficiency topics, and tours of a cross section of 10 – 15 local homes that have been future-proofed against heat, cold, energy bills and emissions, amongst other climate change threats. They range from quick fixes to major installations to entire builds, with the intention of offering unbiased, experienced and – where installers are present - expert advice; to inspire, inform and encourage visitors considering similar.

MHSG is pleased to be presenting Green Open Homes this year in collaboration with Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association, a long-standing (78 years!), independent, non-partisan amenity society, committed to protecting the local environment and quality of life across Muswell Hill, Fortis Green, and Alexandra ward.