More than 1,400 people visited 13 unique eco-homes Eco Open Houses in Brighton and Hove over two weekends this autumn. The event is now in it’s 8th year and is set to continue its success in years to come.

More than 1,400 people visited some of Brighton and Hove’s most energy-efficient homes over the past two weekends (17­18, 24­25 October) as part of the city’s Eco Open Houses, continuing the event’s success into it’s 8th year.

The annual event, which sees owners​of some of the greenest buildings in Sussex open their doors to the public for free, showcases the most innovative technologies and materials currently Visitors to the event included M​P for Hove and Portslade Peter Kyle​who commented: “Everyone knows that I’m a fan of innovation and entrepreneurial ideas as well as creating more housing with lower energy bills and less carbon footprint. So it’s been brilliant to be able to see all these things in action over the Eco Open Houses weekend. I’m happy to be involved with Eco Open Houses to help promote what is being achieved in this area.”

Despite cuts to green building initiatives this year Eco Open houses continues to show how eco home improvements are both achievable and highly desirable.

Sam Allen, Brighton resident and visitor to Eco Open Houses said: “Speaking with people who have made these improvements, and seeing inside their wonderful homes and studios, has really helped me to ponder the possibilities of what changes I can make, and how simple it could be to have an eco home myself!”

The event is of interest to anyone who wants to improve their homes, offices and community buildings – from homeowners and tenants to builders and architects.

Mischa Hewitt, director of the Low Carbon Trust and one of the founders of Eco Open Houses​, said: “This year’s event is the 8th Eco Open houses in Brighton and Hove. It’s great that such large numbers of people continue to visit and be inspired by the event. Visitors want to find out more about how to keep their bills low and their homes warm, and Eco Open Houses gives them the knowledge and skills to make these changes straight from the homeowners themselves.”

Owners and architects were on hand during guided tours of 13 properties across the city, offering practical advice, insights and tips on how to go about making your home more efficient.

This year’s highlights included:

• Five retrofitted and four newly ​built homes. All four new build homes and one of the newly built community buildings are zero carbon.
• A zero​carbon house on Grantham Road, built to the exacting code for sustainable homes, level 5 standard.
• The award-winning Earthship Brighton community centre made out of old car tyres
  rammed with earth, which generates its own solar energy for heat and power, and treats sewage on site.
• The internationally renowned and award-winning Waste House at the University of
  Brighton, made almost entirely out of waste, including old denim and thousands of toothbrushes.
• Brighton Permaculture Trust’s Fruit Factory, a strawbale retrofit of a tractor shed set to revolutionise scrumping of local fruit.

There was also ​a seminar programme,​which featured construction, featuring case studies in the UK and Europe and talks on low ­energy Passive houses.