Industrial Strength
Viewers of TV home makeover programmes may be familiar with this project, as it featured in the BBC series, Restoration Home. The conversion of the former water pumping station in West Sussex has been a labour of love for its owners and has resulted in the creation of an exceptionally well-equipped eco-home. The derelict brick and concrete building was not a natural home or a simple prospect for conversion, as it had 900mm thick walls at basement level, 500mm thick walls at upper levels, no water supply and was wholly industrial with pipework and equipment still in situ. Undaunted, the owners have worked with architect Barton Willmore to convert this challenging building into a three bedroom home through a series of key interventions. Some 35 tons of redundant steel and equipment were removed, new window apertures were cut in former filtration tanks, a new floor was constructed in the pumping station’s former machine hall, and more. The building’s environmental performance has been improved by the addition of insulation to roof, floors and external walls. The home has also been equipped with a ground source heat pump (GSHP), solar photovoltaic panels and a wood-burning stove. A submersible water supply pump in one of the GSHP boreholes supplements the water supply. Rainwater is harvested from the roof, and is stored in an existing concrete chamber beneath what is now the front garden. The home also has external power points for hybrid/electric vehicles. On the outside, the brick building has been revived with white render, while existing doors and windows have been retained and refurbished. The conversion was completed at the end of last year and was delivered at a cost that was within 2 per cent of the original budget.
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