This October, be inspired by the environmental efforts of your friends and neighbours and gather practical advice from homeowners about how to adapt your house

If you’re looking at ways to reduce the energy you use, cutting your carbon footprint and your energy bills, you’ll gather plenty of useful tips at the Dorset Greener Homes event.
Whether you are planning a new building, improving your current home, or picking up useful tips to cut down your fuel bills, you can talk to the people who have learnt from experience. The hosts are all willing to talk about what they’ve done and what they’ve learnt – and none of them are trying to sell you anything!
Colin Tracy, one of the organisers, said: “Some of the solutions are very ingenious, with energy saving measures from repurposed materials at very little cost, storing rainwater in tanks and zoning the heating in their homes. It is wonderful to see how people are making a difference.”

Plan your visit

Homes open around the Blackmore Vale include:
Gillingham: See community buildings and one of the privately owned houses and hear about the features that support sustainable living. Threshold Cohousing Centre, Cole Street Farm, Cole Street Lane SP8 5JQ. Open Saturday 1 October, 3–5pm. Just turn up.
Donhead St Mary: This three-bed detached house (built 2004) is now all-electric with new windows giving solar gain. 1 Dewey’s Place SP7 9LW. Open Saturday 8 October 10am–12.30pm; 2.30–5pm. Just turn up.
Shaftesbury: 1930s terraced house now better insulated with green roofed extension, solar panels (pictured below right). Hosts exploring efficient use of gas heating. 51 Coppice Street SP7 8PF. Open Saturday 8 October 10am–2pm. Just turn up.
Shaftesbury: The community farm is run by a group of volunteers who grow food seasonally as naturally and sustainably as they can. Shaftesbury Homegrown, Breach Lane, SP7 8LF. Open Sunday 9 October 10am–1pm. Just turn up – on foot or bicycle as parking is very limited on the field.
Shaftesbury: Major ongoing works to this 1960s house include substantial insulation, new windows and internal remodelling for light and solar gain, air source heat pump. 1 Yeatman’s Close SP7 8LU. Open 8 and 9 October at 10am or 2pm for a tour.
Stour Provost: 500-yr-old former farmhouse that has been restored from semi-derelict state using traditional and renewable materials. Ground source heat pump, PV panels and Sonnen batteries. Hawkers Lane SP8 5LZ. Open Saturday 1 and Sunday 9 October 10am–3.30pm. Just turn up.
Fifehead Magdalen: South-facing house where hosts installed air source heat pump, solar panels and Tesla Powerwall. Hear about the link-up between Octopus Energy and Tesla. Appletree Cottage, Main Street. SP8 5RT. Open 1 and 2 October, tours at 10am, 11.30am, 2pm and 3.30pm. Please book through Eventbrite tinyurl.com/5n6kw97j. Click on ‘Register’ – it’s free.
Marnhull: 1970s house with improved windows and insulation, solar panels and Tesla battery. Weavers House, Burton Street DT10 1PS. Open 1 and 2 October, 10am–4pm. Just turn up.
Details of all the participating homes, times and booking instructions are at dorset.greenopenhomes.net. Open homes are free to visit and everyone is welcome.