The photo above shows the kitchen floor marked out with the position of the units and island. It also shows the pipe for the cooker hob's gas supply channelled into the insulation. The black rails are the fixing rails for the underfloor heating pipes. The next photo shows the same area with the underfloor heating pipes installed.

The above photo shows how the Litherlands had marked up the floors with partitions, fixtures and fittings prior to installation of the underfloor heating pipes.

This photo shows where a floor sensor for a bathroom thermostat was to be fitted. The addition of a floor sensor allows a minimum floor temperature to be applied, allowing for warm floors all year round, even if the room has reached its air temperature target.

The heat pump was installed with two horizontal ground collectors of 300 metres each buried at a depth of 1 metre in the front garden. The heat pump delivers warm water to the underfloor heating at a typical temperature of between 25-35 deg C. It also produces all the domestic hot water.

The photo above shows the primary pipework, with the hot water cylinder immediately behind it, through the wall. Mr Litherland senior is a very talented cabinet maker, and has created a writing bureau around the front of the heat pump and its pipework. To look at, you would never know that there was a heat pump behind it.

After monitoring their electricity use periodically, after the first year in their new home the Litherlands were delighted with the outcome of their energy efficient forward planning. Apart from some gas for their cooker hobs, their total fuel (electricity) bill amounted to around £1200 for the year, for the entire building, including heating, hot water, lighting, etc. Not bad at all for two 3-bedroomed houses!

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