Kevin McCloud liked the use of sustainable materials but wasn't so sure about the visual impact. 'It's a very tall building compared to the others around it,' he said, 'and what with the startling blue paint, I think it sticks out rather uncomfortably.'
Not surprisingly, the couple didn't agree. 'It's different; it's unusual; it's just beautiful,' said Alida. 'It's going to be a very lovely environment to live in. It will also be a very healthy environment to live in. I think I just feel more at peace knowing that there are no harmful emissions from my home.'
Grand Designs returned to the house in October 2000 to see how the final stages had gone and if the couple had managed to live up to the ecologically sound design of their home.
The major new addition was an all-weather veranda. This involved some compromise: the roof, for the time being at least, is made of polycarbonate sheets rather than solar panels, and there are plastic light fittings. Inside, non-eco paint was used on the stairway. 'I don't think I've changed philosophically, but I have become more pragmatic,' says Rob.
The water recycling plant is working well, but the idea of using composting toilets was abandoned. According to Rob, 'Alida in particular couldn't really stomach the idea of that as a domestic facility.'
So how are the couple enjoying living in the building? 'It's a lovely, comfortable home to live in,' says Alida. 'It's just easy. Life's easy. I love it. I still hanker after the old Suffolk farmhouses, but this is a lot easier.'
'We're spending sweet Fanny Adams on heating,' adds Rob. Water and electricity charges are also incredibly low.
And what about the project itself? All the hard work? 'It was very difficult, but that's over now. I don't even like thinking about it any more,' says Alida.
Rob agrees it wasn't easy, but feels the experience was positive overall: 'We pushed our own envelope a bit, and we came back from it. And we're better people for it.'
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