Penpont Self Catering, Brecon Beacons, Wales

How does Penpont minimise its impact on the environment and contribute to a sense of space?

Penpont sources all of it's electricity from sustainable sources via Ecotricity. All of the buildings within the core of the Estate are heated by a 150kw biomass boiler, with wood fuel being sourced from the estate woodlands. All of the light bulbs within the property are low energy, and while the building is Grade I listed, traditional building materials are used for all repairs and the loft has been very well insulated. Cisterns are fitted with water reducing bags in the self catering wing, and a rainwater harvesting system has recently been fitted to the stable block, which collects water for the wash rooms.

There's a small recycling centre on site wher eguests can recycle glass, metal, plastic, paper and cardboard. Composting buckets are also provided, and guests are encouraged to make the most of the compost bins in the garden. The owners manage a community buying group and consumable goods are bought in bulk from Sume Wholefoods. Organic vegetables are grown on site within the walled gardens, and the site has been registered organic for the last decade, selling commerically and supplying their own farm shop. Guests can preorder a veg box prior to arrival.

The owners have recently built an Eco house, which was a finalist in the Grand Design awards. Built out of SIPS panels and clad in larch grown on the estate woodlands, it is a solar passive house, within a very high level of insulation. Water is heated by solar panels that provide space heating as well as hot water for domestic use. At the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park, this 2000 acre rural estate provides access to Wales' most dramatic landscapes, from the Black Mountains to Forest Fawr.