Hours of prime time TV

Penwhilwr in the village of St Dogmeals is Rachel Shiamh”s two-storey, lime-rendered, straw bale house. It became the UK showcase for off-grid living after shortlisting for Grand Designs TV show house of the year. The voting web site is not yet live but we will let you know when it happens.

Rachel has been part of the off-grid community in the UK for many years. At communes and festivals she is the sort of person that always has a smile for everyone. She began building in St Dogmeals in 2002 and has now completed the beautiful home that embraces and supports nature whilst serving both environment and community.

The house is powered only by the sun and the wind; and Rachel is living totally off grid in an acre of Pembrokeshire woodland with its own water – Rachel, 42, a former dancer, allows herself a little bottled gas to supplement her woodburning stove for cooking. She bought the site in 1996 for just £5,000, later moving into a hut there when a family legacy meant she could build the house. She moved in less than a year ago. It cost just £70,000, thanks to an army of volunteer helpers.

She now lives alone (with dogs and cats), but the house is always busy, as she uses it to teach green building techniques. Nor, despite the materials with which it is built, is it temporary – it is intended to last about 150 years. “It has turned out totally beyond my expectations,” she says. “Straw-bale houses are warm and the lime walls are breathable. With one good-sized woodburning stove, I can heat 2½ storeys.” And she grows the wood she burns, as well as a lot of her own food.

Read the story of how it all came about here

The competition will be televised on Channel 4 on May 8th 9-10pm and will go to public vote! Please check back here for announcement of the voting details.