One of the aims of this project was to achieve a pristine period finish on Zetland Road, even ​incorporating ​stained glass in a passive house, which is a world first. From the street the building looks classically Victorian with its decorative path, cast stone steps and ornate porch. The only hint of the wealth of technology within is a subtle copper strip that blends into the traditional Victorian brickwork to disguise a super-insulated sidewall. One hundred pallets of insulation, predominantly made of ​recycled newspapers​, help maintain an even temperature year round and for those unusually long hot summers like the one just gone, a thermostatically controlled roof light with rain sensor provides effective passive cooling. Hidden in the roof build up, the vapour control membrane not only provides an airtight barrier but adopts biomimicry in using cactus inspired technology to keep the fabric dry. Designed to last, the properties have been specified with durable materials throughout. Graphene; the strongest material known to science has been formulated into the interior paints. This Nobel prize winning super material prevents cracking because it is 200 times stronger than structural steel. The wooden external cladding is “pre-fossilised” meaning it’s resistant to rot and UV degradation. The copper guttering and downpipes are expected to last over 100 years. Photo: Rick McCullagh