Create Ecohome

About the Ecohome

The Ecohome is a purpose-built show home full of practical ideas for greener living. It's right next door to the Create Centre, Bristol's environmental hub.

If you’d like to live more sustainably but need some inspiration, or want to find out how to make your next DIY project more eco-friendly, then pay us a visit. The Ecohome offers a wide range of resources and information, and volunteer guides are on hand to answer your questions. To find out more follow the Ecohome tour.

Admission is free. There is a small charge for school visits and organised tours.

How to find us

The Ecohome is next door to the Create Centre in Cumberland Basin, near Hotwells.

For directions see the how to get to Create page.

Ecohome features

The building is designed to have low impact on the environment and to use as little energy as possible through:

• a south facing roof and conservatory
• super-insulation
• use of natural, recycled and locally sourced materials
• energy and water saving appliances throughout

This room by room Ecohome tour gives you a taste of what you can find if you visit the Ecohome.

The house was built by the council in 1995 to show how sustainable buildings can be constructed and furnished. The house is by Architects Bruges Tozer who won a competition for its design.

Resources and information

The Ecohome offers a wide range of resources giving information about eco-living and building:

• Resource room: Browse reference books, the internet and information folders covering 50 key topic areas, from eco-shopping to renewable energy.
• Ecohome trails: Follow one of our illustrated trails around the house: choose from ‘Eco-Living’ or ‘Eco-Building and DIY’. Both are also available as booklets to take away, with information on suppliers and resources (FREE).
• Audio guide: An informative 45-minute audio tour around the house and garden (FREE).
• ‘Green Smiley Face’ trail: A fun trail for children to follow, with an information sheet to take away (FREE).
• Ecohome video: A short video showing the construction of the house, playing continuously.
• Ecohome guide: An illustrated souvenir guide, with details on the design and history of the house (£1.00).
• Leaflets, books and journals: We stock a wide range of reference materials. Many leaflets are free, and specialist journals are for sale.

Volunteering at the Ecohome

The Ecohome is staffed entirely by volunteers. Why not join our friendly team?

You could be involved in helping with the day to day running of the house, dealing with enquiries, giving tours, carrying out research, and other activities depending on your interests and skills. All expenses for travel and lunch (in the Create café) are paid for.

If you are interested in sustainable living and can spare three hours a week (12 - 3pm weekdays) we would love to hear from you. All backgrounds are welcome, but we are particularly interested in people with experience of education or architecture / design.

To find out more read our information sheet on this page or call us.