Exploring and exposing environmentally-sound solutions and giving visitors the know-how to go home and make their houses more ecologically friendly is the focus of Grand Designs Live, coming to the Coca-Cola Dome from 21 to 23 May.

This diverse and massive inspirational home-improvement event will live up to the brilliant reputation garnered by the BBC TV Show that spawned it. They are teaming up with Witch Rooms, a local, innovative home and lifestyle enhancement company, to build an Eco House. This will be an environmental champion in every possible way, from the paint used to coat it, to its foundations and finishes. Every effort has gone into ensuring that this pioneering low-energy building is designed to meet the passive house energy standards.

Built from a modular engineered timber frame, it will be erected very quickly on site at the event and is highly adaptable, able to accommodate a range of insulation materials, internal layout, cladding and internal finishes. Eco-features include solar panels, roof lights, a storm-water catchments area and green tank that can be used to water a vegetable garden positioned alongside the house. The eco-friendly paint used to complete the picture is going to be sponsored by Freeworld Coatings, the title sponsor for Grand Designs Live.

Witch Rooms has an extensive experience in designing and constructing buildings of all shapes and sizes. Founded in 1973, the company is renowned for being both innovative and environmentally aware, utilising many green methods, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and leaving a lower carbon footprint. With their unique Witchgro building system they build schools, and affordable houses that are that are quicker, cleaner, healthier, more sustainable and greener to build.

This partnership is going to give visitors to Grand Designs Live an opportunity to see truly intelligent design in action €“ a chance to be inspired by the ingenuity that goes into making spaces that are both original and environmentally sensitive.

Tickets are R60 and available at Computicket €“ children under the age of 16 enter free of charge. For further information visit www.granddesignslive.co.za or call 011 835 1565.

Photo: Witch Rooms€™ eco house, designed by Shawn Rowley Architects.