getting going

I checked out variuos things and made lots of phone calls

• Centre for Alternative Technologies
• their website links to a company that does geothermal energy projects, EarthEnergy Systems by GeoScience Ltd ... their case studies look encouraging
  
• you need a "heat loss calculation" apparently...
  
• Energy Saving Trust pointed me to the NHER site which lists registered assessors who can do such heat loss calculations and give advice
  
• according to GeoScience some old buildings "can never be made sufficiently energy efficient to install a modern heating distribution system such as low temperature underfloor."
• ... hmmm ... looks like a good idea to look at the bigger picture and look all energy efficiency issues our house has
• so I have arranged for Peter Rickaby from Rickaby Thompson Associates Ltd (found them through NHER) to come for an onsite assessment in March in order to start a long term energy plan for Well Cottage