Open Eco Homes Weekend: more than 250 attendees sustainably and joyfully inspired

Owners, organisers and volunteers from 19 eco-homes or sustainable projects hosted well over 250 visits during Transition Town Totnes’ annual Open Eco Homes Weekend in October.

Attendees care about the planet

Attendees explored a wide range of properties showcasing Passivhaus design, solar panels, heat pumps, retrofit insulation and glazing, natural building techniques, and rewilding projects.

Attendees appreciated the opportunity to ask questions and learn from firsthand experiences from homeowners. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with comments like “People taking part in this weekend have all been so enthusiastic and friendly” reflecting the spirit of the event. Although heavy rain may have led to a lower turnout during the weekend, especially at properties slightly further from Totnes town, a silver lining was that hosts shared that the slower pace of the weekend allowed for rich and meaningful conversations.

One host reported:
“What people are most interested in, is the heat pump. There is so much misinformation out there, in the media and on social media. People want to hear what heat pumps are really like and to understand the costs. Having weekends like this help to disprove the misinformation.”

Another host reflected:
“There is something so heartwarming about the Open Eco Homes weekend. Attendees care about the planet and want to do something to help. All the visitors were so friendly, interesting, and appreciative. It felt good to be able to answer their questions and make use of all the research that we did in building our home.”

Other hosts echoed these sentiments, expressing joy in being able to share their homes and knowledge to inspire their neighbours toward more sustainable choices.

Open Eco Homes will be back in Autumn 2025, and plans are in the making for an Eco Homes and Energywise Fair as part of Twenty Years of Transition Town Totnes celebrations.