A DOCTOR from Farnham has converted his “standard brick box home” of the 1980s into a “super home” of the 21st century – claiming to have cut his reliance on fossil fuels by more than half.

Dr Thomas Lankester recently addressed environmental campaign group Energy Alton, sharing insight into how he has reduced his carbon footprint – starting at home.

His talk, which attracted the group’s biggest audience to date, had the room “buzzing” with inspiration.

The changes to his Farnham home mean Dr Lankester has saved an estimated 60 per cent of his fossil fuel use – substantially reducing his carbon emissions and energy bills.

“This huge saving was achieved gradually over 20 years as he learned how to make his home more energy efficient, and took advantage of improvements in technology, without changing the way the house looked from the road,” an Energy Alton spokesman explained.

Dr Lankester started with basic insulation, low-energy lighting and replacement of old appliances as they wore out. During the next few years he changed the lights to LEDs, invested more heavily with solar thermal panels for hot water and a wood-burning stove.

In recent years he has added renewable energy with solar panels and an air-source heat pump.

The last major improvement to the house was even more insulation, together with triple glazing.

“Tom presented a future that is achievable now and members of the audience were buzzing with ideas for their own homes,” the spokesman added.

Other actions included swapping his family’s car for an electric model and buying an electric scooter for himself. Altogether his household carbon footprint (household fuel and transport) fell from three tonnes per year to one-and-a-half tonnes.

Your carbon footprint can be calculated using the website carbonfootprint.com.