When architect Hugh Strange was building his contemporary home and studio on an old pub yard in Deptford, he knew he wanted it to have eco-credentials. “The house is designed with environmental concerns very much in mind,” he told us when we visited his live-work space for our ‘Open House’ series. “It uses a mass timber construction, employs an exhaust air heat pump, has excellent insulation, underfloor heating and solar panels in order to minimise energy use.”

Hugh’s use of timber – which won an award from The Wood Awards – is particularly noteworthy: the natural, renewable material has been used throughout the interior to create bespoke joinery and furniture. The result? Pleasing tonal hues that promise a tranquil atmosphere.

This multi-award-winning home in the village of Halton, Lancaster, ticks all the right boxes when it comes to sustainable living. The unique two-bedroom space is situated within the eco-housing community of Forgebank and uses renewable technologies such as solar, biomass and hydroelectricity. Inside, the kitchen cabinetry has been designed by local carpenters Out of the Wood, while internet connection comes courtesy of the neighbourhood not-for-profit community, B4RN.

And then there’s the unspoilt landscape: Forgebank Walk sits opposite the peaceful River Lane and is surrounded by hilltops. Plus, all it takes is a short drive (residents can rent electric cars on-site) to reach the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. It scores top marks from us.

Living sustainably isn’t just about solar panels and natural materials. One way to boost your eco-rating is to make use of outdoor space – be it a small balcony or bucolic garden – to grow your own delicious produce. The owner of this light-filled, two-bedroom apartment in a former school, now Grade II-listed, has access to a beautiful communal garden with lawns and vegetable plots.

Even growing a small amount of fruit and veg can have plenty of benefits for the environment, such as cutting carbon emissions caused by farming and transport. Not only are the fresh greens good for the environment but good for the mind too – gardening is said to better wellbeing, thanks to its calming nature. It’s a win-win.

“For us, modern living means having a strong connection with the natural world, a home with high sustainability values, natural materials, low energy costs and no consumption of fossil fuels,” owner Ian Collins told us when we visited him and his wife Sue’s eco-friendly home for our ‘Open House’ series. “We have used a timber frame construction on a steel, concrete and polystyrene insulation floor structure, which sits on concrete screw piles. Walls are insulated with hemp, with wood fibre panels outside, clad in oak. We have a green roof on 60 per cent of the roof, and we collect rainwater into an underground tank for flushing toilets and watering the garden.”

If that’s not enough, the house was designed around mature trees; while its verdant garden is a sanctuary for wildlife – frequent visitors include birds, butterflies, ducks and dragonflies.

This exceptional house is evidence you don’t need to compromise on design to live sustainably. Built by the award-winning architect David Sheppard, whose practice is driven by environmental awareness, the two-storey home is made from locally sourced brick and wood to minimise its carbon footprint. “We aspired to make Hedge House both exceptional and innovative in terms of the material choice and how it’s made; a holistic approach using only two materials,” David told us when Hedge House came on the market.

The deceptively simple design, which allows natural light to flood the home, is inspired by the agricultural buildings in the area. It’s finished with a green sedum roof and is set within natural surroundings that have fruit trees and a vegetable plot within reach.