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Green journey continues for holiday lets

SME loan helps bring couple’s dream to life

An eco-conscious couple have created a green haven at the foot of the Eildon Hills in the Borders for holidaymakers looking for a restful break.

“As a business we care about our environmental impact and try to reduce it where we can. We like to make the properties as eco-friendly as possible.”

The award-winning holiday lets in Dingleton Mains boast an array of environmentally friendly features, including a biomass district heating system, retrofitted to the six cottages.

Rob Martin, who owns the business with wife Joanna, said: “As a business we care about our environmental impact and try to reduce it where we can. We like to make the properties as eco-friendly as possible.”

The couple also increased the insulation in the cottages to make them more energy efficient, using natural materials, and LED lightbulbs were fitted. Eco cleaning products are used on the site, with organic and ethically sourced soap and shampoo provided for visitors.

When the couple looked at expanding their business and adding a log cabin, they sought out locally grown sustainable Douglas fir for its construction. They also installed a ‘living’ grass roof to provide insulation and to help the new structure blend in to the surrounding countryside. The log cabin was the winner of the European holiday home awards 2021 for best green holiday home.

The first log cabin proved to be such a success that they decided to add a second. And for this one they approached Business Energy Scotland for advice on introducing an air source heat pump.

Rob said: “We care about the environment and more and more visitors are looking for places to stay with good eco credentials.”

One of our experienced consultants did an assessment for Rob which showed that using a heat pump rather than traditional heating would give him an annual saving of more than £1,200 as well as cutting the property’s carbon emissions by almost a tonne.

Heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular. They provide efficient heating by extracting heat from the air and transferring it indoors. They offer energy savings and reduced carbon emissions. Additionally, they are easy to install, require less maintenance and offer consistent temperature control.

Rob, who moved to Scotland from Hampshire, England, 13 years ago after falling in love with the area, took advantage of the Scottish Government’s interest-free SME loan to help finance the project and also received a 75 per cent cashback grant.

“Working with Business Energy Scotland was brilliant. The support was fantastic and we couldn’t have gone ahead with the project without them.”

Help for your business

Business Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free, impartial support and access to funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises save energy, carbon and money

Whether you are just starting out on your energy-saving journey and need some pointers or are looking for expertise and funding to support your current plans, our team of experienced business advisors and energy-saving consultants are here to help. Get in touch today.