My favourite room: ‘We have what’s called microheating’ – architect John Barry Lowe’s eco-friendly self-build with €560-a-year electricity bills

When it comes to the homes of architects, people expect to see certain features and they’re rarely wrong. Top of the list is white walls, followed by large expanses of sliding glass doors. Interestingly, architect John Barry Lowe has neither in the brand new home which he built for his family; the largest pieces of glass are mainly in his French doors, yet it is a bright, light-filled space, despite the fact that the dominant material is wood.