Jim and Pru Egan of Pleasant Point with their concrete block house which offers a stable temperature and low electricity bills.

A southern Canterbury bricklayer can't understand why his concrete block house is not copied.

Jim Egan from Pleasant Point has been a brickie for more than 50 years and has designed and built his house from concrete blocks ensuring a stable temperature and very low electricity bills.

He emigrated here from his native Scotland in 1970 because of the cold climate and unemployment.

Using concrete blocks which are reinforced and only a little wood for the roof the winter temperature stays between 18 degrees Celsius and 22 degrees Celsius.

"I spent a lot of time thinking about it," he said.

Without any insulation the house, referred to as Mt Egan by locals, is north facing with big windows capturing the sun and dark tiles on the floors to absorb the warmth. Windows also enable the bathroom to be naturally heated. There are no south facing windows. The garage at the south of the house also doubles as the back wall and is the only cool area. The walls inside the house are all plastered, so there is no need for wallpaper.

Built five years ago, the Egan's electricity bill for 2014 averaged between $75 to $85 a month in winter, down from $175 a month in their previous weatherboard, wood-framed home.

"Wood can't store heat. The concrete blocks are like a nightstore in reverse."

Two solar panels and a wetback log burner help with the energy efficiency, as does using 4 watt LED lighting. The couple did not buy more solar panels as they said they were too expensive at the time. The cost has since dropped. The sloping ceilings and warmth ensure the humidity is low.

"We very seldom light the fire during the day unless it is a cloudy day, and then at night at about 6pm or 7pm."

The bricklayer has been surprised the building industry has not taken an interest in his unique design, but puts it down to timber being an important industry here.

Egan and his wife Pru say they have become quite unsocial since moving into their house because it is so pleasant to live in.

"I'd like to build another one and improve on it and cut electricity bills completely."

He believes he could achieve that aim if the house was angled slightly more to the north, as the magnetic north the plans were based on is not quite right.

"Just another 16 degrees could make it perfect."

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