Grand Designs: Cotswolds – Duncan & Liz (Channel 4 Wednesday 8 November 2023)

Grand Designs: Cotswolds – Duncan & Liz airs Wednesday 8 November 2023 on Channel 4.

What is this episode about

In this episode, Kevin McCloud continues his investigation of some of Britain’s most daring self-building projects, where courageous individuals try to create the home of their dreams from scratch.

Duncan, an environmental consultant, and Liz, a lawyer, plan for their new home to be groundbreaking in every way. It will be enormous, modern, and luxurious. The ambitious couple purchased land in the scenic Cotswolds with the intention of constructing the first certified Passivhaus Premium in the United Kingdom. This home will be extremely energy efficient, using only 40% of the energy it consumes while also producing 100% of its own.

It will function like a small power plant! Duncan, determined to oversee the building process single-handedly, uproots the family from London and sets up shop closer to the construction site, while Liz stays behind to earn money for the endeavour. Duncan is fully invested, but this situation is unlike anything he’s ever encountered.

Technically complex and requiring painstaking attention to detail, this cathedral-like building features massive glulam portal frames, walls of triple-glazed windows and three zigzagging roofs. Duncan and Liz’s 18-month schedule inevitably gets out of control and living apart takes its toll as they face this enormous challenge. The home must ultimately pass extremely rigorous tests in order to be considered a success and a UK first.

The question is: will it be worthwhile.

When can we see the episode

Grand Designs: Cotswolds – Duncan & Liz airs Wednesday 8 November 2023 at 9.00pm on Channel 4

Featured Image Credit: Channel 4