Harry and Stephanie Boswell
We travelled down to Malacca to visit a British couple who have built their own home there with a keen eye on environmentally friendly living.
Most people here under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme have chose to settle in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, but Harry and Stephanie Boswell wanted a place which was closer to nature. They both share a love of bird watching, the outdoor life, and doing what they can to save the environment.
Harry had spent time in Malaysia in the 1970s. Later, when he brought his English wife here to visit, she also fell in love with the country and they both decided they would like to retire here. The Silver Hair Programme, which preceded MM2H, offered them the chance.
They initially planned to settle near Mersing, as they wanted to be away from any major towns and surround themselves with nature to pursue their love of bird watching and observing wildlife. However, they found most of the land in that area was Malay reserve, which they were not allowed to buy, so they decided to look further afield.
They eventually found a nice development around a golf course which had plenty of trees, lakes, and greenery. It is located just outside Malacca, and they purchased two plots surrounded by trees with the added benefit of being at the end of the road.
They decided to build an energy-saving home that would be comfortable and affordable, and allow them to escape the extreme humidity and heat - one aspect of living in Malaysia they did not enjoy. The only problem was they were introducing new concepts to the local builders.
"In Malaysia, people regard insulating houses as something that is only done in cold climates," says Harry. "I firmly believe it's just as important in a hot country to minimise loss of cool air and keep the hot air outside the home."
Their initial efforts to construct the house ended in disaster. Local contractors were not familiar with the materials and the different construction techniques, and finally Harry and Stephanie gave up and returned to England. However, it did not take long for them to remember why they had left England in the first place, so they returned for a second attempt.
This time they were fortunate enough to find a good architect through the Internet and a builder who could handle their unique construction requirements. They involved themselves closely in the whole process, lending a hand when necessary despite the very hot weather.
They built their home in an east-west direction so the windows face north and south. This ensures no direct sunlight comes through the windows. Their walls are made from lightweight aerated concrete blocks and painted white on the outside to reflect the heat. There was no need for the usual concrete frame for the house as the blocks are sealed together with a thin adhesive. The windows are double-glazed and were shipped from the UK. The windows do not open preventing the loss of cold air and insects from entering. The doors are flush fitting with double rubber seals. There is even a central vacuum cleaning system.
The four air-conditioning units share one multiple outside unit which is said to be 30% more efficient than others with refrigerant that causes less damage to the ozone layer.
Fresh air comes into the house drawn from underneath a large leafy tree into concrete underground chambers then up into the house through the floor. Beneath the floor is a thick layer of polyurethane insulation. The roof is made from white painted zinc aluminium coated steel with wide overhangs to give extra shade to the walls.
The net result of all this effort is a much lower use of energy. They can have the air-conditioners running 24 hours a day at a constant temperature of 24° and use just 8 units of energy costing less than RM2 per day.
Having completed the house to their specifications, they are now turning their attention to the garden. Their plans include plenty of plants and trees and a pond to attract more wildlife. They are delighted that a pair of brightly coloured white throated kingfishers are nesting in their garden and regularly rest on a perch Harry built for them. A telescope allows them to study the birds and other wildlife that drop in.
Stephanie is equally skilled with her hands and became actively involved in helping build the house, assemble the kitchen cabinets, and even managed to erect two roll-up garage doors that give them an enclosed garage space for their Citroen XM. Harry imported it from England and does any necessary maintenance himself in his well equipped workshop. The garage even includes a pit for working under the car.
Their commitment to do their bit to conserve energy has attracted a lot of attention in Malaysia. They have been the subject of various newspaper and magazine articles, and accommodate a steady stream of visitors who want to see the place for themselves. They have also been invited to talk at local colleges.
So far their retirement has proven to be a very busy time. They have had to put travel plans on hold while they finished the house and graciously hosted many interested visitors.
They have made a number of local and foreign friends in the area, and have no regrets about choosing to come and live in Malaysia and settle in the Malacca area.
If you wish to find out more about their home you can reach Harry and Stephanie at cooltek@streamyx.com.
By Andy Davison
