An award-winning Eco House in Snowdonia can add ‘Carbon Negative’ to its host of environmental accolades.

John and Ceilia Whitehead’s Bryn Elltyd Eco House at Tanygrisiau, near Blaenau Ffestiniog, is believed to be one of the first accommodation businesses in the UK to be certified carbon negative.

Bryn Elltyd became the first Tesla destination charging point in Wales, and its six electric vehicle charging points are continually upgraded. Last year, it was recognised by Electrifying.com as one of the best places to visit in the UK with excellent electric car charging facilities.

The business has been operating entirely on renewable energy since 2013, when it won the Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year Award. The eco guest house, described by the judges as “a beacon of sustainability at the foot of Snowdon” won the accolade again in 2014. Bryn Elltyd has also achieved gold in the Green Tourism Business Scheme for more than a decade.

Stu Meades, managing director of Greener Edge Sustainability in Beddgelert, undertook the carbon footprint analysis of Bryn Elltyd. He said: “I haven’t assessed or seen any other holiday homes in Wales that have achieved carbon negativity, and I think it’s extremely rare in the UK. The amount of work John has done at Bryn Elltyd is exceptional; he’s a demonstrator of best practice.”

Bryn Elltyd began when Ceilia took John to the Centre for Alternative Technology in 1982 and was amazed at working solar panels in a slate quarry. John left his aerospace career, fitted solar panels on their suburban semi-detached home in Coventry and devoted the next 20-odd years to teaching technology.

The chance came in 2007 to change careers and create a green guesthouse, 700ft up a mountain in Snowdonia National Park. Bryn Elltyd is an 1883 granite building, which was a challenge for energy efficiency.

John has sensitively developed the property with massive insulation and turf roofed buildings, lined with sheep’s wool, solar panels, hot air extraction from conservatories, rainwater loo flushing and biological sewerage into a reed bed and duckpond.

The property was one of the early adopters of a boiler that turns local wood to gas and burns it at 900c. The couple buy mainly local products and services and have their own orchard and vegetable plots.

“Many organisations talk about aiming to become carbon zero or carbon neutral in future,” said John.

“Carbon negative is even better, and we’re delighted to have achieved this now. Insulation, insulation, insulation is the key!”

Julie Stokes-Jones, project business development officer at Busnes@LlandrilloMenai, said: “The team is really pleased with the certification awarded to John and Ceilia at Bryn Elltyd. We encourage small businesses in Gwynedd to get in touch to take advantage of the support offered through this project to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Contact [email protected] for a funded carbon assessment.