A couple who renovated their Summertown apartment believe it is Oxford’s greenest short let.

Tim Nicholson and Joanne Bowlt went all-out to make the second-floor flat in Rogers Street sustainable and reduce its environmental impact.

They chose materials that are recyled, made of natural fibres, from an ethical source and as non-toxic as possible.

These included natural clay paint throughout, bamboo work surfaces and recycled glass tiles in the kitchen, cork flooring in the bathroom, WC and kitchen and original wooden-block tiles elsewhere.

Duvets and pillows are made from recycled polyester and bed-linen and towels from organic cotton.

The apartment has loft and wall cavity insulation and low-energy lighting plus special vents in the toilet and bathroom, powered by solar panels Gas is supplied by Equigas, an ethical local company and electricity by Good Energy, which is 100 per cent renewable.

Tenants are supplied with eco-friendly cleaning products and an ‘eco-kettle’.

Mr Nicholson and Ms Bowlt lived in the flat for four years before moving to a larger property in central North Oxford because they needed more space for their children, Benjamin, three, and four-month-old Samuel.

Mr Nicholson said: “Our passion for sustainability motivated us to refurbish the flat to be a comfortable, stylish, low-energy and natural home.

“We wanted to demonstrate how simple and relatively inexpensive changes make a difference.” The couple have also ‘greened’ their careers.

Mr Nicholson, 43, switched from working in property development to property sustainability, while media relations officer Ms Bowlt, 42, is using her skills to work with green organisations such as Banbury-based Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

The couple took part in Oxfordshire Eco-homes open days and were chosen as a case study for academic research into upgrading existing buildings to cut energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

In 2004, they hit the headlines when they drove from Oxford to Oxford, New Zealand, in a 50-year-old Morris Oxford called Florence.

The Oxford EcoFlat is available to rent, furnished, from £500 a week. For more information, visit ecoflat.co.uk