Didi De Zwarte working on her 1950s Arklow home with partner Renato.
A first-time Wicklow homeowner has shown what can be achieved on a tight budget with elbow grease and some community collaboration, after a local insulation initiative helped transform her 1950s home from an F-rated icebox into a cosy B3 abode, slashing her winter heating bills by two-thirds.
Born in the Netherlands, but spending her formative years in the Garden County, experienced dietitian Didi De Zwarte moved back from Dublin to her adopted hometown of Arklow in 2020 to be closer to her family.