The clip-on revolution, you might think, ended long ago with sunglasses, ties and earrings. But it is stirring once again in a housing market stifled by recession and facing the need to become more sustainable.

Jim Whiston and Elaine McFarland have just gained an extra room at their traditional stone villa in Ardrossan, Ayrshire — and the neat, black box is the prototype for what could one day be a mass-produced, “clip-on” extension.

The clever structure may be the sustainable alternative to the conventional extension, since it provides a cheaper, greener alternative to demolition when there’s a change of owner — or a change of heart. Read More→