The Creo House will have a space-saving, air source heat pump and solar water heating, low-energy lighting systems and photo-voltaic power generation systems.
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As sustainability consultants and structural and civil engineers, Pick Everard is part of a design project team on The Creo Insulated Concrete Formwork Structure being exhibited at INSITE 09 at the BRE Innovation Park in Watford.
The aim of the building is to highlight ways in which zero carbon buildings can be affordable, not just in terms of the materials used, but equally in terms of reduced energy consumption. The Creo House will have a space-saving, air source heat pump and solar water heating, low-energy lighting systems and photo-voltaic power generation systems.
Pick Everard environmental manager Andrew Bannister, said:
"The Creo House brings the model zero carbon house another step nearer in the UK, not to mention new opportunities for the UK construction industry and more affordable housing for all."
The Creo House gives professionals in the construction industry the chance to see the insulated concrete formwork (ICF) system uncovered and get a feel for how it works.
Developed and constructed by Hungarian building specialist Creo Prekoncept, the four-storey apartment block - due for completion later this year - is constructed from ICF, meeting the UK Government's Code for Sustainable Homes, the standard with which all new-builds have had to comply since May 1, 2008.
Replacing the former EcoHomes scheme, (devised by BRE), the code, which grades properties between Level 1 and 6 measures the overall sustainability of homes, incorporates minimum standards for energy and water consumption, providing buyers with essential information on projected energy costs, and builders with an official ecological comparison tool they can use to rate properties.
The mixed-use Creo House has been designed to meet the maximum Level 6 rating. It will also house a demonstration retail outlet on the ground floor, very typical of a mixed domestic/retail combination commonly seen in urban areas in mainland Europe. If considered a success, this welcome innovation could see several thousand others just like it being built across the country.
England's first large-scale development to be built to Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, has been given the green light to move ahead.
Barratt Developments Plc and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have received planning permission to build 195 zero carbon homes as part of the Hanham Hall 'eco village' in South Gloucestershire.
The eco village is part of the Carbon Challenge programme run by the HCA. The new homes will be constructed using energy efficient materials, with very high insulation standards to conserve energy and water use in a design by HTA Architects integrating buildings in a landscaped setting that benefits both residents and local wildlife.
Materials from the existing buildings on the site will be recycled in the new development and heat from air extracted from the homes will be recycled. Rainwater will be harvested for use in homes and gardens and residents will have access to allotments and orchards to grow their own produce.
Hanham Hall itself, a former hospital building, will be refurbished and transformed into a community centre for the neighbourhood.
The centre will include a 'sustainable living hub' to help people become greener; with access to a crèche, café and a base for a car club. A community owned and run development trust will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the entire neighbourhood, including building maintenance, car sharing and gardening clubs.
Work on site is due to start by the end of this year and the first homes are planned to be completed by 2010.
The development will be the first created as part of the government's Carbon Challenge programme, which aims to help the housebuilding industry fast track a number of developments that significantly reduce the impact on the environment, provide important lessons for delivering low carbon development and encourage people to live more sustainable lifestyles.
Birmingham City Council has has announced plans to build 131 homes within the next 12 months - a scale of council house building unseen in the City for the last three decades.
The first phase of construction was announced at the launch of the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust. The event saw the Council reaffirm its commitment to one of the most ambitious house building plans in the UK, which will eventually deliver 500 new council homes a year. Across the country, just 375 council houses were built last year.
To support this programme, the Council's Cabinet have been asked to give the go-ahead for a bid to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) for £7.2 million in funding towards the project, from the £100 million allocation announced in this year's Budget.
If the bid to the HCA proves successful, this money will then be supplemented with £8 million from the Council itself, to enable the building of the new two, three and four bed homes.
The plans have been developed in response to the needs of local people and the homes in the first phase are planned in four key areas of Birmingham where the demand for affordable housing is at its highest.
The new homes will be built on land which is already owned by the Council. The first phase of homes will be available on a social rent basis while the Council's longer term plan is to create multi-tenure housing opportunities city wide.
Bids to the HCA for funding take place in two rounds, with submissions due in July and October 09 respectively. Decisions on each round of bidding are expected by the end of the year, allowing building of new homes to begin in March 2010 and be completed by Easter 2011.
A Doncaster housing organisation has rubber-stamped a new roofing method where tenants can reap the benefits now and in the future.
St. Leger Homes of Doncaster has introduced a new roofing product aiming to improve efficiency and safety within the company.
The ALMO, which manages Doncaster Council properties, is now using a rubber-based product on all their flat-roofed properties.
Workers previously used felt and bitumen to help protect leaking roofs but this method ran a health and safety risk, as the bitumen was so hot to work with. It also posed a problem when moving from job-to-job as the bitumen substance is difficult to handle when travelling.
Barry Mitchell of St. Leger Homes said:
"I am part of the team that researched this new product called Firestone EPDM and we have already started to see the benefits.
"The product has a guarantee of 20 years and a lifespan of 50 years, which will mean our tenants will benefit as their roof won't need repairing, plus it will save time in the future to carry out other repair work."
This new product has also made a vast difference to the appearance of a property, as the seals around the edge of the rubber layer make an overall neater finish to the job.
St Leger Homes is an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) created by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council in October 2005. It manages just over 21,000 properties for the Council.
