Homes of the future

In the UK we are finally beginning to realise that if every country around the world used the planet’s natural resources at the same rate as us, it would take the combined resources of three planets to support us all. Therefore it is so important that we all do our bit to adjust our lifestyles to reduce the impact we are having and to help maintain a natural balance to provide for future generations. There are many small simple steps we can take ourselves as homeowners, but the government has now laid down new legislation for home developers to work towards.

By 2016, it will be mandatory for all new homes to be zero carbon. The term “zero carbon” refers to the highest grade of the Code for Sustainable Homes, this is used to determine the environmentally friendliness of all new properties on factors including energy, water efficiency and waste management. Although the deadline is still six years away, house builders are eager to show their commitment to the green cause, it will also make sound commercial sense for the house builder. 

The first large scale developer to build a prototype that achieved the goal of zero carbon emissions was in 2008 by Barratt Homes. The development was called ‘The Green House’ and won Home for the Future at the British Home Awards for aiming to achieve both outstanding environmental performance and wide public appeal. They believe ‘the most exciting aspect of the Green House is it’s not designed as a one-off – we will take what works and apply it to house building across the country’. Its innovative features include thermal mass proofing, rooftop planting, air-source heat pump, triple glazed windows, automatic shutters and a whole-house mechanical ventilation system.

Now, two years on, these features that many once considered luxuries are starting to become commonplace in new developments, which is proving to be a great advantage for the you as a homeowner as these new builds are draught free, therefore easy to keep warm and economical to run.

Miller Homes has built Miller Zero, within which five homes are designed to meet different levels of the code. Features include ground-source heat pumps, triple glazing, solar panels and in the highest spec homes, wood fuelled biomass boilers. More than anything, Miller Homes believes this has turned out to be a valuable research and development project. They hope to provide homeowners ‘with lower bills, the knowledge that you are doing your bit for the environment and the great sense of taking part in something visionary and unique’.

They stated, “It allowed us to test out every aspect of working to the code for sustainable homes, the homes have been built with a variety of lifestyle enhancing features to ensure the residents not only see the benefits of reduced bills but also feel part of a close community.” Miller Homes believe the research and lessons leaned from these previous projects have prepared them for a national roll out of eco-friendly homes from next year.

Crest Nicholson is another developer that has won awards for its joint venture with green developer Bio Regional Quintain, the sustainable development One Brighton. One Brighton is one of the country’s first environmentally and socially sustainable ‘One Planet Living’ communities. The development offers innovative ideas including a communal biomass boiler, highly efficient natural fibre insulation, on-site composting and rooftop allotments. They are now trying to incorporate these eco ideas into other developments and have begun maximising glazing in living areas, low-energy lighting throughout and whole-house ventilation systems.

Velux, renowned for its windows, are even getting involved, and are starting to conform to government criteria for zero-carbon design. They are designing homes that will be super insulated and heated by air-source heat pumps with biomass stoves providing secondary heat in winter. The homes are designed to be enjoyable and healthy for residents, with innovations including triple-height atriums, which allow sunlight to penetrate deep into the property.

A spokesman for the Building Research Establishment has stated that for many house builders, facing the issue raised by the Code for Sustainable Homes is not easy. “There is still a lot to learn, for instance, air tightness offers draught-free living and warmth in winter, but it also traps air inside in the summer, so research is needed on improving ventilation.

However, not all sustainable solutions need to be hi-tech. There is also a lot of work going into waste management and recycling, for example regarding rainwater harvesting, gathering rain water for flushing the toilet is an obvious way to save water.