A new zero carbon developments has just been unveiled in the UK.

Greenwatt Way, designed by PRP Architects, the development uses the latest construction methods and technologies available to deliver zero carbon housing to Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The project will be monitored for the next two years to improve understanding of energy usage and requirements as the UK moves to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.

The development of ten homes comprises two and three bedroom houses, one bedroom flats, an information hub and an energy centre. The homes each have a private patio around a shared garden with space to grow vegetables and will be rented out to SSE and Slough Borough staff, along with local residents.

The research project, in which SSE is investing over £3.5m, is testing a wide range of solutions and will provide much needed evidence of the real life benefits of living in zero carbon homes. Zero carbon homes are now becoming much more affordable; Bramall Construction is already building Code 6, zero carbon homes for less than £130,000.

Greenwatt Way innovations include:

• An energy centre to test five different types of renewable energy generation including: an air and ground-source heat pump, a biomass boiler, solar thermal panels and solar photovoltaic tiles.

• Use of a low temperature district heat network to reduce heat losses and maximise heat source performance

• Use of the latest low energy appliances, cooking and lighting technologies

• Low water use fittings, rainwater harvesting and greywater (including heat) recovery

• Energy monitoring /smart metering systems


Chris Wilford, Associate Director at PRP comments: "Although a zero carbon research project, Greenwatt Way is first and foremost designed as a place people will want to live. The aim is to replicate a larger, ‘healthy’ community where good neighbourhood interaction helps encourage a more sustainable lifestyle. It is important for the UK to trial different low carbon technologies and fully understand their performance in a low energy home. Water is now as critical as energy so we have allowed for communal rainwater recycling under the shared garden and an innovative grey water recycling system to improve water efficiency."

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student
written by JC, January 22, 2012

Biomass is thought to be carbon zero if the fuel burned is from a renewable source, e.g. if the wood chip is from a sustainable supplier the carbon produced through burning is offset from the carbon removed from the environment via photosynthesis.

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architect
written by John Henshaw, November 26, 2010

How is biomass carbon zero? its not even carbon neutral.

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