ENERGY
Innovative development in Slough showcases future zero carbon solutions
One of the UK’s largest zero carbon developments has been unveiled in Slough, Berkshire.
G reenwatt Way, a
groundbreaking project from energy provider SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy) was designed by
PRP Architects, built by Bramall Construction and engineered by AECOM. The development uses the latest construction methods and technologies available to deliver zero carbon housing to Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Greenwatt Way 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.“ John Walsh, Managing Director at Bramall Construction comments: “It’s great to see the new homes at Greenwatt Way completed and ready for residents to move into. We are excited to see how the technology implemented in the homes will benefit the new residents. We hope that the homes will play a large part in the way that communities are created in the future and are proud that Bramall have had the opportunity to play our part in reducing carbon emissions of UK housing.” Paul Brumpton, AECOM, added;
“Although many of the renewable technologies used on these homes have been around for several years, now this is the first example where they have all been deployed on one development to allow us to effectively monitor the efficiency of each system.” Services provided by AECOM included ecological assessment, acoustics, flood risk assessment, highways design, structures for roofs and foundations, thermal modelling and SAP calculations.
www.prparchitects.co.uk www.aecom.com.
www.bramall.com
SUSTAINABLE FM | OCTOBER 2010 |39
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