Tag: green house

Property spotlight: Passive homes

Hardwicke Road Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3PE

No, passive homes aren’t argument averse or really chilled out. Passive homes are energy efficient, carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative properties.

Our research has uncovered passive homes in every corner of the country and at every price point. There are affordable, social housing schemes all the way up to millionaires’ budget, bespoke builds; starter homes to retirement properties; houses by the coast, in the city centre or overlooking a golf course.

Increasingly, architects, construction companies and property developers will have to be more environmentally conscious when it comes to designing and building properties. Octopus Energy have teamed up with a number of home builders to offer new homes Zero Bills™.

Zero Bills™ homes generate more energy than they consume. They achieve this using a combination of low carbon tech – solar PV and a battery – and electric heating.

Kelham Central, Sheffield S3 8SA

£225,000 – Kelham Central, Sheffield S3 8SA

Kelham Central Showhome from Citu on Vimeo.

• Zero energy bills for two years
• Access to landscaped decking
• Dual aspect design
• Open plan kitchen, living, dining area
• Perfect for first time buyers, downsizers, couples and those living on their own
• Two storey, one bedroom, mid-terrace home
• 35th coolest neighbourhood to live in in the world
• Central location in Kelham Island

High levels of insulation coupled with an airtight membrane, create low U-Values and reduction of any thermal bridges. Your airtight home will allow you to reduce your energy usage and emissions on a daily basis.

* Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems are used to reduce heat loss from ventilation, and filter the air coming into your home, allowing for up to 4 times cleaner air.
* Triple-glazed windows aid with the efficiency of your home, whilst proving to reduce external noise levels- allowing you to live in the centre of a bustling city, without the noise.
* Every purchaser becomes a part of the Community Interest Company which gives residents more control over their surroundings & allows for a no ground rent policy. Our other established communities, created by CICs across Yorkshire, now arrange community activities such as summer BBQs, Christmas wreath-making and even a weekly pub quiz team.
* We maximise natural energies from the sun via solar panels and thermal modelling is used to check if buildings meet our low energy targets (15kwh/m2/year).
* Its central location allows you to maximise on eco-friendly living practices, supported by free on-site bike storage and provisions for electric car charging stations, making the switch to zero-carbon transport easy.

Victoria Gate, Stafford, Staffordshire

From £269,995 to £354,995 – Victoria Gate, Stafford, Staffordshire

Bellway is committed to bringing our customers low-carbon homes built with the future in mind, utilising the latest homebuilding technology to create forward-thinking green communities.

The Spinner – The Artisan Collection from Bellway on Vimeo.

• Electric vehicle charging
• Solar PV
• Google Nest Learning Thermostat
• Air source heat pump
• Energy-efficient homes
• Additional cost-saving technologies – “These include thicker loft insulation, a waste water heat recovery system, thermally broken lintels, PV diverters, and many other advancements. You’ll also benefit from better air quality as we move to an enhanced ventilation system.”

Church View, Bramford, Suffolk

From £320,000 to £640,000 – Church View, Bramford, Suffolk

• Air source heat pump
• Thermally efficient insulation
• Integrated photo voltaic panels
• Battery storage
• Underfloor heating to the ground floor
• Waste water heat recovery system
• Increased cavity insulation to 150mm
• UPVC double glazing
• Electric Vehicle Charging Point

Church View, Bramford offers an exquisite collection of energy-efficient homes powered by Octopus Zero Bills™. This smart tariff from Octopus Energy offers the opportunity of comfortable living with no energy bills.
To make this possible, we’ve added a combination of green tech devices to your new home comprising PV panels, battery storage, a wastewater heat recovery system, blown cavity wall insulation, air source heat pump, underfloor heating, thermally insulated uPVC windows and LED downlights to some rooms. This means that your new home has been built to support sustainable living.

Hardwicke Road Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3PE

£500,000 – Hardwicke Road Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3PE

• 4 bedroom
• 3 bathroom
• Freehold, detached, open-plan residence
• Ash parquet flooring throughout
• Island kitchen and breakfast bar
• Curved, vaulted ceilings
• Off-road parking for 1 vehicle

This sustainably designed, four-bedroom house occupies an elevated position overlooking the unexpectedly bucolic coastline of Hastings… The house’s environmental impact has been carefully considered and forms the crux of its design. An air source heat pump powers the underfloor heating and hot water while a Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery System (MVHR), ensures there is plenty of airflow. Triple glazing maximises solar gain and ensures there is an even temperature inside all year round.

Birdie, The Green, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5BQ

From £550,000 – Birdie, The Green, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5BQ

• 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartments with garages
• Overlooking the golf course fairways
• Zero energy bills, zero carbon smart home
• Walking distance to beaches
• On the outskirts of the vibrant university town of Falmouth
• EPC Rating = A
• Solar PV with 9.5 kW battery system
• Air source heat pump
• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
• PIR occupancy sensors
• Triple glazing throughout
• Produces zero carbon emissions

How sustainable modern homes are taking over the world

How sustainable modern homes are taking over the world

In the last 20 years, there’s been a push from government and public sectors for more sustainable options. It’s a trend that won’t go away, due to the current climate issues facing the planet, but also because more consumers are demanding sustainable options.

Green home illustration

More available than ever

It’s only recently that sustainable modern homes have become a possibility. American homes are often mass built, following the same construction techniques and floor plans.

Due to technological advancements and discoveries, as well as government initiatives to go green, new homes are now expected to be more sustainable than ever. The construction market has become innovative, leading to new materials, systems and furnishings that are better for the planet, as well as better drainage systems and low-emission and energy-efficient equipment.

Often, building sustainably is cheaper than traditional building, due to the new green construction products flooding the market and competing against each other. It started with lighting, changing from traditional bulbs to more energy-efficient LEDs. Now, everything from home appliances to insulation is available from companies with a sustainability focus.

Home costs illustration

Sustainable construction saves long-term costs

Older buildings often lack modern construction technology, such as efficient thermal insulation, roofing innovations and advanced water filters.

Homes built with sustainable materials such as tilt-up wall construction help home-owners save money on energy and reduce the need for heating. Not only can sustainable building innovations save money on energy bills, but also use less natural resources.

Modern sustainability technology can also help you use less water. New builds sometimes incorporate efficient filtration systems and systems that require less water for flushing and other activities.

In Utah, Benloch Ranch offer a range of planned community homes that are built with sustainability in mind. They have protective policies surrounding wildlife preservation, conservation of plants and vegetation and efficient use of natural resources like water.

They not only believe in looking after the environment when constructing; they also know that new homes require unique designs to offer something bespoke to buyers. They understand that they need to coexist with the local ecosystem. This is evident in their storm water management systems, fire-breaks and focus on reduction of noise and light pollution.

Healthy home illustrationcredit

Improvement in life quality

Sustainable homes are also made with more natural, less toxic, materials. Older buildings can unintentionally emit invisible fumes and toxins that can wreak havoc on people’s bodies and overall health. That’s not the case with green construction.

As well as being designed with healthier materials that last longer, green homes are generally designed to allow natural sunlight through. Sunlight is crucial to quality of life as it supplies humans with vitamin D, which is essential for good health. Sustainable modern homes are also designed with the climate in mind, meaning less harmful waste and chemicals are involved in their construction. Plus, windows that let in natural light allow you to take in more natural views, helping boost your mood, morale and life quality.

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Get their look: Halloween-themed, black-painted greenhouse

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Julie Aldridge (@aldridgejulie)

Summer may be gone for this year, but we’re still spending lots of time out in the garden… even if only to gather up the leaves that are falling from our giant sycamore tree.

As the temperature begins to cool, we’d love an outdoor place like this black-painted greenhouse where we can spend more of the year in the garden. Once potting tasks are done for the year, there’s space in Julie’s greenhouse for table and chairs to enjoy a cuppa or outdoor meal.

The lanterns and festoon lights add atmospheric lighting and the colourful squashes & gourds are a nod to the upcoming celebration. Come December, the pumpkins could give way to holly, mistletoe and a winter wreath or two.

Get their look

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Contemporary light concrete high trough planter, black
Contemporary light concrete high trough planter, black
Black bistro chair
Black bistro chair
Black bamboo and glass lantern
Black bamboo and glass lantern
Natural hessian fabric, sold by the metre
Natural hessian fabric, sold by the metre
10-squirrel cage bulb ingenious festoon light bundle
10-squirrel cage bulb ingenious festoon light bundle
Protek Royal Exterior wood finish, black
Protek Royal Exterior wood finish, black
Bamboo battery lantern
Bamboo battery lantern
Contemporary light concrete high trough planter, black
Contemporary light concrete high trough planter, black
Black bistro chair
Black bistro chair
Black bamboo and glass lantern
Black bamboo and glass lantern
Natural hessian fabric, sold by the metre
Natural hessian fabric, sold by the metre
10-squirrel cage bulb ingenious festoon light bundle
10-squirrel cage bulb ingenious festoon light bundle
Protek Royal Exterior wood finish, black
Protek Royal Exterior wood finish, black
Bamboo battery lantern
Bamboo battery lantern

Wednesday Wish: Conservatory

'Wednesday Wish' blog post banner

selection of four types of conservatory

We’ve lived in our current house for 11 years now. When we first moved in we said that we’d like to put a little glass “lean-to” conservatory on the back of the house. Well, it’s still not there!

There are a couple of companies, Apropos and Vevo, that do just the kind of thing we’re after. We’ve got an awkward spot to fit it into – old houses like ours are famous for having no straight walls or right angled corners – but they seem to be able to build glass constructions into all kinds of spaces nowadays!  We’d love to make it our spring project but there’s one small problem – vet bills!