Isra-Mart srl : Zero carbon homes get the green light

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Isra-Mart srl news:

Southampton’s carbon footprint is set to be reduced after planning permission was granted by Southampton City Council for 11 new zero carbon rated homes. Radian Housing has been granted permission to build cutting edge carbon neutral homes on currently unused land.

These homes will be the first in the city to meet the government’s highest environmental standard for sustainable homes, Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6, six years ahead of schedule.

Councillor Peter Baillie, Southampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This is great news for Hampshire with Southampton leading the way to build homes that are zero carbon rated.

“These future homes will have much better insulation and lower heat losses and with the vastly improved use of green technologies they will be more sustainable in the widest sense as well as easier to maintain and cheaper to run in the long-term. Both residents and the environment will benefit as 30 per cent of the country’s total CO2 emissions come from homes.”

Andrea Smith, Radian’s Development and New Business Director, said: “We are delighted that planning permission has been awarded to this scheme. Not only will the scheme provide large family affordable homes but future residents will benefit from lower fuel bills. The energy saving measures on this development will influence our designs for homes both now and in the future.”

The government’s coding system for sustainable homes works by awarding new homes a ‘star rating’ from one to six, (one being the lowest and six the highest). Housing Associations currently have to build homes to a minimum of Level 3 if the projects are to receive funding from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency, the levels will continue to rise, finally reaching Level 6 or ‘zero carbon’ in 2016.

Some green features of these proposed 'zero carbon' homes are:-

Timber frame construction with built in high performance insulation, cutting down on site waste, concrete usage, and using timber from sustainable sources.

Heating for all houses is produced from a centralised Bio Mass wood pellet boiler.

All houses are fitted with water saving technology and individual rainwater harvesting systems

High performance glazing in all windows for extra insulation.

Fully integrated Photovoltaic installation providing electricity for the homes with unused energy sold back to the National Grid.