With an ever-growing awareness of environmental issues, buyers are increasingly interested in eco-homes and in finding more energy-efficient ways to live. Housebuilders are responding to this, and striving to find ways of making developments more eco-friendly.
WhatHouse? takes a look at some impressive eco-friendly homes around the country, and speaks to one of the housebuilders about sustainability in the housing industry...
Lyonesse Lane in Cornwall (Verto Homes)
Lyonesse Lane is a collection of eight, four bedroom detached homes located in Rock, Cornwall. They are built to Verto Homes’ trademarked specification of Zero Carbon Smart Home and contain the latest top-of-the-line smart home technology. The homes all use integrated solar roofing systems, air and ground-source heat pumps to generate heat and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to redistribute warm air throughout the home, so that nothing is wasted. The houses are triple glazed which enhances energy efficiency and reduces noise pollution.
The development comprises four house types – the Mumford, the Carew, the Trevilian and the Irinerar (named after local legends), which are built in a modern striking angular design, mixing sleek weatherboarding with a textured exposed stone exterior, emulating the natural environment the homes are set within.
Each of the homes ranges in size from 1750 – 2000 square foot, are gated and come with large gardens great for a vegetable patch and double detached garages which come with conversion proposals available. The homes are built to a very high specification, including quality integrated appliances and floor to ceiling windows which allow lots of natural light. Each property has a second floor balcony for enjoying the outdoors and surrounding views.
Construction is beginning this month and the development is expected to be complete in February 2020.
For further information visit: lyonesselane.co.uk or call 01637 820420.
One-on-one with Tom Carr of Verto Homes
Verto Homes was set up in 2010 as a direct response to the lack of sustainable property innovation in the UK.
With property expertise spanning decades, co-founders Tom Carr and Richard Pearce were acutely aware of the damaging effects of traditional house building and knew there had to be a better way. So they pooled together some like-minded investors and set out to change the way people live by changing the homes they live in, and founded Verto Homes.
Verto Homes designs, builds and sells intelligent and sustainable Zero Carbon Smart Homes, which produce and use their own renewable energy. The homes use highly sustainable materials which push the boundaries of modern home design and feature intuitive home-automation technology.
WhatHouse? spoke exclusively to Tom Carr, co-founder of Verto Homes, to discuss Verto Homes and sustainability in the housing market.
What direction do you see Verto Homes (and new build housing in general) taking in the future?
“When Verto Homes was incorporated in 2010 by Richard Pearce and myself, our mission was to design and build technology driven homes that provided the most efficient and cost effective way to live. Since then we have used the latest micro-generation technology, sustainable building materials, construction methods, and home automation technology to create our trademarked ‘Zero Carbon Smart Home’.
“The new build housing market needs to be smarter and more conscious. We have already seen the government look to ban boilers and that’s something we’ve been doing for years!
“For example, in our latest development Lyonesse Lane, Cornwall we will use Ground Source Heat Pumps, to draw heat from the ground, rather than burning fossil fuels to heat the homes. We use Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery systems’ to distribute warm air throughout the home, so that no heat generated is wasted. Other environmentally-friendly features are electrical vehicle charging points in the driveways, triple glazing throughout, and an intuitive smartphone app to manage the home, including the distribution of energy generated from the integrated solar roofing system and the consumption of heat from zonal heating systems, so that only the areas of the property which are being used are heated.
“Moving forward, we believe developers should be looking at the long-term cost savings these methods will provide, so as not to cheat on energy efficient systems and installing them from the outset. The government would do well to bring in more measures in the future to encourage smart energy consumption. We have to start thinking more creatively about how we generate and reuse energy and take steps to implement these methods more widely.
“Now all that needs to happen is that cities, like London follow suit. And, I believe it is down to the developers to invest and educate.”
Verto recently launched Vesta Partnerships, a subsidiary company of Verto Homes, aimed at tackling the affordable housing sectors complete lack of zero-carbon housing stock. Vesta Partnerships has already begun to work with local housing associations in the South West, to provide a low-cost sustainable housing solution.
What are you most proud of about Verto Homes
“While many homeowners will be scratching their heads wondering how they will get hot water without a gas boiler as per the government’s new boiler ban, some have already started to be more carbon conscious. At Verto Homes we are proud that we were one of the first developers to go truly zero-carbon. While members of Extinction Rebellion are successfully spreading the message of climate change, more people are becoming aware of how we can all live our lives in a more environmentally-friendly way. We are proud to have been doing this for almost a decade and have helped residents in the south west to begin their journey towards zero carbon living. The benefits of renewable energy are widely reported; consumers save on energy bills in an energy-efficient home, and those using solar panels are able to feed excess energy back into the grid. Needless to say the benefit to the environment.”
Grovebury Farm Cottages in Leighton Buzzard (Hannah Homes)
Grovebury Farm Cottages is an exclusive development of just eight, energy-efficient, three-bedroom semi-detached homes in the market town of Leighton Buzzard.
Built by local developer Hannah Homes, care has been taken to ensure each home has been well designed and equipped, with careful consideration given to specification throughout. These houses boast many features and benefits including granite work tops to kitchens, porcelain external patio tiles, flooring throughout, and an eco-friendly A++ energy rated air source heating system ensuring your home will be warm during the winter and cool during the summer without any surprise heating bills. Each home has a charming and traditional look from the outside, yet inside they are designed for modern family living. The flow and feel of the homes allow for open plan living with a twist – the family and dining areas are exceptionally bright and spacious.
Prices start from £350,000 with Help to Buy available
For more information, call 01525 372 588
Woodlands Edge in Lincoln (Gusto Homes)
Woodlands Edge is an eco-housing development, with solar panels and electric car charging points as standard with every home. Located on a leafy 12-acre site, just five miles from Lincoln city centre, Woodlands Edge is an eco-housing development with a difference. It has its own private woodland, tennis court, ponds and an allotment for every household.
The development is designed by Gusto Homes, who has been specialising in eco-housing since 1999, and when complete, will offer just 29 homes.
Steff Wright, CEO of Gusto Homes, and resident at Woodlands Edge, says: “Twenty years’ experience of building eco-homes has gone into this site, not just the sustainable houses but the community element as well. We’ve really pushed the boundaries and built something absolutely unique in terms of the energy performance of the houses and the lifestyle. This is how housing should be.”
The first phase of the development was completed around two years ago, and a further 11 homes are currently being built: six four-bedroom properties, and five two-bedroom homes, which range in price from £300,000 to £499,000.
All the homes are fully electric and generate the majority of their power from integrated solar panels on the roof. They contain air filtration and heat recovery systems, and the heating can be controlled by an app on your mobile phone. Running costs are typically less than £1 a day.
But the eco-credentials are just a small part of life at Woodlands Edge. Everybody who buys a property also gets a share in the resident-owned management company, giving them input into improving and managing the site.
There are regular community activities including Bollywood dance classes, tai chi lessons and even an annual gin festival. And for those that really want to muck in and get their hands dirty, there’s a plant store on site containing lawnmowers and rotavators, while regular working parties are organised to carry out things like bulb planting.
The Beacon in Hemel Hempstead (Lumiere Developments)
Lumiere Developments’ The Beacon will showcase a combination of green features not present in any other residential development in the world, making it the first of its kind. The Beacon is located in Hemel Hempstead, overlooking the ancient Boxmoor green space, a wildlife conservation area with the Grand Union Canal running through its centre. This oasis of green between the town centre and the station is home to both Hemel Hempstead Town Cricket Club and also Boxmoor Cricket Club, dating back over 150 years.
At the development, Solar PV panels are elegantly incorporated into the external architecture of the building, harnessing the sun’s energy without generating any waste products to pollute the environment. External energy modelling of The Beacon has shown the vast majority of the electricity requirement for the building and its residents will be generated onsite by the vertical solar farm.
Residents with cars will have access to the UK’s largest automated underground car parking system, providing 319 secure spaces, operated and managed by Swiss-founded Skyline Parking. Reducing CO2 emissions by 80% compared to a standard car park, the automated system uses mechanical technology to securely manoeuvre vehicles to parking spaces. It cuts the average parking time by 50% and reducing car insurance by up to 20%.
To register your interest for the next phase of homes at The Beacon, please visit thebeacondevelopment.co.uk