New affordbale 'green' homes in Exeter

There are 18 new eco affordable homes in Exeter, specially for the over 55s

By PRSD, on Friday, June 24, 2011

Eco-homes: environmental specialists Gale&Snowden have designed the new affordable homes in Exeter

There’s good news on the affordable houseing front in Exeter with the completion of 18 new environmentally sustainable homes.

The flats in Merlin Crescent are among the first social homes in the UK to enjoy eco-home energy benefits known as the Passiv-Haus standard. Last year the council completed a similar scheme at Sivell Place.

Managed by Exeter City Council, the affordable flats in Merlin Crescent will be for people over the age of 55 paying social rent, with priority for those downsizing from larger homes.

Part funded by an investment of £1,350,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Knights Place has been built to meet high sustainable standards. The homes will achieve Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and will include a range of environmentally sustainable features which will help reduce energy usage and fuel bills for residents.

Knights Place was designed by architects Gale & Snowden, who have designed only low energy buildings for the last 19 years and have won many awards for their designs. ISG Pearce was the main building contractor.

The project started on site during April 2010.

The Passiv-Haus standard focuses on reducing the energy use of the building and the new tenants will benefit from heating bills as low as £50 per year, as well as much reduced hot water bills from the installation of solar hot water panels for each flat.

Each flat has been designed to be as healthy as possible, with the installation of ceramic tiles throughout to reduce dust mite habitats, the reduction in the use of VOC’s in the flats by omitting PVC in pipes and wiring and glues used in kitchen cupboards. The electrical circuits have been installed as radial circuits to reduce electro-magnetic fields.

(from a press release)