Category Archives: housing

on low carbon existing homes

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Currently reading around the greening of existing homes, the following links are of interest and indicate the way forward perhaps:

Rob ‘s Axis Design Architects award winning eco terrace in Newcastle-Under-Lyme that demonstrates how existing Victorian terrace properties can be refurbished to today’s housing standards.

ECD’s Terraced house refurbishment, Mottingham, London considered use of products should ensure that the retrofit of a social-housing property achieves an 80 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

More to follow….

If you have further examples please add in the comments

on low-carbon existing homes

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From the UKGBC website, will comment when I have time to digest!

UK-GBC Releases new report

Report submitted to Government 13/1008

After a summer of stakeholder engagement, including a ‘webinar’- an online seminar – which attracted around 100 participants, the report on Low Carbon Existing Homes has been submitted to Government this morning and is available to download here. The appendices are available here and the Executive Summary of the report is available here. This is a landmark report in terms of the number of organisations that have contributed to it and the importance Government attached to the process. It will go forward to inform Government’s energy efficiency consulta  ion later in the year, and the resulting Low Carbon Homes strategy next spring.

The report can also be downloaded directly from here low carbon existing housing

pPod – a new housing carbon challenge

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English Partnerships have issued a Vision for a ‘community of the future’ in a press release today announcing the next carbon callenge project:

The development of an innovative, zero carbon neighbourhood in the centre of Peterborough moved a step closer today as pPod – a consortium consisting of Morris Homes, Gentoo Homes, and Browne Smith Baker architects – was selected as the preferred developer for Phase 1 of the city’s South Bank. The project will meet the highest level of the government’s Code for Sustainable Homes, as part of English Partnerships’ ground-breaking Carbon Challenge.

Homes will be zero carbon, meeting Level 6 of the Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes, years ahead of the 2016 target for when all homes will have to be built to this standard.  All commercial units will be built to BREEAM Excellent standard – one of the highest levels of energy efficiency and environmental performance.

(Comment: if this is a challenge project shouldn’t the BREEAM level be outstanding, not ‘just’ excellent ?)

a smart eco house that daydreams?

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Following recent communication with Adam Somlai-Fischer at Zuiprezi, who I hope can get to talk at the be2camp event in October, I took a look at the Reconfigurable House, a concept environment developed by Adam constructed from thousands of low tech components that can be “rewired” by visitors.

So far so good, but reconfigurations can be made endlessly as people change their minds, so that the House can take on completely new behaviours.

Smart homes actually aren’t very smart simply because they are pre-wired according to algorithms and decisions made by designers of the systems, rather than the people who occupy the houses.

so the user gets to configure the usability level, excellent, but:

if the House is left alone for too long, it gets bored, daydreams and reconfigures itself….

The Reconfigurable House is open source, registered through Creative Commons which seems to allow you to download the code and create your very own reconfigurable home, or upload your own configurable devices into the house suite.

Arguments as to who has control of the remote may take on a whole new dimension.

a welcome for tougher eco towns

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The Guardian reports today that Caroline Flint has toughend up the eco town requirements:

the whole development should be “zero-carbon”, including business sites, and the average home should be within a 10-minute walk of frequent public transport and neighbourhood services.

environmental threshold for individual homes to meet level 4 of the Code of Sustainable Homes, while those built from 2016 will have to adhere to the same zero-carbon standards as all other new homes. (level 6)

at least one worker per household in the government’s new ecotowns should be able to get to their job by walking, cycling or using public transport,

a minimum of 40% of land within the town should be undeveloped green space, with at least half of that open to the public

successful bids will have to submit planning applications to local authorities, and confirmed previously announced requirements for 30% affordable housing.

Is this welcomed toughening a moving of the goal posts during the bidding period, but one that shows the government is listening to and learning from the voices from environmentalists, bloggers and nimby anti eco-towners?

Particularly welcomed is the whole development carbon zero approach – not just the homes.

news on eco homes

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More news on the eco homes / eco towns devolpment

In Ireland:

ALL new homes built from 2013 onwards will have to be carbon neutral and emit no harmful greenhouse gases, the Irish Independent has learned.

Solar panels, woodchip burners, wind turbines and triple-glazing windows will become standard features on new housing under ambitious plans outlined by Environment Minister John Gormley yesterday.

Mr Gormley plans to change the building regulations so that “passive” housing becomes the Irish norm. Tougher regulations will also apply to office blocks and other developments.

and from Green Building in Cornwall

Swan Country Homes recently won a national competition with it’s design for a zero carbon Urban Village for Restormel Borough Council as part of the Urban Village Phase 2 in St Austell, Cornwall. Planning permission has been granted and construction is underway.

The scheme which will encourage inclusive community living will provide affordable homes that have low environmental impact by minimising harmful carbon emissions. The development will comprise 19 units, 6 lifetime houses and 13 one and two bedroom apartments plus an area of community space.

more on eco towns …

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Two articles today that bring a worthwhile and balanced view to the eco-town debate:

So, just how green will the eco-towns be?
The plan to build 10 new eco-towns across the UK has been beset by fierce local opposition and concerns over the state of the housing market. …

Eco towns worldwide
Just 20 minutes by bus, tram or free ferry from the centre of Stockholm lies Hammarby, an eco-town of 10000 homes that has become a favourite destination of …

Community Solar Power

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To illustrate that solar power can be effective in communities and in existing homes, and for inspiration in our (uk) developments,  take a look at this article over at greenbuildingelements

A community in Canada has an unusual form of solar power that can provide over 90% of the annual heating and hot water needs for the homes, despite being situated in a cold Alberta location where winter temperatures can reach -33 degrees C (-27 F).

Green Energy Revolution Needs Green Housing Revolution

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Press release from Jayne Curtis over at FMB:

Green Energy Revolution Needs Green Housing Revolution, says Federation of Master Builders

Today’s Government plans to move away from fossil fuels to wind, solar, and tidal power  as part of its green energy programme is a welcome initiative but we need an accompanying  green housing revolution if we are to cut carbon emissions and make our housing stock more energy efficient, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said:

“The Government is failing to develop a coherent strategy about what to do with Britain’s existing housing stock. Given that homes are responsible for 27 per cent of the country’s carbon emissions and that nearly 70 per cent of our current housing will still be standing in 2050 urgent action is needed now to make our homes greener and more energy efficient.”

Berry continued:

“The Government’s leadership in tackling in new build needs to be matched with new initiatives and leadership about what it intends to do with our existing homes. We need a range of incentives to encourage householders to upgrade their homes. Cutting VAT from 17.5 per cent to 5 per cent on energy efficient improvements would be a start as would reform of Stamp Duty and the introduction of Council Tax rebates. Given the Governments’ target to cut carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 now is not the time to be dithering. We need a joined up strategy for all our housing and the time for that strategy is now!”

For more information please visit: www.fmb.org.uk

an eco car for your eco home?

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Dont you just love this.? The eco car to go with your eco home, if your allowed one that is.

Futurist, and Shaping Tomorrow colleague, CindyFW over in Kansas brought this to my attention through a recent twitter.

I muse: what if in 10 years or so this is the common persons car, the one we all drive, powered by human, solar and hybrid fuels, then does it really make sense to conceive, plan and create new developments, eco towns and villages that restrict even prevent car access or ownership.

Can we / do we want to restrict the use of such shiny eco friendly cars used on a community sharing basis?

I guess the question is are eco towns attempting reduce / restricting cars on an environmental, pollution, carbon issue, or on a traffic congestion issue, or both, or on an approach that hasn’t been quite thought through using possible future scenarios as yet?