Eco Home

Our Eco Homes experiment shows innovation and technical expertise at its very best. If it's successful, the results could improve the lives of over five thousand tenants.

In everything Housing Plus do, caring for the environment is key. That's why we're constantly looking to make our properties more energy efficient. This has two advantages. It makes sure our developments and surrounding areas are sustainable and reduces energy bills for residents.

The results of this revolutionary project will set an industry precedence, so it's really testing the skills of Property Care and our partners. They've developed a brand new home, built and fitted with state-of-the-art energy saving technology, using sustainable materials.

Its energy usage will then be compared to an existing property that's been refitted to the same specifications. We'll examine the results to see whether a refit is as efficient and financially viable as a purpose built home.

Ursula Bennion, Group Director of Business Development, explains the property's design, "The new build sits in a conservation area which was very
restricting. The size and shape of the site dictated the design. Built to the industry's highest Sustainable Homes level, the property is crammed with energy efficient technologies. There's a revolutionary under floor air heating system which also heats the water, this is supplemented by solar panels.

Argon filled, triple glazed windows and low energy lighting feature throughout. Kitchen units made from recycled materials have recycling bins. A water butt outside collects rainwater and, just to help the wildlife flourish, a range of bird and bat boxes feature in the garden."

Ursula adds, "We'll monitor emissions and energy usage and compare the two houses. Results can also educate residents to use energy more
efficiently too. It's groundbreaking in this sector. I don't know of another Housing Association trialling something like this."

Ursula concludes, "If this pioneering initiative is a success, the project and the skills learnt will prove vital. They'll be applied to existing homes that would benefit from energy saving and environmentally sustainable improvements. This would be a great achievement for the entire team and the housing industry in general."

Eco Home