Renewable Energy Consideration
The Code for Sustainable Homes measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design, rating the ‘whole home’ as a complete package. The Code uses a 1 to 6 star rating system to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a new home. The design considerations set out below, assist in achieving these higher environmental standards.
Connected to the electrical wiring concealed within the walls of the room and frame of the window, IQ Glass heats your space with radiant heat – a healthy, sumptuous heat comparable to that of the sun, minus UV rays. IQ Glass heats your home in a manner similar to the way nature heats our Earth. Highly energy efficient radiant heating system, condensation free, environmentally friendly, and secure- can be linked with security system.
Green Roof Landscaping
Where environmental performance is concerned, green roofs outstrip any other roofing material. they encourage biodiversity, provide excellent sound and heat insulation, and absorb water run-off as well as being aesthetic.
Most insulation materials use a lot of energy and create noxious wastes in their production, are unpleasant to use and can cause health problems, especially during installation. Many lose their effectiveness after a few years. Natural insulations are sustainably produced and carry no environmental or health risks. Opt for materials that are organic, from renewable sources, produced in an eco-friendly way and where possible are local. Examples include; sheeps wool, cellulose, flax, hemp, corkboard, strawboard and woodfibre. Also as an alternative structural system, SIP’s contain high levels of insulation which has high embodied energy but performs extremely well.
Grey Water Recycling
Any water that has been used in the home, except water from toilets, is called grey water. Dish, shower, sink, and laundry water comprise 50-80% of residential “waste” water. This may be reused for other purposes such as, landscape irrigation, toilet flushing.
A rainwater harvesting system allows you to replace mains water with rainwater from your roof. Using modern engineering, rainwater is stored and distributed to all non-potable applications inside and outside the building. In the event of water depletion within the system, water supply is maintained by switching to mains water automatically.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground Source Heat Pumps have a pipe buried in the garden. Within the pipe circulates a glycol/water mix which gently absorbs the heat stored in the ground. This low level heat is concentrated and transferred by the heat pump to the wet central heating system within the house.
Internally- floor and wall coverings, heating, appliances lighting can all be specified with the environment in mind. Where underfloor heating is installed along with a condensing boiler significant energy savings can be made. Low-flow shower heads and dual flush toilets also significantly cut back a household’s water consumption. Energy efficient lighting- compact fluorescents, halogen lamps and LED’s are required by building control to contribute to a minimum of 30% of the fittings within a new build home. Occupancy sensors can also be integrated in certain areas, which detect the presence of people in a room and turn off the lights when the room has been unoccupied for a set period of time. When a sensor detects someone entering the room it will turn on the lights again.