UK's first 'zero carbon' home opens today

r3nu4l

This is a trial development build by Kingspan and is situated just outside London in a building research park. Apparently the building currently costs 40% more to build than a regular home but Kingspand are confident that the price will drop rapidly before 2016 which is the UK deadline for all new homes to be carbon neutral.

What really amazed me was the projected cost of heating and water for the year £31! :eek: Even if the practical cost turned out to be double that, it's still amazing.

It currently costs me approximately £400-£500 a year to heat my home and water!

The homes also apparently recycle and filter bath/shower water so that it can be used to flush toilets thus reducing water waste. Sounds like a good idea to me!

barrett1965

If I had the money, I would go green througout the house. So far I have replaced all the old bulbs with the new CFL's. I have actually seen a small but significant difference with my ESB bill.

BendiBus

RTÉ TV News diid a piece on this house on Friday

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0608/9news.html

Don't know if this direct link will work:

javascript:showPlayer('/news/2007/0608/9news_av.html?2257240,null,230')

CJhaughey

I was talking with a very good mathematician who has analysed the figures used in the UK's Zero Carbon/Carbon Neutral homes calculations and he reckons that they are seriously flawed, in order to protect the building industry there.
That aside I think that ANY attempt by a government to increase building standards is a good thing, unfortunately the shower that comprised the last govt here did little or nothing to increase efficiency in buildings and has wasted the opportunity.
There are japanese toilets that have a sink in the top of the cistern and as you wash your hands the water enters the toilet cistern ready to provide the next flush!

10-10-20

The grey-water recovery system would be interesting to look at as there are documented hygiene issues with the use of waste water from showers/baths.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greywater#Recycling_of_greywater
It is somewhat easy to setup and install/retrofit a grey-water system in the home, but if it comes with the requirement of having electromechanical pumps and filters, it won't pay dividends until the water-rates are introduced in Ireland.

All of these added features, such as grey-water recovery, solar heating etc, all add up to reduce the living space in one's abode, and some joined-up thinking is required between the architects, plumbers and manufacturers to encapsulate these new systems into low maintenance solutions with a small physical foot-print. Think life-time TCO & low maintenance.
An ideal solution may be to place the equipment in an underfloor pit inside the house, but of course this brings with it servicing difficulties...

prospect

r3nu4l wrote:

It currently costs me approximately £400-£500 a year to heat my home and water!

You lucky bugger, my house costs approx €2,500 to €3,000 per annum to heat.

jhegarty

prospect wrote:

You lucky bugger, my house costs approx €2,500 to €3,000 per annum to heat.

Do you burn money in a stove ?

r3nu4l

prospect wrote:

You lucky bugger, my house costs approx €2,500 to €3,000 per annum to heat.

:eek:
Wow, mine only costs that much because it's old and we haven't yet had time to insulate it properly. I plan on reducing that amount towards the end of the year. I'm the type of person who will put on a jumper in the house in winter, if I'm feeling chilly. If it is actually cold then I'll put the heating on.

EDIT: Our shower runs off electricity so we're not using gas to heat the water unless we use the bath, which is quite rare, so I guess that reduces the heating bill (gas) somewhat too.

I dread to think of what my house emissions are like. I really need to do a lot of work to make it more efficient.

boomshackala

r3nu4l wrote:

:eek:

EDIT: Our shower runs off electricity so we're not using gas to heat the water unless we use the bath, which is quite rare, so I guess that reduces the heating bill (gas) somewhat too.

What?

r3nu4l

boomshackala wrote:

What?

What?

boomshackala

r3nu4l wrote:

What?

Its takes at least twice as much gas to generate electricity, and electricity is more expensive

shakeydude

CJhaughey wrote:

I was talking with a very good mathematician who has analysed the figures used in the UK's Zero Carbon/Carbon Neutral homes calculations and he reckons that they are seriously flawed, in order to protect the building industry there.

I what way due you mean they are flawed???? Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

Irish_Army01

A zero energy building (ZEB) is a term used to a building with an overall
energy usage of zero over a year. This is measured in relation to cost,
energy, and CO2 emissions.

In the E.U a net zero energy home is defined as one with zero net energy emissions, or non- producing of CO2 emissions.
Zero carbon building or zero emissions building is another definition .This means that fossil fuel emissions are off-set by the amount of renewable energy production.


EcoHomes are currently building self sufficient passive homes. The site is located on the border of Cavan and Meath and work has begun.

The site has been excavated and the foundations are complete and we are expecting delivery of our two eco houses from Germany within six weeks.

The wall and roof sections will arrive pre finished, pre plumbed, pre-wired and complete with windows and doors.

The wall & roof sections will be fitted together on site and all seals made. Connections to the foundations will be completed and the houses will be close to completion. Assembly will take two to three days.

CJhaughey

Irish_Army01 wrote:

.
EcoHomes are currently building Ireland's first self sufficient passive homes.

I am not quite sure what exactly you mean by this statement?
There have been several passive houses built here in Ireland already!

Irish_Army01

CJhaughey wrote:

I am not quite sure what exactly you mean by this statement?
There have been several passive houses built here in Ireland already!

The house is for demonstration purpose's:o

ardara1

Irish_Army01 wrote:

EcoHomes are currently building self sufficient passive homes. The site is located on the border of Cavan and Meath and work has begun.

The site has been excavated and the foundations are complete and we are expecting delivery of our two eco houses from Germany within six weeks.

The wall and roof sections will arrive pre finished, pre plumbed, pre-wired and complete with windows and doors.

The wall & roof sections will be fitted together on site and all seals made. Connections to the foundations will be completed and the houses will be close to completion. Assembly will take two to three days.

Had a look at the web site - nice houses. Quote

Wind Turbine - Creates all electricity needed to power your home - grid connected all excess electricity is reused.

What size is it?
Do you survey the site for a lengthy period before specifying turbine?
Did planning allow you rotate the elevations to take account of solar?
Will you do an air permeability test?

Glowing

ardara1 wrote:

Wind Turbine - Creates all electricity needed to power your home - grid connected all excess electricity is reused.

I have a feeling that the ESB won't be reducing your bill if you sell back to the grid ......