EcoHomes
Comfortably Green
pad55 continually seeks to address the broad environmental concerns of climate change and resource use, balanced against the desire to provide you with the best possible quality of life. We won’t offer you a compost loo (far from it!) but we do want to leave plenty behind for the grandchildren.
To this end pad55 embraces modern technology to deliver great environmentally responsible credentials, each pad being firmly stamped with an EcoHomes badge delivered through careful consideration in the concept, design and detail of the development. This translates in to warm and cosy in winter, cool and comfortable in summer with great savings in running costs.
Get comfortable, go green – pad55 credentials:
- Architecturally designed to maximise natural light, sun and air circulation.
- Likely to be awarded EcoHomes 2006 'very good or excellent status'.
- Lower carbon emissions.
- Low cost heating and electricity delivered from a central Combined Heat and Power system (CHP).
- Thermal insulation that far exceeds current building standards.
- ‘A’ rated energy efficient white goods.
- Low energy internal and external lighting.
- Sustainable location – pads within easy walking distance of local amenities.
Comparison of a typical pad’s estimated annual energy costs verses a 1975 home:
| |
Gas ≤ |
Electricity ≤ |
Total ≤ |
Carbon Emmission (tonnes/year) ≤ |
| 1975 home |
£672 |
£471 |
£1,143 |
5.9 |
| pad55 |
£222 |
£339 |
£561 |
3.7 |
| Saving |
|
|
51% |
37% |
Typical pad of c. 100SqM compared to a detached house built in 1975 of 100SqM for illustrative purposes.
1975 home energy costs are based on current estimated costs at 3.5 p/kWh (gas) and 9 p/kWh (electricity) which may be subject to change, carbon factors are 0.19 (gas) and 0.43 (electricity).
Pad55 Energy costs are based on a Micro CHP system, carbon factors as above.
Estimated carbon emissions (and hence energy costs) have been based on information provided by the EST (Energy Saving Trust, www.est.org.uk) and the AECB
(Association of Environmental Builders, www.aecb.net).
Principle
Ecohomes 2006 is a version of BRE Environmental Assessment Method for homes which is designed to help developers understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of the developments they design and build. It provides an authoritative rating for new, converted or renovated homes, and covers houses, flats and apartments. For more information on EcoHomes visit www.breeam.org/page.jsp?id=21
Strategy
Ecohomes balances environmental performance with the need for a high quality of life and a safe and healthy internal environment. Many of the issues are optional, ensuring Ecohomes is flexible enough to be tailored to a particular development or market. Assessments can be carried out at both the design stage or post construction. Developments are then performance scored at completion and awarded a pass, good, very good or excellent rating. pad55 has been assessed at the design stage as likely to achieve a very good or excellent rating.
Issues Covered
Homes are assessed against a variety of eight weighted performance categories which include:
Energy – low dwelling emission rates, enhanced thermal performance of the building fabric, provision of drying spaces, eco-labeled white goods, low energy internal lighting and low impact external lighting.
Transport – use of a sustainable location with a high level of close amenities and public/cycle transport options to overcome reliance on motor car use.
Pollution – low level of pollutant materials used in construction,
low boiler emissions, reduced surface water run off, use of renewable/low emission energy sources and low flood risk locations.
Materials – responsible sourcing and use of low impact/recycled materials.
Water – responsible use of water and water recycling.
Land use and ecology – enhancement of low ecological value locations whilst protecting existing features, increasing number of species at the location and achieving a low building footprint.
Health & well being – natural use of daylight for lighting, high levels of sound insulation and provision of private external spaces.
Management – considerate construction, on-site recycling, high levels of designed-in security and home user guides provided to owners including environmental and operational details.