We are one of a handful of housing associations in the UK to build environmentally friendly Integer Homes. Our £2 million Integer development of 19 flats and 8 houses is also the largest in the country.
Integer (intelligent and green) homes are designed to reduce the consumption of natural resources and energy from the construction process through to day to day living.
The homes have Solar water panels on the roof, which will provide heating for the properties and Photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity for other appliances. The result is massively reduced energy requirements when compared with conventional homes of the same size.
The electricity generated cannot be stored - so if the system delivers more than the house requires, the surplus will be channelled directly back into the National Grid. The tenant will receive the revenue for all such supplies. Overall energy requirements of each property, could be reduced by half by comparison with other homes. To save further energy, the homes are insulated to twice the current standards.
The development is laid out in a single terrace, facing south west to maximise the benefits of natural light and energy from the sun. Each house also has a south west facing glazed solar space. This not only provides additional living space, just like a conservatory, but also acts as a thermal buffer and passive heat store.
For water conservation there is a grey water recycling system, which takes water from hand basins, baths and showers and puts it through a treatment system so that the water can be reused to flush loos. Rainwater is collected and stored underground to provide a communal supply for watering gardens.
The homes are constructed from sustainable and recycled materials. They have a timber frame with untreated Western Red Cedar cladding, which requires very little maintenance. Cellulose-recycled newsprint is used as insulation.
The homes even have an environmentally friendly turf roof, which generates oxygen and absorbs rainwater in heavy downpours reducing the risk of local flooding and preventing surge in main drains.
The performance of the energy saving devices will be monitored over the next three years as part of a DTI study.
These homes greatly reduce the consumption of natural resources, which is good news for everybody. For our tenants in particular, they offer a big reduction in running costs.