Whether you believe that global warming is down to gas-guzzling people, a slightly warmer sun or overly flatulent cows there is one thing we can probably all agree on cheap electricity is good electricity. This is where energy efficiency can come in, whether or not it can save the world it can certainly save you money.
Homes in South Molton in Devon, England have received national recognition as a model for sustainable housing development, something that future projects should learn from. But the builders didn’t just stop at one experimental home, two was just too few, even three wasn’t nearly enough so they settled on a small neighbourhood of thirty five houses. They were built with the aim of being a template for all future development and they’re not just for show, a one bedroom flat is yours to rent for £51.40 (about $103) a week whilst a four bedroom house is a snap at £78.34 (about $157) a week.
Built by Midas Homes, designed by the engineers Faber Maunsell and the architects Gale and Snowden they had the environment on their minds from the word go. Building materials, wherever possible, were obtained from sustainable and local sources reducing both the initial impact on the environment as well as any carbon emissions related to transportation a good start. Every decision from then onwards was based on what’s best for the environment and this almost always means what is best for your pocket.
Triple glazing was used throughout as well as timber window frames and doors, reducing the amount of heat loss to the outside world. The less heat lost the less heating is needed, this in turn lowers the amount of gas or electricity you use. The hot water is heated using solar panels, a highly efficient and of course free system to use. Green oak cladding and pure wool insulation is used extensively, further protecting it from the elements. The positions of the houses were taken into account when building the properties the houses were built facing south and south west to make the most of available sunlight both for lighting and heating. Even the outside sheds have been positioned to stop the cold easterly winds, further reducing heat loss.
The house is, in fact, so well insulated that heating is only needed when it goes down to minus one degrees Celsius outside. On one particularly cold winter’s day (for Devon) it was -7°C outside but it was still a perfectly habitable plus 18°C inside, it just goes to show you what a bit of forward planning can do.
It’s not only power that is considered when it comes to these homes, but also wildlife. There are corridors for wild animals, as well as hedges and other ecologically sound habitats for local wildlife including hedgerows to help support many of Britain’s now dwindling species. Fancy some fruit? Just go to the bottom of the garden and get some.
One of the most inventive features of the house is the integration of specially designed cold rooms. These are highly insulated rooms situated inside the house which are kept at low temperatures by cool air drawn in through clay pipes that are laid deep underground. The air for which is drawn through using fans powered by solar panels. These cold larders replace the need for a conventional fridge saving vast amounts of power.
Rain water is collected in storage tanks on the south facing roofs and used for flushing toilets, one of the biggest uses of the highly treated drinking water in most homes, saving on the cost of treatment as well as leaving more clean water available for drinking. The houses not only benefit from shared rain water collection but the terraced nature of their construction further conserves heat whilst the large area of roofing (which is a better insulator than the walls) helps trap more heat.
Last but not least there are the small touches such as energy efficient light bulbs throughout the house as well as the use of combination boilers that only come on when they are strictly needed there is no wasteful preheating of water to sit in hot water tanks.
To do all of this they haven’t gone high tech, but instead they have tried to go low tech as much as possible, wooden frames, clay piping, all of this ensures that they are not only cheap to build but also cheap to maintain needing very little in the way of upkeep.
But this was two years ago… so where are all the new eco homes? Why aren’t all houses being built to these standards and specifications? Using 40% less energy isn’t just good for the environment and the individuals concerned but also for society as a hole. As power consumption continues to rise, energy prices go up and resources run out isn’t it in everyone’s best interest to start implementing the things we already know?
