A development in the centre of Gainsborough is on target to reach one of the highest codes for sustainability for housing provider L&H Homes and West Lindsey District Council.
The achievement was celebrated on Thursday 1 March with L&H Homes who will own the properties presented with the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5 interim design certificate from the schemes developers, Robert Woodhead.
The ceremony was also attended by representatives from L&H Homes, partner organisations, Longhurst Group, West Lindsey District Council, Richard Julian & Associates (Surveyors) and Allan Joyce (Architects).
Achieving one of the highest ratings for code for sustainability means residents will benefit from a number of features including:
Photovoltaic panels – these will generate electricity and residents will benefit from reduced energy usage as a result. The actual energy required to run the homes will be monitored with the help of wireless technologies to protect the privacy of residents.
Fabric First Approach –this approach will substantially improve the insulation properties and air tightness of the new buildings which then means that less energy is required to heat them. Using a Structural Insulated Panel System (SIPS), highly insulated pre-constructed panels enable speedy construction, superior U values and on completion result in low running and maintenance costs.
Meeting such a high standard means residents will benefit by significant reductions in bills and water costs. This will be piloted with the aim of replicating aspects to the scheme in the future.
This represents the second phase of the development, consisting of 12 properties that have transformed is Gainsborough conservation area. The site was originally a large Georgian house that had been converted into council offices with a disused car park at the rear.
Work commenced on 15 September 2011 The building is being changed back into a family dwelling and will provide two flats and a 3 storey house. The surrounding car park will also provide 4 new homes.
West Lindsey District Council previously owned the land and part funded the project through the government backed Eco Towns funding and Section 106 funding.
Mike Hardy, Managing Director, L&H Homes commented “Achieving Code for sustainability level 5 is a first for L&H Homes and I would like to thank all our partners for their involvement in the construction of the scheme so far.
“We are pleased to have achieved the 5 star rating at design stage and are 100% confident that this will also be achieved post construction. We also intend monitoring the performance of the homes moving forward,” highlighted Glenn Slater, Business Development Director, Robert Woodhead Ltd.
Councillor Malcolm Parish, Chair of the Prosperous Communities Committee commented “At West Lindsey District Council we are delighted that the housing scheme has achieved this level of energy efficiency, the benefits of which will now be passed onto persons from our District who will be occupying the properties on completion, it really has been an excellent joint effort between all partners.”
Please visit our websites www.landh.org.uk, www.longhurst-group.org.uk andwww.robert-woodhead.co.uk
*Press release kindly produced by Longhurst Group and provided here with their consent.