Eco Building Environmentally Friendly Housing
Tags: Appliances, Britain, Climate Change, Eco Build, Emissions, Energy Efficient, Heating, Home, Insulation, Oil, Recycling, Services, Solar Panels, Transport, Wind Turbines, Wood
The need to develop environmentally friendly housing has become ever more pressing in the past few years. Buildings consume 40% of the world's total energy and 16% of the water supply. In order to reduce emissions, many people believe it is imperative to learn how to build houses that absorb energy, are durable, and provide non-toxic environments for their inhabitants.
Earlier last month the UK government declared there would be plans to build ecohousing in 10 different locations throughout Britain. Ecotowns will be new settlements of about 5,000-20,000 homes all designed with strict environmental criteria. The most significant goal for these homes is to make them carbon neutral. This means that the amount of energy taken by the town from the National grid is less than or equal to the amount put back through renewable power.
The government has said that each new place should be "a separate and distinct" identity. Access to surrounding towns, transportation, jobs and services are a must. It was said that 30% of the homes must be "affordable" with secondary schools, shops business space and leisure facilities available to residents.
Those who attended the ecobuild exhibition last month in London, had the chance to see what manufacturers were calling the UK's first commercially viable, affordable and ready to purchase zero-carbon home.
The makers of this home are ZEDfactory and the house has been awarded a code 6 status-the highest level in the government's code for sustainable buildings, which every home will have to meet in 2016. It is equipped with energy saving fabric and renewable systems, and the house can go for a whole year without drawing on National grid power. The house can cope with any type of weather without using more energy than it can produce itself.
Environmentally sound materials and heat from renewable sources offers green solutions for water use and waste generation. The super insulation and energy efficient appliances reduce the energy requirements too such extent that all of the building's needs can be met through renewable technologies. For example, microgeneration technology is installed in the form of solar panels on the roof and wind turbines.
Water heating will come from solar panels and in the winter will come from a biomass boiler fuelled by wood chips. Water is conserved in a recycling system with low-flow showers and thermostatic bath and shower mixers.
Zedfactory has said that six properties are under construction in Upton, Northampton and 24 are in the planning stage. The homes are ideal for self-builders or housing providers who want to stop climate change and to build a sustainable healthy future, they say.
If you are interested in building an environmentally friendly home or just want to know more visit the ecobuild section of ecoswitch.com where you can find hundreds of businesses and services all listed to help you help the future.
