E.ON and Barratt announce first “eco housing” project
Thursday 30 July 2009
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| An artist's impression of the eco housing project in East London |
Energy giant E.ON and construction firm Barratt Developments have unveiled their first "eco housing" project after teaming up last year.
The two companies, which formed a partnership to meet the Government's zero carbon homes agenda, have developed sustainable homes for 550 residents in Dalston Square in East London, including retail units and a library.
What stands out, however, is that residents' heating needs will be met by a local 'decentralised energy centre', instead of gas from energy suppliers.
Comprising Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units and biomass boilers, along with back-up gas-fired boilers, the energy centre will supply heat in the form of hot water to residents who are subsequently billed monthly by remotely-read heat meters.
Although homes will receive electricity from the national grid, the retail units and library will be supplied by the onsite energy centre.
E.ON, who will manage the onsite energy centre under an Energy Services Company (ESCo) agreement, claim that the it will reduce the development's carbon emissions by 25% and could cut residents' heating and hot water bills by 23% (based on industry average gas consumption of 205kWh/m2).
The carbon emissions reduction means the site has achieved an Eco-Home rating of 'excellent', the equivalent of a Level 3 in the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Don Leiper, Managing Director of E.ON Energy Services said, "Dalston Square is an example of how advances in technology and partnered expertise can have clear environmental and financial benefits for residents.
"Decentralised energy centres, which generate community based, low carbon energy from more sustainable sources, look set to play a major part in helping the UK keep energy prices affordable, carbon emissions down and the country's lights on," he added.
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