I wasn’t aware that the effort to “green” homes in the UK was so strong. The Code for Sustainable Homes “is an environmental rating scheme for housing in England, under which new homes will be given a ‘star rating’ to indicate their environmental impact, ranging from level 1 to level 6 (high sustainability).”
The law was passed in December, 2006, and ensures that all public buildings will meet strict environmental guidelines. Participation is voluntary in the private sector, unfortunately.
I was just reading about the exhibition of the first house to be designed to meet the strictest standards. The Lighthouse, designed by Sheppard Robson, in conjunction with Arup and Kingspan Off-Site is a zero-emissions two bedroom, two and a half story house. You sleep on the ground floor so that that the rooms upstairs – the rooms used for living space – can make the most of natural light. Its unique shape is due to the open-concept like floor plan, and the pitch of the roof is such that a photovoltaic array can gather power during the day. Advanced conservation technologies are spread throughout the house, which, combined with clever energy saving and energy producing low technologies make for a kick ass new home. I’ll have no problem at all if this is the home of the future.
Via the BBC and Inhabitat. You can check out the exhibition at OFFSITE2007, or view the designer’s website.
Subscribe via RSS
Facebook
Twitter