A Liverpool developer claims its new 15-apartment scheme will be the first truly ‘net zero carbon’ development in the UK with free electricity for tenants. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool developer Dragon Eco Homes has secured planning consent for what it claims will be the UK’s first truly net zero carbon residential development.
Dragon will build 15, two-bedroom apartments in Newhall Lane in the Chester suburb of Upton. The company says they will have a net zero rating without any carbon off-set payment for both operational and construction carbon.
Upton Rise will utilise its Dragon Intelligent Panel system (DIPs), a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) system and rooftop solar panels.
These will ensure an air-tight building with constant temperature and its own electricity source. On-site battery storage will provide energy during night-time hours.
“Residents will pay their annual standing charge to the grid supplier, but after that our consultants confirm the building’s own infrastructure should provide them with free electricity, night and day,” said Dragon director Greg Barton.
“Our DIPs are incredibly strong and durable with tremendous insulation properties. If you get a building’s external envelope right, everything else is just a case of bolting-on best-in-class kit.
“Each apartment will have its own MVHR system to ensure fresh air and to reinforce its thermal qualities. Roughly 270% of the building’s energy needs will be generated by our rooftop solar panels.
“This will give us the ability to store power on site for night-time use and to sell excess production back to the grid.”
READ MORE: Land for housing to be offered to Liverpool communities
His claims have been verified by consultants from the Liverpool office of Base Energy, which conducted an independent study of the developer’s designs.
Base found the energy produced by the building outweighed that consumed in its construction and materials manufacture, as well as its on-going energy use. This negates the need for any carbon offset payments commonly deployed elsewhere.
Greg added: “Consumers want reassurance that they can control rising household energy costs. Upton Rise is the first housing development in the UK that delivers a genuine net zero carbon performance.”
Work on Upton Rise, on the site of the former Gamekeeper public house, will commence on February 1 with a 12-month build period. It will offer one parking space per unit alongside electrical vehicle charging points for each resident.
Structural engineers for the project are ADS Structural. NWM Design were the planning consultants. The scheme, including its building services infrastructure, was designed by the client’s in-house team.