Green homes for UK’s Norwich tenants

Lucky Norwich tenants will be able to enjoy virtually zero carbon homes after a new development was officially opened recently. Residents joined officials from Broadland District Council and local housing provider Wherry Housing Association for the unveiling of a plaque over the site of a buried time capsule to mark the special occasion.

The 12 brand-new homes have the latest low carbon technology and building design. They are so energy efficient that they will produce as much electricity as they consume - over the course of a year, putting them among Britain’s greenest homes. This should help reduce energy bills for residents who can benefit from periods of free electricity. Some of the green homes’ other features include; very high levels of insulation to the walls, floors and roofs of the homes; the recycling of bathwater for flushing toilets; renewable electricity from Photovoltaic panels and the installation of smart energy monitoring meters.

The eco scheme has two bungalows, four two bed flats and six two, three and four bedroom houses which have been let to local people at affordable rents. The £1.7 million development was funded by the Homes & Communities Agency, Broadland District Council and Wherry Housing Association.

Mark Jones, managing director for Wherry Housing Association, part of Circle, said: "It's great to be able to celebrate the completion of these much-needed and very welcome homes for local people in Rackheath. In times of rising energy bills and fuel poverty these homes provide a long-term and sustainable solution for our residents, as well as the environment. We have been working closely with Broadland District Council and the building contractor Dove Jeffery Homes to build extremely energy efficient homes, which blend in naturally with the existing housing. I am sure that people in the area will see this development as a real boost for the village.”

Broadland portfolio holder for communities and housing, Cllr Jo Cottingham said the development was the forerunner to council plans to provide more housing through the Rackheath Exemplar Project which will include affordable housing and again built to the highest environment standards.

She added: "We are committed to providing good housing that people can afford in Broadland and this paves the way for the wider eco-community project which is our long term ambition.”

"We are determined to keep our communities vibrant by giving families and individuals the chance of a home they can call their own, in places they want to live, rather than be priced out of the market."

Chris Blincoe, Project Manager, Low Carbon Innovation Centre, said: "The Low Carbon Innovation Centre (LCIC) at the University of East Anglia have been involved with the Trinity Close development since the very start of the construction process which has enabled us to monitor the whole life cycle of the build. This includes everything from the energy required to manufacture the materials and transport them to site through to the performance of the houses now that they are being lived in. We will also using the data we collect to help the tenants understand how much energy they are using and how they can maximise the potential of the homes to keep their energy bills as low as possible."