Innovative timber frame houses by Stewart Milne
Timber frame manufacturers Stewart Milne Group will unveil two four-storey homes at OFFSITE2007. Leading-edge in design and highly energy efficient, both homes push the boundaries of sustainability and work towards a zero carbon rating. With up to four bedrooms and flexible in layout, these homes are a clear pointer to the next generation in house building.
The Stewart Milne Group have unveiled plans to build one of the UK’s first 5-star near zero carbon houses that is commercially viable to build and aims to meet the Government’s new Code for Sustainable Homes, due to be introduced in April this year.
The Stewart Milne Group utilise advanced timber frame building systems for house construction and have decided to support their belief in that production process and its environmental qualities by building this state-of-the-art environmental house.
The Government has specified all new homes should be zero carbon within a decade and has supported their initiative by introducing stamp duty exemption for homes that meet the zero carbon criteria.
The rating system being introduced through the Code for Sustainable Homes gives a star rating to new homes similar to that allocated to some electrical appliances; the maximum rating is six stars, which is an absolute zero carbon design. The house being built by Stewart Milne is aiming to achieve a five star rating, but within a commercially viable design for volume produced housing, developed with PRP architects, which responds to the issues facing house builders and their customers.
The house demonstrates the following features:
• Use of renewable energy technologies to offset the carbon generated by the heating and lighting of the building in use
• Innovative open plan, contemporary interior geared to modern lifestyles
• Extensive terraces built into the design at upper levels to maximise outdoor space in urban environments
• Highly energy efficient through use of superior insulation
• Minimal requirement for wet trades on site, speeding up the build process
• Able to be fully crane erected, bringing significant safety benefits
• Small building footprint to minimise land costs per unit and retain affordability for purchasers
• Flexible interior spaces allow future alterations to be made without structural alterations
BRE will be supporting Stewart Milne in the independent assessment of their demonstration house sustainability rating. The procedures for assessing the sustainability rating within the code are transparent and technically rigorous. Independent accredited code assessors will conduct an initial design stage assessment followed by a post completion check to verify the rating of the house. The final certificate of compliance will be issued at the opening at OFFSITE 2007, on 11th June at BRE, Garston, Watford.
Project architects: PRP Architects