St Albans City and District council creates eco house
In what is believed to be the first move of this kind taken by a local council, St Albans City and District council have transformed a 1950s semi-detached house into an ecohome and opened it to visitors. The house's impressive range of energy-saving features includes a 1 kw wind turbine, solar thermal roof panels and a 4,700-litre rainwater-recycling tank.
The project has been awarded the Green Apple award for Environmental Best Practise by The Green Organisation. The Green Organisation is an independent company which seeks to recognise and confirm environmentally-aware practices in business and government. They state their aim as being to provide a service which operates not as an 'environmental watchdog' scheme, as so many other organisations do, but rather as a more positively focused, reward scheme system.
The contractor, Borras, also won a Considerate Constructor award for its successful use of so many recycled demolition materials in the creation of the house.
Re Eco House
It is good to see that other Local Authorities are creating Eco houses. We at Manchester City Council created an eco demonstration show house from two 1900's terraced properties. We have found that demonstration is by far the best way to encourage the take up of energy efficient measures. The house has been open for 18 months now and has been visited by Members of the Public,Community Groups,Tenant and Residents Groups, Schools, Registered Social Landlords,Private Landlords, Developers, Local, Authorities, Councillors and the 'then' Environmental Minister David Milliband. The feedback from visitors has been extreamly positive with many enjoying the large variety of demonstrations incorporated within the guided tour and have felt inspired and motivated to tackle energy efficient measures in their own home.
Posted by: Diana Clayton | October 12, 2007 11:45 AM