Using concrete’s thermal mass capabilities to create affordable, energy efficient earth-sheltered housing.
A new eco development in Nottinghamshire demonstrates that innovative use of construction materials means you don’t always need central heating systems to create warm homes.
Howgate Close, near Eakring, has involved the development of nine, low-carbon, earth-sheltered homes using dense concrete walls and insulation that are exceptionally energy efficient.
This project is the vision of Dr Chris Parsons, a retired GP and second-generation farmer, who had been looking to address a local shortage of affordable, rural housing and personally provided the funding and ten acres of his land for the development.
Sitting on a 250mm in-situ concrete raft slab with 300mm of insulation underneath, each of the homes’ external structure is similarly made up of 140mm of dense concrete walls and 240mm of insulation to create an airtight, super-insulated structure.
Designed using passive solar design principles for maximum energy efficiency, heat for the homes is generated from the south facing windows.
Concrete’s inherent thermal mass helps to passively regulate the temperature by absorbing, storing and releasing heat slowly. This means that they stay cooler in the summer months and warm in the winter.
To provide electricity, each of the roofs made of 220mm of prestressed concrete slabs are installed with solar panels which generate around 50,000kWh of electricity annually. All nine homes in the development are net annual generators of renewable energy, with minimal to no heating demand.
Being supplied by renewable energy not only lowers carbon emissions across the development but also reduces running costs, with the average daily energy bill for a two bedroom house on Howgate Close being just ten pence.
Underfloor heating has been installed as a backup heat source, though six of the nine homes still remain purely naturally heated.
As more homes are required across the UK to meet growing demand, finding inventive ways to create sustainable, affordable housing is crucial. As one of the UK’s lowest carbon new housing developments, the unique design of Howgate Close may hold the solution.