Unity Housing has chosen Lovell for a GBP981, 000 ($1,491,267 approx.) scheme to build 11 new energy-efficient homes in Leeds. The new apartments, all for affordable rent through the housing association, are set to be built in Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7.
The timber-framed homes will all meet Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, the system for measuring the environmental performance of new housing, which means properties will be 44% more energy-efficient than the standards set by current building regulations. The new housing is set to be completed in autumn 2010.
Sustainable features will include photovoltaic roof panels which convert sunlight into electricity. Homes will also benefit from a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system which works by extracting indoor air and replacing it with ‘fresh’ outside air which is pre-warmed by the extracted air via a heat exchanger. Some apartments will also have a system for recycling rainwater – enabling it to be used for flushing toilets, for example – to reduce the usage of mains-supplied water.
