The energy-efficient Glasgow House tackles fuel poverty

(23/03/2010)

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has teamed up with architects PRP and City Building to build four prototype houses which feature high standards of insulation, coupled with low energy running costs and simple technology.

And with the target of heating and hot water bills coming to just £100 a year – or £2 a week – the home will tackle fuel poverty head-on and play a key role in reducing impact on the environment. A typical three-bedroom home would usually cost around £1100 per year to heat.

The four three-bedroom, semi-detached houses – which have become known as ‘The Glasgow House’ – are currently under construction at City Building’s Skills Academy in Laurieston, Glasgow. They will be completed in May. Once the houses are fully tested, it is planned that more will be built for GHA tenants.

Jim Sneddon, GHA’s Executive Director of Regeneration, said: “The Glasgow House is no longer just an idea – it is now a development with a real future. This simple, cost-effective design for an energy-efficient home will help families enjoy a better quality of life. The prototype homes are also being built using locally-trained workers and apprentices. GHA already provides some of the lowest cost social housing in Glasgow and now we want to provide the best and greenest housing which benefits our tenants and the environment.

“Fuel poverty is an issue which affects many of our tenants and is one which could escalate, unless alternatives are found. Similar in appearance and performance, the two blocks of semi-detached homes are built in alternative forms of wall construction."

House Type one has a thin bed insulating hollow clay block construction with external wall insulation and render finish. House Type two comprises a highly-insulated, locally-sourced timber frame with pre-manufactured floor and roof cassettes, with external walls in facing brick.

Key features contributing to the low energy bills include:
• High levels of insulation in both forms of construction
• Windows and sun rooms to suit orientation to capture the energy of the sun, with details to avoid overheating
• Simple forms of construction for ease of construction and to minimise heat loss and use of energy
• Off-site prefabricated roof and floor panels to speed up construction
• Locally-sourced or assembled materials including windows, pre-manufactured floor and roof cassettes, plus timber kits and kitchens from RSBi in Springburn
• Usable insulated roof space to provide room in the attic at minimum cost
• Efficient heating system and user-friendly controls
• Solar thermal panels on the roof to contribute to water heating
• Educating residents on how best to benefit from special features of their homes.

Stuart Carr, of PRP Architects Ltd comments: "The two social evils of fuel poverty and unemployment in Glasgow are now so rife that it has been necessary to focus our attention on construction forms which best address these issues whilst embracing the broader global warming debate. We have therefore designed very energy efficient, sustainable houses in two permutations which have a stylish appearance likely to appeal to GHA's tenants as well as private house owners.

"Care has been taken to provide lots of storage space, generous and flexible rooms and plenty of natural light. Every detail has been carefully considered to create comfortable homes which are economical to run and pleasant to live in. We anticipate that the houses will form the basis of future Homezones in terraced, semi-detached and linked configurations with attractively landscaped, secure public and private green spaces and play areas. Under supervision it will be possible for young trainees to quickly acquire the skills necessary to build and fit out these homes."

Willie Docherty, Managing Director of City Building, said: “We are delighted to be partnering GHA and PRP Architects in this exciting project, which involves new technologies which will help tackle fuel poverty. This venture gives us an excellent opportunity to showcase our abilities using locally-trained labour and apprentices, as well as our business partners, with the project ideally located at our state-of-the-art Skills Academy. We are confident that, on delivery, the Glasgow House will make a really positive impact for the city and its residents.”

Related categories:  Energy saving technologies   Environmental technologies for Residential and Green homes   Insulation