Mar 31 2009
Work starts this week on a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 four-storey apartment block complete with an M&S Simply Food store which will form part of the Phase II expansion of the BRE Innovation Park.
With insulated concrete formwork (ICF) walls, floors and roof, manufacturer and developer Creo Prokoncept is aiming to deliver a dwelling that's not only zero carbon, but affordable, with an estimated build cost of £1000 per square meter.
Colin Wakefield CEO of CreoProkoncept says 'ICF can provide u-values as low as 0.11 w/m²k which is ideal for achieving upper levels of the Code but sustainable dwellings must be affordable otherwise they will never be adopted in the mainstream - our aim is to deliver a building that is both ‘green' and ‘lean on cost.'
Given the rising temperatures being experienced by the UK as a result of climate change, Creo is also keen to highlight the thermal mass properties of the concrete structure.
Crispin Burridge, Head of Sustainable Construction at M&S said: ‘Under Plan A we continue to look for innovative, more sustainable and cost effective ways to build, whether that is through our own ‘green' stores, or working with partners on learning projects like this. The Creo apartment block - the first to house a retail outlet of this kind - will make a significant contribution to our knowledge of low impact buildings.'
Built to Lifetime Homes and English Partnerships Space Standards, the building features a ground floor M&S Simply Food retail outlet, a first floor one bedroom apartment and a second and third floor family duplex. The contemporary design by MJP architects maximises space in a creative way and demonstrates versatility for social, private and commercial applications. Renewable energy technologies include
- Air source heat pump for space and water heating
- Solar water heating
- Low energy LED lighting systems
- Photovoltaic power generation systems
- Project partners include BASF whose low carbon concrete Neopor will be used on the project, Aggregate Industries, Daikin, Marks and Spencer, Polypipe, Pick Everade, Greenled Lighting, Akvaterm (Finland) and MJP Architects.
The Creo apartment block will be launched at BRE's INSITE09 event , 1-4 June, BRE Watford.