The council and developer Wilmott Dixon are deploying the Sig iHouse construction system, which combines off-site and traditional techniques, to accelerate completion times for 133 new homes at Ashton Rise which is adjacent to one of the city’s new MetroBus terminals.
A heating solution supplied by Kensa Contracting which uses ground source heat pumps connected to a shared ground loop array of boreholes and was appraised earlier this year by The Greater London Authority, is expected to generate carbon savings of 30 metric tonnes annually for each housing unit, based on SAP 10 carbon factors. The solution also removes NOx emissions which are associated with poor local air quality in traditional heating systems.
The development is the first of its kind for Bristol City Council as 40 per cent of homes will be available for social rent, with the remainder offered for sale on the private market for the first time. The Mayor of Bristol has committed to building 2,000 new homes annually (800 affordable) by 2020.
Councillor Paul Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
“The work at Ashton Rise brings together two of the council’s top priorities for Bristol – our commitment to build new homes, and to become a carbon neutral city by 2030. As a city, we’re determined to position ourselves as leaders in the housing we build and bring together innovative design and energy efficiency.
“It’s great to have developers and Kensa specialists working closely with the council to deliver this scheme and support our ambitions to build sustainable, thriving communities.”
David Broom, Commercial Director at Kensa Contracting, says:
“With fossil fuel heating systems being ruled out from new-builds from 2025, Bristol City Council’s commitment to a lower carbon alternative six years ahead of the deadline should be viewed as the new benchmark. Bristol’s plans for net-zero carbon by 2030 are ambitious, yet by adopting the low-carbon and low-cost approach used at Ashton Rise, we wholly expect Bristol to make huge strides to achieving its objective.”
Neal Stephens, managing director at Willmott Dixon South West, adds:
“This scheme has been designed to help Ashton Rise become a sustainable housing development. By showcasing innovative solutions to carbon waste reduction, we hope to inspire other developers to consider their own carbon footprint and the effect it has on the city. We feel deeply rooted in Bristol, and hope that these innovative developments will not only support the local community, but the local environment too.”
