An environmentally friendly housing development in Ely, Cardiff, is set to make a positive impact on household energy bills after properties were built to conform to the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4.
The Vachell Road project comprises 14 apartments in total: two one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom flats. The apartments were designed to offer savings on carbon emissions and heating bills, with energy efficiency at the heart of the development.
The properties feature energy efficient central heating boilers, good insulation and low-energy lighting. Recycle bins have been installed as fixtures in the kitchen, enabling households to more easily separate waste and recycling. Powering car park and communal lighting, solar photovoltaic panels have been fitted for additional energy savings, with unused electricity being supplied to the National Grid.
One new resident, Michelle Corcoran, who lives in a two-bedroom property with her 17-year-old daughter, said: “We moved in, in January and it’s lovely. The flats have solar panels and the heating system is great. If you have the heating on for two hours in the morning the flat is still warm five hours later, that’s definitely saving us money.”
Property manager Simon Fry added: “We are very excited about the new development at Vachell Road. The apartments are built to the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, meaning that they have been specifically designed to incorporate energy-efficient measures which not only save tenants money but also reduce the impact on the environment.
“At Cadwyn we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and are keen to push boundaries and reduce our environmental impact in any way that we can. The new development at Vachell Road is the first Code Level 4 project for us and we are keen to continue building to this standard in the future.”
The Vachell Road development is arguably a sign of things to come for newbuild communities in Britain, as the UK Government strives to meet strict carbon emission targets. As the cost of heating and powering homes throughout the country continues to rise, so too must Britain’s dependence on domestic energy efficiency.
It is exciting to see the much heralded Code for Sustainable Homes at long last coming into affect!