News
3 June 2009
Pick Everard Scores Full Marks with UK’s Most Sustainable Housing
Pick Everard’s growing reputation for affordable and sustainable building design takes centre stage this week at one of the most influential events on the construction industry’s calendar.
As sustainability & environmental consultants and structural and civil engineers, Pick Everard is part of a design project team on The Creo Insulated Concrete Formwork Structure being exhibited at INSITE ’09 at the BRE Innovation Park in Watford. The aim of this innovative building is to highlight ways in which zero carbon buildings can be affordable, not just in terms of the materials used, but equally in terms of reduced energy consumption. The Creo House will have a space-saving, air source heat pump and solar water heating, low-energy lighting systems and photo-voltaic power generation systems.
Pick Everard environmental manager Andrew Bannister explains: “The Creo House brings the model zero carbon house another step nearer in the UK, not to mention new opportunities for the UK construction industry and more affordable housing for all. Pick Everard is proud to be contributing its expertise in sustainable building physics to this high profile project.”
The Creo House gives professionals in the construction industry the chance to see the insulated concrete formwork (ICF) system uncovered and get a feel for how it works. An innovative low carbon concrete, that could play a significant role in UK’s sustainable future is also being showcased, developed by fellow Leicestershire firm Aggregate Industries who had already developed a ‘greener’ concrete for the Olympic Delivery Authority, named The London Concrete, using a far higher proportion of recycled and waste materials than ordinary concrete. Developed and constructed by Hungarian building specialist Creo Prekoncept, the four-storey apartment block - due for completion later this year - is constructed from ICF, meeting the UK Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes, the standard with which all new-builds have had to comply since May 1, 2008. Replacing the former EcoHomes scheme, (devised by BRE), the code, which grades properties between Level 1 and 6 measures the overall sustainability of homes, incorporates minimum standards for energy and water consumption, providing buyers with essential information on projected energy costs, and builders with an official ecological comparison tool they can use to rate properties.
The mixed-use Creo House has been designed to meet the maximum Level 6 rating. It will also house a demonstration retail outlet on the ground floor, very typical of a mixed domestic/retail combination commonly seen in urban areas in mainland Europe. If considered a success, this welcome innovation could see several thousand others just like it being built across the country. Other partners involved in the project include BASF and Buckingham Group.
