SSE Greenwatt Way Zero Carbon Home Development
SSE (Scottish & Southern Energy) is the first utility company in the UK to build and monitor its own development of 10 zero carbon homes to better understand what customers will need as the UK moves towards a low carbon economy.
The award winning Code Level 6 development is located in Slough, Berkshire and the main aim of the project is to study energy consumption in a zero carbon environment. Although the industry is constantly revising design codes, very little is understood as to how much heat and power is needed and how occupants will ‘use’ a zero carbon home.
The people living here are vital to the research and include SSE employees, Slough Borough Council staff, and local families.
One of the largest developments of zero carbon homes in the country, Greenwatt Way consists of 1 bed flats, 2 and 3 bed terraces, 3 bed detached homes, an Energy Centre, a project meeting room and a communal garden.
Renewable heating and hot water is supplied via a district heating scheme, housed in an adjacent Energy Centre. This plant room includes Solar Thermal panels, an Air Source Heat Pump, a Ground Source Heat Pump, and a Biomass Boiler.
Solar Photovoltaic tiles cover the south facing roofs and generate sufficient renewable electricity to meet the annual demand of each household.
SSE will monitor and analyse the day to day experiences of those living in our homes. They will share this learning, gathered first hand, throughout the SSE Group and also with our project collaborators, suppliers, partners and customers.
Partner Testimonial
If the UK wishes to be succeed in slashing carbon emissions in buildings, we desperately need to rollout more demonstration projects like Greenwatt Way, where we can show the products exist, we can learn the skills, and we have the knowhow to do things differently.
SSE have shown great leadership and foresight in building Greenwatt Way and undertaking, in collaboration with the residents, a 2 year programme to learn about future energy use as well as testing the costs and efficiency of differing renewable energy technologies.
The findings will be eagerly awaited by the wider industry!
Chris Wilford Associate Director, PRP Architects
For more information, please visit our website www.ssezerocarbonhomes.com
