A modular housing company and a specialist alternative asset manager are set to deliver a home that promises zero energy bills, which they say will save the owners up to £40,000 over 20 years.
ilke Homes, in partnership with Gresham House and shared ownership agent SO Resi, will install the factory-built home on a site in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex as part of a 153-home scheme.
The two-storey home, which is to be made available for shared ownership, will be produced at ilke Homes’ factory in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
ilke Homes uses artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital design to create homes that are incredibly well insulated, meaning less heat escapes and consequently reducing bills.
ilke Homes says it is able to promise the ZERO energy bills specification by:
- Fabric: walls, floors and roofs are highly insulated, while all windows and doors are airtight to retain heat and stops draughts. Being manufactured in a factory – as opposed to a field – results in a higher quality output
- Efficiency: LED lighting that uses less than a quarter of the energy of a halogen bulb is incorporated into the design, as well efficient water fittings and ventilation systems
- Renewable energy: air source heat pumps and solar panels, which can now cost less than traditional roof tiles
The ZERO bills home is being delivered at Hope Green, a 153-home shared ownership development in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex that is being funded by Gresham House Residential Secure Income LP. As part of further enhancements to the project, Gresham House and ilke Homes will also be delivering 101 operational zero-carbon homes via the company’s ilke ZERO offering.
Launched in July 2021, ilke ZERO aims to deliver 1,000 operational zero-carbon homes per year for major investors, housing associations, and councils across the UK. The homes have already been trialled in London, Newcastle, Gateshead, Newark, and Sunderland, and are now ready to be rolled out en masse.
Giles Carter, CEO at ilke Homes, said: “The cost-of-living crisis is here and now. Since the turn of the century, UK households have become overly reliant on gas imports, leaving consumers at risk from rising wholesale gas prices. Thanks to advances in manufacturing, materials, and renewable energy, we have created homes that not only drastically reduce household bills but also give consumers greater control over their own energy usage.
“There’s a huge opportunity here to tackle fuel poverty while helping investors meet their green targets, which is why we’ve spent years investing into our manufacturing capabilities. The launch of the ZERO bills home is a great example of how the private sector can respond to politicians’ net-zero pledges and address some of society’s most prominent problems.”
