A new housing scheme in Cornwall is set to be one of the greenest residential projects of its kind in the UK after being designed to achieve Net Zero whole-life carbon emissions.
Treveth is a partnership company set up by Cornwall Council to deliver new homes and commercial development to benefit people who live and work in Cornwall. It aims to have achieved net zero whole life carbon across its entire estate by its target of 2030.
Treveth’s 185-home Gwel Bassett development at Tolgus comprises embodied carbon, which is the energy needed to build and maintain the homes, and operational carbon, which is the energy needed to run them.
The company is looking to break the mould with volume housebuilding and show that Net Zero homes can come forward at scale.
Managing director Tim Mulholland said: “Achieving Net Zero in design is a fantastic achievement for a scheme of this size and puts Treveth well ahead of the volume housing sector.
“We want to show the industry what’s possible. This isn’t about one-offs and exemplar schemes: this is about making Net Zero mainstream in the battle against climate change, and providing high quality energy efficient homes for local people.”
To achieve net zero at the design stage, Treveth has worked hard to design carbon out of its new homes. Measures include:
- Using timber frames from certified sustainable sources.
- Using Cornish air-cured concrete blocks made with secondary aggregate
- No fossil fuel heating.
- Using renewable energy sources as standard like air source heat pumps and solar panels.
- Using low energy LED lighting throughout.
- Only installing white goods that are A-rated or above.
- Using more insulation in floors, walls and roofs.
