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Prince Charles, well-known for his environmentally-friendly views, has built 11 new “Eco Homes” at Poundbury. Five houses and six apartments use only half the energy consumed in average homes. The homes have been given a score of 10 in the British National Home Enerby Rating (NHER) and the highest rating from the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).Built by Cornhill Estates, in collaboration with The Prince’s estate, The Duchy of Cornwall, the homes have the following features:
- Solar hot water heating – this will supply approximately 70 percent of the annual hot water demand;
- Photovoltaic roof tiles – these will provide at least one third of the annual electricity demand, saving 412kg of carbon dioxide per year;
- Rainwater harvesting and dual flush toilets – these features will reduce water bills by about 50 per cent. Water butts at the apartments will collect rainwater from the roof to supply the communal garden;
- Heat recovery ventilation – this will take heat from the air extracted from kitchens and bathrooms and will transfer it to the main living rooms and bedrooms;
- Sheep wool loft insulation – this long-wearing material has the potential to last the lifetime of the building;
- Integrated waste recycling;
- Natural lighting in all rooms;
- A-rated appliances and Class 1 flues for wood burning stoves.
via The Prince of Wales’ website
Tags: royalty, British royals, Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, Poundbury, Eco Homes