Get Sust! Issue 33

Renewables on trial at Barratt's EcoSmart village

Barratt Developments has published preliminary findings from a 15-month study of the renewable technologies it has installed at its pioneering ‘eco village’ project in Chorley, Lancashire.

The study of this seven-unit development, conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester, found that:

the ground source heat pump (GSHP) ‘worked very well’ - on average generating 2.6 times the amount of energy it consumed
photovoltaic (PV) roof panels also ‘worked very well’, with an unobstructed PV system generating 850kWh of electricity a year, on average, although at today’s electricity prices the systems would take 37.5 years or more to pay for itself
solar hot water collectors (SHW) were ‘reasonably satisfactory’ and the micro-combined heat and power (CHP) units were ‘trouble free’.

However, the micro-wind turbines were judged ‘disappointing’. Both the 1.7m and 1m micro-turbines performed below their theoretical output based on the recorded wind speed throughout the trial period.

Learn more:

	•	Monitoring of the Barratt EcoSmart Show Village is being led by Dr Tony Sung, Chairman of CIBSE Electrical Services Group and Lecturer at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester.
	•	For more details of performance data already captured go to www.barratthomes.co.uk/ecosmart.
	•	he technologies which have proved most effective are being incorporated into Barratt’s ‘Green House’ at the BRE Innovation Park in Watford, currently under construction. This house will meet level six of the Code for Sustainable Homes and fulfil the criteria for zero stamp duty.