Article date:24 November 2009
Written by:Jose Espinosa
Pennywell Green, an eco-sensitive 18-home development located in
Bristol's inner city area of Easton, has won the 2009 Premier
Guarantee Excellence Awards in the 'Environmental and Conservation
Project of the Year' category.
It is the first development in the city designed and built to
'Code Level 4 for Sustainable Homes' regulations - an environmental
standard that is far higher than that required for standard
building regulations.
The Code Level 4 assessment is being carried out by Bristol-based
company Sustain, which also completed the Standard Assessment
Procedure - a Government approved method for measuring the energy
ratings of homes in the UK.
Marisa Maitland, compliance associate at Sustain, said: "At
Sustain, we share the project's vision to provide sustainable homes
for today that preserve tomorrow. Building in line with the Code
not only creates environmentally friendly properties but also homes
which are cheaper to run and maintain, making them more attractive
to potential buyers."
Ed Gunnery from developers Connolly and Callaghan said: "Building
apartments to these high eco standards presents a greater challenge
than houses due to the density. It also adds to the build cost
which makes it even more remarkable that we have been able to
create affordable, eco-sensitive
apartments."
To achieve the Code Level 4 standard, the Pennywell Green
development was assessed by Sustain for its energy performance
across a range of criteria, including its CO2 emissions which are
44 per cent lower than the emissions created by homes built to
conventional building regulations.
Throughout the apartments, low energy consumption appliances and
fittings have been used along with sustainable bamboo
flooring.
The project also encourages small sustainable communities for its
residents, with each group of six apartments sharing a landscaped
eco sensitive roof garden with panoramic views across
Bristol.
The awards are run by Premier Guarantee - Cheshire-based providers
of structural insurance and building services. Winners needed to
demonstrate a commitment to producing quality developments and
raising standard in the house building industry.
