The Barratt Green House, BRE Innovation Park at Watford
Blending modern technology and tried and tested design principles, The Barratt Green House, designed by architects Gaunt Francis, has resolved many of the issues of modern living in a more sustainable fashion, without compromising quality of life. What’s more, it has won the national architectural ‘Home for the Future’ design competition. The challenge was to produce a mainstream house type with reduced carbon emissions as part of the 2007 Mail on Sunday British Homes Awards.
The design meets the highest level 6 of the Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes and will emit no carbon on average over the course of the year. In fact, it’s the first home by a mainsteam housebuilder which is so environmentally friendly it would meet the criteria for zero stamp duty.
This is a home that looks to the future. The heavy concrete floors used will reduce the need for cooling. Also, the design is highly flexible to allow occupiers to make the home their own, while ensuring good quality space within the compact site plan requirement of the competition brief.
The result is a light and airy home, which not only offers a comfortable living environment, but makes an important contribution to house building in the UK and the Government’s aim to achieve zero carbon in the house building industry by 2016.