Opening of the low‐energy, low‐carbon house, the “Aurora” By John Swinney Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable growth 1 December 2009
Today, at South Lanarkshire College, East Kilbride, just a few days before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and Politician of the Year, launches the first, affordable, low‐energy, low‐carbon home targeted at the mass market.
Programme
11:30 am Guests gather..................................................Rm 342 12:00 Welcome ..........................Stewart McKillop, Principal Introduction...................Angus Allan, Depute Principal Address................John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth 12:20 Guests guided to house for the official opening 12:45 Buffet lunch for all guests, provided by Hospitality students, South Lanarkshire College Networking and close
FACTSHEET 1 The low‐energy, low‐ carbon house ‘Aurora’ is the result of a successful and unique partnership between South Lanarkshire College, Dawn Homes and more than 50 private‐sector partners. The house showcases the high insulation levels, low air leakage and low‐energy technologies capable of reducing net energy use and energy bills to zero while at the same time contributing towards challenging government targets to reduce greenhouse gases and carbon emissions. The low‐energy house exceeds building standards requirements likely to come into force in 2013 and then in 2016 by which time all new housing will require to be “net‐zero‐carbon”. South Lanarkshire College, College Way East Kilbride G75 0NE Telephone: 01355 807780
FACTSHEET 2 FACTSHEET 2 In addition to the high insulation levels, the carefully‐designed and constructed frame minimises any uncontrolled air movement in and out of the building. This greatly reduces the energy needed to keep the house warm. Only small amounts of heat energy are required. Energy sources in the house are as follows. • Photovoltaic panels generate electrical energy from the sun. • Solar hot water heaters raise the hot water tap temperature directly using the sun’s energy. • An underground heat collector increases the temperature of air drawn into the house. This replaces traditional air vents that would allow cold air to enter the building directly. • A sophisticated two‐way ground source heat pump collects energy from over 100 metres underground, when required. On days when it is not extracting heat it has the capacity to pump surplus heat back into the ground, maintaining and equilibrium and ensuring that efficiency does not diminish over time. • An air‐heat recovery system draws heat energy from the air. Over the course of a year, these systems supply energy efficiently to meet the needs of the house. Comparative carbon emissions from different sources: Carbon Dioxide emissions from burning coal: 215 lbs/106 BTU Carbon Dioxide emissions from burning wood and wood waste: 195 lbs/106 BTU Carbon Dioxide emissions from burning gas: 117 lbs/106 BTU Carbon Dioxide emissions using the sun’s energy to produce electricity and to heat water: 0
There is no piped gas supply to the house and no biomass fuel boiler. South Lanarkshire College, College Way, East Kilbride, G75 0NE, Telephone: 01355 807780
Factsheet 3 There is a host of innovative approaches in the low‐energy, low‐carbon house to minimise the environmental impact, including: • an energy‐saving timber frame design with outstanding levels of insulation • an airtight construction with less than one quarter of the air leakage of a typical new house • triple glazed windows and doors • an air intake, instead of air ventilators, that collects pre‐warmed air from underground • energy‐saving light tunnels on the upper floor • water‐saving sinks and baths • high‐efficiency under‐floor heating on all floors • photovoltaic panels • solar hot‐water panels • an air‐heat recovery system • a ground source heat exchanger • low‐energy heating systems • a rainwater harvesting system • kinetic energy switchgear that reduces the need for wiring • bricks manufactured at a much lower temperature than normal • water saving bath • external woodwork cut carefully to expose the most dense grain on the outside, harvested from fast‐growing sustainable spruce woodlands • a bicycle shed. South Lanarkshire College College Way East Kilbride G75 0NE Telephone: 01355 807780
College WayEast Kilbride G75 0NE
Impact on learners South Lanarkshire College, Dawn Homes, the architects and all the sponsors have, together, created an iconic forward‐looking design of a house that is sensible, attractive in design and compelling in terms of minimising running costs and benefiting the environment. The purpose of building this is to showcase to students up‐to‐the minute construction techniques and technologies that will be integrated into future housing in order to reduce energy consumption, fuel bills and carbon emissions. Each year South Lanarkshire College provides education and training for over 5,500 learners. The college has an enviable reputation for high‐quality learning and innovative and forward‐looking managers. Competition for places on courses is fierce. The low‐energy, low‐carbon house provides the college with a catalyst for developing new courses and changing the existing curriculum. Students and staff at South Lanarkshire College and Glasgow Caledonian University will be able to access live, up‐to‐the‐minute data and information from probes contained in the structure of the house which will monitor its performance. The house will provide a rich source of information and data for student project work and dissertations. It will also provide a practical working and demonstration environment to enhance learning and teaching. South Lanarkshire College is developing itself as a leading college in Scotland for the delivery of courses in sustainability and renewable energies. “Moving to a low carbon economy presents huge opportunities for Scotland and we need to make our buildings greener to meet ambitious climate change targets. This project could improve skills and support jobs, enhance the built environment and reduce emissions, while lowering people’s bills. It is precisely the kind of project I would encourage.” John Swinney, 1 June 2009, at the launch of theconstruction phase of the project. South Lanarkshire College East Kilbride, College Way, East Kilbride G75 0NE Telephone: 01355 807780 FAX: 01355 807781
The following companies and organisations have contributed actively and successfully to construct Scotland’s first affordable, replicable, low‐energy, low‐carbon house with Dawn Homes and South Lanarkshire College, East Kilbride.
Company/organisation Albar Landscapes Brickwork Scotland British Gypsum CAS Ceramics Citybuilding (Glasgow) D Dodds Dawn Homes
DGS plumbing and heating Doria Door G E Lighting Limited Glasgow Caledonian University Glidevale Limited Grant Engineering (UK) Harte Construction Ibstock Ideal Standard (UK) JDR Jewitt Arschavir & Wilkie Architects Marley Eternit Marshalls Landscape Products McMann and Melvin MEP and Hire Station Merchant City Distributors MGM Timber Scotland Miller Pattison Mira Showers MJD Scaffolding
Contribution External landscaping Building Works Internal partitions and walls Tiling wall & floor Kitchen Taping and painting works Design, development, construction Plumbing installation Internal doors Low‐energy lighting Monitoring and readouts Breather membranes, sun tunnels Photovoltaic and solar panels Groundworks Earth bricks Bathrooms, low‐water use taps, etc Bike shelter materials House design Roof tiles Block paviers Internal joinery works Plant and machinery A‐rated “white goods” Timber for the timber frame Loft insulation, air leakage tests Low‐water‐use shower Scaffolding
Company/organisation
M K Electrical Nationwide Platforms NIBE Energy Systems Limited Oregon Timber Frame Peter Grant Plumbing Trade Supplies Porcelonosa Polypipe Building Products Polypipe Ventilation Quinn Group Rehau Limited
Rocklift S&G SSA Building Services Saint‐Gobain Weber Limited Sentinel Performance solutions Solaglass South Lanarkshire Council T. Lawrie Timber Components Turner & Townsend Uponor Versatile Walker Profiles Weber
Contribution Electrical components Heavy plant Air heat‐recovery system and ground‐ source heat pump Design and build of the timber frame Soil Sponsorship of solar panels Grout and adhesive Above and below ground drainage Ventilation and exhaust air pipe Insulation Rainwater harvesting system, door and window frames, underfloor heating, ground probes, associated pipework, wall heating Drilling for heat pump External Joinery Electrical works External render Growth and corrosion inhibitors Triple glaze Krypton Gas Advice regarding planning and building standards Drawings Stairs Health and safety advice regarding systems and services on site Pipework to heat pump Roof work Window frame manufacture External render
South Lanarkshire College, College Way, East Kilbride, G75 0NE, Telephone: 01355 807780