Solar House, Leicestershire
MTE is delighted to have played a significant role in the construction of Britain’s first solar powered zero carbon home.
Developed by sustainability specialist Caplin Homes, Solar House in Great Glen, Leicestershire, is set to beat the Government’s 2016 zero-carbon housing target.
We assisted Caplin by providing the project with sustainable timbers from renewable sources, ensuring low U- vales and low embodied energy in our construction materials.
The five-bedroom house has been designed to harness enough solar power to provide heating and hot water – and double the amount of electricity required to run them.
Its hybrid solar panels collect both thermal and electrical energy, while solar walls pre-heat the incoming ventilation air.
An Earth Energy Bank (EEB) and heat pump store and retrieve heat for winter use, but thanks to the home’s low-energy design, heat from the EEB should only be needed for around 10 weeks of the year.
MTE’s ‘A’ rated energy efficient construction methods, innovative technology and design and sustainable timbers can be adapted for other dwellings – making zero carbon homes genuinely achievable.
Solar House truly is an exciting development and we’re proud to be associated with a scalable scheme which cuts energy bills and reduces house builders’ carbon footprint.
