The Zero Bills Home
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The Zero Bills Home at BRE Inovation Park
Project information
Project Date: 2016
Site Location: London, UK
Project Status: Construction Finished
An Innovative Affordable ZERO CARBON Housing System
The Zero Bills Home build at the BRE Innovation Park represents the first show home for a new 96 home zero bills development in Newport Essex for the Sir Arthur Ellis family Trust. Newport is 8 miles from Stansted and 15 miles from Cambridge. The new zero bills village is 150 yards from a station on the Bishopsgate / Cambridge railway line.
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Superinsulated concrete foundation slab with optional additional piles to match most ground conditions.
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Laser cut galv steelpowder coated structural ring beam with C16 UK timber studs. UK fabricated OSB structural boards enables one floor to be built every two days
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Superinsulated cladding with heat recovery ventilation and triple glazing reduces heat demand to the point where a tiny heat pump can provide comfort and hot water
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ZED Factory designed BIPV solar roofing system provides durable roof with electric generation and optional solar loft conservatory
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Good daylight, water saving appliances and LED lighting reduces electric demand allowing surplus solar electricity to power an electric car
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A smart LIPO4 Fitcraft battery system. Positioned under the stair stores solar electricity, minimising grid imports and limiting grid export to 3kW maximum avoids the need to upgrade the existing mains grid infrastructure.
This home represents 10 years of innovation and supply chain development. The home far exceeds requirements under the new building regulations and will be rested against the new HQM standards, aiming to achieve the highest levels possible for the site. Full LABC and Protekt warranties for the construction system will be available.
Simple Construction & Procurement
The build system has been simplified to benefit both small and large builders. It bring the benefits of offsite construction on site without the additional overheads or lead in times of factory production. The system promotes the use of local labour trained using the technical manual and the ZBH house kit ordering process creating a fully scalable system from single homes to thousands of home per annum though a chain of national builders merchants.
Exceeding Building Standards
The BRE house has achieved an airtightness of 1.3 ach @50 pascals test pressure on first test without walls plastered.
Building Regulations requires 10 ach @50 pa.
ZED roof power station 7.5 kW peak
We have maximised the use of UK sourced materials to minimise carbon footprint. The timber studs, OSB and steel is all UK sourced. We maximise the use of natural building materials and eliminate urethane foams, materials with high off grossing and materials with low life cycles. This makes the building one of the lowest embodied carbon buildings possible. Combined with our BIPV solar roof, battery storage and zero fossil fuel energy systems the home also starts paying back its embodied carbon by generating more electricity than it needs over typical year.
Exceptional Sustainability Credentials
Design Flexibility
The system enables simple, adaptable plans which create convenient internal layouts for any plot orientation. The open structural system increases flexibility for self-build and site specific variations. We have developed this further to create a range of standard house types for detached, semi and terraced typologies. ‘Design code’ planning kits allow new communities on larger sites to design themselves whilst recognising the importance of the placemaking agenda.
Excellent Value
Combined with no net annual energy bills and the potential to achieve higher resale values based on the additional features of the building, the ZBH system offers a cost effective and sustainable alternative to traditional builder offerings.
Inside the solar loft
Replicable plan
East-west
Terraced house type
Detached house type
Semi-detached house type
Zero Bills Home House Type
East-west three story
House Information
Orientation: East / West
TOT Floor Area: 116 m2
Bedrooms: 4
Areas
Ground Floor Area: 42.5 m2
First Floor Area: 42.5 m2
Second Floor Area: 31 m2
West Elevation
East Elevation
South Elevation
North Elevation
East-west Two story / Terraced house
House Information
Orientation: East / West
TOT Floor Area: 85 m2
Bedrooms: 3
Areas
Ground Floor Area: 42.5 m2
First Floor Area: 42.5 m2
West Elevation
East Elevation
South Elevation
North Elevation
South facing three story
House Information
Orientation: North / South
TOT floor area: 111.5 m2
Bedrooms: 3
Areas
Ground floor area: 42.5 m2
First floor area: 42.5 m2
Second floor area: 26.5 m2
West Elevation
South Elevation
East Elevation
North Elevation
Awards
South facing two story / Terraced house
Areas
Ground floor area: 36.8 m2
First floor area: 36.8 m2
Second floor area: 22.7 m2
House Information
Orientation: North / South
TOT floor area: 96.3 m2
Bedrooms: 3
West Elevation
South Elevation
East Elevation
North Elevation
Structural Timber Awards 2016
Shortlisted low energy category with highly commended
East-west Bungalow
House Information
Orientation: East / West
TOT floor area: 70.1 m2
Bedrooms: 3
Areas
Ground floor area: 70.1 m2
North Elevation
East Elevation
South Elevation
West Elevation
Awards
Structural Timber Awards 2017
Highly commended pioneer of the year