Denne to deliver a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 Project

A new development of houses and flats in Basildon will be created through Denne’s partnership with Swan Housing Association and Basildon District Council. 

The project will comprise the delivery of a range of accommodation from one bedroom apartments to larger homes offering from two to five bedrooms with the provision for future adaptation for disabled residents.

The majority of the homes have been orientated to make best use of natural sunlight.  Heating requirements in the 28 new houses and flats will be kept to an absolute minimum with average wall U values of 0.15 W/m²K or better to an exceedingly high air tightness standard. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery reduces CO₂ loss further. An innovative biofuel based combined heat and power plant provides heating, hot water and electricity for residents. This approach avoids the installation of solar panels, which was an important issue with the planners.

With the site being evaluated as having ecological value owing to significant mature trees, achieving Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes was particularly difficult. The design therefore had to gain maximum points from non-ecology sections within the Code and therefore encompassed the whole range of ambitions of the code.