This week is World Green Building Week, an annual campaign dedicated to raising awareness of green buildings and their effectiveness in helping achieve a range of global goals such as addressing climate change, creating sustainable and thriving communities, and driving economic growth.
Organised by World Green Building Council, and central to the campaign is the commitment to reducing the building and construction sector’s CO2 emissions to reach net-zero by 2050. So what does this mean to Acorn? In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the green features employed throughout our developments and the steps we are taking to achieve greener, more sustainable homes – now and for the future.
Our green credentials:
Longevity and sustainability are at the heart of all Acorn projects, whether in the buildings themselves or in the creation of communities – our developments are an investment in the future. Acorn’s green credentials include a list of green features that are employed throughout all Acorn developments (where possible). Such features include green roofs, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, and photovoltaic solar panels to name just a few.
Green roofs
A green roof is a vegetative layer grown on a rooftop of a building which serves as a large contributor to the energy efficiency of buildings. Green roofs reduce the temperature of the building through shading and the process of evapotranspiration. According to Green Building Alliance, green roof production has grown significantly over the past decade; with a 115% increase in green roof production recorded from 2010 to 2011 alone.
Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR)
An MVHR system provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining the energy that has already been used in heating the building. When fitted correctly, an MVHR system will provide a constant supply of fresh filtered air whilst maintaining the air quality of the home. MVHR works by extracting air from the polluted sources around the home e.g. kitchen, bathroom, toilets and supplying air to the ‘living’ rooms e.g. bedrooms, living rooms, studies, etc.
Photovoltaic solar panels
One of the most established green features in construction includes photovoltaic solar panels. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems directly convert solar energy into electricity. Solar energy is a good alternative to replace fossil fuel as solar power is renewable and comes at absolutely no cost. According to IEA, in 2017 solar PV represented around 2% of global power output and by 2022 is predicted to grow by over one-third, with installations in the buildings sector driving most of the increase.
Source: IEA
Case Study: Cubis Bruton
Our new development, Cubis Bruton, is a collection of energy-efficient and highly sustainable homes coming soon to Bruton, Somerset. Several green features have been employed throughout the development to ensure high-performing, thermos-efficient new housing within a setting where enhanced biodiversity has been encouraged.
Sedum roofs have been applied to selected plots allowing a range of planting options while providing important microclimates for insects, birds, and other species as well as improving air quality. With the implementation of triple glazed windows acting as strong insulators, the moderation of internal environmental conditions is allowed through a controlled heating and ventilation system, critically reducing CO2 output and ensuring cheap-to-run houses.
Learn more about this exceptional new development here.
