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Roofing
News Release from: Decra Roof Systems | Subject: Sustainable ecologically-sound housing
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 October 2005
Sustainable ecologically-sound housing
The Housing Corporation, the body responsible for funding and regulating the provision of affordable homes in England is committed to encouraging sustainable, ecologically-sound housing.
The Housing Corporation, the body responsible for funding and regulating the provision of affordable homes in England is committed to encouraging sustainable, ecologically-sound housing Cornes Close, just outside Ashford in Kent, is an ordinary small development of twenty properties built for the Moat Housing Group in partnership with Ashford Borough Council and The Housing Corporation
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 3 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Moat Housing Group were encouraging off-site manufacture so the homes, using a timber frame and large closed panel system, came from the manufacturers, Karlson Husindustrier AB in Sweden, by sea and were brought to the Ashford site on the back of a truck.
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The ethos is sound in terms of constructing homes on an ecological basis and using offsite methodology wherever possible.
Instead of dozens of deliveries required for a conventional house these houses needed only two or three depending on the size.
Swedish design and quality In addition the system also boasts the levels of insulation necessary to survive the Swedish winter - so it should be adequate in Ashford.
The kits are produced in the factory in the south of Sweden to the highest technical standards.
The company have ISO 14001 Approval and are the first Swedish TF manufacturer to be accredited with CE marking.
The panels arrived already fitted with doors and triple glazed windows.
Each pair of semi-detached houses was erected and watertight within a week.
To give you an idea of speed of construction the outer walls were in place, just six hours after the truck delivering them, arrived on-site.
Saving timber within the design is an important part of the environmental and sustainability strategy set out for housing in the South East.
Less timber is used throughout, including the rafters, so lightweight tiles (weighing between seven and ten times less than traditional tiles) play an integral part in the overall design philosophy.
Waste produced on-site is vastly reduced.
When you consider that construction is responsible for 70% of landfill, this has the potential to make a real difference to the environment.
Talking Tiles Having worked on several projects using the Karlson Hus system, Decra tiles were on the shortlist from the outset.
After 'talking tiles' with everyone concerned, the council planners decided the appearance of Decra's Oberon tiles, in Bark, was the most suitable for the project.
They look very similar to the traditional clay peg tiles widely used throughout Kent, the Weald and Downland areas of South East England generally.
Following this decision Decra worked with the designers and contractors as they had not used the Oberon tiles before.
Decra assisted with ridge and barge detailing and investigating the potential for fitting solar panels to roofs.
They also looked at the rafter design to ensure the batons were fitted at the optimum gauge to minimise tile waste, a big issue due to the nature of the development, and provided training for the site operatives.
Natural materials, improved quality of life The Karlson Hus homes have some other interesting features.
The panels carry all the plumbing and wiring to fit the pre-made bathroom and toilet pods, as well as the hand made kitchens, for every home.
The floors are solid timber and designed to be used without carpet.
This helps reduce respiratory problems as the air used in the ventilation and heating system has 100% of pollen and other air borne particles filtered out.
The homes use the absolute minimum of synthetic materials.
The nominations policy took into account people who would benefit most from a low allergy home.
And a real Windmill! The development comprises 11 two bedroom houses, 3 three bedroom houses and 6 one bedroom flats.
They have all been let to local people from Ashford Council's waiting lists and the lucky tenants have already moved into their new homes.
At Willesborough Lees the aesthetics were particularly relevant as the site is next door to a fine Grade II listed Windmill, one of the largest in the south of England.
Built in 1869, the white 'smock' windmill, restored by Ashford Borough Council in 1991, is now operated by the Willesborough Windmill Trust as a tourist attraction.
See www.willesboroughwindmill.co.uk The design of the houses, and the roofs in particular, were very carefully thought out.
It was important to whole project as part of the planning brief was that the development must preserve the outlook from and of the windmill.
Accordingly the new homes, clad in sparkling white timber with traditional looking roofs, cluster around the windmill as though they were always meant to be there.
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