UK’s first solar powered home goes up for sale for whopping £1.2m
The UK’s first fully solar-powered home, which removes the need to ever receive a gas or electricity bill again, has gone on sale.
The timber timber-framed home will set you back a whopping £1.2million, but in the long run it’ll save you ever having to have an energy bill again.
The home in Great Glen, Leicestershire, contains a number of zero-carbon features, including solar electric energy, triple glazing and rainwater storage.
It is entirely heated by underground water-filled tubes that are warmed by solar energy from rooftop panels.
Buried pipes heat the earth beneath the foundations during the summer and the ground retains the heat in winter, warming the house.
The five-bedroom house was designed and built by Caplin Homes and comes with two acres of land.
“The design and construction, down to the materials, were used specifically for their low footprint,” said Director Michael Goddard.
The Government has set a target for all new homes to be zero-carbon by 2016.
“We want to prove Government targets are achievable and genuine zero-carbon homes are a viable investment for UK house builders,” said Mr Goddard.
“The solar house shows how existing technologies can be used for a large family home but we plan to offer solutions for all house sizes.”
Dr Andrew Wright, expert in building engineering physics at De Montfort University, has been working with the developer to study the rate at which the earth will lose heat over the winter.
“The earth’s low conductivity means it should retain the heat rather well,” he said.
“We will have a better idea next spring, but we estimate there’s going to be more heat than you’ll need. We don’t know how much, though.”
The solar panels on the roof of the house are called hybrids because they collect both electrical and thermal energy.
Solar walls can preheat incoming ventilation air, and an Earth Energy Bank (EEB) with heat pump can store heart, and retrieve it for use when temperatures drop.
The south-facing triple-glazed windows are said to also enhance the house’s energy management during the winter.
All the technologies are controlled by a control system, which monitors the inside and outside temperatures, how much energy is being captured by the solar panels, and the heat levels in the EEB and domestic hot water tank.
Due to its low energy design, the Solar House is expected to only require heat from the EEB for about 10 weeks of the year.
Estate agent Anthony Fox said the possibility of no utility bills was a big draw for potential owners.
“The idea is your bills pretty much disappear and the house is self-sustaining and self-sufficient. That was a big aspect for most of the people who came to have a look around.
“We had a lot of interest on the open day. There were some strong considerations to buy there and then. Everyone was very keen to learn how the house worked.”
