AT Genesis Homes, we have always seriously considered the impact we have on the environment.
All our homes are built to exceptionally high standards for thermal efficiency and air tightness, and include numerous green features to reduce energy use around the home.
Our commitment to helping protect the planet was evidenced by launching our EcoGen project, our first carbon net-zero emitting housing development – a 16-home development in the village of Calthwaite – which will be powered fully by renewable energy.
We continue to strive to reduce our carbon footprint at every opportunity, and we have made the decision to switch to timber frame building materials to further cement our ‘green credentials’.
The benefits of using timber frame in new build construction are many, and adding in the sustainable qualities means the decision was an easy one for us to make.
For us, the three main advantages are:
It is a natural material so is very sustainable
Timber is one of the only inherently renewable building materials. Sustainable timber production stores carbon, produces oxygen and provides jobs in rural communities.
We have ensured that timber has come from a sustainably managed forest with Forest Stewardship Council and/or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest certification.
It offers the perfect combination of design flexibility and thermal performance
The precise nature of timber frame design results in minimal waste and factory-controlled manufacture ensures a strict quality control process, giving homeowners the absolute assurance that we are achieving the thermal performance we require.
It stores carbon
By choosing timber, we are removing carbon from the atmosphere and locking it into the fabric of the home. If the UK’s housing target of 200,000 new homes per year is met, then four million tonnes of carbon could be stored each year.
What’s more, this does not need to be released into the atmosphere when the building is demolished. The lightweight and versatile properties of timber mean that the components can be reused and recycled at the end of the building’s life cycle.
By switching to timber, a full ‘cradle to cradle’ approach is being adopted. This will involve an understanding of how our homes ultimately complete their life cycle in many years to come to ensure that they are able to be dismantled and disposed of in a sustainable manner through recycling, reusability and/or the use of biodegradable materials.
Find out more about our EcoGen homes by visiting www.genesis-homes.co.uk/ecogen.