Kestrel helps affordable housing meet Code Level 4
18 March 2010
Kestrel Timber Frame has been contracted to supply the frames for 47 affordable homes at Manning Road in Bourne, Lincolnshire.
The mixed scheme of houses and flats on Manning Road will be built to levels 3 and 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. It is being built by Larkfleet Homes and is due for completion in March 2011.
The Code for Sustainable Homes level 3 is some 25 per cent above the standard building regulations specification for energy performance. Properties that meet the Code for Sustainable Homes level 4 exceed current regulations even further.
Kestrel's Ross Nichols said: "The scheme is a mixed housing scheme built to high environmental standards. We are helping the developers meet the code for Sustainable Homes by using timber frames constructed from our new pre-insulated panels.
"Timber frames made from pre-insulated panels help to reduce construction costs and maintain quality while meeting stringent sustainability requirements. They also help to reduce waste. The new panels are insulated as they are built in the factory, making them easier to install on site."
As each panel is built it is fitted with rigid insulation which has a lower U-value - the rate at which heat passes through the panel - than the flexible type of insulation which is normally fitted after the building has been constructed. The lower the U-value is, the greater the energy efficiency of the panel.
In addition, factory fitting means that the insulation can be cut and installed to minimize the amount of waste created, highlighting Larkfleet Homes' commitment to creating affordable, well-built and energy-efficient homes.
Building using timber frames is more environmentally friendly than using more traditional methods. All of Kestrel's timber is obtained from guaranteed sustainable forest sources, adding to the environmental benefits of this method of construction.
After completion, 15 of the properties will be sold through Longhurst Group Housing Association as affordable homes. The remaining properties will be marketed through the Homebuy Direct Scheme, where buyers purchase 70 per cent of the property and receive the remaining 30 per cent as a loan from the Homes and Communities Agency.