Work has started on a new earth-sheltered, self-built development in Hockerton, Nottinghamshire. The two homes will be developed in a 1-acre field adjacent to the Hockerton Housing Project (HHP) site. Although planning was not straightforward permission has been achieved as a result of the clear environmental design and strong association with HHP. This again represents the forward thinking nature of Newark & Sherwood District Council, who are clearly near the forefront of facilitating sustainable development in the UK.
The design is led by HHP project member/builder, Nick Martin, with significant input from the commissioning parties.
The earth-sheltered homes will be highly energy-efficient with super-insulation, high specification glazing and south facing conservatories designed to collect heat from solar radiation in colder months. The high thermal mass of the buildings combined with insulation means that the homes will be zero-heating, with all heating needs met by solar gain and incidental gains from living in the building. The homes will collect their own water using a rainwater collection system (FreeRain), and waste water will be treated on site via a reed bed system.
There will be close links with HHP including reciprocal assistance with land management, food-growing activities and maintenance of water and energy systems.
The Project was filmed and broadcast in the same week in March by BBC ‘Countryfile’. The programme covered the project set up and how the houses are designed to minimise energy use. However they also focused on two other aspects:
(1) The design principles of the homes at Hockerton Housing Project (HHP) as a potential solution to building more homes to a higher energy efficiency standard. A link was made to a local speculative development, Millenium Green, that HHP helped inspire to integrate much higher levels of energy efficiency. A spokesman from the Government’s Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme was also interviewed and invited to comment on the need for higher standards.
(HHP was monitored as part of the Governments’ Energy Efficient Best Practice Programme – A case study report was published last year)
(2) Link to the Government announcement in same week to increased funding of £100m towards renewable energy.
The programme has produced one of the quickest and biggest responses that HHP has received after a media broadcast.
On 6th October we were visited by one of our local MEPs (Member of European Parliament) for East Midlands, Phillip Whitehead.
Philip Whitehead wrote back to Councillor Stan Crawford (leader, Newark & Sherwood District Council), who had organised the day, “The range of projects you are nurturing and the foresight and enthusiasm displayed by all those involved does you great credit.”
This visit is more important perhaps than it might seem at face value. In many ways we in the UK are lagging behind many other European countries in terms of sustainable development and use of renewable technologies. Let’s hope Newark & Sherwood allow the momentum to continue by supporting future sustainable development proposals
HHP has recently been the subject of a new Government publication (part of ‘Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme’): –
New Practice Profile (119) -The Hockerton Housing Project – design lessons for developers and clients
In our opinion this is a useful report. It covers project features & house construction, energy consumption, monitoring the internal environment, and design lessons.
It concludes – “The houses at Hockerton are a successful experiment in low-energy design. They are attractive and pleasant to live in, although some occupants had some complaints. The design of the site enables a sustainable lifestyle with self-sufficiency in water and food while also providing a high level of amenity for the occupants. The houses were built at a comparable cost to conventional housing, although the self-build element of the work distorts comparisons. Many of the elements of the housing could be replicated in more mainstream developments….”
The complaints referred to were minor and in the context of the whole project insignificant.
This report is now one of three publications on the project.
The successful completion of the houses is a result of five years planning, building and development. The launch day was an opportunity to celebrate our achievement and say thank you to all those who have been involved in the project.
It also marks the move towards the next phase of the project, the demonstration of sustainable living in practice. The focus for the project will now be to develop the trading company (HHP Trading Ltd), thereby providing an income for company members which is based on sustainability.
