Gustolife Building a sustainable quality of life
NUMBER ONE
• Award winning solar power •
New luxury homes pioneer cutting edge solar roof tiles The five luxurious, family homes at Gusto’s exclusive new Allington development were chosen as the first UK installations for solarcentury’s advanced new C21 photovoltaic (PV) roof tiles. moving parts and are silent and emission-free in operation. The system generates a proportion of the home’s electricity, switching surplus power back into the national grid when not required in the house. solarcentury’s CEO is award-winning scientist and former Greenpeace campaigner, Jeremy Leggett. He now serves on the UK Government’s Renewables Advisory Board. “Solar PV generated power could provide 10,000 times more power than the world currently uses – and it’s clean and free,” Jeremy underlines. “With UK homes accounting for a third of UK CO2 emissions, Gusto’s success is showing the government the future direction for its building regulations and policy guidelines. ‘Conventional’ housebuilders must use more sustainable technologies if the UK is to meet its 2010 CO2 targets.”
● Estate agents are reporting that unobtrusive, low-maintenance green features are increasing property values around the UK, creating an ‘eco-premium’ of at least 10%.
• sustainable thinking •
www.solarcentury.co.uk • environmental excellence •
‘Better Buildings, Better Lives,’ says government task force
Supporting Lincolnshire’s Environmental Awards
Gusto continues to make high-level contributions to the government’s consultation on sustainable development and better buildings.
Popular naturalist and conservationist Dr David Bellamy received an honorary award for his longstanding support of the Lincolnshire Environment Awards, which recognise environmental excellence across the county.
T
he influence of the recent Better Buildings summit, instigated by the Office of The Deputy Prime Minister, Department for Trade and Industry and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is already being felt. Steff Wright was among 190 industry leaders – CEOs from construction and energy companies, architects, planners and other interested parties – invited to contribute. At the summit, attended by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Secretaries of State, Patricia Hewitt and Margaret Beckett, delegates split into specialist groups for detailed discussion. Steff presented a paper to the Building Services Workshop. Implementing sustainable technologies in construction
is becoming a high priority. Momentum has been building since the government published its Energy White Paper in February 2003 and, in the same month, announced a £22bn Sustainable Communities Plan. A key outcome of the Better Buildings Summit was the formation within a month of the powerful industry-led Sustainable Building Task Force. The publication, in May 2004, of its ‘Better Building’s, Better Lives’ document led directly to the government’s
announcement in July 2004 of plans for a ‘new code for sustainable building.’ It will cover such areas as practice standards on energy efficiency, flood resilience, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within construction.
For the twelfth year running, winners received their awards from Dr Bellamy. “I do this because Lindum Rotary Club and Lincolnshire Echo run an exemplary environmental awards scheme,” he applauded. This year’s Young Environmentalist Awards went to West Kesteven Wildlife Watch and Weelsby Primary School in Grimsby. Jacqueline Simpson won the adult section for Promoting Pride, a creative programme helping schools beat vandalism and litter. Kenwick Park Golf Club’s protection of its Lincolnshire Wolds environment was recognised, while Corus Construction and Industrial in Scunthorpe created a safe habitat for sand martins after discovering nests in stockpiles of olivine (a sand used in steel making). Gusto sponsored the 2004 Awards and Steff Wright was a judge for the third year.
Lincolnshire Echo
The ground-breaking specification for the substantial new homes – which also include underfloor heating, rainwater harvesting systems, solar water heating and super-insulation – has proved irresistible for Gusto CEO Steff Wright and his family. They moved into the first completed house – and three of the five homes have already sold. The cutting edge in roof integrated solar technology and winner of the Best Exterior Product at the 2004 Interbuild New Product Awards, C21 is designed for the UK market and climate. Covering 10 sq metres of the roof area it can be fitted by any roofing contractor like any other tile. “We’re excited to be pioneering solarcentury’s well-designed new product,” says Steff. “It integrates well with our standard roof tiles.” Solar PV panels convert light directly into electricity, have no