Eco-houses are a money saver

North Kesteven district councillors visited the development at Kyme Road, Heckington, on Wednesday to see how the 22 houses - including two energy-efficient ‘Passivhauses’ are coming along.

This development will help meet an identified need for affordable housing in Heckington and ties in with the council’s commitment to build to its Fabric First Plus quality standard, exceeding requirements of building regulations for insulation, space and durability.

It forms part of plans to build 55 new quality affordable homes over a decade. The council is the first in the region to build to the rigorous Passivhaus standard.

Great care is taken over quality of materials, insulation, design and construction to improve draught-proofing, meaning they require very little additional heating.

Although around 15 per cent more expensive to build, they generally require about 75 per cent less heating than standard-build.

Coun Stewart Ogden, NKDC Executive Board member for housing, said: “As a council we take our landlord responsibilities seriously by not only building homes to a higher standard than required by law, but by considering how much these properties cost to run for our tenants.”