Green homes scoop award (From Swindon Advertiser)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text SWINDON NEWS to 80360 or email us
Green homes scoop award
8:20am Monday 24th September 2012 in News By Katie Bond
THE most eco-friendly homes in the town have earned Swindon Commercial Services one of two prestigious awards.
SCS was presented with two APSE Service Awards by TV personality Carol Smilie during a ceremony in Glasgow.
The first was the Best Housing And Regeneration Initiative Award for the 13 homes at Malmesbury Gardens, the former Lyndhurst Crescent depot in Park North .
According to Government figures, at the time they were built only 132 zero carbon homes had been built in the whole country and the aim was to reduce tenants’ energy costs.
SCS was also awarded a finalist certificate for its renewable energy work on public buildings in Swindon in the category of Best Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative.
The homes in Malmesbury Gardens were built to the demanding Code For Sustainable Homes Level 5.
The head of construction, Julian Sadler, said: “Swindon Commercial Services has delivered many projects in south west England but we are especially proud of this innovative scheme.
“The houses have been designed to provide flexible living. The homes can be adapted to grow from the basic two or three-bedroom house to provide three, four or even five bedrooms. This enables the houses to respond to the changing requirements of the family. “ Coun David Renard , who was cabinet member for housing at the time the development was commissioned, said: “The homes in Malmesbury Gardens are fantastic. At the time we commissioned Swindon Commercial Services to build them, we were looking to promote sustainable buildings and ones with high energy efficiency. “I’m delighted they have been awarded an APSE award. It shows Swindon can be a leader in all areas including building new energy-efficient homes.”
The finalist certificate for Best Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative was awarded to SCS for an ambitious project which aimed to provide renewable energy to public buildings and to save the council money.
In just nine weeks SCS promoted the idea, gained council support, acquired all cross-party cabinet approval and funding; dealt with all planning questions; ordered and installed and registered four of the five schemes.
