An award-winning technology that allows new homes to achieve zero carbon solely through solar power, is set to be installed in a dozen houses this year.
The Zero Carbon Solution, which was launched in January 2014, has already been integrated into four properties, including a commercial development in Kent. Its creators Caplin Homes are confident that the system will become widely adopted, after seeing significant demand from self-builders and architects.
Forthcoming projects include a three bedroom family home in Northamptonshire, an expansive self build project in Kent and a four bedroom property in Staffordshire. With interest in the technology from self builders across the country, Caplin Homes is anticipating a busy year ahead.
Michael Goddard, director of Caplin Homes, commented: “We are seeing new enquiries come in each week from people at different stages of the self build process. The technology is still fairly new but people can really see the benefits it will offer them. We’re confident that we’ll continue to see a year-on-year increase in orders into 2016.
“We are collecting performance data from installations as we go and working with De Montfort University on an important research project which will create a computer model of the energy flows within the system. This knowledge base will underpin a major expansion of the technology in 2017”
Following its first application in the Solar House in rural Leicestershire, the Zero Carbon Solution has won a number of significant industry awards.
The project was named as the Chairman’s Award winner at last year’s East Midlands LABC Building Excellence Awards, while the technology itself took home top prize for Most Successful Integrated Renewables System at the Solar Power Portal Awards. Other successes include finalist nominations in the Housebuilder, and Energy Efficiency and Renewables Awards, and a highly commended from the H&V News Awards.
With such strong recognition from across the building and renewables industries, Caplin Homes is now hoping to work with housing developers to bring its technology to a wider market. Discussions are taking place to include the technology within a number of builds, including multi-occupancy retirement homes and a significant East Midlands eco initiative.