Dr Chris Parsons is re-wilding 10 Acres of arable land incorporating 9 fossil-fuel-free local homes for local people. Here’s a roundup of all you need to know about the project.

Included in the project are:

• 10,000 trees, hedgerow and wild flowers.
• Five 2bedroom and four 1bedroom dwellings
• A wildlife pond treating effluent discharge
• 60KW roof mounted solar photovoltaic panels
• 9 EV Charge points

Howgate Close dwellings follow the design principles of Professors Brenda and Robert Vale, as delivered at the Hockerton Housing Project. These passive solar design principles are:

• High internal mass superstructure with no cold bridging
• Super-insulated envelope
• Principal heating from solar gains
• Renewable energy from roof mounted pv’s

Four years in-use building performance monitoring between Dr Jerry Harrall and Nottingham Trent University.

Dissemination via Conference Proceedings, Journals and construction industry publications with a minimum of three peer reviewed Papers.

Monitoring to include:

I. Energy consumption
II. Ambient internal temperature
III. Relative Humidity
IV. Solar Irradiation
V. Water Use
VI. Carbon Dioxide internally
VII. Air Quality

Dr Chris Parsons aims to deliver truly affordable homes, for local people with no resort to fossil fuels for power, heating nor ventilation. The true cost of ownership in-use will be a fraction of that compared to conventional newbuild houses with little to no energy bills, reduced water demand, waste treatment on site and the ability for residents to power their own electric vehicles free of charge.