John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government, has formally launched a unique public-private partnership project to construct the first affordable eco-home for the mass market.

The house, a partnership between South Lanarkshire College, Dawn Homes and more than 20 private-sector partners, will not only provide a unique training facility to teach students the principles of sustainable design; it is also a first for the Scottish housebuilding industry.

The low-energy house incorporates a holistic approach to sustainable design rather than adding expensive ‘eco-extras’ which make the cost of mass replication prohibitive. The potential cost savings on energy bills not only have positive implications for the private housebuyer, but also for the social housing market where the provision of low-cost, energy-efficient properties offers a practicable solution for tackling fuel poverty.
Launching the project John Swinney said: “Moving to a low-carbon economy presents huge opportunities for Scotland and we need to make our buildings greener to meet ambitious climate change targets. With forthcoming changes to building standards to reduce emissions there is a real opportunity for innovation and this project will help develop the low-carbon house of the future. This project could improve skills and support jobs, enhance the built environment and reduce emissions, while lowering people’s bills. It is precisely the kind of project I would encourage.”

From the design of the timber frame and placement of windows to the inclusion of heat recovery units and a rainwater harvesting system, the low-energy house, called the Aurora, will incorporate techniques and technologies of which many are still uncommon in the UK. For example the four-bedroom detached house is scalable, allowing smaller or larger properties and semi-detached or terrace styles to be produced as the market demands.

Martin Egan, managing director of Dawn Homes, commented: “The ‘Green Living by Dawn’ concept is the first step towards producing affordable and eco-friendly homes for the masses. By following the principles of the Code for Sustainable Homes and integrating them into the property from the design stages we have produced a house that is both low carbon and commercially viable.

“Not only will the Aurora help students at South Lanarkshire College who are the housebuilders of the future; we believe that this property is housebuilding in the future and could provide a very real solution both for reducing carbon emissions and the eradication of fuel poverty – an issue that affects an estimated 850,000 households in Scotland.

The Aurora at South Lanarkshire College will be used as a training facility to meet the imminent and emerging needs of operatives in the construction industry. With integrated cut-away sections and models demonstrating technologies, construction approaches and insulation materials that would otherwise be hidden below ground or behind walls, the facility will offer a unique insight into design features that will become a necessity following the implementation of the Code for Sustainable Homes legislation in Scotland in the coming years.