Renewable Energy

Homes that don’t cost the earth to heat!

We are very excited to be able to offer something different with Swan Bridge View, something that not only means lower running costs for you the homebuyer, but which is also much better for the environment.  It is not new technology, but a tried and trusted heat source in many other countries of the world.  Notably, it is hugely successful in the cold climates of Scandinavia.  In addition, these houses will have Economy Ten electricity metering, giving three daily slots for low-cost electricity.

We are using an air to water heating system where free energy is harvested from the air and converted to a type of energy that can be used to run both central heating and hot water systems. 

Air source heat pumps are highly efficient, generating four times the energy they need to operate, saving typically more than 2 tonnes of carbon per year - 72% fewer carbon emissions than a standard all electric system.   Since this system creates more renewable energy than the carbon emissions in the fossil fuels (electricity) it utilises, it is said to be a carbon neutral energy source.  It may well be that one day all homes will be heated by similar means: Gordon Brown plans for all new homes to be carbon neutral by 2016.

What are Air Source Heat Pumps and how do they work?

The simple answer is that it’s a little like a refrigerator in reverse, with simple compressors and heat exchangers that extract free, renewable energy from the ambient air.  This type of heat pump utilises the low grade heat in the atmosphere, and converts it via a heat exchanger to create a more useful energy.  Even when it is below zero outside, sufficient heat can be created to run a central heating system, giving you all the hot water you and your family will need for baths, showers, radiators etc.