Gusto to build second phase of eco-homes

Gusto Homes, the Newark-based housebuilder, has started the second phase of an eco-housing development near Lincoln.

The firm is building 11 homes to add to 18 units which it completed in 2017.

Five two-bedroom homes will be built using timber frame and six four-bedroom units will be constructed using blockwork cavity methods.

The first 18 homes (pictured) were constructed using an insulated concrete formwork method with polystyrene blocks.

Gusto said the latest homes, which will be for private sale, will be fully electric, generating most of their power from solar panels integrated into the roof.

They will also feature air filtration and heat recovery systems, and running costs are claimed to be less than £1 a day.

Gusto said the homes would achieve a similar 0.1 U-value through the main fabric. U-values measure the rate of transfer of heat through a structure, and well-insulated walls generally have a U-value of 0.25 W/m²K.

The homes’ windows are triple-glazed and have been pressure tested to below one air change per hour, which Guston claimed was 10 times better than the industry standard.

The heating system consists of an infra-red heating panel mounted on the ceiling of each room, while hot water is heated in a standard hot water cylinder. Power for the immersion comes from the solar PV via an ImmerSun power diverter, ensuring the majority of the hot water is heated with free electricity.

The ventilation system is a full house heat recovery system supplying a constant supply of fresh air.

Steff Wright, Gusto Homes’ chief executive, who lives in a house on the first phase of the development, said: “We’ve really pushed the boundaries and built something absolutely unique in terms of the energy performance of the houses and the lifestyle. This is how housing should be.”