Manchester project uses a heat and power combo

The Budenberg Haus project in Manchester is understood to be the first scheme to use a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) solution in a purely residential development.

The CHP system on the two-building complex, which forms part of the Urban Splash development, works by creating a mini-energy centre on site, which draws natural gas into a turbine and burns it to generate electricity.

The by-product of the electricity is heat, which is used to heat the hot water and the site's 300 apartments.

As the electricity is generated at the site, which removes the need for a boiler system and associated plant in each of the apartments, there is only a 5% loss in efficiency. Carbon emissions are also 50% less than with a conventional system.

Meanwhile, Kent-based Millwood Designer Homes has become the UK's first carbon neutral housbuilding company by offsetting all its unavoidable carbon emissions.

To do this, the company carried out an extensive study into the 'carbon footprint' from the business, including its headquarters and all business travel. It found that in the past year the company produced around 251t of carbon emissions - the same as 200 return flights to Europe.

As a result, it has now supported a range of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable forestry-offset projects. These schemes will save or absorb one tonne of carbon dioxide for every tonne the company creates.

[Contract Journal, 6 September 2006, p 2]