The features and benefits of our energy-efficient homes

This technology recycles the waste energy which might have been lost into the atmosphere.

This extra heat is instead recycled back through the boiler, giving it a head start when heating up the incoming cold water.

This system increases boiler efficiency and could save the amount of gas used to heat hot water annually, which means lower energy bills for you and greater carbon savings.

This technology recovers the heat that would normally be lost down the drain from the shower.

The device uses the outgoing waste warm water to pre-heat the fresh cold mains water coming into the home, reducing the strain on your boiler and the energy required to heat your water up to the required temperature, saving energy and cutting costs.

Photovoltaics panels capture the sun's energy and converts it into electricity that you can use in your home.

They are fitted onto either the front or back of the home's roof, depending on the orientation of the specific property.

These will help to reduce your electricity bills.

This energy-efficient ventilation solution uses small fans that are fitted in bathrooms and kitchens. 

They ensure good indoor air quality as they extract the stale air out of the room, maximising comfort for you and your family.

Some of our homes will have EV charging points installed, so you can charge your car at your convenience**.

In some of our homes we now install air source heat pumps (ASHP) which is a device that uses electricity to transfer heat from outside air into the home, providing heating and hot water.

Although a heat pump uses electricity, most of that energy comes from the air or ground which makes it very efficient - 3 or 4 times more efficient than boilers.

A few more features that make our homes energy-efficient and could save you money include highly thermally efficient insulation and argon-filled double-glazing as standard which allows the heat from the sun in whilst minimising heat loss.

This means you could enjoy lower energy bills, with your brand-new home being up to 74% cheaper to run, meaning you could save up to £2,590 per year on your energy bills^.

The Zed House is a unique zero carbon concept home that showcases the future of the sustainable living in the UK. Built on University of Salford's main campus, it's the first home in the country to be built by a major housebuilder that goes substantially beyond the Future Homes Standard.

The home will test and monitor the most modern sustainable housing technology such as an air source heat pump, infrared panels, plaster that eliminates pollutants, a fridge that keeps food fresh for longer, heated skirting boards, air-powered showers, electric vehicle charging points, PV solar panels and battery storage. Importantly, the home will also be lived in by a University academic in order to better understand the customer's experience of zero carbon living.