SprintBio energy efficient homes - Distibutors of environmentally friendly boilers, burners and heat pumps

CAMPAIGNERS fighting the proposal for an ‘eco-town’ at Ford will lobby Parliament next week (June 30). A delegation from Communities Against Ford Eco-Town (CAFE) will make the journey to London to make their views known on the proposal to build at least 5,000 houses on greenfield land at Ford in West Sussex.

read the article on the parliamentary lobby to prevent Eco-Towns

Wednesday, 2.30pm - THREE major landowners have submitted plans detailing how the former RAF Newton airbase, near Bingham, could be developed into an “eco-town”. The Crown Estate, Defence Estates and Newton Nottingham LLP have submitted the plans to the Department for Communities and Local Government, which plans to build 10 such towns around the country.

read the article on Eco-Town planned and put forward

The Better Accessible Responsible Development (Bard) group is opposed to 6,000 new homes near Long Marston. Bard has applied for a judicial review of the government’s eco-town process, claiming the programme is “unlawful” and lacks “adequate consultation”. A Communities and Local Government spokesman said it did not believe there was any basis for a legal challenge. Ministers say the towns would be low energy, carbon-neutral developments.

read the article on acting against Eco Towns

Prospective residents of the proposed eco-town at Long Marston, should the site make it into the government’s shortlist, could pay less than £100 per year in domestic heating bills according to a leading authority on energy conservation.

Ian Ward, one of the directors said “I would go as far as saying that it will be possible to heat a family home for less than £100 per year, perhaps as low as £50 in the best circumstances.”

read the article on the Long Marston site

Construction work on Ireland’s first “eco-village” is scheduled to begin this summer. When completed, The Village will consist of 130 dwellings of apartments, semi-detached and detached houses. There will also be shops, playgrounds and communal facilities, with the use of the 67-acre site being divided equally for housing, farmland and woodland.

read the article on Ireland’s Eco Village

A zero carbon house has been built on Britain’s most northerly island of Unst, which will bring obvious benefits to the environment.  The carbon neutral home lowers the carbon footprint by producing its own energy and storing it to heat the home.

read the article on the Eco-House

In an article from The Green Building Press pop star Lily Allen is backing a campaign to boost green energy in homes and businesses around the country. Along with an innovative solar powered east London recording studio, she is calling for a financial reward for homes and businesses that generate their own clean renewable energy.

read the article on the renewables campaign

Tower Homes, one of London’s largest low cost home ownership providers, is offering affordable eco-friendly living at its inspirational Centre View development in Croydon.

Centre View is a new landmark development that is set to challenge and change the way that new homes are built in the UK.

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An eco home has been sold in an exclusive community, Lower Mill Estate. Whilst building his own property, the owner of the Estate saw the potential for an exclusive private community where the environment and sustainability plays as big a part as the residents. For example the residents aren’t allowed to live in the community in January to allow birds to nest and other wildlife to breed. 

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A recent survey by the DIY and home specialists B&Q has revealed that home buyers are now increasingly convinced that energy efficient homes are worth paying more for. The research even found that by spending just £500 on ’environmentally friendly and eco-conscious‘ improvements could add up to £3000 to the value of the property.
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A Telegraph reporter invites two ‘eco auditors’ into her home to see how she can be more green and reduce her carbon emissions. They address everything from bottled water to water pipe insultated.
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With fossil fuel supplies dwindling and sustainable energy in its infancy, our wasteful ways have become not just a political football, but a global emergency. Awareness of the issue has reached new heights over the last decade, but a cavalier attitude to energy and energy-saving still persists. Each time a light is left on, a window left open and an unnecessary boilwash done we sap the national grid of its precious power for no reason other than carelessness. There are a few very simple ways in which we can make our homes more energy-efficient, less expensive to run and still maintain the all mod con lifestyle to which we’re so accustomed.

Lighting is probably the most consistent drain on your energy supply, and it’s easy to forget how much you rely on it, especially during the dark days of winter. Energy-saving lightbulbs may be slightly more expensive to buy, but they last a lot longer. Halogen bulbs usually run with 35 watts of power, but you could be greener still with a 9 watt candle, and lend a dickensian mood to your home into the bargain. Switch lights off not only when you leave the house, but as you leave each room.

Washing machines can waste an enormous amount of energy. If you wash clothes at lower temperatures not only will they last longer but you will hugely reduce your energy expenditure. Next time you buy a new washing machine – or any other appliance for that matter – look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. Any product carrying this logo has met strict criteria on energy efficiency and will therefore cost less to run and reduce carbon emissions.

Boilers play a huge part in our energy consumption, typically accounting for around 60% of domestic carbon emissions. How old is your boiler? If it’s more than 15 years old, then it’s probably time to look for a new one. Fit a high efficiency condensing boiler and you could save around £200 per year on your bill. A new boiler works by recovering the heat that it would traditionally have wasted, making it around 15% more efficient than a conventional boiler.

Half of the heat that escapes from your home is lost through the walls and the loft. It stands to reason that you could make huge energy savings by installing insulation, or looking into how efficient your current insulation is and improving it. Have you ever thought how much heat you could be losing through that rickety letterbox? Fitting a brush is a simple measure you can take to prevent such heat loss. Double-glazing and pipe insulation are also highly effective energy-saving methods.