Revolutionary homes, allowing tenants to avoid energy bills, are being pioneered in Northumberland by architects Space Group. The Newcastle-based company worked with Arch Homes to design and build four sustainable homes in Blyth that cost nothing extra to heat and power.
The Swedish-style Spacehus houses comply with ‘zero carbon’ standards and will be let to tenants on the basis of no additional energy bills, with their minimal heat and power demands offset by renewable energy technologies and included within monthly rents.
Scolmore Group is part of this project, with its innovative and energy saving Inceptor Max Integrated LED Downlights, as well as its Mode wiring accessories products being installed throughout the development.
Inceptor is a fire-rated, integrated LED downlight with a high-powered, compact, pre-wired driver and flow connector. The compact size of the ‘flippable’ driver means it can be fitted into a very shallow recess depth of just 61mm – making it one of the most flexible fittings currently available.
It features Scolmore’s Flow Connectors, making it quick and easy to install as well as to remove and replace for the purpose of circuit testing and for retrofits. The pivoting, anchored Flow connector allows the freedom of movement normally associated with a cable, but with the rigidity of a solid component. Its open-backed design means there is improved air flow to the heat sink, allowing for cooler running temperatures and a longer lifetime for the luminaire.
IP65 rated, Inceptor Max incorporates Scolmore’s award-winning FlameGuard system technology, offers a 90-minute fire rating and is acoustic and airflow compliant. The company’s trademark blue strip of intumescent adds an extra barrier of protection against fire by expanding to fill the gap between plasterboard and light fitting.
Also used in the development is Mode – a contemporary range of smooth profile wiring accessories, with clean, modern lines.
Contractor, Michael Bamling, of Total Electrical Solutions, which was responsible for installing Scolmore’s products for this project, said: “The Inceptor LED Downlights are a joy to fit and the light output is fantastic.”
The four homes are a pilot project commissioned by Arch, the Northumberland Development Company following research that showed 77,000 North East families have experienced energy debt. The aim is take this low waste, zero energy and zero bills building approach model and roll it out across the UK.
