ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDER CHAMPIONS SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

The Green Apple Environmental Best Practise Awards have become established as one of the most popular environmental campaigns around the world, recognising significant achievement in promoting sustainability and best practise in the UK and overseas.

Speller Metcalfe’s Small Works and Ecobuild teams were awarded the Gold seal of approval for an eco vicarage built on behalf of the Diocese of Worcester in Kingswinford, Dudley. The new build property contributes to the Church of England’s plan to reduce their carbon footprint by 80 per cent over the next few years.

The vicarage emits no carbon emissions whatsoever, and is built to the highest levels of energy efficiency and sustainability – Passivhaus and Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 – and is the first residential property in England to reach these standards.

Heating bills at the property have been reduced by up to 90% with thick insulation, triple glazed windows, solar and PV panels and a heat recovery system all playing their part in contributing to the energy efficiency of the house – dubbed the greenest home in Britain.

Bill Cave, Small Works Director at Speller Metcalfe said: “This is an absolutely honour to not only win an award, but gain the highest accolade of gold.

“The project was exciting and challenging but most of all it has become an environmental model for others to follow. Now more than ever people need to realise the value of a sustainable home and how important it is to reduce our impact on the environment.”