The world’s largest brick manufacturer has launched a Code Level 4 brick concept home it says can be built for 10% less than the traditional equivalent.
Wienerberger’s e4 brick house, developed in collaboration with structural engineer Arup, is a three-bed detached house designed to deliver over 50% improvement on Part L of the Building Regulations covering energy. It uses a fabric first approach combining brick and block cavity walls and clay roof tiles with high levels of insulation and a Porotherm clay block inner leaf.
The manufacturer claims a 10-home development built using the basic “bronze” specification of the house would cost 10% less than the traditional equivalent, while a single home can be built for the same price.
“Our main goal was to build a home that is both sustainable and affordable, which will be the two major trend over the next 5-10 years,” said Harald Schwarzmayr, MD of Wienerberger UK, which supplied all the materials for the home. “Unlike sustainable Code Level 5 and 6 concept homes on science parks in Watford and Nottingham University that don’t get replicated on actual developments our aim was to develop a Code Level 4 design that fits the needs of the market and of consumers.”
Although the e4’s embodied carbon impact is likely to be higher than some construction methods, it has an impressive fabric energy efficiency of 46kWh/m2/yr. It scored 21 of the 24 available credits in the materials section of the Code for Sustainable Homes and all key building elements achieve an A or A+ rating, according to the Green Guide for Specification.
Heating is provided by a low temperature hot water system powered by a high efficiency air source heat pump, and occupants can monitor and control their electricity and primary heating fuel consumption using an energy display device and separate timer and temperature controls in different rooms. Water saving devices are also designed to limit consumption to 105 litres per person per day.
The house is designed to be adaptable with different room configurations and sizes, while high levels of light and the traditional brick appearance are expected to appeal to consumers.
The brick shortages experienced by house builders in recent weeks shouldn’t impact of the success of the concept, added Schwarzmayr. “The government’s Help to Buy scheme was a surprise for us but what we’re seeing isn’t a supply issue, it’s more a challenge for the construction supply chain. What is required is more stable forecasts on materials demand, from government, communicated to the housing industry, down to trades, logistics and haulage and the brick producers,” he said.
