Low Carbon Homes Come to Alway

Thirty-nine low-carbon affordable homes are set to be built in Alway, Newport, thanks to Castleoak and Pobl partnering on a project at the former site of the Ladyhill Day Centre and Seven Stiles pub.Castleoak, a Welsh-based developer, has partnered with Pobl, a not-for-profit housing association, to bring 20 two-bed and 19 three-bed homes to the one-hectare site. This project is partly funded by the Welsh Government’s £155 million Innovative Housing Programme, which seeks to use modern methods of construction (MMC) to bring low-carbon affordable housing to Wales.The house frames will be pre-fabricated at Castleoak’s offsite manufacturing facility in Ebbw Vale, including pre-fitted windows and insulation and adapted to use specialist mechanical and electrical solutions and smart water cyclinders, aiming to maximise energy efficiency.The homes will also have roof solar panels and storage batteries, further minimising the homes’ lifetime carbon footprint and energy costs. Once created, they will be assembled at the site by Castleoak’s construction team.More than 70% of the world’s population live in timber frame homes. Timber frame homes are growing in popularity in the UK owing to the environmental benefits of the material and speed of build, and the ability to optimise the homes for heat retention so they minimise energy consumption and keep costs low for residents.