Holywood home a first for Northern Ireland!

8 Jan 2010

The County Down seaside town of Holywood has become home to a unique building. Blending in with the elegant three storey town houses along the Esplanade sits a new carbon zero home, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. The Green House is a four bedroom home, which is currently being used as a show home for builders Sky Developments, an award winning construction company that specialises in eco friendly buildings.

The Green House has incorporated 3.75kW of C21 solar roof tiles, which will generate up to 3000 units of eco friendly electricity annually, and solar water heating panels in its design. The house is heated by an air source heat pump and carbon neutral wood burning stove, both of which complement the environmentally friendly ethos of the building.

The solar tiles have been part funded by Northern Ireland Electricity’s Smart programme. Gwyneth Compston from NIE Energy visited The Green House this week to see the new technologies in action. She said, “This is very much the ideal in sustainable living. The Green House demonstrates how renewable energy can architecturally complement a new build and we hope this carbon zero home, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, will encourage more architects and developers to consider using renewable technologies in their designs.”

Stephen McCready and Alan Johnston from Sky Developments were delighted to conduct the tour of their remarkable showhouse. “We appreciate the financial support from Northern IE through its renewable programme NIE Smart without it the project would have been more difficult to realise.”

Stephen adds, “We certainly can’t claim to be among NIE Energy’s best customers! We are currently celebrating the first anniversary of The Green House, and our first year’s electricity bills came to a grand total of £159.48! And on top of that, we can actually look forward to a payment back from NIE Energy for the electricity we’ve been generating and exporting to them all year!”

To find out more about saving energy and renewable energy solutions for your home, community or business check out the NIE Energy website at www.nie-yourenergy.co.uk The NIE Smart Programme is funded by Northern Ireland Electricity and managed by NIE Energy.

. . . ENDS . . .

Issued by:
Julia Carson, NIE Communications Manager
Northern Ireland Electricity Corporate Communications
Direct Dial: 028 9076 6859
NIE Medialine: 0845 300 3556 (for journalists only)

back to news page | top