Case study Zed House Case Study

Zed House is the flagship zero carbon home concept of Barratt Homes, developed in conjunction with Salford University. It is the first new home in the country built by a major housebuilder to go beyond the new Future Homes Standard by delivering a carbon reduction of 125%.

The new house features cutting edge technology such as overhead infrared panels that provide instant zero carbon heat; new air powered showers that will save families hundreds of pounds per year in water and heating bills; plaster which eliminates pollutants giving cleaner, healthier air; a fridge which keeps the right humidity resulting in 60% less food wastage; and innovative heated skirting boards delivering 10% more heat than traditional radiators whilst also saving space.

Zed House has been constructed using the latest building methods incorporating Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), such as such as closed panel timber frames with highly insulated cladding, factory fitted windows and off-site panelised masonry ground-floor wall panels, reducing the need for bricklayers and the time it takes to build by half.

To complement the timber effect cladding of the upper storey, clay brick was selected as the facing material on the ground floor level for both its aesthetic quality and consistency with housebuilding in the North West.

Instead of standard bricklaying, a mechanical brick cladding system devised by Forterra was used. Originally developed for use on a project with Derby Council to clad for the city’s flood defences, Forterra further developed the system for use in house building, creating larger panels that allow for window and door openings. Other adaptations to the system included weep vents, fire retardants and drip trays present in the cavity of the wall. This off-site manufactured wall system is designed to reduce onsite waste, improve aesthetic quality and increase the construction speed of brick built buildings.